Thursday, December 27, 2012

Well, I'm Finally Done Baking for a While...


DSC05456F


Well, the Christmas rush has passed and I can finally slow down on my baking. I’m just loving my new mixer and I hope this cooking stuff is something I will continue and it’s not just a phase I’m going thru. I tend to do that a lot. This was my last baking project until February. The snowflakes above were for a cake I made to take home to my family on the day we did our Christmas meal.
DSC05483F


 I don’t know how many of you saw the Christmas issue of Southern Living, but it had the most beautiful cake on the cover! So I decided to put my limited skills to work and try to make the cake. It took me four nights after work to get everything ready for this thing.

DSC05481F


I cut fondant snowflakes and dusted them with glitter… Lined the base with candy pearls….
 DSC05467F

De-seeded two pints of raspberry filling to go between the layers…
DSC05473F

The white layers are flavored with the best vanilla I could find and I made my first buttercream icing. It’s not quiiiiiiite as pretty as the Southern Living one, but I think it came out pretty good for an amateur. It was definitely a learning experience. And, it tasted good too!
DSC05475F

26 comments:

  1. Since I didn't see the SL cake I can say I think this is beautiful. No apology needed. For goodness sakes I could eat a bite of it right now...after I pull off those yummy looking flakes. Cooking is a fun thing and you are rewarded with something yummy to eat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lisa! It was pretty good. I've decided I'm going to cook treats for the people here at work all along. They seem to enjoy it. :0)

      Delete
  2. Your family must have been impressed with that beautiful cake!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sweetbay, you would think so, but honestly they could have cared less. I was a little surprised, but at the same time it didn't matter a lot. It made me feel good to accomplish what was a hard task for me and I enjoyed doing it. Since I've been really trying to step up the table decorating and going above and beyond trying to make things special I've found that very few of my dinner guests actually acknowledge the time and true effort that goes into it. At first my feeling were hurt, but then I realized it’s just as important to do these things for ME as anyone else. I appreciate it. LOL Besides I have plenty of sweet people that visit my posts and give me a pat on the back for my hard work and efforts in the garden, the kitchen and fixing a pretty table. :0)

      Delete
    2. Wow, it took three times, but I finally got my reply to you to post. Blogger is ver screwy sometimes.

      Delete
  3. Randy,
    A most gorgeous cake there! And you took the time and care to remove the raspberry seeds, outstanding. Having dabbled in the baking arts I know the time it requires creating such a piece of art you have created, “Bravo”. I was greatly saddened to read in your remake to sweetbay that it received a ho hum reception at your families dinner. Should I be so luck as a host to received such a gift from the heart as this beautiful cake I would have blogged it, face booked it, tweeted it and sent cell phone picture texts of it. And ending by holding my arms around it going “mine, mine, it’s all mine”.

    Hoping all the rest of you holidays were bright and wonderful. – gary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gary,
      Let not your heart be saddened! :0) They just don’t put a lot of stock in the “fancy stuff”. Its okay, sometimes new things make people feel uncomfortable. Next time I’ll just fix bowl of instant pudding, throw some vanilla wafers on top of it and go. It’ll save me a hell of a lot a work and they will just simply be shickled titless at the dessert. LOL As far as the rest of my Christmas goes I have to say it was one of the best holidays I’ve had in a long time. I can’t remember when I’ve been filled with so much holiday spirit, Thanksgiving as well as Christmas. Hugs to you and “J” and hoping you have a happy new year!

      Delete
  4. I am glad you said it tasted good. I had an old co-worker who made beautiful cakes, she was especially good at making them look like something other than cake. Unfortunately, she was a better decorator than a baker, they tasted like play dough. I hope you had a good Christmas and wish you a happy new year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope, no Play Dough here Les. :0) It tasted really good. And thank you! I had a wonderful Christmas and I have great plans for the new year. Hope you had and have a good one too!

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Thank you Phillip! Coming from YOU that is a major compliment. Actually I think it was reading your cooking blog that peaked my interest in all of this. You kept turning out all those delicious looking cookies and cakes. I still wonder what you do with all that you cook. I know as skinny as you and Michael are you aren't eating it! LOL

      Delete
  6. randy you outdid yourelf....where did you get the pattern or did you make them up?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sharon,
      If you are talking about the snowflakes they are just cookie cutters. It being the holiday season they weren't difficult to find. Now I did use a separate cutter to remove the center of the flakes to make them look more like lace. I can't take credit for the idea though, they showed you how to do that on the several videos online. I did a lot of video watching before I started all of this because I had done absolutely nothing like this before in my life.

      Delete
  7. You made that, Randy? I am so impressed! I didn't see the one in the magazine but surely it wasn't any prettier than yours! I know what you mean about baking phases - don't worry if it passes, it will return!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LR,
      I'm usually all or nothing when it comes to things like that. Thank you for the compliment, I did try and certain aspects of it were hard for me, but I'll get better. Thank you also for all the wonderful comments on the other posts too! I hope you have a great New Year!

      Delete
  8. Oh, and just a P.S. about people acting ho-hum about it. This is a common phenomena I've observed in many aspects of everyday life too. I'm really not sure what accounts for it but I've learned to take it in stride. It always helps if there's a child around, they are not shy in expessing admiration!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Randy that cake looks absolutely GORGEOUS !!! ... I am drooling here thinking of how heavenly it must have tasted as well.
    You are one patient and very talented baker and I wish I lived near you for the garden aspect and now the baking one too!LOL
    Happy New Year and all the best to you for 2013 !!
    Joy officially from the Great White North NOW! haha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joy,
      Happy new year to you too! I thought about you the other day. Some friends of mine are bringing in the New Year up there this time! Hugs to you!

      Delete
  10. Replies
    1. Thank you Leslie! I hope you had a great Christmas and an even better New Year!

      Delete
  11. Happy New Year, Randy. Just read about the baking today; so far behind this week.

    The cake is beautiful; did not see S Living but this cake just has to be as beautiful as the one on the cover. Great job duplicating the design, I'm sure.

    For many years I've loved baking and would go to great lengths to create all those time consuming things and especially breads. But, I had to smile also when I read it was somewhat under appreciated. People just don't realize what a great amount of time it takes. But it is fulfilling for us, so that is what counts the most. So keep on creating!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Looks great Randy! I saw that issue and thought how beautiful that cake was. How on earth did you get that beautiful thing safely to your family? Whenever I make food to go I always freak about the best way to transport it. Hope you have a wonderful new year!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I know just how you feel about a ho hum response to your cake, one year I slaved over a pie for my brother in law, but he barely responded to it. Fortunately my husband is very supportive of my work and raved about the pie (it was awesome by the way). I think sometimes the level of work we put into it makes for a disproportionally "meh" response!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for leaving me a message! I enjoy every one that I get!