Chocolate Cake with chocolate filling, Elmo made with Gum Paste

I’ve made a number of cakes for people lately, most recent being one for a friends’ sons’ second birthday over the weekend.  Odd how I keep getting asked to make whole cakes for people (even offering to make them my own self) when it’s as far from my end goal as possible.  While I’m happy to make things for friends, and luckily all the items I’ve made have turned out fabulously (thank the gods) it’s still a jolt to the system when asked to “make a cake in the shape of a rugby ball”or “could we do and Elmo cake?”

For certain, Duff Goldman I am not, so cakes-as-shapes-of-things isn’t my forte.  I’ve always been of the school that if the food you’re making–whether savory or sweet–is tasty and of the highest quality, then that should be enough .  No fancy flourishes (ask me how I feel about obtrusive herbal garnish) no castles, boats or cars and shapes.  The first one I tried was the baseball pictured above, just to see if I could do it.  I think they’re cool, but it’s never been something I wanted to focus on.  I think I’d rather make a bunch of small baseballs than one large cake.  It would take much longer, and more work, but you certainly would never have to worry about structural integrity–like in the blue wedding cake.  Something more along the lines of what I made for Easter Dinner back in April, or the cute little cakes I made for my Mom for Mothers Day.  “I just want a piece of chocolate cake and nice glass of milk” (note: she opted for a cordial of Bailey’s instead, and drank milk with her second piece the next day.)  They were the perfect size, and no leftovers (great in a house where everyone seems to be trying to lose weight and eat healthier).  I suppose all of it doesn’t really matter in the end though, because it’s still baking, and I love it.  Plus every one of these items used the exact same chocolate cake recipe, and that means LOTS of practice.

Chocolate and Berry Trifle