Hockey skates and birthday cakes!

December brings cold weather, (usually)

birthdays,

celebrations

and family time!

We have been blessed with a very mild winter so far

and I for one am not complaining!

Don't get me wrong,

I would always pick a snowy Christmas morning

if it could melt into spring at the end of the day,

but not having to cancel or reschedule because of bad roads

is so nice.

My "baby" turned 12 this month.

WOW! just WOW!

Since hockey is one of his favorite things to do in the winter

I decided to try my hand at a hockey skate cake.

As with most cakes I make, I learned a lot about what

does and doesn't work.

But even with the things that didn't work,

his response was my reward!

Dad helped by "painting" the laces with those little black lines.

A few days after his birthday,

he had a hockey game and

after the game we went with his team for

pizza and cake!

After the party I realized that I hadn't got a picture of

the birthday boy with the cake so

we took one when we got home with

what remained.

And this means next year at this time,

we will be parents of teenagers! *gasp*

Happy Birthday, Son!

We love YOU!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

As is tradition or is becoming tradition,

we have a fall barn party every year.

So there is an apple pie contest each year

but since my husband is one of the judges

I can't make a pie because he would

totally vote for mine.  That is not saying

mine is the best, that is just saying he is a

wise man.

Anyway, since I am not making a pie,

I like to try out other recipes

that I have found and pinned.

This year it was these delightful

morsels of goodness.

So you say, another pumpkin cupcake,

what's the big deal?

Well the big deal is that frosting that sets

atop the moist deliciousness of the cupcake.

When you add browned butter to anything

it's a game changer, big time!

Add a little candied pecans on top

and you have the perfect compliment

to a fall party!

I found the delicious recipe HERE

Enjoy Fall!

Baking with my niece!

 My beautiful niece turned 13 this year!

She was excited to be a teenager and

she was also excited to make

her own birthday cake for her party!

So we started by figuring out the design for her

13th birthday cake.

And then we decided to sneak a surprise inside

the cake, which is always fun when you slice the

first piece of cake!

We will have to wait and see if our little surprise works!

So then it was off to the oven, while it baked and cooled

 there was a movie to watch and lasagna to eat!

Icing the cake using a turn table makes the job so much easier.

  She is a natural at decorating!

We then made homemade marshmallow fondant.

There was a lot gong on and so much sugar!

Rolling out the fondant the next morning to cover the cake!

And the decorating begins with these two!

The amount of laughter could

be contributed to the amout of sugar these

two girls consumed.

 I loved watching them work

 together as the vison of

 the cake came to be a beautiful work of art!

Oh, the personalities of these two,

it's just so fun!

And now that she is 13 1/2 its time I get this posted!

A very fun, sweet day!

And the inside...