Nico "The Diver"

Nico "The Diver"
Originally uploaded by bakingjeannie

My first diver. Got ideas from a few cakes I found on Flickr. I cut sea creatures using a cutter. Cake is a double chocolate cake with chocolate cream filling. TFL

Dol-fan Cake

Have you ever heard of a “Dol-fan?” Well a Dol-fan is a diehard, win or loose, hands down, supporter of the home team, The Miami Dolphins kind-a-fan. In other words, this is the unofficial name for my nephew, Michael – he is a Dol-fan.

So it was no surprise for his birthday cake he wanted a Miami Dolphins theme cake. A few years ago I made him a Miami Dolphin cake for his birthday and ended up having to make a New York Jets cake for his older brother, Dominic, two months later. I am sure he thought I was going to make a sheet cake and put the Dolphin logo in buttercream on the cake. I surprised him with this cake gift: 

Michael was turning 11, so I placed it above the Dolphin on the helmet. He plays Impact football and his number is five, so the five yards line fell right in place. The Dolphin I drew on sugar paper and coloured with gel food colour. He wanted a chocolate cake, so I made a cake filled with whipped chocolate cream filling and covered with chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream then covered with fondant.  The biggest challenge was stacking and carving the cake; plus making the grill out of gum paste. The grill broke and I had to patch it (forgot to make an extra one) in a number of places – oops!

My sister told me that he said, if his NFL career does not take off he would like to become a baker. Sweet! We have another baker in the family.

Walk good and happy caking!

Jeannie

Chocolate Shells...

I had the most fun doing this cake! The cake was a chocolate and vanilla marble cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream filling and frosting, then covered with white chocolate fondant. The bottom cake is a dummy...the "swirls" suppose to be waves...got my drift? (smile). I got two of my friends, Lizca, and Christine, involved to see how they would like working with fondant. They made those swimsuits and palm trees. The shells I made with white chocolate and dusted with Super Pearl edible dust; for the sand I used white and brown sugar. The design I got from one of my ICES magazine, but used some of my own creative license.

I made extra 5-inch cakes which I shared with Lizca and Christine. Of course, one for the hubby, Henry (smile) plus one for me...if I must say so myself, the cake was delicious! It's a receipe I found on Martha Stewart's website, and it's a no-fail marble cake receipe. Check it out (when I can find the link...Oh boy!!!).

Walk good...Jeannie