Grams cake

I had a vision of a tall round basket iced cake with multiple mini cup cakes iced too look like flowers, suspended by squers (how the heck do you spell that) at varying heights to look like a real boquet.

Step 1. Learn how to basket weave frosting! This one wasn't so bad, and I'm reeely proud of how well it turned out! I found a link that showed a picture of how to do it. thankfully - I'm visual so it wasn't half bad. I started out with my vertical lines a little too close together, but by the time I finished, I had the hang of it and I LOVE the results!

Step 2. Ice cup cakes to look like flowers. Ok - here's where everything went to sh&%! I used a mix for Gram's cake, but normally, I use a heavier batter. Everything was going fine, until the weight of the cupcakes with frosting drug them down the sticks so that they were poking through! ugh! *ping* Brainwave!! I cut mini marshmellow's in half and used them as stoppers!! I'M A GENIUS!!! Cept...that's when I found out the cake had to travel to Royalton! *sigh* There's no way that mini marshmellows will stand the vibration of a 2hour car ride...baaaack to square one!

Step 3. Start over!! The end result was to take the top off of a big cupcake and use it as a base for the 3 sunflowers. I used my sticks to hold it all in place, and stuck the mini cupcakes in and around and touched up the smears that resulted from the mess I made earlier.

Anyway - I know that Gram has never had a cake like it, and she'll be thrilled. Normally I like learning lessons...cuz I solve the problems and know better for next time. This time, though, I didn't actually solve anything which was a bummer! I will try again, though and I'm still very happy that I finally managed to pull off the basket weave thing!

So - Here she is in all her finished splendor. The colors are a little washed out in the pic, but you get the idea! If I would have had more time, there would have been more colors on the cake...as it is - rose is Grams fave color so it's all good! Maybe I'll try to master roses next time??

and now...I'm off to clean up the kitchen... *sigh* Or maybe I'll just bake another cake?? lol