WOOF WOOF

So there is a picture going around facebook of these cute little shaggy pups someone made out of cupcakes. I had a client contact me about replicating them. I tried to find instructions on how to make them but to no avail.

I studied the picture carefully trying to figure out how they got the shape of the face to stay the way it was. There is a SMALL glimpse on the back cupcake that shows a ‘mini cupcake’ behind the mound of frosting. What a neat thing….I would have never thought of that!! Here goes…..

Now let me explain something, I have a very ‘I can do that’ approach to all projects but then when I sit at the table with my materials my heart starts pounding and I convince myself of all the reasons ‘I can’t do this’. These were NO exception. I think even more so because I couldn’t find instructions step by step instructions so I had to use my knowledge just by looking at the picture.

You can see which pups were first and which came as I got more comfortable. Either way I think they came out super cute and my client was pleased!!!

Her + Panda = BFF

When my daughter was 18 months old we asked her what she wanted for Christmas and never got an answer. Until, December 23rd. While getting ready for bed she tells us she wants people (little people and a panda). Ugh, she asked for 2 things, 2 things that had not been purchased. How could we have NEITHER under the tree.

Off to TRU I got in the pouring cold rain, 10 wks pregnant at 9pm at night. FUN!!

Of course the story is PACKED but the shelves are EMPTY! I find 1 little people set for her and begin to scour for a stuffed Panda. I'm crazy, with crazy people, tired, cold and pregnantly (yes that's a word LOL) hormonal. I grab the first panda I can find. 

My husband kindly points out (he must have had a death wish) that the Panda is the same size as our little girl. 

So life size panda goes on the new big girl bed we got her and off to sleep we go. When she gets up Christmas morning her eyes zero in on Panda and it's LOVE at first sight. 

That was 6 Christmas' ago and while we can now travel during day time hours without panda he does go to all sleepovers with her still. 

As you all know I have been doing these cakes for a short time so this should come as no surprise to you but I have NEVER made a cake for either one of my children. NEVER. So this year was REALLY special!! She wanted pandas, she wanted me to use my fondant punches, and she likes pink and purple. I was told. This is what I came up with....Very busy, very colorful

Eagle

My first sheet cake :o)

After my epic fail with the strawberry filling last week to say I was scared. I got some fantastic advice on how to fix it for the future so here's to hoping!

Baking the sheet cake was nerve racking, I went small amounts when setting the timer and checked it at regular intervals. Once it was baked I had to get creative for cooling because I thought of buying a special pan for baking BUT didn't get a sheet cake cooling rack...Oooops! I looped the legs of 2 cooling rack I had together and it worked just fine. However the larger rack is on my wish list of supplies.

Leveling and torte a cake of this size was awkward. I wasn't sure which way to put it on the table or where to position myself to get the best angle. Finally get that 'sweet' spot and cut through it like all other cakes. No new challenges. However, actually lifting the pieces apart without breaking them was a whole different challenge. I recruited husband help for this!! Together we got the top and bottom safely apart and

Now to fill, butterflies start.

I put the cut cake in the fridge to completely cool. Once I felt it was ready I took it out and laid down a THICK buttercream dam. I moved around the cake much slower then I have in the past. I gently pressed the dam into the cake to ensure that it was attached, back in the fridge it went. I left it there for a bit so the buttercream would harden. Once it felt firm, I took it out and added the raspberry filling (YUMMY!! by the way) back in the fridge it went. This time to ensure the buttercream stayed firm and to harden the raspberry filling some. Once again, it was firm enough for my comfort level and out it came.Top layer on. So far so good. Frosting. Still good.

I let the cake sit for a bit, I wanted to make sure there wasn't going to be any problems before I finished decorating it.

For the Eagle I used the piping gel transfer technique, this gave me a guide when laying the feathers for the body. I then used the head and beak as a template to make those pieces.

All and all I was VERY pleased with this project!

OMG NO WAY!!!!!!!!!

I am not sure there is much to say about this one. It's cupcakes frosted together to give the illusion of being a cake. I LOVE THIS CAKE, LOVE IT, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!!


My first pull apart cake!!!

AllieGATORS

I made some super cute Alligators for my niece for her birthday cupcakes. I have called her Alliegator for a long time and I have now shortened it to just Gator. Since I made her sister some Crab cupcakes for her birthday since, as you guessed, I call her Crabbie I had to do something for Gator too!

Strawberry Shortcake

First cake with filling............DISASTER!!!!!!!!! I was DEVASTATED.

The filling on the strawberry house leaked out and the buttercream started coming off. I wish I had a picture of the carnage.

Before the great flood the cake was BEAUTIFUL!

Arrrrrr get away from my booty

Open Treasure Chest....SURE!

Couple fun things with this cake. Obviously the load of candy oozing out the front but also the treasure chest is a 1/4 sheet cake cut in half. I used half Chocolate and half Yellow cake. I had NEVER made 2 different cakes in one pan like that. I was super impressed with myself.

I covered the outside in brown fondant and while it looked 'good' I wasn't 100% convinced it was done. So my favorite element of this cake was the 'wood grain' I added to give the chest a realistic look.

As a compliment to the cake, Pirates on cupcakes :o)