IntroductionGrowing up the sixth child of a family of eight, means that a

party is not always possible, and it did not mean that we celebrated under anything less than grand terms. My family knew that the experience of an event was the most important factor, not the amount that was spent. I remember not going

trick-or-treating on Halloween, but organizing a ghostly house and preparing a spread of delightful foods for family and

friends. There was no one on the entire block that did not know about our annual festivities that replaced the need to go out for

the traditional treats. I am quite sure that walking out in unpredictable weather terms was not missed. Eventually, there

were two additions to the family after me; this made celebrating every birthday and every holiday truly a majestic occasion. Not only were there birthdays to enjoy every other month, now, the

dinner table for Christmas and Thanksgiving was brimming with faces. Our family unit did all that was possible to make

each member feel special, whether it was a store bought cake or the handmade delights by my grandma Susie, for many years everyone at least had a cake on their day. Through all of these efforts and the time tested techniques I created to make sure

monies were spent in a minimal capacity, the need for a dedication to my organized junk was unavoidable.

Chapter 6:Make the cake and eat it too

Cake, this sweet delight, is reserved for the ending of many events because it needs a grand entrance. I have seen plenty of extravagant cakes on television and know that people go overboard with cake some times. As a child, mud pies/cakes were my specialty. I would decorate them with outdoor supplies. For instance, there was this plant that grew in the grass that resembled a pea pod. I would open the pod and use the little circular “beans” to garnish the horizontal border around the pies. The pine trees also had these buds that were pulled to make this dusty application for our masterpieces; our cake was the best. Going to that extent for an inedible cake shows that this is quite relevant to any occasion. Whether it be a cupcake or sheet cake, these desserts can become costly the more detailed they are. Some have found the need to take decorating classes or ask close family to assist with this matter. Nonetheless, purchasing or baking it at home does not make the cake any less special.

Grandma Susie had this cake that she always made for birthdays; it was and still is my favorite. I use to watch her blend all of the ingredients in these tan mixing bowls. One of the bowls must have come to close to an open flame since it was partially melted in a spot. She had this stirring dance, the shing-a-ling we will call it, that she did while she stirred her fluffy cake mix. People usually wait for the spoon to lick after the cake was in the oven, but we did not have to linger around for spoons; she would dip her index finger into the mixture and shove it into your mouth. It only started to feel weird when we began to go through puberty. No one seemed to mind in any event. The aroma of that culinary masterwork filled the room and warmed your heart. That butter nut cake was homemade from the batter to the icing. The taste was tattooed on my tongue forever. Unfortunately, I did not get the recipe before she passed away and have not eaten a butter nut cake since only because I will not be able to get the unique spoon treatment. I really feel like there will be no other cake like hers.

My cake experience did not stop at my grandmother; my mom, aunts, and cousins all made baking seem like a breeze. Like stated previously, all of my sisters and brothers at least had a cake on our birthday, so cake is very important to me. I have found unique ways to convert cake and cupcakes into edible sculptures. A few were from other sources, but I try to figure out how to manipulate the product to get things out of the ordinary. Trial and error efforts along with experimental baking days have made me a proud cake baker. We will examine some of my designs and techniques to help inspire the pastry chef in anyone.

Some of the first cakes that I made did not have that many layers or elements as the more recent ones. The more I saw the possibilities of transformation the more I practiced. A carnival themed celebration is bright and colorful; any and every color can be use for this occasion. I took advantage of having a youthful childhood when I decided what the scene would be. There were games, carnival foods, and sounds. My brother dressed up as a clown so that no aspect would be left out. All of the basics of a carnival were simple decisions; the cake, on the other hand, could not be simple. The centerpieces were black top hats filled with artificial lollipops. So I thought there was a need for the centerpieces to match the cake. How to make the cake look like a top hat was puzzling in the beginning. I needed to look at things from a diverse angle. The hat could be seen as layers of circles. The bottom or brim of the hat is a larger circle than the body; the body of the hat is levels of the same circle. I sketched out a plan; Figure 8 demonstrates my thoughts. The actual cake made follows.

Figure 8: Top Hat Cake

Knowing that I had to travel two hours with this cake uncovered it looks pretty good besides the fact. The base (brim) of the hat is a 9 inch cake. The body are four 2 x 2 cakes. Each layer needs to have frosting in between to keep the structure stable. By keeping the cake in the refrigerator, the cold air helps with stability also. The hat was not black like the table pieces; black icing is usually bitter and I did not want to risk having a tart cake. I turned white icing into purple by adding a little red and blue food coloring. Purple candies were then added to give more texture. The sketches are not exact replicas. The finished result, on the other hand, is pretty accurate. Depending on schedules, some things need to be eliminated.

My daughter loves the “Camp Rock” movie and asked for a guitar for Christmas one year. I knew then that she was a rock star at heart. Developing a theme equivalent to her personality is always best. The event was a red carpet affair, literally. I had a red carpet with a backdrop for photos. Stars were aligned throughout the space. The dinner settings were laid like a royal event at a mansion. The bright pinks and purples danced alongside shimmering silvers and midnight blacks. Graffiti banners hung precisely along the walls. The scene was electrical. Mini awards waited to be presented to guest and the cake lay boldly in a sea of graphics, a guitar of cupcakes or a cupcake guitar.

The search for the perfect pastry figure was initiated. I found a cake in the shape of a guitar. It had many elements to it. A lot of work was ahead. There were candies of various types and shapes as well as delicate icing skills represented. The party was once again back at home, a two hour drive, which needed to be factored into the preparation. I did consider still taking on the mission. The primary focus of the cake can be found on Figure 9.

Figure 9: Guitar Cake

As you can see this would take a while to assemble, time I did not have. A plan B was formed to reduce any time restraints that this cake had. I did not draw up a new plan, but I did think of a creative way to make the cupcakes look like a guitar. The guitar that my daughter asked for was the essential piece to my new undertaking. It was a straightforward chore. The guitar was outlined on plain white paper. On one of my experimental baking days, I cooked regular size cupcakes and miniature ones just to see how each would work. I simply placed the cupcakes within the outline to see what would be best. I changed the icing color to match what the different aspects of the instrument.

The difference between miniature cupcakes versus the standard size was that it took more to fill the outline. I use boxed mixes or bake from scratch. The spare time you have determines what you should use. The handle of cake was covered in a silver icing while the center was a deep brown almost black icing. The internet was resourceful in this instance; research on how to change icing to particular hues was found which was very helpful. I reused the outlined paper for the background on party day. I added graffiti lettering to give a rock star effect; it also matched the birthday banner created. Making the cupcakes rather than the two circular cakes eliminated a lot of decorating. The cupcakes are easier to travel with as well. I invested in a covered cupcake holder, so the mini cakes can be transported safely. The finished product was quite eye popping.

I am not a pastry chef and do not claim to be a great baker. Having heart and passion is the only thing that can make a great cake. The lines are not perfect; the cake tends to lean from side to side every now and then, but no one complains. They know that I took the time to make it special just like my grandmother. Cake is still cake no matter how it looks. However, what is a party without entertainment, an assembly. Entertainment can be just as cost efficient as the decorations and food and cake!