Father's Day Cake Ideas

Here are some cakes I've done in the past for the men in my life:

For Golf Lovers - chocolate ganache icing, graham cracker crumbs for the sand, and piped on green butter cream icing for grass. Flags are star bursts/flavored tootsie rolls on tooth picks.

For the pool table gamer and connoisseur in your life:

For the preppy guy in your life (aka my husband) who enjoys being trendy and chic. I loved this argyle design cake. It was fun to make and tasty too!

Mother's Day Cake Ideas

Strawberry shortcake?

What woman doesn't love flowers and chocolate - both in one cake! Chocolate ganache topped with hand piped flowers, vines and leaves:

A simple rose topped chocolate butter cream cake:

Chocolate butter cream iced cake with chocolate shavings for added effect:

A Tiffany's inspired gift box cake, and perhaps some Tiffany's jewelry to accompany it?

Mini Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

These started out as mini chocolate cupcakes, then I made some mint buttercream icing and piped it on with a large round tip. Next step was do I make a circle of chocolate ganache icing or dip them in the icing completely...so I tried both!

Almond Macaroons

My first (yes pathetic) attempt at making those beautiful almond macaroon cookies and cookie sandwiches, and it was a flop. They flattened and cracked.

What's the secret to getting beautiful macaroons like these:

Does anyone have a recipe that turns out well?

Father's Day Cake Creation

This year for Father's Day I decided to try something other than the standard cake, so I went with cupcakes, but not just any cupcakes - Pool Ball cupcakes!

Growing up my dad always enjoyed playing pool, and we even had a pool table for a time, so I thought this would be a fun thing to try.

Surprisingly they weren't hard to make. I used standard vanilla frosting which I warmed to I could dip the cupcakes for a smooth surface, then dipped them into colored sugar or cookie crumbs (for the 8-ball). For the circles with numbers I used fondariffic and edible markers.

Upcoming Baking Review

I plan to try some new combinations as the weather warms up like the following:

1. chocolate egg shells filled with chocolate mousse
2. Yellow cake with lemon pudding filling and lemon icing, topped with shredded coconut
3. Strawberry shortcake cake with whipped topping and blueberries (festive for July 4th)

Stay Tuned...

My Recent Baking Additions

Chocolate Chip Cherry Cake, for my work's holiday pot luck luncheon

Glitter Ball Cookies, for church small group party

Pumpkin spice muffins, just for fun

750 best muffin recipes

Without telling too much about this book, they have muffin recipes you would expect like fruit muffins and bran muffins, but also the unexpected like Collard greens and garlic muffins. I had a chance to try two recipes so far: Apple Cider Cranberry Muffins (below) . . .

. . . AND Pumpkin Spice Muffins (pictured below):

Happy Birthday

Today was actually my 27th birthday, but I didn't make this cake for myself. I made it for my coworker whose birthday is also this week. It's fun for me to bake and decorate, so it's like a gift to myself AND a gift to my coworker :)

Fall Cake Ideas

Here are some cakes I did last Fall, but thought I would re-post them in case you needed inspiration :)