Lego City

So last month I got an inquiry from a woman wanting a Lego City cake for her son's 6th birthday. She sent me a link to a horrifyingly detailed cake, pictured below:

The only thing was she needed to feed less than 20 six year olds, so that would have been far too much cake. The one requirement her son had was the cake had to have a helicopter on top, so we decided to use the bottom tier as inspiration. 

I was able to replicate the cake pretty well, with a few tweaks, including a helipad on top.  

Even still, I'm looking at this cake trying to imagine how it will look with the helicopter and other Lego decor. I am so used to making sweet little cakes, I just didn't know what to think of the cake. I was hesitant and starting to doubt myself, convinced she was going to hate it. 

Then, my husband comes home and walks in the kitchen. He looks at the cake and yells "COOL!!" Considering men never grow up, I figured that was going to be indicative of Cannon's reaction. 

I was so happy to hear everyone loved the cake. And seriously, these Legos just absolutely made the cake!!

Goal!

So, I don't think I've shared very much about my day job, which is completely different from my baking life. During the day, I work as an attorney for the state. The chief legal counsel of my agency is just an absolute peach. She's got five children ranging in age from 23 years to 18 months, and she doesn't look a day over 30. She's a beautiful little freak of nature. Anyway, her daughter had just turned 10 and it was a pretty big deal to her. She kept telling Rachael, "mom, it's double digits," and informed her she was expecting some type of birthday surprise commensurate with what a big deal this birthday was. 

Well, Rachael's first surprise was the party was a week late! Second, she surprised her with a part at Skyzone, a trampoline park. The surprise also included a cake carefully crafted by me, of course. Maddie absolutely loves soccer.  And, like her momma, is a die-hard chocoholic. 

Naturally, the cake was a soccer ball theme. It was my standard chocolate cake baked in a bowl the same way my pig cake was previously. It was then torted and filled with chocolate buttercream. Once the cake was covered with the fondant patches, it was time to make it shiny like a soccer ball. Anyone know the secret? Vodka. When people see vodka in my decorating kit, I like to joke that cake decorating drives me to drink.  But really, to make fondant shiny all you have to do is paint it with a vodka/water mixture. The alcohol evaporates and leaves a really nice gloss. 

Maddie only had a handful of girls at her party, maybe around 7 or so ten year-olds.  The cake should have fed 20+ people! but these girls worked up an appetite bouncing and finished it. Impressive. 

Cookie Dough Overload

Today is one of my husband's best friends' birthday. His girlfriend also happens to be one of my dear friends. When I asked her what kind if cake he wanted for his birthday, his answer was that he likes cookies more than cake. I had just the answer... Cookie dough cake!!

I've traditionally done my "Dough!" Recipe as cupcakes. But I have been wanting to try it as an over the top cookie dough overload cake. 

I have to say it was a success!!

The top and bottom layers were a traditional yellow cake while the middle layer was eggless cookie dough. The cake was then frosted with a cookie dough flavored frosting and garnished with cookie strips and mini chocolate chips to form the "29."

The cake was almost 5 inches tall and every bit as decadent as it sounds. The top and bottom layers were the same height to begin with. you can tell how heavy the cake was by looking at how much smaller the bottom layer is now!

There is no better way to consume massive amounts of cookie dough than with cake and frosting to go with.

Stay Sweet!

Football Puns

Today we had a special 50th birthday cake for a Miami Dolphins fan. I wanted a football field style cake and a cheeky little play on the 50-yard line. 

Ann chose the Razz flavor, which is a vanilla cake with a raspberry filling and a chocolate buttercream frosting. This cake had a combination of chocolate and vanilla buttercream, because chocolate wouldn't have gotten the right color green. So the crumb coat was chocolate and the grass was a traditional vanilla buttercream. 

If we get a picture back of the inside, we will definitely update with a shot!!

Stay sweet!

Market Research

After trick or treat was over, my husband and I were left with an abundance of candy. Not wanting to let my inner fat kid completely take over and have snickers for breakfast, I decided I needed to find a way to make use of our leftovers, Pretty Sweet style. 

We had some of our friends over to test out my new creation, for which I have yet to come up with a name more clever than "Butterfinger Cupcakes." I feel another Simspons reference coming on...

Anyway, the first couple we had over to test the cupcakes approved to say the least. In fact, Erin gave arguably the most vulgar-and-complimentary-at-the-same-time response when she finished. She put the wrapper down and said "I think I need a cigarette." Admittedly I was shocked and flattered. 

Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of the first, ahem, satisfying cupcakes. Naturally, we had more friends over so I could whip up a fresh batch. Here they are, chocolate cupcakes with a butterfinger ganache center and peanut butter cream cheese frosting. 

And of course we need to see the center of these bad boys...

We have another couple coming tonight to complete our market research taste test, but I think it's safe to say these are making a permanent appearance on the menu. 

Any ideas on a catchy name?