Baking in the Kitchen

Well, I completed my first fondant cake and boy was it interesting to work with. I got the consistency figured out pretty easily. It feels like you're playing with silly putty. But then I had a few issues getting the fondant onto a round ball shape. The cake I chose to make was a little more challenging to start with than I originally thought. It looked simple enough just a cat on a ball of yarn. It's a really cute cake that I've wanted to do ever since I got the book about 3 or 4 years ago. In the middle of placing the strips of "yarn" onto the cake, I realize I didn't have enough fondant to cover my cake. Thankfully, my neighbor (the one who introduced me to the new fondant recipe) had some fondant leftover from her attempt and let me use it. I had plenty to complete the cake then. I think the cake turned out okay. I need alot more practice, but it was a good first experience. So here is my first fondant cake.

I had some "help" in the kitchen from none other than Chef Lauren. She wanted to get in on the decorating so I let her have at it with her cooking tools. She made confectioner's sugar star cutouts with a side of chocolate mini cupcakes with icing. Real nutritious! She had so much fun, playing and eating. I told her to "ice" her cupcakes not her tongue! She kept biting into the star cutouts and getting sugar on her nose. She also kept saying she needed "a little bit more" sugar for each cutout. Amazing! Maybe she'll have a career in cooking or baking--watch out Rachel Ray and Emeril!