Little Man Mustache Cake

It's birthday time again, and one of my friends asked if I could make a cake for her son's 1st birthday. She already decided on the theme of "Little Man, Mustache's and Top Hat's." So I of course went to Pinterest for inspiration. I found it from a pin that linked back to Sugar Shindigs.

Inspiration cake from Sugar Shindigs.

I learned from my other fondant creations that making your own is challenging, and time consuming. So this time I researched other ways of making sugar based icing that would be used for decorations like those on my inspiration cake. 

I found what I needed on Pinterest. It's a SUPER easy recipe for sculptable frosting that can be cut and shaped like fondant. The best part: it has a great flavor and smooth texture. It was from The Decorated Cookie and worked magically. 

Easy to mix, easy to color and tasted delicious!

My friend requested the same strawberry cake that I had made for her once before. My favorite strawberry cake recipe from Paula Deen.

I used strawberry flavored white buttercream icing to fill and cover the cake. I then mixed sculptable icing in black, red and teal to go with the party's color theme. I rolled out the icing and used a piece of paper to trace out the top hat and mustache. I hand rolled the little decorations that I used around the edges and hand formed the words "Happy Birthday MJ." 

Little Man Mustache & Top Hat cake for MJ.

The decorating was easy, the cake stayed moist and it was a huge hit at the party! 

It was  a lot of fun.

Thank You Pinterest, Sugar Shindigs and Paula Deen!

~ Jessica

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Banana Pudding Poke Cake Deliciousness.

If you've seen my Pinterest Boards, then you know I have a few boards devoted solely to FOOD. This yummy post can be found on the board: Cakes, Cupcakes & Cookies Oh My!

It's from the The Country Cook and on her blog she also has directions for Oreo Puddin' Poke Cake, Boston Cream Poke Cake, Coconut Cream Poke Cake & Jell-O Poke Cake. If you haven't heard of this before, then you're probably asking yourself "What in the world is poke cake?" That's the same question everyone asked when I showed up with this cake at the 4th of July cookout yesterday.

In a word: DELICIOUSNESS.

I love this cake more than I love that word (and I love that word, I use it all the time). I LOVE IT. 

I was introduced to poke cake at work by a fellow Pinterest addict that made one for an office birthday celebrations. I've been addicted ever since.

This is one of those cakes you can't mess up. You bake a yellow cake, and after it cools you poke holes in it - hence the name "Poke Cake." Mix up some banana pudding, pour it over the cake, add a layer of fresh cut bananas, top it with whipped cream and smashed vanilla wafers and... voila!

It is THE BEST banana pudding cake I have ever eaten. I'm not a big fan of banana pudding, so I never would have thought to try on my own. I love a moist yellow cake, and when you add pudding the result is the most moist delicious cake you'll ever eat. Add that to the crunch of the cookies and you're in banana pudding heaven!

I have since mixed it up a bit. I made one with strawberry cake, cheesecake pudding, fresh strawberries, whipped cream and graham crackers. Unfortunately, (it was apparently so delicious) I didn't even get a picture before it was gone.

I can't wait to try some of the other varieties, but after making this three weeks in a row we're on a no cake fast so I'll have to wait...

Thank you Pinterest & The Country Cook!

~ Jessica