Quarter Cake & Summer Nights

I've got goals.  They may not seem like much but they're important to me. Goals such as: cook my own food more, break plans to spend quality time with friends, and learn how to build layered cakes. Well summer's in full-swing in Pittsburgh & it's a good time to make your goals happen.

One of the things I love most about summer is that everyday feels like a vacation day. Oh it's just a Wednesday night... let's hang out under the full-moon, make some Indian food, bake a cake & see who stops by. Ok!



Before I continue with the cake I have to warn: Elise if you're reading this, STOP. You can read it tomorrow. (I don't think she reads my blog anyway, but just to be safe) Tonight's her 25th birthday party. Oh to be 25 again, I remember it like it was only yesterday... when in actuality it was 2 months ago. heh So in honor of her quarter-century milestone we made...



Get it?

This was my very first attempt at a layered cake... only 2 layers. (We almost didn't even have 2 when Mark's brother decided to sneak off with the other cooling cake! But I apprehended them before it could be cut) It's not very fancy or professional looking, but I'm happy with how it turned out.

If someone with higher cake skills wants to give this a shot, here's a few tips from my experience to get you started...

1. cake leveler = best idea ever


2. I used white icing with just a few drops of black food dye


3. the metallic silver is pearl dust intended for fondant but very easy to work with


4. we put the cake in the fridge for the icing to harden a little, it made the silver go on easier


5. I'd recommend denting the side ridges, not scraping them like us... it went too deep


6. if you don't like the silver dust idea, I'd make a separate batch of slightly darker icing for the design, it didn't show up well just by piping on top.

Let me know how it goes if you try it!