Tortitude

So, I saw this post on food_porn for this cake, and I am so freaking obsessed about it, I can't stop thinking about it, and omg I must make it RIGHT NOW.

The amazing baker who did this posted a tutorial today for the rose-frosting, so I think I'm going to try to make it tomorrow. Happily, I have somewhere to take it--going to Judy's for dinner. I wasn't planning on bringing anything, or maybe just bringing the brownies I made. But now--I have to do this. And I'm (pessimistically as always) totally convinced my first attempt is going to suck, but I don't care. I really really want to try this out. I'm sad she hasn't been able to do the tutorial on the vertical cake because OMG I WANT TO DO THAT HOW HOW HOW? *shriek*

Anyhow, she has a buttercream recipe she recommends that I'm going to use to try to help me out. I don't normally like buttercreams because they always seem too greasy to me (unlike cream cheese frosting, which is my favorite, but is a total pain in the ass to work with). I did try a swiss buttercream once, and I did like that better. But I can only imagine that for this decoration, a really solid stiff frosting is needed. So.

AHHHHHHHH I WANT TO GO DO THIS RIGHT NOW RIGHT NOW!!!! *FIXATED*

OMG between this and watching The Social Network last night (a topic on which I have much to say) my own incredible lack of a giant brain or awe-inspiring creativity is so glaringly obvious. Vertical cake! WHO THINKS OF THAT OMG! And I mean, I don't care, it can't be helped, but how are some people so freaking amazing? And is there a well from which I can drink to be more like them?? AHHHHHH!!!!

From Project Ninacakes

(And terrible photo, ugh!)

But, the three cakeses are filled and crumb-coated. I keep waiting for something to go terribly wrong, but *POUNDS ON DESK*. I didn't quite plan for it to look so neopolitan-y, but I suppose that's alright!

Everything tastes fine, thank god, and while I'm still unsure about the final looks for the cakes, I have still 4 hours ahead of me to work on them and the cupcakes.

I think round cakes are so much prettier and elegant than rectangular cakes, but I'll be cursing my love for aesthetics when I'm trying to cut each one of those suckers into 17 pieces each. I'm SO glad I decided to make the 24 cupcakes now, because otherwise I'd have been trying to cut them into 25 pieces each. Eeek.

I need to take a break from cake work and let the crumb coats set properly.

What's left:

- final coat on cakes
- cake decoration
- wrap the tier pillars with ribbon
- frost/decorate cupcakes
- package everything for transport

I'm worried that I won't have enough raspberry creme frosting to fully frost that cake, so I may need to run to Safeway at some point, too.

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

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

( Jabberish )

For next Saturday, I'm on board for Nina's 1st birthday cake!

It's the biggest event ever--75 people. I could make a massive rectangle, but that seemed too boring. So I decided to make three triple-layer cakes. Just worked out the flavors with Judy:

--chocolate fudge cake with chocolate frosting
--peach cake with raspberry frosting
--marbled blueberry and lemon cake with lemon frosting

I'm going to pick up some boards and dowels. I'd like it to be one massive thing that they have to lift her up to blow the candle out on!

These won't be fondant cakes, there's no way I could sign on for that kind of insanity. But I'm hoping to make them pretty with piping! Also, there's something to be said for scale.

I figure this has to be broken down into a few steps:

1. Bake all the cakes this Sunday. Freeze.
2. Make the frosting and fillings throughout the week. Refrigerate.
3. Assemble and decorate the cakes on Saturday before the party.
4. Transport and assemble into tower on site.

Sounds reasonable, right?