Birthday Time

Tomorrow is my son's 6th birthday!  He is very excited.  This weekend we had a party with extended family.  He is currently obsessed with anything Star Wars - so he had a Star Wars cake, and got lots of Star Wars presents.  His party with his friends tomorrow will be more of the same, I am sure. 

We had all sorts of good food for Easter, and a birthday party, but this post will focus on the cake.  This year a Cookie Cake was requested.  This is just a giant chocolate chip cookie with frosting - very yummy!  It has taken me quite a few times to perfect the cookie technique.  The key really is under baking it some.  I use my normal chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Press it into a tray to bake it.  I have used a pizza stone, just a cookie sheet, a cake pan, pretty much anything works.  Something with sides is the best, but it doesn't have to.  I put it in kind of thick, maybe 1/4 inch.

Bake it at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  It depends on how thick it is, and how big it is.  It does continue to cook a little after you take it out of the oven, so you will want to under bake it by a little. 

My husband is a frosting snob...always has been, always will be.  So store bought frosting is just unacceptable in this house.  But really, if you are in a hurry it would work. 

Buttercream Frosting
modified by Wilton
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Crisco
1 tsp clear vanilla
2 Tbls water
1 pound powdered sugar
1 Tbls Meringue Powder



Using electric mixer cream butter and shortening together.  Mix in water and vanilla until well combined.  Slowly sift in the sugar and the meringue powder.  Once combined, mix on medium speed for about 1 min. 



I use the Wilton paste to color the frosting.   The Jedi color is blue - so today I made blue frosting!
      

I am a very amateur cake decorator.  My husband took the classes that Michael's craft store offers, but I just watched him, and try my best.  This year I found Star Wars figures at Amazon, and used them as decorations.  My son LOVED it, and a bonus.....he has toys after the party!

Here are a few pictures of cakes I have done for past birthdays.  The pictures aren't the best.  They use our old point and shoot camera, but you get the idea!