Cake Decorating 101 - Or is that "Remedial Cake Making"?

OK, we're going to show this backwards...

You know, the results first, making you think it was oh-so-easy..

Then I'll show you what it took to get there..

It sounded innocent enough. I'd been thinking about taking a cake decorating class for a while after seeing some of what Kristina, my designer friend over at: http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/ has done with cupcakes.......... or cards........or scrapbook pages.... or photos or anything else she touches.

She a designer for goodness sakes, which should have given me a hint as to why everything she does looks sooo fabulous. Der....

But not unlike the Olympic gymnasts, doing what another person makes look easy is ANYTHING but easy...So, innocently enough, Heather and I signed up, not knowing the path to Cake Nirvana is ridden with chores...........

First, there's the "stuff".....list, find, gather, purchase, organize.........................

Then, the tools.......... Did I mention the mess????..........

Yes, that IS frosting on the paper towel holder....and the wall....and the counter....and the dogs...

But, I wanted that flat, smooth cake...you know like this...

Ahhh, perfection! Forget that I just had-to-have the HUMONGOUS cake leveler-cutter-saw-thingy to cut the perfect cake...As you will see shortly, one layer was, ahh, what's the word....SHORT. Like 1/2 inch. While the other perfectly level, smooth layer is, oh, I don't know...like 3inches...??

So, next week is oldest son Andy's birthday. Big-bad-biker-Dammit-Andy. Yep, his birthday. And I won't get to see him, so I made him this pretty flowery-pink and white cake with raspberry filling.. Just what a biker wants, yes???

And, what's even better is that once I snapped this photo for all time and eternity to show my devotion for my son by making him his birthday cake in absentee......PrestoChango!!

Add a "R"...and this same cake is now a "gift" for my patient husband..............Randy..........

I am soo clever!

So here's a few shots of how one cake mix, 2 pounds of powdered sugar, gel coloring, messy kitchen, frustrated practice, $100 in equipment, almost burned out mixer turned this average housewife into a baker-extraordinaire.............or at least a very large Keebler Elf.....

g'nite....and remember those famous words,

"Let them eat homemade, hand-decorated, messy expensive,frustrating, tilted, raspberry filled...

CAKE!!!"

me