So here it is! Tonight, we delivered our entry for the Minnesota Monthly Food & Wine Experience - the Czar of Cakes Challenge.
Bit of a spoiler - it's not getting judged till Saturday, but I'm confident in declaring that we're all getting our asses handed to us by Gateaux. Seriously. I'd recently heard a rumor that Robin from Gateaux had sold her soul to the devil. DEFINITELY starting to believe that one. (Though, when I asked her about it, she did tell me that the devil actually sold HIS soul to HER... that may explain MORE!).
Anyway, I HAVE to post photos! It's been killing me to keep my theme and pics all hush-hush before the competition.
So, here's the deal. In the course of our brainstorming: "What are our favorite foods?" "What would make a kick ass cake?" "What would be funny/different?", etc.. we got slightly off track and thought maybe to look to other media for inspiration, rather than just restaurants and grocery stores. Any songs that feature a food theme? How about movies?
Well, at the suggestion of food related movies, one of us popped off a quote about Liver, fava beans, and a nice Chianti (there may have been alcohol involved in this brainstorming session).. and AWAY WE WERE. An idea that we were virtually GUARANTEED that no one else would think of, much less actually use: A Silence of the Lambs Cake
Like I mentioned on social media, I honestly did float a few other ideas by a WHOLE BUNCH of people, a little part of me thinking I should probably be talked down from this idea. Nope. Bunch of enablers! Love em!
So, I set about working on all the fussy little details.. a bottle of Chianti (in the traditional style bottle!).. sugar "death's head" moths, painted in cocoa... liver & fava beans out of fondant.. a fondant "radish rose" and sugarpaste sprig of basil for garnish... a fondant plate, gumpaste cutlery (all airbrushed with edible metallic silver luster!).. Hannibal Lecter's mask.. and a brain. Muahaha!
(Editted to add - Been asked about the size a few times. The "man" is actually life sized, everything else is also "real" sized. The moths are about 5" across, the cutlery all proper sized.. it was a monster of a cake!)
I will shut up and post photos now!
Obviously not a traditional interpretation of a "Food and Wine" themed cake, but hey.. Looking forward to seeing what the audience and judges' reactions will be!
More Cake Photos
Interested in seeing - and reading - more details of some of my favourite cakes I’ve made over the years? Check out these links:
Bubble Bobble Wedding Cake
Dalek Cake for a Doctor
Lambeth Wedding Cake
Meringue Flowers
Snowflakes Wedding Cake
SO.. I made a Cake for Amanda Palmer (NSFW)
Spumoni Cake & The Art of Trolling Cake Competitions
That Time I Made a Cake for a Pack of Klingons
The Story of Foopmallet
TARDIS for Wil Wheaton
Tremors Wedding Cake
Interested in making wickedly delicious cakes? You'll LOVE my second cookbook, Evil Cake Overlord!
We've long been known for our “ridiculously delicious” moist cakes and tasty, unique flavors. Now, you can have recipes for all of the amazing flavors on our former custom cake menu, and many more!
Bake your moist work of gastronomic art, then fill and frost your cake with any number of tasty possibilities. Milk chocolate cardamom pear, mango mojito.. even our famous Chai cake – the flavor that got us into “Every Day with Rachel Ray” magazine!
Feeling creative? Use our easy to follow recipe to make our yummy fondant. Forget everything you’ve heard about fondant – ours is made from marshmallows and powdered sugar, and is essentially candy – you can even flavor it!
Order your copy directly through my site, through Amazon, or through any major bookseller!
Cake Recipes!
Looking for some ridiculously delicious cake recipes? As the "Evil Cake Overlord", I've got you covered! (Ps: Check out my instructions for making Marshmallow Fondant, as well!)
Tortes:
B-52 Torte
Bahama Mama Torte
Blood Orange Truffle Torte
Citrus Splendor Torte
Cookies N Cream Cake
Raspberry Tiramisu Torte
Schmoo Torte (Gluten-Free)
Spumoni Cake
Tiger Tail Cake
Bundt, Sheet, & Upside Down Cakes
Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake
Brandied Apple Upside Down Cake
Deep N Delicious Cake
French Martini Bundt Cake
French Martini Upside Down Cake
Mango Mojito Upside Down Cake
Pina Colada Bundt Cake
Strawberry Mango Marble Cake
Cupcakes:
3D Monarch Butterfly Cupcakes
Chai Cupcakes
Easy Butterfly Cupcakes
Fat Elvis Cupcakes
Lynchburg Lemonade Cupcakes
Pink Grapefruit Daiquiri Cupcakes
Also: I have Cake Decorating Tutorials, and posts about previous Decorated Cakes that I've made.
Share the Love!
Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you instagram it, be sure to tag me - @CelebrationGenerationCA - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!
Also, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.
Well, the published nonsense, anyway!
As a bit of an aside, the marketing of the cake competition has been KILLING me!!
They keep using words like "insane cakes!" "Crazy cakes".. and on Kare 11 on Monday, all the lead-up pieces were talking about "sweets to DIE FOR".
Oh man. Keeping my mouth shut on my theme has been HARD.
I bet they're gonna revisit their wording next year.