Nikola's cake - part 2

This is my son's second cake for his 10th birthday. He wanted to celebrate it with some close friends at home. The interesting part of this cake is inside but I'll post photos later on when we will cut the cake.

Nikola asked me for a cake without fondant and any other fancy decorations. Just to cover it with chocolate and to write "Happy birthday Nikola" in French with blue butter cream. Probably it looks easy but my son was one my most "pretentious" clients :)

Of course, the problem came from me....I decided to spread some blue icing powder on the cake and some blue sugar sparkling sprinkles around the cake. Just to make it a little bit more fancy...My son saw the cake he wasn't happy at all. He repeated again: " I just wanted very simple chocolate cake. Only the letters in blue". OK,I shouldn't do anything like that..I should follow "my client's requirements". Rule # 1. But because that is my son I thought that probably he would be happy to see something a little bit different that absolutely simple chocolate cake...

I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to disappointed him one more time. Beside all this that was my son's birthday. I was thinking to remove everything from the top and to cover it with chocolate ganache. It was 10 o'clock in the evening and I was very exhausted from the day but...I had to repair my failure....

Then Nikola came and he suggested " Just make some chocolate borders around the cake. Whatever you choose, some stars sound good..." Thanks God!

I started immediately. My son was happy to see the new cake look and we went to bed happy and satisfied :)

Here is the cake before the chocolate borders...

And now it's time to show what is inside....Are you ready?

Six different colors - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple are glowing from inside.

All the kids were pleasantly surprised. All the pieces disappeared. The cream between the layers was chocolate with sour cream. It was light and fluffy.

Happy birthday, dear Nikola! We wish you very colorful life like the cake full of bright and beautiful moments!

Nikola's cake

It's time to share with you my son's cake. This is a very small cake-15cm diametre. I made it especially for my son's birthday. I'll make another one for his party with his friends next days but for tonight is this one.

What is the very special moment here? Yes, it's for my son but beside this fact the idea of the cake design belongs entirely to Nikola. It's a chocolate cake with rich chocolate filling. The cake was covered with chocolate frosting and before I made the chocolate ganache my son stopped me. He had another idea - to cover the cake with melted white chocolate chips. Then he asked me to put some fruit on the top,absolutely fresh, without any gelatin to keep them fresh longer and to make a sign with melted milk chocolate. We added some ground almonds around the cake and that's it.

My son was extremely happy with his creation and I was more than happy that he wanted to participate in this cooking process, that he had opinion and he wanted me to follow his demands...:)

Happy birthday, my dear Nikola! The chocolate heart is for you! We love you!

Our son's anniversary

Happy birthday, dear Nikola! Today it's a very special day for our family. Ten years ago on that day our first kid was born. When I was his face for the first time I fell in love with him. It was the cutest baby face that I had ever seen. In my eyes he was with perfectly white skin,with some blond hairs and I saw a shining aureole around his face. In my mind he looked like a tiny sun. 

Yes, I know that most of you think that I was absolutely crazy. After the delivery is there a mother who is not crying of happiness when she sees for the first time her baby? That baby, of course, is the cutest one for each woman, the meaning of her life and that's absolutely normal...

I just wanted to share with you my first thought when Nikola was born ten years ago.

Today he is a young boy with a lot of demands.

Nikola asked me to make some cookies for his classmates. Of course, I was more than happy to make something that will make my son happy. But I know that it's forbidden to bring any cakes, cookies, muffins at schools. The reason for this restriction is the high percentage of kids with different allergies. Anyway I decided to ask Nikola's teacher for a permission knowing very well the answer. Surprisingly, she told me "Yes".

And here are the cookies for Nikola's classmates

My son asked me for 19 cookies + 1 for the teacher. That's why I made one special for the lady.

I put it in a box and wrapped it.

Then I decided to make the sign "Happy birthday Nikola" in French because my son studies in a French school. Each letter was on a separate cookie. I needed it some more cookies  and that's why the rest I decorated with "happy faces" printed on edible rice paper.

 Well, these are the cookies...In my next post I'll continue with the cake. The idea for the cake design belongs to Nikola :)

Two-sides homemade vanilla cream

This cream is the traditional homemade vanilla cream. The same recipe that most of you know and use - flour, eggs, milk...Nothing extraordinary.

Why did I name it "two-sides"? The answer is very simple and obvious. A half of the cup I decorated with ground dark chocolate and the other half I decorated with ground pink chocolate.

This cream I made on purpose - to show my kids the two sides of our life. It can be accepted as a cup of sweet vanilla cream and always there are some "decorations" in our life. They can be good and happy moments (the pink color) and they be be sad and dark moments as the dark chocolate. But both sides always exist in our life and there isn't a strict line between the light and dark. That's why I put some blueberries between the two chocolates. I spread everywhere very tiny heart sprinkles (white,rose and red) expressing my belief that the love is our driving force. These tiny hearts will give us strength and faith and will make us better people. They are small but without them the dessert is not finished....

We have to appreciate our life in the way it is, with all his happy and not so happy moments but our life will be always a sweet bowl of our favorite cream :)))It depends on us if we can taste the sweetness!

That's the purpose of these cups of vanilla cream :) And of course, to make some dessert for my kids that they like.

Unfortunately you can's see the vanilla cream but you can always use your imagination :)))

Thibodeau Architecture+Design cupcakes

These cupcakes were ordered by the architecture firm THIBODEAU  Architecture + Design (TAD) for their party.

Actually the lady who ordered the cupcakes had very pleasant voice, very relaxing and calm. Although I had never met the lady it was such a pleasure to talk to her. Imagine, only the voice was enough to makes me feel very comfortable and impatient to participate in TAD's party preparing the cupcakes :)
 

The mini cupcakes are red velvet with white icing on the top. The company's logo is made out of fondant.
 

Here is TAD's blog if you would like to know something more about the company and the services. The professional way in which the team transforms existing buildings into renewed and inspiring spaces shows their skills, experience and commitment to delivering outstanding customer service.  
 

Have a great party!

Raw treats

Good morning my virtual friends!

Let's start this snowy morning with something sweet and healthy...

My treats are raw. They are made out of organic ground cookies, coconut oil, ground walnuts and abundance of dried fruit ( red and green cherries, blueberries, cranberries, mangoes). 

All the ingredients are mixed together. Then I made the small balls and 1/3 I left raw, the other third I wrapped with finely ground black chocolate and one third with carob powder.

Enjoy them!

Happy birthday Maria!

Happy birthday, Maria! I wish you all the best! Be happy and keep always your charming smile on your face!

These cookies are my present for Maria's birthday. She was born on February 14th like my daughter Kalina. Maria's mother ordered some St. Valentine's cookies for the birthday party and they both didn't know that I planned to surprise them with a bag of cookies made especially for Maria.

And here are the cookies for the birthday party.

You have already seen them because I made this design some days ago. But right now I wanted to share with you Maria's cookies :)

Each of the cookies I put in a special St. Valentine's bag and gently tied with a decorative heart. The smallest cookies I arranged in a box. And now everything is ready for the party :) Enjoy it, Maria!

Happy birthday, my dear Kalina!

Today it's a very special day for our family. It's St.Valentine and for us it's a beautiful celebration - another day to express our love and passion. It's a beautiful day because everybody celebrates. It a holiday that gives us another chance to show our love - love towards the kids, the husband or wife, the parents, the teachers...to everyone that we respect and care.

But there is another reason for our family to accept this day as a Special day. Our second daughter Kalina was born on February 14th four years ago. She the best present that I have ever received for St. Valentine's!!!!

We love you, Kalina! We wish you the whole happiness of the world! Continue keeping your charming smile all the time and keep your love, affection and attraction!

Today the post will be long, with many photos. That's why be ready :)

First, of course, I'll start with the cake. The theme this year after so many changes and negotiations is Ariel,the little mermaid. Actually, Kalina was wondering between Ariel and Rapunzel. She asked me for a half cake Rapunzel and half cake Ariel. But when I refused to accept this command, she decided : "Let it be Ariel" :)

By the way this is my first so tall cake - 17cm is the height. It was made out of red velvet and strawberry layers. The cream is made out of mascarpone, sour cream and dark cherries.

The second cake is made out of red velvet, strawberry and chocolate layers again attached with dark cherry filling.

Both cakes are covered with fondant and all the decorations are made out of it. The picture on the front is hand-painted application. It wasn't an easy task to make Ariel. Honestly, I wasn't happy with myself and I was thinking to destroy it completely but my kids stopped me. They liked it and finally I decided to keep it. I think just the red hair reminds me of Ariel but...that's it for this year :)

Now,it's time for some other birthday treat. Let's start with the cookies. Two types - Princesses and My little pony. Both themes are very attractive to my daughter. The prints for the cookies are on rice papers. I attached them by piping gel to the fondant and with some cream to the cookie.

And now some "My Little Pony" cookies...

I made small bags with cookies to surprise Kalina's friends that will be invited for the birthday party. These were kids mainly from her daycare. She spends so many hours with them that she accepts them as a very close friends.

I attached the cookie bag with a ribbon and I added a brown paper leaf with the name of each kid.

I was very much attracted by this idea. I found it very cute. On the top of the paper leaf there was a textile rose. The bags are cute,aren't they?

And now some muffins. There was a variety again. First type - chocolate muffins with white chocolate chips inside. Second - vanilla muffins with dark chocolate chips inside. And the third ones - vanilla muffins with cinnamon and apple pieces.

I decided to keep them simple - no decorations, no fondant, no icing. I just used the thematic cup papers and sticks.

That's everything from me this year... We LOVE you, Kalina!!!!