Thursday, April 5, 2012

Birthday Planning ... Cake!

Rowan's First Birthday Party!!!
(a.k.a., "showing up every other mom")


Today's Theme: CAKE!!!

His cake is going to be a Xylophone Rainbow cake, with rainbow layers and xylophone keys on top.

Of course I did a dry run of R's First birthday cake 2 months before the actual party. Here is how it went.

6 jelly roll pans
1 box cake mix + mix ingredients (eggs, oil)
2 cans frosting
Duff brand gel food coloring (DUFF!)
Red, Blue, Yellow Fondant

Rainbow Cake Test (1)

Spray Jelly Roll pans with cooking spray (I like the Baking Pam, because it smells like butter and flour!)

Mix Cake Mix

Separate about 3/4 cup into a smaller mixing bowl.

Rainbow Cake Test (2)

Mix in food coloring until you get the color you want and pour into one jelly roll pan.

Rainbow Cake Test (3)

Rainbow Cake Test (4)

Repeat until you have mixed and poured all your colors (I would have made purple, but ran out of batter).

Bake as directed on box, though it will take less time because the layers are thin.

Rainbow Cake Test (5)

Let cool and remove from pans. Shake the pans up and down to loosen the cake.

Let cool on wire racks.

Rainbow Cake Test (6)

When cool, cut the rounded tops off each layer.

Rainbow Cake Test (7)

Starting with the bottom color, spread a layer of frosting. Place the next color cake on top and spread a layer of frosting. Repeat until you've layered all the cakes.

Rainbow Cake Test (9)

Spread frosting over the entire cake.

Rainbow Cake Test (10)


For the Xylophone Keys, roll each color fondant out and cut a rectangle, Red the biggest, and the other colors progressivly smaller. Dab a small blob of frosting or food coloring pen on each end of the keys for the bolts.

Rainbow Cake Test (12)

Add a marshmallow on a stick for the hammer!!!

Rainbow Cake Test (11)

Cut and enjoy!

Rainbow Cake Test



Birthday Planning ... Theme!


Rowan's First Birthday Party!!!
(a.k.a., "showing up every other mom")


So I'll admit, I've been planning the kid's birthday party for about 6 months. And thank god for Pinterest, or else my desk at work would be covered in rainbows and there would be no ink left in the printer.

The following will be a series of posts documenting the lengths to which I went to plan an extravagant birthday party for my 1 year-old.

Today ... Theme!

So because 1 year-olds (or 6 month-olds, when I started) don't have favorite things, I have to choose for him. MY favorite toy for him is the Xylophone I gave him for Christmas. It's wooden and colorful and simple. And not too loud.

So I thought Music or Musical Instruments could be a cool theme. Maybe a Xylophone cake!


xylophone cake  xylophone cake

Then I though, "What's the best thing about this toy?" The colors! Rainbows! And rainbows make a way better birthday theme!

Plus, I've been meaning to try this:

rainbow cake

And the more I played online, the more excited I got!

Food:





rainbow veggie platterrainbow foodInfused Water Bar?  Picnic Perfect!  At an event by Blue Plate Catering in Chicago

Decorations:

dip yarn in watered down glue, wrap around balloon and pop balloon when dry. awesome!

rainbow balloon banner



Party Favors:



rainbow crayons favors

music birthday

Skittles


Most of these things won't actually happen, but hopefully the rainbow effect will be clear!

Birthday Planning ... Music!

Rowan's First Birthday Party!!!
(a.k.a., "showing up every other mom")


Today ... MUSIC! Every party needs music! Here is my Rainbow Playlist!




That should last a while!

(also, http://www.zamzar.com is my favorite thing ever)