project ninacakes

It's almost 4pm on Sunday, and the first of the cakes just went into the oven. I can't believe I'm starting so late, but I don't really regret the way I spent my morning: in bed, finishing Towers of Midnight. And then swanning around doing nothing in particular. It was gloriously fun.

Also gloriously fun: writing out menus and things on my chalkboard. The triple chocolate has a white chocolate mousse filling. The peach cake isn't really a peach cake so much as a cream cake filled with peach mousse and frosted with raspberry creme. The lemon frosting is going to be a whipped cream frosting with lemon curd.

From Project Ninacakes

( More cake talk )

project ninacakes: chocolate fudge cakes

Yep, this is likely all I'll be talking about for the next week!

( Jabberish )

project ninacakes: chocolate fudge cakes

Whew. So, a cake did appear. It's a little soft in the middle, and this particular layer ended up being a bit thinner than the other two--not having that third pan makes it tougher to eyeball proportions.

From Project Ninacakes

At least it's not a complete disaster?

(Thanks for the reassurance and crossed fingers, rolypolypony!!)

project ninacakes: cake layers, baked

As Tom Petty says, the waiting is the hardest part. Especially letting things cool. The greatest miracle of this day, however, is that all nine layers fit in my freezer. Praise the lord.

From Project Ninacakes

I may also make 24 cupcakes. Just easy chocolate ones with chocolate frosting for kids. Maybe with a cute topper. Maybe it's crazy, but if it helps me sleep at night and not worry about a paucity of cake at Nina's party, then I say that's a good plan.

Now to figure out the delicate balance between making components too early and having them go bad vs. having too much to do on the very last day. I'm thinking of making the cupcakes on Wednesday, the peach mousse and white chocolate mousse on Friday, and all three frostings on Saturday. The party's not until 4pm, so I'll have plenty of time to assemble, frost, and decorate on Saturday.

I think tomorrow I should go buy things at the cake store and get that over with. Tentative list:

- another 9 inch layer pan
- parchment rounds
- cake boards
- cake boxes for transport
- tower architecture
- a birthday candle in the shape of a 1