A Summer of Baking

So what do you do when you are on maternity leave and have already organised every cabinet in the house? Bake, of course !!!

Which brings me to - Princess birthday cakes. In August, I was asked by my dear niece to make her birthday party cake. I agreed, but somehow in her mother's mind it became cakeS:

(1) One pink Princess crown cake for the kids' party, and;

(2) One rainbow cake WITH butterfly for the adults' party.

Note: (The butterfly was emphasized over and over and over again by the soon to be 6 year old - so I had to deliver.)

Cake #1: The Rainbow Cake

Friday evening, I made Cake #1.. Charlotte (5 turning 6) and Sophie (2 turning 3) insisted on helping - which I thought would be fun. Ummmmmmmmmmmmm......not so much. Due to their assistance, some mistakes were made. I got totally confused with proportions and ended up having to play with the batter until I felt I was close enough to having it right. 45 minutes later (even though the instructions said it should take 29 minutes) the cake came out and I kept my fingers crossed that it didn't taste like cardboard.

Come Saturday, I began to decorate (Kiernan was bonding with his Daddy). I decided on the blue icing because, as we all know, rainbows are in the SKY (see how creative I am?). I then did the classic rainbow with butterfly (WTF?) with "Happy 6th" written underneath. Why "Happy 6th" you may ask? Well, simply put - I ran out of room. Martha Stewart I am not. Note that the rainbow also looked as though I was drunk while applying. I can attest that I was not, but next time perhaps I should be.

Cake #2: Princess Crown Cake

Using a pan rented from Bulk Burn, I made a mix using two, count 'em TWO, cake mixes. In other words - a huge a$$ cake.

Next up - the rough icing stage, also known as the crumb coat. This was surprisingly difficult as the cake was super soft and 'crumby' (I'm sure its an actual word...somewhere) and the prongs of the crown kept on wanting to break off. At this point there was a lot of swearing at said F*****G Princess Crown Cake.

Then, the coat of pink icing. I believe we were at about hour three of cake decorating at this point. Good thing I had lots of coffee on the go.

Hour four and I started to apply the pieces of candy that the niece had chosen at the store.

And finally - stars are applied and, the nieces name. Grand total of hours contributed towards cake decorating? 5.

Hubby and I then packed up our son and the very large pink Princess cake spectacular to head to the local movie theatre and drop it off for the birthday party. In I went, carrying what seemed like 20 pounds of pink cake. And I wandered....and wandered....and wandered some more. No birthday party. I found the manager, and we wandered, and looked, and put the pink Princess cake into the movie theatre's fridge - and nada. Finally, I called my dear (and very pregnant) sister to confirm the location. Lo' and behold - she told me the wrong movie theatre!!! ARGHHHHHHH!!!!!!

The new walk of shame is carrying a very large pink Princess cake spectacular OUT of a movie theatre.....