Just a few cakes

These are a few of the birthday cakes I've done recently.... 

This first one was Italian Cream Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by request.  Italian Cream Cake happens to be my fave as well and I have to say it tasted amazing!!!  This cake is not for the "one bowl" mix kinda people...this cake is a process, but totally worth every minute in the kitchen!!

This was a vanilla cake with a raspberry mousse filling and chocolate buttercream!  It was super moist.

Additional notes: Do not put chocolate covered strawberries in the fridge, they "leak" all over the cake when you take the cake out...boo.

The flowers were made out of modeling chocolate, using candy melts and corn syrup.

The only problem... I found the chocolate got sticky when working with it... perhaps I have hot hands or something... I wanted to try working with it though.  I will try again I think with pre-made modeling chocolate but so far I prefer fondant.

This is my very first fondant covered cake.  I made the fondant (recipe below) it was a chocolate marshmellow fondant.  The flames are store bought yellow fondant painted with wilton icing dyes.  The cake itself was a Shiner Bock Cake with Shiner Bock buttercream.  It is very rich but very good.  Beer cake?  Might sound gross but you actually couldn't taste much of the beer.  Next time: I'm trying a different beer... perhaps something darker?

Chocolate Marshmellow Fondant

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (1/2 bag)

1 bag mini marshmellows

3 tbsp. karo light corn syrup

3 tbsp. water

1- 1lb. bag of powdered sugar

black food coloring

crisco shortening

Place the entire bag of mini marshmellows in a microwave safe bowl.  Add the water and microwave for 1 minute.  Stir marshmellows.  Microwave 1 more minute.  Stir marshmellows and then add the chocolate chips.  Stir until the chocolate is melted.  Add the karo and stir to combine.  At this point add the black food coloring until you reach the desired color.  (1-2 tsp.)  Once you add the food coloring and everything is mixed well, add half of the powdered sugar and stir.  It will become difficult to stir... at this point you can generously grease your hands with the crisco and begin to knead the powdered sugar into the mixture, continue to knead the fondant until all the powdered sugar is incorporated.  You might possibly need a bit more powdered sugar, I realized this the first time I was making this fondant (it was raining).  The next time I made it (no rain) the 1 lb. of sugar was plenty. 

I really enjoyed this fondant because it actually tasted good!

I stored mine for 2 days in a plastic zip bag on the counter and it was perfect.