I love first birthdays

This is not news - I love first birthdays! However, this was the first birthday I went to with a child of my own - whole new experience - and I loved it! First birthdays are serious business. In all honesty, I've already started planning wee-ones first birthday.  No, I won't tell you what it is, but it will be "fabulous, darling" (there's your hint).

This was for my friend's daughter, Elizabeth, at Gymboree Play and Music.  As far as I'm concerned this was a brilliant place for a first birthday - lots of activities and they can customize it to your age group and needs.  There was no clean up, no set up, just pay and you're done - definitely one to file away for the future. But enough about that and on to the sweets.

For the birthday girl, I made a vanilla cake with a vanilla frosting. The vanilla frosting was courtesy of a website that I stalk frequent Sweetapolita that seriously tastes like vanilla ice cream.  It was AH-MAZING! It was a 6 inch round with sprinkles.  I had high hopes for Elizabeth digging into the cake and food flying, and while that didn't happen she did get some good handfuls and throw them on the ground (always good entertainment).

The cake before

Elizabeth and her sweet parents

Love the fistful of cake

Throwing the cake on the floor

For the guests I did 3 different kinds of cupcakes: vanilla with vanilla frosting (same recipe as above), strawberry with vanilla/creme bouquet buttercream and chocolate with chocolate frosting.  I must say, all three were delicious and we were grateful for leftovers.  There was no "theme" for the party, but the decor was polka dots, so I adorned the cupcakes with large sprinkles.  And who doesn't love sprinkles?!

Chocolate with chocolate

Strawberry and vanilla 

All in all it was a wonderful success! And my accomplishment was that I managed to do this with Lucy not napping.  She did grace me with an almost 2 hour nap on Saturday (in her carseat, but that's another issue entirely).

I leave you with a picture of the birthday girl and her friends - have you ever seen anything more adorable?!

Learning to let go

Warning: this post has nothing to do with baking other than to explain why I haven't been doing so.  As you may know, I had a baby in December. She is truly the greatest thing I have ever done and brings joy to our life everyday.

Before she was born, I had grand ideas of cooking and baking while she napped peacefully. My husband would come home to a hot meal and desserts would be plentiful. (Ok mom, you can stop laughing now.) Enter reality - she doesn't nap...seriously! Did you know not all babies are programmed to sleep 2 hours at a time during the day. Who knew?! Some days she'll nap for an hour - hour plus, but most days I get 3-25 minute naps. 25 minutes! There's little you can actually get done in 25 minutes. Her room is like a spa- blanket over the window, soft music, fan, cool but not cold - I want to lie down every time I go in there! I've tried nap training, have put lots of miles on my car and held her for hours on end. Not to mention the hours of stressing, crying and worrying. I've read books, blogs, talked to doctors - all of it regarding her napping. After 8 months I've decided to try a new approach - letting go. So my baby doesn't nap, I can't be the only one and I'm sure those moms haven't put their life and hobbies on hold. 

We recently bought a Johnny Jump Up with the hopes (at least my hopes) of wearing her out so she'll sleep. However, it really just allows my husband and I the opportunity to contain her and get breakfast or lunch made and actually eat it. There's no reason I can't put her in the jump up and whip up a cake or cookies. As she gets older I hope to share my love of baking with her, but there's no reason I can't start now! 

I'm excited about my new outlook on our days and am looking forward to getting back to the world of baking. I even have a couple of "jobs" coming up so stay tuned for more about those. 

I hope you have sweet dreams - day or night!
Sara

Weddings and Sunflowers

Who doesn't love weddings?! I love weddings so you can imagine my excitement when for the second time in a month I was asked to do a cake for a wedding shower.  This was for a friend that was hosting the shower.

The wedding colors are a grey and yellow (beautiful combination!).  The cake was a two-tier red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting.  It took me awhile to decide how to decorate the cake, but I finally decided decided on polka dots and flowers.  I also knew the cake was going to be topped with real sunflowers so I wanted to do something that would incorporate the sunflowers.

The yellow accents are tiny flower fondant cutouts and I just placed those sporadically to give the cake some spontaneity and a little pop of color.  Here are pictures of the cake before and after the sunflowers were added:

To anyone who may be getting married soon - best wishes and hope your cake is delicious!

I'm back!

Well, it's been awhile since my last post, but like always I have a good excuse.  I have a 3 month old - that's right, it's hard to believe but Lucy Kate is already 3 months! And with the introduction of naps means more time for this momma to bake and decorate.  I find it truly amazing that something that can't go anywhere or do anything takes up so much time, but I've loved almost every minute of it. :)

So, for my first cake post-baby, I was excited that it was a bridal shower cake.  I mean, who doesn't love weddings and all things included?! The wedding colors are shades of peach and the shower hostess wanted to incorporate that into the cake.  The bride also had a monogram made for the wedding, so I wanted to make that the topper.  It's definitely not exact, but the idea is there.

The cake was a vanilla cake and vanilla frosting with strawberry meringue buttercream filling.  The strawberry helped break up the monotony of the vanilla, but wasn't too rich or too sweet.

I'm glad to be back in the game and be on the look out for more cakes and sweet treats coming soon!

The great brownie challenge

(Disclaimer - if you're reading this post and expect to see pictures - stop now, I don't really have any)

I have a confession - I LOVE brownies.  Despite all of the cakes, cupcakes and cookies that I bake and generally have laying around the house and in the freezer, when I get a craving it's usually for brownies.  And once I make a pan, well, they don't really last too long.  My favorite thing about brownies, other than the chocolate, is the fact that you really can't undercook brownies.  Overcook, well, just have a glass of milk on hand...

I believe I come by this love naturally and blame my mother completely (just kidding, mom!).  I'm pretty sure boxed brownies were one of the first things I learned to "bake" and we baked them A LOT. And while boxed brownies are great in a pinch (Ghiradelli is my choice), there is nothing like a pan of homemade, from scratch brownies.  My biggest problem has been finding the "best" one.  So, when I get a hankering for some brownies I've been trying to test out a new recipe and trust me, I have several on hand and there are LOTS that claim to be the best.  Today, I'm going to share some of my favorites with you in hopes that you'll return the favor (@Whitney - no recipes with veggies).

First up - Barefoot Contessa's "Outrageous Brownies" from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.  These brownies are not for those in a pinch.  They actually take some time and A LOT of chocolate.  I also warn you, if you're not a caffeine drinker (or you're pregnant), you might want to leave out the 3 tablespoons of instant coffee granules.

Next - Baked's "The Baked Brownie" from Baked: New Frontiers In Baking. I have made these in the past, but decided to try them again and boy am I glad I did. This is one of those that you really have to pay attention to the recipe and the cook time.  They are amazing!!!

And finally - Fudgy Brownies from The Essence of Chocolate.  I think I need to try these again.  This is one of those recipes that you really have to watch how long you stir so you don't get too much air in the batter and change the consistency.  But they are a lot simpler than the other two recipes.

Now you're turn, what are some of your favorite recipes?

Happy Baking!
Sara

Rainbow Party

May was another month of first's - birthdays that is. My friend Lyndsay had a "Rainbow" themed party for her sweet girl, Campbell Grace and once again I was asked to make the adult cake and smash cake. I have to say, this cake was one of my most challenging, but I was so pleased with how things turned out!

The adult cake was a 10" - 7 layer rainbow cake meaning each layer was a different color.  Once completed I covered the cake with white fondant and decorated it with a fondant chevron pattern.

                                      

Love this picture! 

The smash cake was equally as adorable! It was a strawberry cake covered with "rainbow" icing rosettes. 

 

And let's not forget about the beautiful birthday girl! 

Isn't she sweet?!

Dr. Seuss First Birthday Cake

My sweet friend Whitney (Modern Day Memory Keeper) has some of the cutest twins ever - ok, so I might be a little biased...but still.  However, last month they celebrated their first birthday with an adorable "Thing One, Thing Two" themed party and she asked me to do their smash cakes and some cupcakes for the party.

The smash cakes were both white cakes with white icing so as to not stain the little kiddos.  The adults, however, were fair game.  The cupcakes were chocolate with blue colored white icing and "Thing" hair.

                                      

Before the party

Charlie's cake - after 

Harper's cake - she was very dainty about her eating

I told you he was adorable

Check out those eyes - she's going to be a heartbreaker

Happy Birthday, Harper and Charlie!