Day 98 (6.16.12): Three-Tier White Cake (Appropriate for Birthdays and Unbirthdays Alike)

Three-Tier White Cake

Status: Restaurant (Empress Pavilion)

Satisfaction: 6. Not a huge cake fan...

Associated with: Alice in Wonderland

Tier cakes make me so happy. I'm not a huge fan of cakes myself, but every time I see those tiers, it makes me want to recreate the unbirthday party cake from the scene pictured above. It's been done--so one of these days when I have the time, resources, and sufficient amount of boredom, I will do it. Maybe.

Anyway, we had this cake in celebration of my great-uncle's 90th birthday. Happy (belated) birthday!!

Day 90 (6.7.12): German Chocolate Dessert (Like A Fat Kid)

German Chocolate Dessert

I will preface this by saying that the picture above is not at all representative of what I actually ate. I indulged, forgot to take a picture, and googled a gem that made my mouth water significantly more than the original dessert--end of story.

Status: At a party (store-bought)

Satisfaction: 10.

Associated with: Matilda

Remember this moment? It's the boy who stole some of the evil headmistress' cake and was forced to eat an entire chocolate cake. This is how I feel every time I even so much as glance at a chocolate cake now. I think I've gained 5 pounds just by looking at these pictures.

Day 73 (5.19.12): Creamy Dreamy Ganache-Draped Cheesecake Ice Cream Cake--Mind (And Taste Buds) Blown!

Creamy Dreamy Ganache-Draped Cheesecake Ice Cream Cake

Status: Homemade!

Satisfaction: Wait and see (I'll post the updates as soon as this baby gets cut open on Sunday!)

I'm not always a terribly consistent decorator--or at least, my creations start out looking freakily Frankensteinian when they first start off. Take this cheesecake-ice cream cake combo, for instance: If I had taken pictures of the amounts of melted ice cream and dripping ganache I had to wade through before I even got the final (and considerably ridged) ganache dam wall on to hold in the ice cream, you all would be drowning, too. In pictures, I mean. And those aren't nearly as fun as drowning in ice cream and/or chocolate. Maybe part of it has to do with the fact that I never learn from my mistakes because a) I'm theory smart--application isn't a requirement for graduate students, and b) I never really like making the same thing twice if I can help it. Experiments are just more fun.

Speaking of experiments and dissection--okay, yes, it's a stretch analogy, but here's the breakdown of this gorgeous (inside is what counts!) cake:

Start with an OREO Cookie Crumb Crust

Top that with Creamy Dreamy Cheesecake

Adorn that with an generous layer of Your Favorite Ice Cream

And then drape the whole damn thing in Luscious Chocolate Ganache

Decorate the heck out of it. And do a better job than I did.

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. I haven't tried it yet, but from the various, er, taste-tests I did on the component parts of it, I'm declaring this one mind--and taste buds--blown.

Check out the recipe below!

Day 31 and 32: The Cat in the Hat Really is Back!

Cat in the Hat Cake

Status: Homemade!

Complete with Cat in the Hat cake pops.

I spent two full days making my first fondant cake ensemble ever! True, the fondant work is amateur (and I definitely don't have a fondant glider or any other number of supplies), but for the most part it was fun and messy and I made it work. I made this for the annual school-wide Edible Books contest, where you basically pick a book and create a food item inspired by it. Fingers crossed! This thing literally weighs like, 10 pounds.

Associated with: Moby Dick. No, come on. Dr. Seuss, obviously.