July | 2008 | Baked in Birmingham

Happy Birthday…to me!

July 15, 2008 at 1:29 pm | Posted in Friends are friends forever!, It Cakes the Take | 1 Comment

Just wanted to show all of you in Blogland the birthday cake that my Food Editor, Betty Terry, made for me for my birthday. It’s a strawberry shortcake–with a few twists. The cake layers, for one, are HUGE and they are made of equal parts flour and corn meal. It’s like a sweet cornbread, and it’s so good. The fresh strawberries are glazed in, get this, balsamic vinegar. The fresh whipped cream on top wasn’t too shabby either. I’d love to give you the recipe, but you’re going to have to buy the new issue of Taste of the South, out August 5! Sneaky, I know. Thanks again to all my lovely friends and co-workers who sang Happy Birthday to me and informed me that being 24 isn’t old, it’s more like 24k gold.

Heidi Merrick.

July 9, 2008 at 4:04 am | Posted in I got style, how 'bout you? | 1 Comment

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a “style” piece, after all, I run a food and style blog here, right? Isn’t that what it says on my banner that I oh-so-cleverly designed (sarcasm)?

Oh Joy !‘s blog introduced me to Heidi Merrick today. One look at that orange skirt she posted and I knew what my evening project would be. Mine orange skirt is coming along pretty cute.

I’m seriously obsessed and coveting every piece of clothing on her site, but I think this is my fave. The sweet ruffles, the aloof look on the model’s face, and who doesn’t love a flouncy black skirt? Lovely.

Irish goes Azerbaijani

July 8, 2008 at 1:09 am | Posted in It Cakes the Take | 1 Comment

Check it oooooooout! I finally got around to making Farida’s infamous Zebra Cake. This Irish girl did pretty good, eh? Eh? Yeah, I did.

Happy Birthday, Churck!

July 1, 2008 at 4:48 pm | Posted in Cake Decorating, Friends are friends forever!, {the atomic cakery} | 5 Comments

Happy big 3-0 to Chuck Hooten (who will always be “Churck” to me, thanks to a misprint in a church bulletin). Chuck is quite a character with a very distinctive style. And when his milestone birthday rolled around, I knew that I could immortalize him perfectly in gum paste. His dirty wash jeans, army fatigue cap, and arm tattoo are just very…Chuck! So one Boston Cream Cake, some piano keys, and a messy kitchen later…

So with any cake decorating attempt, I always reflect on what I did super, and what I need to work on. For this one, I learned two things. First, if something needs to stand vertical on a cake, use gum paste and not fondant (um, drunken piano keys?). The second is not to let my husband carry my cakes…because I had to redo the piano when we got to the UCF House!

*7/3 – update: I don’t know what the flip is going on, but this picture isn’t showing up. Sorry to anyone whose having problems with this on their browser.*