Stephanie's Tombstone Birthday Cake

It is great to have fun with cakes. Ideas begin to flow and one has to take note of them to not forget them. If you are like me, you forget a few things. It is something that occurs to everyone. The cake below was a present for a friend's birthday which was one day before Halloween. The two occasions led me to decorate the cake in a way that represented both. I have come to realize that not everything is perfect and that things can really go wrong in the process of making and decorating cakes. I have had my share of failures, but one learns from their mistakes. I have made adjustments to recipes and in the techniques that I have used. These changes have helped me become a better cake designer.

The cake below has a tombstone with the birthday girl's name and two messages from friends and her girlfriend that I decided to place on it. Although there were many things I wanted to incorporate into the cake, time is always an issue. One cannot rush through the process. Things will be left out and more mistakes will be made. That is why, one has to take their time, plan accordingly, and expedite. Sometimes, disasters can be for the best, believe it or not. For example, the rose in the middle of the cake was intact when it arrived to the party. During the placement process, one of the petals fell down. Although this was a mishap, it actually added a bit more personality to the cake. The cake was successful. It was the center of attention, next to the birthday girl. Friends were taking pictures, asking questions, and enjoyed eating it. It was a wonderful feeling knowing that I created it. The expressions on people's faces was well worth the time and effort.