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[Moonbeam]

Whoo! I’m tired! The last month has been filled with so many activities – making up for being winter hermits, I guess. The kiddos all celebrated their birthdays within the last two weeks. I usually try to make a homemade cake – taking a few shortcakes here and there. However, the cakes are from scratch. Since no family was here for their birthdays we just celebrated them all at once.

Little Man just got a single, chocolate cupcake to play with for his 1st birthday. Since we call him The Hulk, I ordered an edible, baby Hulk for a topper off Etsy. However, since it was so beautiful and precious, I just put it on display in our china hutch.

DS wanted a superhero cake so I made a sheet cake for DS and ordered a personalized hero sheet for the top off of Etsy. I added some superhero colored jimmies (dark red, dark blue, yellow, green and black) to the batter and he was good to go.

DD wanted a flower/heart/butterfly/rainbow cake – a tall order for her! I worked on her cake over a 3 day period. I did one of those rainbow cakes. It was six layers, and stood a little over six inches when completed. I ordered some edible, rainbow colored butterflies from Etsy. I decided not to go with edible flowers and hearts because it just seemed like a waste to me. Instead I found some wonderful flower shaped buttons at Hobby Lobby and I ordered some little heart beads off Etsy. That way she can use them in a craft!

So here are the results:

[Moonbeam]

Inside:

[Moonbeam]

Little Man's:

[Moonbeam]

Cupcake first, then some sweet potatoes. Happy 1st Birthday, Little Man!

[knobster]

So glad to hear from you Moon!  Sounds like you are keeping busy.  Our summer of busyness business, biziness...  anyway, is off to the races.  Spent a week with my wife's side of the family, 4 b-day celebrations in June, July and August (I'm the only odd one with a birthday in the spring) and vacation bible school, swim lessons, camping, etc ad infinitum.

By the way, sweet picture on the inside of the cake!  My SHW has quite a few themed cake pans that she has used over the years.  She loves making and decorating them.

[MamaLiberty]

Inside:

My goodness! That looks as if it would be a lot of work. I've never managed to make any sort of layer cake. The "layers" always slide off and the whole thing is a disaster. That one is beautiful!

I tried hard to make a layer cake once, but it was the usual mess. The boys didn't bat an eye, and my youngest made the classic boy response: "That's OK mom, we're going to chew it up anyway."   LOL

[Moonbeam]

Sounds like you are keeping busy.

Yep! We finished up soccer and had the last little hoorah for that; we finished up Awanas and had the last little hoorah for that; we did some homeschooling field trips; DD finished up her little private school class stuff and we had the last hoorah for that; there was Mother's Day; we just finished up Little Man's room so he can move in there; we had a neighborhood party; vacation bible school is finishing up; signed them up for a summer camp; I went to a huge homeschool sale; I'm getting ready to sell at a HUGE consignment sale; there was Little Man's birthday then the twin's birthday; and there's Father's Day. In between there's laundry, cooking, dishes, chauffeuring, poopy diapers/naps/nursing, and of course, homeschooling!

PS - And I had to finish up The Shield series!!

PPS - Oh, and I had to find a new dentist and pediatrician for their annual check-ups!

[Moonbeam]

I post a picture of one cute Little Man and all you people can do is talk about cake?! ..... My kind of people! 

It was a lot of work, but of course, my DD is worth it. I had to double the recipe; then I equally distributed the cake batter into six bowls. I mixed in the dyes, then I poured each color into their own disposable cake pan. Voilà!

For anyone looking for tips to make a layered cake (and Mama, if you’re ever inclined to try again!):

Bake your cake layers, let cool thoroughly. When completely cooled, using a cake slicer or serrated knife, slowly level the top of the cakes. Wrap in Saran Wrap and place in freezer for at least one hour to 24 hours before assembling.

Place a dollop of icing on cake plate, unwrap first layer of cake, turn upside down and place on top of icing. Take a generous amount of icing and plop on top in center. Gently begin to spread icing over cake. Remove second layer from wrap and gently place on top of first/bottom layer. Take a generous amount of icing and plop on top in center. Gently begin to spread icing over cake.

If making more than two layers:

After frosting second layer, place in freezer for about one hour. Remove next cake from wrap and gently place on top of second layer. Take a generous amount of icing and plop on top in center. Gently begin to spread icing over cake. Repeat with other layers, freezing for one hour after every two layers (2 cake layers, 4, cake layers, 6 cake layers, etc.).

As I learned, the freezer is your friend! Also, I read that the freezer “locks” in the moisture. And her cake was very moist.

[MamaLiberty]

using a cake slicer or serrated knife, slowly level the top of the cakes. Wrap in Saran Wrap and place in freezer for at least one hour to 24 hours before assembling.

Ah hah!  I did try cutting off the round top once, but then had a gooey mess when I tried to spread the frosting. I didn't know about the freezer, though that's a logical solution. Will have to remember that if I ever decide to make a cake again. Thanks!

[Moonbeam]

The other trick I saw (haven't tried it myself yet) is when you take the cake out of the oven, while it's still warm, place a kitchen towel over it and press down on the middle to get rid of that bump.

Oh, and we got to enjoy all the cakes with some yummy "Farm Fresh Milk" () I got from a farmer's market!

[MamaLiberty]

The other trick I saw (haven't tried it myself yet) is when you take the cake out of the oven, while it's still warm, place a kitchen towel over it and press down on the middle to get rid of that bump.

Hmm, I'd think that would just compress the cake in that spot and make it gummy. In any case, when I do make a cake I go easy on myself and just bake it in a large rectangular pan. Have the same one I've used for many years. Lately, it works great to make oven fried potato wedges instead.

My absolute favorite "cake" is a no-bake strawberry cheesecake, with fresh strawberries. And I'll even eat it without the graham cracker crust with great glee.

[Freeman13]

Well we all know who will be designated cooks of good stuff to eat now.  I always witnessed my mother putting toothpicks in between the layers to keep them from sliding.  Moon, your cakes take the cake I'm sure.  From the satisfied look on the little one I'd would definitely say that they are most delicious.