Cakes, Trucks and 18 months

Well, it has officially been over a year and a half since I even touched this blog! The baking, that hasn't stopped!

There have been some busy times where I haven't baked anything but I always make room for a little bit here and there.

Lately I have been doing more cakes than before. In the past, making a cake involved opening a box, throwing in 2-3 ingredients and calling it a day. It was always a 9x13 boring cake. That technique has gone far away. I have now made numerous layered cakes and can't wait to share more about them!

This first one was a challenge. Here is a little back story on how I ended up making a shaped cake...for a wedding...with out practicing beforehand!

I bring cupcakes to work all the time. When we have potlucks or other events I am always the one to bring the sweets. I enjoy making new things for my co-workers. There are those who would eat anything you put in front of them and then there are those who are going to be brutally honest. It makes for a good mix and critique of the cupcakes.

A few months ago one of my co-workers wanted me to make his daughter's wedding cake. 3 layer, white, scrolling detail WEDDING CAKE! That is a lot of pressure. I made a test run cake. It looked horrible but tasted amazing. She liked how it tasted but went with an actual bakery to get the cake. (Thank goodness!). I thought I was in the clear on cake making for that event. A couple weeks later he asked if I would make the groom's cake. I said sure, thinking, this won't be nearly as stressful!

Well, the cake she had in mind was a truck. An 18-wheeler! Hauling pipes. In chocolate. No fondant, just buttercream. I panicked. My work schedule was so hectic I couldn't do a trial run. I sketched, I planned, I searched for inspiration, I studied the photos of the actual truck and then before I knew it...It was time to make this cake.

I see flaws, many many flaws. But they loved it. And it tasted great. The doors on the truck really get to me. My main struggle was the fact she didn't want fondant or another type of frosting. Coloring a few pieces here and there was the best I could do at that time.

Take a look. Thoughts??

Since then, I have retired my carved cake days for now. It was a lot of stress and I don't think I am quite to that level yet! I will stick with the cupcakes and layered cakes like this one I made for my mom's birthday:

Baking in general may have to wait a month or so. Baking on a 110 degree day isn't the smartest of smarts!



What have you baked lately?