1st decorating class

I've just started official cake decorating classes. They are really fun. Some of this first course is just a review since I've been learning a bit on my own over the last couple of years, but I have learned some new stuff as well. For instance, this cake used a template which I had never done before but wanted to know how. Everything takes practice and so, hopefully, I will get alot of that over the next few weeks. Clearly, this is a rainbow cake. I wanted to write "God keeps His promises" but didn't have enough room so that is why there is just the scripture reference. It was fun and Ella LOVED it. I must say she is my biggest fan.

Dinosaurs...ROAR

This is a dinosaur cake I made for a friend of mines little boy's 5th birthday. You'll note a volcano on the top. I used piping gel tinted red for the lava. I used crushed graham cracker and chocolate chips for the dirt. I found chocolate rocks that look very real and used the red ones at the top around the volcano and brown ones throughout the "mountain." Then of course there are dinosaurs. I also buried the candles in the lava so that only the wicks would be exposed so when lit it would look like the volcano was on fire. The pictures are okay but I really think it looks better in person. I'm quite pleased...I'm hoping they will be as well! Thank you, Bea, for allowing me to do this for Charles. You are a dear friend.

1st attempt at chocolate buttercream

I made this cake for a co-worker of my mom. She wanted chocolate cake with chocolate icing. I had never made the chocolate buttercream and was quite nervous. It certainly didn't turn out the dark color you see when you buy it out of a container in the store -- even after I added brown food color. Also, I didn't have unsweet chocolate on hand and had to use milk chocolate so I was nervous about the taste. But, the end result was that it tasted great! It was the first cake I sent to work with my mom and I even got rave reviews from the toughest critics! Everyone was commenting on how moist the cake was and how great it tasted. It was all gone in a short period of time. Yeah!! Now maybe one of them will remember me if they need a "real cake."