Cakes

I have been on a baking kick lately, in that I love to bake cakes, just cakes...not cookies.  Actually, I love to decorate cakes...especially with buttercream. I love a good buttercream and am on the hunt for the perfect recipe. I could live without fondant or even royal icing but a creamy, smooth buttercream can make or break a cake. My husband is thrilled with this cake baking as he can eat the leftover buttercream straight out of the bowl, however, as a diabetic...having leftover cake and buttercream in the house is not good for my pancreas!

This past weekend, we celebrated my grandpa's 80th birthday. My parents made a whirlwind trip out from Manitoba and we spent Saturday afternoon with most of the family, eating, laughing, eating, talking and eating. Delish!

I offered to bake the cakes this year as it is good practice for my brother's wedding next year, in which they have asked me to make their wedding cake. This will be the second wedding cake I've done and I'm nervous but since I have over a year to practice, I'm sure I'll be practically a pro by then!

Baking the rounds. We did 4 different flavors and 9 rounds. 

Mixing the buttercream

Crumb coating the first cake

Smoothing the buttercream

I think I need a smaller tip

Finished!

Mmm...Vanilla & Red Velvet Rings with a white chocolate ganache and vanilla buttercream

Chocolate! 

My grandpa's birthday cake...the deer seemed fitting

Neapolitan with vanilla and strawberry mousse and chocolate buttercream

My mom enjoying her cake :) 

 Right now, this is just a fun hobby but we'll see where it goes. I was pretty excited to have signed up for a buttercream class through Chinook College but alas, it was cancelled last week as there was not enough people registered for it. So...I'll just keep practicing at home and maybe look into another course in the future. Maybe when life slows down a bit...HA!