Days 128 & 127 -- Cakes

Sorry about missing a post yesterday.  I sat down to post and found the storm had taken out the internet.  It wasn't fixed until this morning.  Oh well, both days were spent on pretty much the same issue.

I was asked to do the cake for a college graduation for a dear friend (former student, babysitter) of ours.  Since this year I have finally braced myself and said, "Yes, I will do this event."  I told her I would gladly do this but not accept payment for it (I wouldn't have anyway but this was a good excuse)! Yes, this year after years of looking and questioning whether I had what it takes I plan to enter the decorated cakes contest.  My cake may come right back home instead of making it to the display case but at least I can say I tried the contest!  However, I very much want to stay in the amateur class which means no taking money for decorating cakes.  No way am I competing in the professional class!

Truly this challenge excites me (another of my mini challenges).  I love to decorate cakes and have been decorating my son's and my nephews' for a few years now.  The past two days when there has been a little time has been spent perusing cake decorating magazines.  Wilton, of course, tops my list of cake decorating go to know how.  Really - if Wilton doesn't carry it for your cake needs I don't know who does.  I do want this to be my very own design and not a copy so I believe I will utilize my one year old's cake as the "practice" for the Iowa State Fair design.

My one year old will be getting a 3 tier duck cake complete with 3D duck on the top (that will be taken down to use as the "smash" cake).  Smash cakes are great - it is for the little one to dive right into and get lots of great pictures.  Although our first born didn't seem too into the smash cake when he turned one.  Somehow, I don't think his brother will have any trouble. My plan uses fondant decorating and piping so that is exciting to combine the two.  Since I don't have much experience with fondant I will use any excuse between now and July to decorate a cake with it for birthdays, graduation and anything else that comes along!

The graduation cake will be a two tier cake with a mini graduation cap cake on the top of the tiers.  It shouldn't be too hard but of course I need to find the proper recipes and bake the cakes just right so that the taste is great as well as the design.  My husband seems happy that there are plans for lots of cake sampling this month!  I am trying to figure out who to share cake with since I have lost 30 pounds and don't plan to give into my weakness for all things cake!  Ironically enough I love cake but hate eating frosting so decorating the cakes is a non-temptation issue for me.

Ah well -- dreams of cake tonight.  Now, if I could just figure out what my soon to be 3-year old wants for his birthday cake.  Right now he keeps saying he wants a parking garage.  Really, a parking garage?  I don't know that I can pull that one off!