How Did I Get Myself Into This?

This weekend marks the one year anniversary of the reason I got into baking in the first place.

My sister's best friend was planning her wedding for March 10, 2012 and asked my mom to bake her wedding cake. (I told you in the beginning that my mom was good!) Mom had done my sister's cake a couple years before - it was gorgeous - and K really liked the simplicity of the design and, of course, the taste.

My big sister's wedding cake!

Simple, elegant, perfect. White cake, strawberry filling, buttercream frosting, yum.

Anyway, wedding cakes stress Mom out. Big time. So K asked if I would make hers since I helped Mom with my sister's. I thought it sounded like fun, so I said YES! Panicked for a second and then signed up for the Wilton Method Courses. (Can you tell how much value I put on these classes yet?)

After 4 courses and a lot of practice - including a New Year's wedding cake for my lovely cousin (again, another post waiting to happen) - I was ready to go! I baked and crumb coated three of the five layers at my house in Ohio, took a day and a half vacation, packed up all of my gear and headed to my mom's in Pennsylvania. OK - so I packed up most of what I needed, but I realized I had forgotten the royal blue buttercream roses about a half hour down the road and had to turn around and go back.

I didn't want to complete the cake at home and drive with the final product in the back of my SUV for 2 hours, especially since the bridge to my mom's house was closed and I had to take the back roads of Appalachia to get there.

I finally got to Mom's and she helped me bake and crumb coat the last two layers that night and decorate all five the next day. I didn't put the roses on the cake or even stack it right away because I had to take those same back roads to the reception hall. (Those roads are REALLY fun when you aren't holding your breath because someone's wedding cake is in the back and your REALLY don't want it to fall apart.) With 5 layers of wedding cake, a box of buttercream roses and an emergency cake repair and finishing kit, at 25mph, we finally made it to the hall and got it all together - just in time to take those same roads home at 65mph so we could get ready and make it to the wedding.

I have to say, I love how it turned out!

P&K's Wedding Cake

I apologize for the quality of the photo; fortunately, I have a much better phone now.

I was really proud of this cake! And I'm very grateful to K for giving me the kick in the butt to find a hobby that I love that also allows me to contribute to special occasions for my friends and family.

Happy Anniversary P&K!!!