Rebecca's birthday cake mashup

Question: What do you get when you take Anna's cake:

add a bit of Pamela's cake:

and throw in the monkey and stars from Allie's cake?

Answer: Rebecca's birthday cake!

Rebecca is a newly minted 10 year old who designed her very own cake after spending time on my website. The names on the sides of the cake are the party attendees. This was a 10" cake with vanilla bean and chocolate layers, filled with chocolate buttercream. Decorations are handmade using gumpaste and royal icing. 

My 4 year old checking out the cake

New website!

After weeks of procrastination, I finally launched my new website. It's definitely still a work in progress, but I love having the Sara Bakes Cakes site and blog under one roof!

Comments, suggestions, edits would be greatly appreciated (but be gentle, my fragile baking ego might not be able to take it!) I look forward to hearing what you think.

In the meantime, here's my latest cake, for 2-year old Nili who's a giant fan of Abby Cadabby and sprinkles! 12" vanilla bean cake with raspberry filling and vanilla buttercream, handmade gumpaste decorations.

 

Imitation = FLATTERY!!!

I got an email a couple of days ago from a woman who made a terrific swimming pool cake that was inspired by Talia's swimming pool cake I made in July 09. 

I think she nailed it, don't you?  

King Arthur Flour's Secret Ingredient Corner

Found this on The Kitchn - the "Secret Ingredient" corner from the King Arthur Flour web site. I use a lot of these (the flour, vanilla, espresso powder) but definitely want to try some others. Was especially excited to see they have CHEDDAR POWDER!  I bought it once when we were visiting friends in Vermont (at Dakin Farms on Route 7) and have never found it again. It's the purer version of the powdered cheese that comes in mac and cheese boxes. YUM. Will be buying some asap.

Update on Monday, June 13, 2011 at 1:53PM by Sara

Thanks to my fantastic friend Fara (ffF), I'm now the proud owner of 2 bags of cheddar cheese powder. She visited the shop last weekend and brought me back these goodies.

Lucky me!

The Kitchn is right, these really are the best sugar cutout cookies ever!

The name of The Kitchn's blog post says it all.  These cookies are delicious and better yet, they completely hold their shape after they're baked, so the gingerbread people you cut out don't end up looking like piles of mush after baking. The combo of lemon zest, almond and vanilla extracts is perfect - thought it would be too much, but it blends together really nicely.  I made one change - I replaced about 1/2 the white flour with white whole wheat flour. Not necessary at all, but it made me feel like they were healthier and therefor I could eat more:)

I've recommended other sugar cookie/cutout recipes in the past, but this is IT!  Throw away all of your other recipes and use this one. You won't be sorry.