The Cake

Sooo....my child is three. I swear last week he was a screaming infant with the inability to nap and now he's, well, a BOY. An energy filled, motorized vehicle loving, dinosaur obsessed, extremely verbal BOY. I used to think the parents that were sad on their kids birthday's were a bit crazy. Now (along with everything I have ever thought about parenting prior to actual children) I realize what it's all about. I'm thrilled that Tyson is getting older and more independent but saddened at the realization of how fast this is all happening. If things continue at this speed, it feels like he'll be graduating tomorrow. I'd better start embarrassing the crap out of him today so I can squish in all the parental issues he'll need to tell a therapist before he moves out right?

Anyway, onto a fun topic. We had a birthday party for the little guy yesterday. My pregnancy nesting morphed into the need to bake his cake, even though a trained pastry chef lives next door (crazy I know). I found what I thought was a relatively easy dinosaur cake and got cracking. First we started with two 9" rounds.

Then I set out to a little carving. I thought I could find a template to print but turns out I had to try it on my own.

It's starting to take shape (PHEW!)

After a quick crumb coat (yeah, I said crumb coat...who's been watching a little too much Ace of Cakes? This girl!) and some time in the freezer to set, I could finish things off.

After another coat of icing and some candy decorations this was the end product. For my first attempt and a cake that had to resemble something other than an actual cake, I think it turned out okay!