Camouflage Cake

This past weekend, we celebrated my son's 4th birthday with an 'Army Man' inspired party.  And so, I set out on a mission to create him an 'army' inspired cake and some cookies:)  I looked all over the internet and got lots of images of a cake made to look like a tank...or a camo cake on the outside.. hmmmm... I have limited time and skills, so I really didn't think making the cake look like a tank was an option for me.  But, I really wanted to do something camo.  So, this is what I came up with:

It is a 1/2 sheet size (needed the size for our battle scene on top), vanilla cake with a buttercream and fondant covering.

I made the inside cake camo:

This is what it looked like before it went in the oven

This is what it looked like when I flipped it out of the pan

To get this look, here is what I did (so easy):
1. Make vanilla/white cake
2. Divide batter into three bowls
3. Color each bowl of batter a different color (I did black, brown and green)
4. Using an ice-cream scoop, I plopped out cake batter randomly across the pan
5. I than used a knife to swirl it all together so it was smooth and even before baking (not too much swirling or it will all turn to a grayish black color...kinda like your kids do to their paints when they first start painting.. lol)

That's it.  Easy, right??

Next, I made a simple buttercream frosting and tinted it a tan color to match with the color scheme.  Smeared it all over the cake to prepare for a nice smooth fondant cover.

For the fondant- I have a lot of white...so I colored the fondant.  I put a big blob on my board and randomly put brown, black and green coloring in it.  I than kneaded it all together so the colors could blend.  I got a very grayish/army greenish color.

Hindsight here people... I think it would have been better to make 3 separate fondant blobs and color them individually.  Than, like the cake batter, randomly place them on my board and roll them together.  I may have to try this with the colored fondant I do have (red, blue, yellow, brown...hmmmmm, that could be cool).

And, again with this whole time constraint issue, I decided to put a 'battle' scene on top of the cake.  Max loved it and I think it turned out great!!

These were the camo inspired cookies that went along with it:)

From one baker to the next, Happy Baking!!

A Missed 'Golden' Opportunity:(

So, as you all know, I am baking my way through my own education in the baking world... making mistakes and learning from them along the way:)

Turns out, one of my fellow 'mom' dancers in my Polish Dance group used to own a bakery.. Yup, that's right... I can get information from a tried and true baker who's made lots of her own mistakes.  And yes, we will be doing a lesson on fondant this summer.. YEAH!!

But, here's the bummer news.. she is going to be putting together a 3D cake tomorrow.  How cool would that be to go over and watch/help her with it??  Yes, totally cool, right??

Alas, I am a Mom first and my children are my top priority... and, so, I will NOT be able to go watch and learn:(  Boo!!

This is one of the reasons it can be so hard to get ahead in doing everything I want to do...like my baking and trying to get a website/business really and truly up and running.  But, I know my day will come, right??

I totally want to ditch Kyra's dance tomorrow... but, alas, it is paid for and missing a class (to me) is like throwing money away, right??  And, my niece is visiting from Texas so a bbq has been planned to celebrate her bday tomorrow night...

Now, must have my oven and kitchen fixed up in the apartment next door so maybe I could convince her next time (hopefully there will be a next time) that she needs to come do everything in my 'baking' kitchen!!

Been busy these past couple months... here's what I've been working on since I last wrote:)  I've probably missed some...it's been a bit hectic with school ending, my brother's wedding and some orders!!

Ballerina cookies

Oatmeal Butterscotch cookies with Black & Tan Brownies:)

Baseball cookies for a 1st bday

Little Purse Cakes with Fashionista cookies and mini cupcakes!!

Shower Cake

Cheers themed Father's Day Cookies

Dessert Bouquets for Teachers

Rehearsal Dinner Cake

75 Horse Shoe cookies and some cake pops in the back!!

125 'Derby Bars' for Derby themed wedding

Read some fun books recently too... will put up a review soon of both.

This week- Graduation Cap cookies!!

Have a great night and go Eat Some Cake..lol