Cake Mania!

Sound the trumpets! Drum roll, please!
Today I am finally going to be sharing something creative with you!!
I have been waiting to write this post since the day I started conceiving all of my grand ideas!

When the subject of cakes came up for my grandparent's 50th Anniversary Celebration,
I eagerly volunteered for the job.
There were already a few Pinterest pins calling my name,
and this would be a funtastic opportunity to finally try some out.

These were my Pin-speration sources.

1. Gumdrop Roses  2. Wedding Picture Topper  3. Chocolate design toppers
4. Chocolate Heart  5. Sugar and Berries  6. Cake Banner 
7. Pineapple Flowers  8. Picture Pick Toppers  9. Strawberry Roses

 

Not to forget this awesome chocolate butterfly.

After one whole day of 'research' (I love Pinterest!), and one day of shopping for all
the necessities and ingredients, I was able to get to work!

I gave mom the task of making all the paper and picture decorations, like the anniversary banner,
wedding picture topper, and cake labels...which left me to man the kitchen.

Let me show you what I cooked up!

 #1 Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This was a two layer sheet cake with frosting in the middle, that I quickly
decorated with a '50 Years' flag, some pineapple flowers and a lacy chocolate heart.

The heart was made from melted almond bark that I piped onto parchment paper,
 then re-hardened in the fridge.
 I didn't trace a design for this one, I just did it by freehand.

#2 Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
Also a two layered, cream cheese frosted cake,
I decorated this one with my version of the wedding picture cake topper (made by mom!)
surrounded by pineapple flowers.
I was told later that those dried flowers tasted great!
 

#3 Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Don't let the gluten free part scare you, this is the best chocolate cake I have ever had!
I'm dead serious. And I don't like chocolate cake.
Want to know a secret? We didn't tell people this was gluten free, and it was our most popular cake!
I used my go to chocolate butter cream recipe to frost this single layer cake,
then topped it with almond bark chocolate words and gumdrop roses!

These roses were awesome!

If you click the link in my collage above it will take you to this video tutorial!
They are so simple to make, yet add so much!
They don't show you how to make the leaves, but it didn't take much to figure those out.
Just roll out your green gumdrop as shown in the video, then cut out a leaf shape.
Voila!

#4 Gluten Free Three-Tiered Cake
Not as many tiers as my inspiration source,
but I liked the simple beauty of the exposed cake, fresh fruit and powdered sugar.

 

The strawberry rose bouquet was a nice touch, though it didn't turn out as good I would have hoped.
 I couldn't get the 'petals' to lay open like in the picture. But still, a nice topper.
 

#5 White Raspberry Cake
Three layered almond white cake, with almond butter cream frosting and raspberry preserve filling.
I only frosted the middle layers and the top cake for two reasons.
One, 'naked cakes' are in style, didn't you know?
And two, the frosting was a little stiff and I was running out of time.
Mostly....it was reason two.

To make this cake look fabulous,
we stuck a very long "Happy Anniversary" banner in the top!
I love the way it turned out! My mom did a great job!

  
#6 Coconut Cake
You guys.
This was my favorite cake!!
Just look at that! It is beautiful! And it tastes wonderful too!
I am dying to make another one of these, with a few little recipe changes.

This double layer coconut sheet cake was frosted with sour cream coconut frosting,
between the layers and all over the outside, sprinkled with toasted coconut
then adorned with almond bark butterflies!
I was so, so thrilled that I was actually able to make these!
I mean...look at them!

 And finally....

I made just over 70 Lemon Cupcakes!
This is one of our family recipes for rich lemon cake, topped with another family creation,
lemon frosting made by folding lemon pudding and Cool Whip together!

 

These little darlings were decorated with various almond bark chocolate designs,

and family picture sticks, combining two inspiration sources.

All of my cakes had to survive an hours trip before

reaching the location of our family reunion.

That means I only frosted the middle layers of my sheet cakes to hold them together, 

and the rest of the frosting, assembling and decorating had to take place on site.

We had a certain time frame between scheduled events that we were able 

to use the facilities...umm...kitchen (more like rollings tables, a sink and some counter space),

so that made things a little crunched.

But thankfully there was lots of family (thank you everyone!) to give a helping hand.

I'll admit it was a little hard at first to delegate some of the tasks 

to someone else, but I had no reason to worry, it all turned out great

and I was able to do the really important details myself.

If I look a little tired and frazzled, you know why.

In the end it all paid off.
Presentation was awesome, taste was wonderful, and Nana cried.
Everything was a hit.
I was asked by several people if I did this for a living,
and those that didn't ask, outright told me that I should make this a business!
It was so great to have such supportive feedback.

Now, I went back and forth about breaking this post down
into individual cakes and details, but I decided on covering it in one fell swoop.
There will be a post on making almond bark chocolate designs, with tips I discovered along the way,
but if you want more individualized details on anything else,
just let me know and I'll see what I can do!

To sum it up:

One week.
Six cakes.
13 layers.
70 cupcakes
Five different frostings.
One hurried hour of assembly.
An anniversary to remember.

50th Anniversary & Reunion

I had a busy Fourth of July, y'all!

Every July Fourth that falls around the weekend,

my dad's side of the family has a family reunion, with family that spans back three generations before me!

This was one of those years.

Here is the group picture of our immediate family, at least the ones that could make it.

Aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents!

Can you believe there are at least 20 still missing?!

Here is my pale lookin' self and the rest of my family.

This reunion was extra special because we were also celebrating my grandparent's 

50th Wedding Anniversary!!

See those two large,black and white photos in the corners?

That bombshell and suave movie star are my grandparents.

Sibling photobomb.

 They cut the cake and fed each other all over again.

"Give me a kiss," said Nana.

And he did.

*Smile*

I am so blessed by the example and marriage I have been lived through these

two amazing Christ servants.

Not too long ago, I heard Papa say over the phone to Nana when she

called with vehicle trouble and needed him to come get her...

"I'll always pick you up, babe."

He picked her up all those years ago,

and he ain't about to drop her now.

I had a great time making all the cakes and cupcakes for their celebration!

I'll give you more pictures and details, including Pinterest inspiration, in my next post!

You won't want to miss it!

Of Weddings and the Northland

At the end of May
I was so excited and thankful to be able to spend a week in Minnesota!
Wait what? Did I just say May?! Wasn't that forever ago?
Yes, yes, it was....but after being gone from blogging for so long,
I'm still playing catch up guys! Bear with me.
 

As I was saying,
this past May I went up to my once home-state of Minnesota to be there for my best friend's wedding.
It was most beautiful and I was more than thrilled to be a part of such an important day!

Her awesome family is near and dear to my heart,
and I consider them an extension of my own.

Spending time with them was more encouraging, refreshing and motivating than I can say!

Some days were spent in the Cities- oh yeah baby, I drove in the Twin Cities and survived!
Praise Jesus! I think I missed at least one turn every time I got behind the wheel,
but hey, I eventually got where I was supposed to be!

Picture not mine, courtesy of Facebook.

The wedding was beautiful, touching, significant, and tear jerking.
I saw my best friend- who I spent the greatest, scariest days of teenage life with- marry a wonderful man and step into a holy, exciting chapter of her journey!
It was a pretty weighty experience for me, in all honesty.

I was also able to visit with old friends and in general have a splendid time.

After leaving the cities, we (my travel companion, co-driver, and brother Anthony) made the trek further north to join my grandparents who were finishing up a camping trip and share a corner
of their camper for the night.

Ahh...I fell asleep to the sound of soothing frog chirrups and calling loons. 

Sitting on a picnic bench I had the lake shore in front of me, trees behind me,
and these wonderful people to each side of me- my brother and grandparents.
Don't worry. My brother wasn't being one of those on-the-phone-while-surrounded-by-nature
kind of people, he was taking pictures.

This was such an unusual and eye catching tree formation.
Grandma told me this is actually tree cancer- the tree grows around
the area like this.
Isn't it amazing how something harmful made this tree unique and beautiful?

In the park we stayed at, there is a white deer that roams the forest!
We were blessed to get a look at her!

These shots are blurry because she was so far away, but you get the general idea.

I love all the adorable little churches scattered across this country.

Even the fields of dandelions were gorgeous in my eyes!

Once you have lived in a thirsty land for a while,
this is a heavenly site!

After leaving the camping grounds, a couple more days were spent relaxing with more of the family back at the 'home base' with all the aunts, uncles and cousins around.

 BOOM!
Oh yeah...I decided I need a motorcycle!
This is my uncle's ride- he is the teddy bear driving. ;)

I'm not even kidding.
I want a bike now.
Or a guy who has one.
Yeah, that might work.
We'll see which one happens first.
Good times.



Old friends, family, stimulating conversation, and open hearts coupled with deep drinks of bountifully green and grassy landscapes...sunlit tree canopies...and lakeside walks, made this trip deeply restorative and motivating.

What has this summer taken you so far?
Where will your travels take you in the months ahead?
I'd love to hear all your exciting plans!

Animal Babies!

Animal babies!

Need I say more?!

Everyone knows spring brings babies,

and we saw the proof of that here on our little country acres this spring and early summer.

I'm gonna make a confession right here and now...
these pictures....I kind of took them like...almost a month ago.
But I'm too lazy to go take new ones (AND it is reallllyyyy hot outside, so I know you'll forgive me).
Besides these are SO cute!
Just know, all the babies are growing up!

Say hello to this little cutie!!

This adorable pup was a a stray that some of our town friends

found wandering about.

After asking around and putting up posters that sat for a week without response,

we decided she was a drop off, so we got to keep her!!

We don't know what breed she is, her coloring looks similar to a German Shepherd, but she has small paws and a curly tail.

We *do* know this much... she is 100% adorableness!

Case in point.

She loves eating the garden plants and cooling off in the damp dirt.

I told her she really shouldn't be doing that....

...and this is the face I got.

Those eyes!!

*Melts*

Her name you ask?

After changing numerous times over the course of three weeks...

Pepper...Pipper...Princess...Paddy...and those were just the ones we tried out,

we finally stuck with Lucy.

What do you think?

Did we make a good choice?

Let's move on to some of our more furrier editions.

Our first batch of kittens were 'The Wild Ones', given the name

because their mom was the daughter of a stray wild cat that adopted us.

I give you Miss Fluffykins.

She is the only long haired fluffy kit in the bunch.

And as you can see, my sister's favorite.

The two boys we named (respectively) Milo and Otis.

Childhood memories anyone?

Yeah, yeah, I know Otis was a dog...and Milo should have been the orange cat.

Well...it was a cute idea, and my memory just slipped a little and I got the names mixed up.

Still stinkin' cute if you ask me. 

Otis, occasionally called Cheese Puff, is my little brother's buddy.

And the mild mannered, tummy rub lovin' Milo is my baby.

He will just lay in your hand, on his back, while you stroke his tummy.

So sweet!

Lucy wasn't quite sure what to think about the fur balls with legs.

She got used to them and would tease them mercilessly.

In sad honesty, just a couple days ago while we were gone for the weekend, 

she got a little too rough and friendly and we lost one of our little kitties from the later bunch. :(

No fun.

Now we are being extra careful to watch her and train her to leave them be.

The later batch here was from one of our favorite momma kitties, Buttons.

She birthed five kittens, one didn't make it, and was left with these four, now three.

Not long after, Wild Momma Cat up and left, so Buttons adopted

the three Wild Kids as her own, with a little help from the Kitten Relocation Services...aka,

concerned kids of the house.

The kittens from right to left we named Callie, Zeus, Daisy and Percy.

Zeus is my favorite from this batch.

I love them in this early, baby tiger, folded back ear stage!!

That should give you your cute fix for the day!

By the way...want a kitten?

Here is to the dog days of summer.