I don’t often get misty eyed as the girls hit milestones – first tooth, first words, starting school. As a stay at home mom, I’ve been eager for a few chunks of time without being climbed on or poked at or whined at. (I know I’ll miss this stage later on, but for now, I’m ready for a new stage!) But I am finding it hard to believe that my sweet Peanut is 7 today! I won’t wax poetic; apparently it’s not my way.
Instead, let’s skip straight to the birthday party (Click here for party pics). I’m terribly pleased that I’ve made it 7 years and not one theme focused on a cartoon character. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! I just love that my girls have their priorities straight – cake!
Come to think of it, the kids are probably why I got into baking. Becoming a mom (and a stay at home one at that), I became more interested in what we were feeding our family. I didn’t want to give the girls ingredients I can’t pronounce.  Besides, I knew how to make cookies; of course I could make other things from scratch, right? (Can you hear my stubbornness? No? I can!)
I tried a few things when the girls were small, but nothing memorable. We had just moved when the Big was turning 4. We were far from family and I wanted it to be a good day. It was the first time I asked her what she wanted for her birthday and after her serious deliberation, I embarked on making my very first chocolate cake from scratch. I knew I wanted to it to be as tasty as cake from a mix, but I had no idea which recipe to use! In the end, I made 4 different cakes and three different frostings over the course of 10 days before I made the actual birthday cake. With practice cakes in hand, we made friendly with our new neighbors quite quick!
Back to the bubbles. This year, the Big asked for strawberry cupcakes and strawberry frosting with real fruit. No small order, huh?
I did a test batch a couple of weeks ago and was shocked that it worked out (check out the mini’s in the photo)! Around the same time, I came across a Pinterest post with bubbles decorating a cake. And thus a theme is born! Pale pink cakes topped with real bubbles, a bubble bar that hopefully will quench the thirst of kids and grownups alike, and bubble themed activities and favors! Clearly, I’m not going to do well with the fitness challenge this weekend. But these cakes and day full of bubbly is completely worth it!
Check back after the weekend when I update the post with links and pics so you can have your very own bubble party. And most of all, wish me luck!!
. Instant espresso?? I see so many recipes call for it, but I’ve never seen it! Have you? Usually I skip it, but this time I had a couple packets of Starbucks Via. And how will it taste? I love coffee but I don’t know that I want it in my kids’ cake!
She loves having the super important job of holding the ‘handle’ of the mixer. She takes her work very seriously and I know she’s not in the way, holding the thingy where you add on those attachments – everyone’s happy!
to the frosting while the cake cools. Pecans, coconut, eggs, butter and sugar. If you ever make one of these ‘cooked’ frostings,  pay attention to consistency,  not time. I got the temperature and the time right. But it was supposed to get puffy, and I got sick of the constant stirring. Rookie mistake – I didn’t even know how badly I’d messed up till it was too late!
