Caking Wednesday

So today is my birthday. I also share this day with the lovely Karen over at Bitter-Sweet Diabetes. She's turning 29 with me today. :) Happy Birthday Karen!

And along the lines of birthdays, we usually have cake.

This isn't my birthday cake, but it was one I made recently for the child of a friend. He's 7 and is obsessed with the Civil War. And military of any kind actually. He will sit an explain things to you that I didn't even know kids that age could know. But he does. And he's adorable.

When I heard one of his birthday presents was a Union soldier uniform, I knew what I wanted to make him for his birthday: the hat.

It was my first real attempt at carving a cake. The carving part turned out not to be so hard, as you can see below.....



But the part where I cover it in fondant? Well, that left a little to be desired. I still haven't gotten down the whole covering a cake in fondant thing...

I saw every mistake, like I always do. But I have to say I was pretty proud of it considering it was a first attempt. And the birthday boy loved it, so that's all that matters. :)

Oh, and at the last minute, he told his mom that his classmates needed some of "Cara-Bell's" cupcakes (this is his mom's nick-name for me). So I threw together a couple dozen cuppies with icing that matched the hat and some colorful sprinkles.


Enjoy!