Spazzmanda

Imagine it surrounded by blue jello and you have the finished project. It is two sheet cakes stacked (then frozen) then carved in the general shape of a naval aircraft carrier. (the most expensive part of this cake were the airplanes- but they were absolutely necessary for the success of the piece and they came with the bonus blue sky backdrop.) The tower is made from two mini-loafs, frozen then cut (a very important step) and then iced with pretzels stuck in for the antennae. All in all, it was a very cool cake to make and pretty tasty (so I’ve heard) so I think it to be a success. I do believe I may have peaked in my short career as a hobbyist/amateur cake chef. I don’t think I can out do this one, so I’m going to retire for a bit- maybe focus on pies. If you want to see REAL culinary talent, please check out my friend Jen at sugarchef.com. (Hi Jen!) She is a south-Floridian now and I haven’t seen her in ages, but she remains a pastry chef and artist that has impeccable taste and talent, and I love her dearly!

Also, I finished my Le Slouch last night (helloooo- free pattern over at Knit and Tonic!) Actually, it started as a Christmas gift, hence the no progress photos so as to not spoil the surprise, but then I remembered how last year, I made all these cute beaded fingerless mitts and never a pair for myself (sniff sniff) so I decided to keep her.

Besides, I had to retool the gauge a tad (I was using a finer yarn than the pattern called for.) And I swatched. Ok, I semi-swatched so it is a hair bigger than it could be, but it is a slouchy beret and I love it. Crap, don’t ask me to recall the yarn. I bought it at Hobby Lobby a month or so ago. I actually think it is actually a baby yarn, but it is cool with this little white and pink wrap around the black, made the seed stitch really ‘pop.’ Yes, probably asscrylic, but it is soft and I don’t care. I do have an affinity for black and pink together, so this was meant to be my hat. (See how I justify being so far behind on the holiday knitting and keeping an FO for myself?) I’m not going to sweat it, really.

Tah!

Yay! The Pirate Cake is completed in time for the party tonight for Captain Jack’s 30th birthday! The idea all started when I purchased my castle bunt pan back in April. I wanted to make something so badly, but just didn’t have the particular occasion. So the seed was planted and the idea flourished and I thought that a Lord of the Rings cake would rock. Unfortunately, Target, Toys R’ Us and Wal-Mart thought differently.

But we did manage to find pirates. DR-Boy said- hey- we can make a castle and a beach and then some WATER in order to justify the use of pirates! It sounded like a good idea to me, and so began our great “collaboration”.

Now when a control-freak and a perfectionist put their heads together, not everything comes out sweet. Actually, we are lucky we didn’t kill each other in some icing-coated massacre.

So we begin. I had my initial concerns, this frightened me:

That is a LOT of crevices for cake junk to get stuck in.

Luckily I purchased this:

And a Joy it was, indeed. The cake came out slicker than snot (if you will excuse the expression.)

So I made a bunt and sheet cake. I was finished baking. Ready to decorate. That is when Psycho Perfectionist (also known as Delayed Reaction Boy) swooped in to say that it wouldn’t be big enough do do land, sea AND castle. After much heated discussion, this happened.

Damn skippy. YOU think it isn’t big enough, YOU bake the next cake. (Um, he was right, by the way, about MANY things in this collaboration, but so was I, not that I keep track of that kind of thing. Oh, P.S. and by the way, I am a bit of a control freak, I CAN share but don’t like to, sue me!)

Moving on, he carefully shaped the terrain

I mixed the icing colors for land and sea

The Twizzler Cracken was introduced

Golden Oreo Crumb Beach (One of the things I was right about, but I’m not keeping score or anything.)

Castle dusted with powder sugar and supporting icing “bushes”

Fruit Roll-Up Flags

Voila! (Aerial View)

Yes, the pirates on the boat seem slightly smaller than the ones on land, but that is only because they are oh so very far away. They are WAY out on the ocean. Yes they are. Shut up.

The palm trees are cookie sticks, pretzels, icing and fruit roll-ups. Notice the mini goldfish surfing the waves. This cake is really awesome. No, I have no idea how we will transport the thing, I’m thinking a glass or two of wine so that I will be bold enough to balance it on my lap for transport and less likely to freak out. This sucker is pretty big.

Go here to see all the progress photos of the creation of Captain Jack’s Pirate Cake for his big 30th Birthday!

Trips to the Grocery Store: Four

Money Spent: Some

Moments Spent Planning the Demise of One’s Boyfriend: Too many to count.

Look on the Birthday Boy’s Face: Priceless.

Have a good weekend!