Peace Offering

It's snowing and blowing here again, with an emphasis on "blowing."  But I'm happy that we are finally getting to experience a little bit of winter, so I promise I won't protest too loudly.  However in exchange for my lack of complaining, I would ask that you not nit-pick about the lack of football cakes to I have to share with you. (Don't seem so surprised...I know some of you were hoping to see cake homage to our national football holiday, seeing as how it was celebrated this past Sunday.)

Do not despair though; I still have cakes to show you, just not football themed ones.  Let's consider it a peace offering, shall we?

This cake was actually only about half my work; the other half was handled deftly by one of my best friends and staunchest supporters.  (He insisted on being a hands-on sous-chef since it was for a very important lady in his life.) I'd say he did an excellent job of carving the cake and piping the individual patches of colored buttercream, wouldn't you?

One of my wonderful nieces turned 16 this last week and I was pleased to get to make her birthday cake.  I opted to create a cake replica of her iPod Touch since it seems to almost be an extension of her these days. And of course, since she is family, I used the opportunity to try out not only a new cake flavor (graham cracker) but a new cake filling (milk chocolate truffle with marshmallows)...both of which were a success according to the party guests.

I stuck with the electronic/technology theme for the third cake of the week.  It too was for one of my best friend's relatives. (Side note: this is a different best friend from the above mentioned one.  Confused yet?)  As it turns out her uncle is an engineer, so of course I had to build him a circuit board.  I even included an ASCII character pattern on the front of the cake to help remind him of the good old days.

This last cake was for a surprise birthday party.  And according to the birthday boy, it was the "best cake ever!" (I always enjoy getting to contribute a happy memory to someone's event...it is by far one of the best things about this hobby of mine.)  The cars and monster truck were not edible, but I imagine he will get more use from them than if they had been...