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dday944 · **Posted:** Mon Mar 26, 2007 10:23 pm

Oh, Phyllis...what an awesome job!!! It looks great!! My best friend's 3 year old son loves Lightning McQueen, (or "Miss Queen" as he says it!) I bet he'd love that cake! (His last one was "Fiderman." He has trouble with his S's.) Did you carve the cake, or was that a specialty pan?
Diane

tiffysma · **Joined:** Sat Nov 05, 2005 9:29 am **Posts:** 1187

Thanks, ladies! Mary, I just learned about smash cakes within the last couple of years. It's a small cake for a 1 or 2 year old that they can just, well --- smash. They can stick their fingers in it and eat it with their hands and the regular cake stays intact. A lot of mothers (including my DIL) don't want their 1 yr old to have sugar or products with preservatives, so making a banana bread with applesauce and healthy is a good choice for the baby's cake.

Diane, I used the 3D Wilton Car Pan. It looks like a sedan, but then I carved it to look like a sports car. The spoiler was a graham cracker. We had the party in the park nearby and there was a 3 year old boy also having a party with Lightening McQueen theme. They came over and took a picture of my cake. (Love "Miss Queen"!

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Mary K. · **Joined:** Fri Sep 26, 2003 5:34 pm **Posts:** 9788

Hmm, ok, thanks Phyllis.

I didn't let my kids have sugar when they were little either, and very little for a long time. They had to eat their meals before they had any kind of dessert even later, and I guess they just grew up knowing that. We didn't buy pop, but they drank juice instead, unless someone had an upset tummy and then it was a few sips for that. I guess we were awful!

The banana cake would be a really good choice for a little one. Many times though when mine were in middle and high school, they brought a bunch home with them to munch cookies or cinnamon rolls as fast as they came out of the oven.

tiffysma · **Joined:** Sat Nov 05, 2005 9:29 am **Posts:** 1187

Opal, I think you did a great job on this cake! I bet your granddaughter loved it! Seeing their smiles is what it is all about!

dday944 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:16 am

Opal,
You did a beautiful job!! This cake looks better than the ones I've seen locally for sale. I am sure your grand-daughter's breath was taken away, to think that was for her! Awesome!!
Diane

Mary K. · **Joined:** Fri Sep 26, 2003 5:34 pm **Posts:** 9788

Yes, Opal, that truly is an awesome cake!! Emma must have gasped and squealed when she spotted it. Great job Opal!

Thanks Phyllis, for making it possible for us to see it.

SmilieFace · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:57 pm **Posts:** 1194

Just saw the two newest pictures -- the car cake and the three tier cake. Great job to both of you! I really liked the car -- great attention to detail -- and a three tier cake is mighty impressive!

gimli417 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:28 am

What great cakes, both of you! I almost had an order for a Lightning McQueen cake, but she changed to the cowboy boot. You even got his one "eyelid" lowered; too cute!
And the three-tier is gorgeous. I love those swirly candles, too. Are the cutouts fondant? I like the color scheme too. It fairly screams "It's Spring!!"
Good jobs; high-fives all around!

Jen

Opal · **Posted:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:45 am

The cutouts are chocolate clay..

gimli417 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:49 am

Oh, okay. I'm going to be playing with chocolate clay here soon. Did you like your recipe, and if so, can you share it with me?
I will be making several cute lil penguins, if I get the order.

Jen

Mary K. · **Joined:** Fri Sep 26, 2003 5:34 pm **Posts:** 9788

For a discussion we had here on the board about Chocolate Clay, Click Here

You'll find some links there, and also, there are so many other reference to it along with both how to make and use it. It really opens a whole new avenue of decorating if you haven't yet tried it. Here are a few of those sites:

Chocolate Clay Roses Very Nice!!

How to Make Clay

Wilton's Candy Clay

Plastic ChocolateAnother nice one!!

Last, is from Cake Central for Chocolate Clay (Modeling Chocolate)

Just think of all the beautiful things you can make using this concoction, then try it and see what you do. Then do come back and share the things with the rest of us.

Opal · **Posted:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:19 pm

Clocolate Clay is super easy. I make the clay and Marshmallow Fondant all the time for my grandkids to play with like play dough. They get my 8 jars of gel coloring, toothpicks, and little cookie cutters. They color, cut, mold, eat, and have so much fun.
All the recipes I saw called for 10 oz. or 14 oz. chocolate, but my packages of chocolate wafers from Hobby Lobby are made by Make 'n Mold and are 16 oz. So, I just add the 1/3 cup Karo syrup and spash in a little more. So far, no failures. So, it must be foolproof. It keeps a very long time. When I have leftovers from a project, I just wrap it up to store at room temperature. When the kids come over, I cut them off a piece, microware for a few seconds, and it's ready to go. Do try it. Thanks to all of you for your nice comments on Emma's cake. Opal

gimli417 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:43 pm

Ok, here is what I came up with for a Castle Cake.

The customer had her heart set on the Olive Garden cake, so I agreed to do it, but that filling had me worried! And there is some bulging at the sides, but I keep pressing it back, heh. The bottom pillars have lemon cake baked inside, because I wanted the weight at the corners. Jiffy mix to the rescue there. I ended up using two batches of buttercream to glue this cake together, too, so they are in for some sugar shock. :shock:

You can't see it, but I pressed some brick lines in various places on the cake, to give a touch of realism. I probably should have outlined them, but oh, well. The vines are pretty much everywhere.
I had a heck of a time frosting the cones, too. The frosting just didn't want to cover very well, so there are some patchy spots. I just hope this person is happy with it, and sends more business my way (with a bit more notice, too; I like my planning time). No way I could ever do a Food Network Cake Challenge, right?! :lol:

Jen

Mary K. · **Joined:** Fri Sep 26, 2003 5:34 pm **Posts:** 9788

I knew it, just as I suspected!! Cute as a bug, Jen! You did a nice job as well! Thanks so much for sharing your cakes with the rest of us. I'm sure this will bring surprise and delight to some child.

Just a little side note...did you pipe a dam in around to keep the filling from oozing out? I looked and I couldn't see any bulge. Me thinks you worry too much!

gimli417 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:51 pm

Yes, I filled in about an inch with buttercream all around. I also let the filling set up a bit before I put the top layer on, but when I was frosting the top, that was when it kept bulging out, so I tried to keep my touch feather-light. I just keep looking at it, thinking where I could have improved it. I hope whe comes to pick it up fast, before I can't resist the urge any longer!! :twisted:

Jen

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