An Experiment - Baby Shower Cake

Being an experimentalist, I dare to do any of kind of experiments in whatever field it may concern. For physics research experiment, initially we get into concept, background, expertise advice and training after which, we are left alone to crack, break, fiddle own brains and not the instruments. Then gradually we master the instrument and technique.

With the thought of doing a baby shower party, did a detailed research. Mostly cupcakes trees or giant cupcake were made for these kind of parties. Creative and dreamy part of my brain rejuvenated, ordered the giant mold. Crazy me in my fantasy world went on and on imagining only about cake icing. I knew what I want use, yes fondant! Was excited, watched couple of videos did all the shopping step by step. Brought, white pink fondant, blue and pink food color, pink paper flowers, blue ribbons and mold to make fondant flowers. Since Somjai didn't know it was baby girl or boy I had to keep blue and pink. Honestly I gave more important to pink, as I wanted her to have baby girl. Reason is very simple, Somjai is Thai and Tero is Finnish and combination of Asian and Europe is awesome and sorry but Hybrid babies are super cute specially girls.

Next on the shopping list was cupcake sprinkles, brought white, pink sugar pearls, pink sparkles and pink, white sugar heart, where is blue brr I forgot :P. Then chose angel to top the cake as kind of blessing for mum and baby, you know to be on the safe side? since didn't want to loose the kind of challenge. Then randomly picked polka, plain white, blue and pink satin ribbons.

Crap! can you guess what I have missed in my preparation? The cake itself, ok I knew what cake I wanted to make, sour cream raspberry and macadamia cake but how about baking the giant cake is there something I should follow? Did crazy hunt after, but couldn't find one decent recipe specially the temperature and procedure. Finally after intensive literature survey, scribbled scraps and came up with an estimation, was confident to give it a go.

Started baking on the day before the party, first batch cake batter looked fine, started with lower part of the cake, into the oven. 45 minutes not done, 1 hour not done, 1:20 min not done. Horrified, alarmed and funked! 1 hour 40 mins cake was finally done. I could feel oxygen going thro' my lungs. Quickly made the 2nd batch, slipped into the oven. After 10 mins gave brief check thro' the glass. My heart failed, the silicone mold filliped, half of the batter was out. It was 12.00 AM already. Had tears in my eyes. Without losing hope, made simple vanilla cake batter was careful in placing into the oven and another 1:40 mins cake was done! sigh! 2:00 AM. Next was mini cupcake, wanted to complete before sleep it was easy. You know room temperature cakes are better for icing! 4:00 AM I was done. Went to sleep, can't remember if my brain rested. 7 AM was up again. Now you know how adamant I'm. Until unless I get thing completely perfectly done never I can rest, may be the reason why I'm into research.My mum is not very happy with this particular character of mine :p

Early(Saturday 7 am is extremely early for me!) morning started with fondant, made flowers, painted and left them to dry.  I looked at the cake, the shape looked fine, kind of felt cake was hard while leveling. Didn't take it to mind, started fondant layering, bottom was white and top was pink. Then arranged the flower followed by decorating with ribbons and flowers. Next was icing the cupcakes, my hands were dead by then, still manged to squeeze the cream, got the most funny shapes ever, efficiently covered it with glitters. Oh forgot to mention before, same day was my best friend Shanthi's surprise b'day party late in the evening. Rum fruit cake was baked for the party, Oh yes I'm super crazy :D

Midori was staying with me previous day and I borrowed her hand for some help. We all landed for the surprise baby shower party.  Wooo and ahhh from many of beholder my tiredness started to fly. Somjai was surprised and very happy. Her godmother is a catering teacher she initially thought the cake was made by her godmother, felt like a complement.

RESULT: Time to cut the cake, first thing Somjai asked was why is it so hard Ananda? I could see pregnant women giving maximum force :O, yes the cake crust was hard. Upper vanilla cake was dry and bottom  so called raspberry cake was "Strange" it was something like over cooked pudding. All my friends ate the cake piece, How sweet! Cupcakes were just fine. I was feeling like a real crap, Godmother and Marjut said the intention and the message for the day was more important and it showed. So over all cake baking was BAD. It got thumbs up for decorating and the way it looked.  Total preparation time was 18 hours, the longest cake baking session I ever had.

Shanthi B'day cake was good, no problem with that. Can you imagine what I wrote in Shanth's b'day card happy "D'bay" We laughed endlessly about it. Next day after Midori left, I crashed onto the pillow, wok up only on Monday morning! I wrote to Sarah from whom I brought the mould she gave tips of baking process, felt I should have done that before, but all experience counts. This is one cake and one night in my life I wouldn't forget.

All set and done, I won! Very beautiful, and super cute baby girl was born about 10 days before. I can't express how I felt when I saw baby for the first time, she smiled while she was sleeping me sitting besides her. She crawled when I touched with my super cold fingers, she slept in my arms. The first time I held my sister's baby I cried as she is the most precious gift in our lives the same I felt with Somjai's baby. I am visiting Somjai so very often these day venting my stress, being with her baby and her mom feeding me, feels like being at home. How blessed I'm to have few friends who become a family. My guess for baby girl was right, though many other friends said it was boy, I have bloody good insight :)) Very Happy!!

PS: My picture quality is not at its best, my tired hand led to many frizzy pictures!
Will write more on the technical details of baking when I get a chance to bake the cake again don't be surprised if it comes after couple of years..