Baby Shower Cake

In September 2008 I made this cake for a baby shower in Marshall, Minnesota. It's decorated with baby and bath toys:

Maren's First Birthday

When my granddaughter Maren turned one in December 2007, we had to put all of the Christmas decorations away right after the holiday to get ready for another kind of celebration!

Here's the table, before four kids and six adults descended upon it:
The cake (a vanilla pound cake with vanilla buttercream frosting), decorated with The Backyardigans characters, M&M candies and party blowers:
The birthday girl and the baker get ready to dive in:
M-m-m-m-m! Delicious! She has a serious sweet tooth just like the rest of the family.

Isaac's Fourth Birthday Cake and Cupcakes

My four year-old grandson Isaac is obsessed with all things Pokemon and Pikachu, so it was no surprise that he chose Pikachu for the theme for his October 2008 birthday party.

We got inspired by Pikachu for the cake, covering a chocolate pound cake with white chocolate frosting and filling between the layers and decorating it with yummy chocolate buttercream Pikachu stripes.
We recreated Pikachu's face on cupcakes, using white chocolate buttercream and candy for the eyes, cheeks and ears: Here's the boy and his cakes (and his muse):

Kanani's Second Birthday Cake

What did my granddaughter Kanani get for her second birthday in March 2007? A baby brother! She also got this Best Birthday Confetti Cake (yellow cake frosted with vanilla buttercream and decorated with pastel non-parielles):

Jilly's Bridal Shower

In February 2006, our friends Annie, Beth, and BJ hosted a bridal shower for my daughter, Jillian. I made cake - lots and lots of cake. There were seven cakes in total, all 3-layer 6" cakes, which we sampled as a shower game to help Jilly decide which flavor she wanted to serve at her May wedding reception.
Here's a picture of all of the cakes:Lemon-Lovers White Chocolate Cake and Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake:
Strawberry-Pecan-Coconut Cake:
Caramel Cream Cake and Chocolate Peppermint Cake:
Anniversary Cake (almond-lemon-coconut-flavored cake):Tropical Carrot Cake:For the luncheon we served spinach and chicken crepes, feathery orange rolls, and a green tossed salad:
So which cake did Jillian choose for her wedding reception? None of them! Hers was a chocolate-themed wedding, so we had to have a chocolate cake, but Jilly and her fiance Carl wanted coconut too. I made them a cake of my own invention - a Chocolate-Coconut Cream Cake which was a rich and fudgy chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache filling topped with a coconut cream filling, frosted with more whipped chocolate ganache and embellished with chocolate shards. It was decadent!

Ella's Baby Shower and Christening

Under construction, awaiting more pictures:

Winter Wedding Reception

This January 2006 wedding reception included what has become the choice of several brides - Terry's Classic Wedding Cake (white cake flavored with almond, lemon, and coconut flavorings and frosted with coconut milk buttercream) :A buffet with veggies, fruits, and light appetizers:
A team of dedicated workers bring all aspects of the wedding reception together:

Bryce's Sixth Birthday Cake

We hosted a backyard carnival when my grandson Bryce turned six in May 2006. I made his favorite cake, banana with chocolate buttercream frosting, and covered it with fondant circles.

Chloe's Fifth Birthday Trifle

My granddaughter Chloe turned five in October 2006, and she was lucky enough to get a to-die-for Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle instead of a birthday cake. This trifle is a huge hit with grown men and five-year-olds everywhere:

Easter Egg Nest Cake

It's a tradition in our home to have an Easter Egg Nest Cake as the centerpiece for our Easter dinner. The flavor of the cake changes, but each year this cake is slathered with 7-Minute Frosting, sprinkled with flaked coconut, topped with more coconut in the form of a grass green "nest", and topped with candy "eggs."

Isaac's First Birthday Cake

My grandson Isaac turned one in October 2005 and I baked him my favorite - a Chocolate Velvet Cake slathered with Rich Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. He dug right in!And he asked for more! A boy after my own heart!

(Gr)Annie's Birthday Cake

This is a Caramel Apple Spice Cake that I made for my best friend, Annie, in October 2005:

Chloe's Fourth Birthday

When my granddaughter Chloe turned four in October 2005, I made her a Princess Dream Cake, decorated with a tiara, princess "glass" slippers, silver dragees, and lots of pink and purple! She looks like she's in heaven, doesn't she?

Jilly's 24th Birthday Cake

Another birthday, another strawberry cake. Some years ago during Jilly's teenage years I promised her I would always make her favorite Strawberry Cake for her birthday. In June 2006 when Jilly turned 24, I created an especially festive version to celebrate the occasion.
Friends Rachel and Jenny join us for a celebration dinner.Strawberry Cake centerpiece.

Shirley's 75th Birthday

My mother Shirley turned 75 in June 2006, and we celebrated by going out for dinner and taking the dessert to the restaurant with us! We almost had to "fight" the waitstaff, who wanted to keep it for themselves! And who could resist this delicious Hummingbird Cake (banana-pineapple-pecan cake with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut)?

Kanani's First Birthday Cake

I made this Chocolate Cake (obviously a family favorite), covered with Peek-a-Blocks, for my granddaughter Kanani's first birthday in March 2007:My son Ethan's whole family, plus a stray (Annie) who wanted to help blow:
Kanani seemed more interested in the baby doll than the cake:

The Red Hat Cake

When my friend Kaaren turned fifty, she was inaugurated into the Red Hat Society with a luncheon in her honor. Here are some pictures of the cake (also a red hat) and the table decorations:

The Little Old Lady Cake

When my friend Sandy turned fifty, some friends and I held a luncheon in her honor. I brought this Little Old Lady birthday cake. I'd made similar cakes (with a princess doll) for several of my granddaughters, but with the "creative" substitution of a granny doll and the addition of homemade almond bark and star-tipped icing to the skirt, we had a perfectly sweet "over the hill" cake for Sandy's birthday.

Holiday Peppermint Cake

I made this Chocolate Velevet Cake with Peppermint Buttercream and Peppermint Bark for a Christmas party. It looked just like a beautiful present ready to be unwrapped on Christmas morning.