Bryce's Last Two Birthday Cakes

I see a pattern forming.  The top pic is the cake Bryce asked for last year.  The lower pic is what he asked for this year.  I don't recall the type of cake I used in the first one, but I do remember having fun melting and forming the chocolate shards I put on as primary decoration.  Both cakes are topped with generous dollops of decorative whipped cream and strawberries.  The cake I made for him this year was three layer, as requested, a Neapolitan cake with one layer of strawberry, one of chocolate, and one of vanilla.  The filling was strawberry jam and the exterior was frosted with a simple chocolate buttercream.  It's strange to think this is the same kid who used to demand superheroes on every cake.

Wolfner Library 80th Anniversary Cake

Fun stuff.  This cake was made in honor of 80 years of Wolfner Library history.  Since the first audiobook medium we circulated was in record form, I made a version of the portable record player that was at one time issued to Wolfner Library patrons.  This three layer cake ( carved from three half sheet cakes) features a simple American style vanilla buttercream filling and crumb coat.  The sides and top are covered in marshmallow fondant.  For the wood grain look, two batches of fondant were flavored and colored with varying amounts of sifted cocoa powder, then marbled together.  Metal details are fondant brushed with gold dust.  The knobs are Rolo candies.  The record is one bag of 12 oz dark chocolate candy melts molded in a 10 in round cake pan.  The pin in the center of the record is a small slice of soft black licorice.  The tone arm is a pretzel rod with chocolate marshmallow fondant details and propped up on a black soft licorice piece.  The lid is made of chocolate plastic--dark chocolate candy melts and light corn syrup.  My husband Michael designed the vintage record label and had it printed and laminated at Kinkos.

Louis' Birthday

Fun times over the labor day weekend.  My mother baked the cake ("funfetti," as requested by the birthday boy), I decorated it.  I manufactured a fair amount of fondant, then set to work making sushi "cakes" with a wad of fondant hand-shaped into an oversized rice cake.  I rolled the cakes in chopped up marshmallows (to simulate the rice), then topped them with colored bits of fondant made to simulate salmon, tuna, egg, and fish eggs.  The seaweed wraps were of fondant as well.  I set actual chopsticks on the cake and added a little plastic cup with chocolate syrup to simulate soy sauce.  And yes, the wasabi and pickled ginger were made of fondant as well.  Louis was pleased.  That's what I always aim for.

Wolfner Library's 10th Anniversary of the Recording Booth

Well, this was fun.  I made everything out of either chocolate plastic (melted candies and/or chocolate plus corn syrup) or fondant.  I had just purchased one of those cake markers in black, so I used it for all the lettering and lines.  Folks were impressed.  Maybe you can't tell from the photo, but this was basically a full sheet cake, rendered in two layers.  The top layer was angled to simulate the mixing board.  Oh, and the wires were made out of black licorice whips.  You wouldn't believe how many places I had to go to find that stuff.  I finally ended up at the candy shop here at our local mall.

Cakes for the recently retired...

Seems like I keep running off my bosses.  I'm sure they are taking on these life-changing events without any prompting from me, but it feels odd to see my former boss and current boss retire in the space of three months in a single year.  I can't but help feeling a touch abandoned.  I will miss them both.  They were very different people, but they were both very important to me.

The first retiree, Susan, is a garden enthusiast.  I took advantage of the fact that it was early spring and did pansies and violets on her cake.  The photos are blurry, sorry.

The little terracotta pots are actually fondant covered cupcakes.  The cake itself was a dark chocolate fudge.  I used a Duncan Hines chocolate fudge cake mix and added some extra dark chocolate cocoa powder.  In between the layers, I slathered on some seedless raspberry jam.  These flavors were well-received.

The second cake was Richard's.  Up until yesterday, he was my "current" boss.  I made his to look like one of the talking book machines that we distribute to our patrons.  The cake was a traditional yellow, but I wanted to simulate a strawberry shortcake, so I spooned strawberry jam between the layers.  I may be exaggerating, but I think Richard was thrilled.

Additionally, I made two dozen Braille cupcakes which spelled NLS.  One of the attendees happened to be blind, and experienced in reading Braille.  She got a cupcake and ran her fingers over it, she was actually able to read it, which was very cool.