Tinkerbell Birthday

It has kind of become a tradition to make my neice's birthday cakes. Last year I did a Sesame Street cake with matching character cupcakes (which are still one of my top favorites I have done). This year for her 3rd birthday she wanted Tinkerbell. Off the bat, the is no way I was going to attempt to sculpt a Tinkerbell. I found a set of Tinkerbell and her fairy friends which I used to decorate with. Everything else was made by hang with fondant - flowers, vines.

The decor was pretty easy. Whenever I make a cake, I make the decor a few days before to dry out. For this cake it was simple flowers, name, number 3 and some vines and grass. I bought a small extruder (which is usually used for clay) to make the name and number. SO much easier than trying to roll it out. For the flowers - I have decided I just don't have patience for beautiful gumpaste flowers. So I use the small blossom cutter and mold as well as make ribbon roses. I also just kinda made up a flower (the big purple one with the white stamens). One day I will learn to make Ron Ben-Israel flowers ;-)

For the big flower on top I actually used the wilton leaf cutter for both the petals and the leaves. I gently pressed them in a flower veiner to give them some life like detail then brushed them with pearl dust. To form the flower I just put yellow royal icing in the middle and pushed the petals in to form the flower. I really loved the way it came out! The curly vines really make it whimsical too.

The cake was a vanilla cake with crusting buttercream. I rarely ever make traditional buttercream. It's really NOT my favorite frosting to use - anyone have a better recipe for that? Preferably one with out shortening? Though the cake looked good, unfortunately it was really dry :( People said it was still fine, but I'm always critical of myself.

I also made chocolate cupcakes. I actually decided to use some of my Naturally Nora mixes I had won. I mixed in Oreos in some and filled others with chocolate ganache or salted caramel. The birthday girl helped me put the sprinkles on (and eat them too! lol). The cupcakes were very moist and yummy :)

Here is the whole spread. I made a little Tinkerbell menu of the flavors of cupcakes and cake for a final touch. Hope you all had a great weekend! ~Cara Lee

~* Happy 3rd Birthday Cali *~