Backyard Picnic

This cake I made for my Grandma.  Our family used to gather in her backyard and have a traditional BBQ, with hamburgers, hot dogs, rootbeer, and of course watermelon.  My Grandma loves these gatherings, and so for her 85th Birthday I was asked to re-create a backyard picnic.  I made the layout of the cake exactly how my grandma's backyard is.   

Of course you need an uncle at the BBQ's.  

I made a garden right where Grandma's garden is.  

A few people chilling on a blanket...

...more people were chatting at a table, eating by some trees, etc.  

I added balloons and a mini cake to the scene to make it feel like us fondant figures, were celebrating Grandma's Birthday.  Of  course the swing set is not edible, it was made out of wood to look like or original set, that is still there to this day, I think the swing set is 50 years old.  

Here is my grandma, the lady of honor, wearing a Y sweatshirt, 

for her favorite college team BYU.  She went to school there and worked there several years herself, and was married to a professor there as well, so she has a lot of pride for the school.  

Grandpa, who passed away a few years ago is sitting on the willow stump, wearing his blue coveralls.  

 The food was fun to make. 

Little ketchup, mustard bottles, plates, a bowl of chips, a bag of chips, 

watermelon, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. 

This cake took so much time.  I  forgot to keep count but I am sure it was close to 16 hours.  I am so glad she liked it, and so glad I am on to the next cake. 

Box of 'Arnie' Donuts

My son is in love with donuts.  He received a book about Arnie, a small donut who isn't really excited about getting eaten.  It is his favorite, so for his birthday I thought I would make him a cake that looks like a box of donut characters.  

The book is like a comic book in that the donuts say silly things in bubble thoughts so I added one on the box that said "Happy Birthday"

Here is a front view.  The top is fondant/gumpaste, on top of a cardboard box.  I added little support dowels on each side, to support the top.  It was really heavy, I'm not sure how to make it lighter.  

 I made his name so that the letters look like donuts.  

Food with eyes, are so much fun to make.   

Pink Minnie Mouse

Happy Birthday to Coco!

This cake was for my niece, who loves Minnie Mouse and pink. Her mom wanted the cake to look like a Minnie Mouse dress, with ears on top.  Simple enough, here you go!

The Minnie Mouse hat was styrofoam covered fondant. 

 The bow of course had to be poke a dot, and large!

The dress had a white ruffle on the bottom 10" layer. The skirt of the dress formed to lay out like any cute girls dress would be.  It was a fun cake to make!  

Swimmer Cake

I made this cake for our neighbor who was turning 16.  She has been our family babysitter for three years and has helped me out so much!  I wanted to give her a fun cake for her sweet 16th birthday.  She is a great swimmer, so I knew I wanted to make it a swimming cake.  She loves light blue and lime green, no sparkles or pink please!  Here is the cake I gave her.  

People love to see themselves in an edible form, so I made a figure in the swimming pool.  The figurine and accessories are all made from fondant.  

The Birthday Banner is the only thing not edible.

  I printed the letters on scrapbook paper, then cut them out and sewed them together to make the banner.  

I used the towel to tie in the two colors together.  On the duffel bag I wrote her name, as well as on the cake.  Having a unique name, I know how fun it is to actually see your name, spelled correctly, on something.  Never in all my traveling as a child did I see a mug in the gift shop with "Genevre", although it didn't stop me from checking every time "just in case."   When I make a cake for someone with a unique name, I make sure their name is on the cake!