You win some...

...and you lose some. Mostly I've been losing some.

Br and I have been developing a business plan for a cupcake and ice cream place (still mostly just a well thought out dream) so I've been making a lot of cakes, cupcakes, brownies, etc. lately in hopes of improving my skills and perfecting some recipes (feel free to send recipes my way if you'd like since I am still FAR from figuring things out which will become even more evident as you read on). I'm not sure if summer was the right time to do this because in the heat many of my experiments have turned into sticky, smooshy, melty messes. There doesn't seem to be enough support dowels in the world that will keep some of these things from collapsing. I'm trying to figure out how to get a really good dense cake that is still moist and "fluffy" with icing that is made with products that like to melt (butter, chocolate, etc.) but that doesn't actually melt once it's all put together. Obviously I'm still working on it, but in the mean time I'm getting really good at learning how to photograph cakes so they don't look like they are leaning or Photoshoping them so you can't tell they aren't even standing up on their own.

Here's a good example of my recent disasters-- This is my first attempt at a topsy turvy cake. Looks fine now, but what you don't see is that there were actually two other tiers that didn't even hold up in the heat long enough to get a picture of it put together. When the structural issues became more than an illusion right before the birthday girl arrived, it became a real "make it work" moment. This one was named "An abstract interpretation of an actual cake" and was put in the ever growing "it's the thought that counts, right?" cake category.

A few days later I was making a cake that a friend of a friend "ordered". I was SOOOOO stressed out about it considering my recent history of cake collapses. I kept it as cold as I could get it in the house on a July day and then instructed them when they came a picked it up to blast the AC in the car and get it inside ASAP. I was relieved when she was so nice and sent me a pic of the birthday girls and a still standing cake at the party.

The success was only short lived until my next cake that I decided to make for one of Br's co-worker's birthday. She loves Williams-Sonoma hot chocolate so I attempted to recreate the tin it comes in. It's unfortunate that the tin doesn't slowly droop forward or the cake would have been a lot better replication (It was even more droopy by the time it made it to work). Luckily she still appreciated it. All she really wanted was the cake inside anyway.

Then came the great cupcake fiasco. I was planning on making cupcakes for E's last baseball game. Right after they got out of the oven, but before they were decorated, I found out the game had been called off. In an attempt to try not to have two dozen cupcakes laying around the house, I decided to make some into shark cupcakes for his last day of his swimming lessons instead. Yeah-- that didn't go well. My shark attack cupcakes look like they'd been attacked. I abandoned that idea and decided to try out an idea I had for a strawberries and cream filling. The plan was to give them to another one of Br's coworkers who was having a birthday. Yet another failed attempt.

I was able to salvage a few and make them presentable enough to send.

The only real success was this lone cupcake that we made for the kid's favorite Gymboree teacher's last day teaching our class. Shockingly my little Gymbo figure actually made it to the intended recipient without turning into a pile of mush! Hallelujah!

Considering my resent lack of success in experimenting with sugar I was shocked when the new technique I used to make a cake for my mom's birthday actually turned out. I'm sure I won't be so lucky in the next project I tackle.

Despite all my recent frustrations and messes in the kitchen I think I might keep at it because I have the best two little cheerleaders keeping me going. Miss A likes to play kitchen while I'm decorating and will always gobble down whatever I turn out no matter what it looks like.

Mr. E doesn't actually like cake all that much but is always so excited about making them (notice he wanted to get the same attention Miss A was getting wearing her favorite "hat" so he stole it). I love when he correctly identifies what I'm trying to create. He's so sweet and always tells me how "cute" it is when I'm done. And most rewarding of all (so in a sense none of my learning experiences have been complete failures) E is really excited about helping me and making his own cake and fondant creations. He works really hard on making "cute" decorations. He cracks me up though because he almost always makes a "poop" out of fondant first before he rolls it out to make decorations. It's fun to see him enjoying what I've become so passionate about.

I still have quite a ways to go before I can say I've really figured this whole sugar art thing out, but I'm having a fun time failing and love my buddies who have been along for the bumpy ride.