The icing on the what, now?

I will admit it. I am a freak.

Why?

Because I dislike icing on my cake.

Well, most types of icing anyway. I love a good ganache, or a whipped cream style, or a nice peanut butter frosting if it's not too sweet, and of course, german chocolate topping. But your average, ordinary, run of the mill bakery frosting, or the stuff that comes in cans? GUH. Hate.

Why the prattling about icing?

Because I baked the cake layers today for G. Monkey's Thirtieth Birthday Cake (of Doom!) (because anything momentous should have (of doom!) after it.)

2 9 inch chocolate layers, 2 6 or 7 inch yellow cake layers. Of course, I had cake left over, so I made one 8x8 square for family consumption. I topped that with some semisweet chocolate chunks that I melted together with a splash of milk. YUM. (Boston cream pie, without the pesky cream to get all squishtastic.) I'm going to freeze the layers today, and frost them on Saturday night, I think. Maa has graciously offered her mad cake decorating skillz as well, so if her hands will tolerate it, I may call her in for the detail stuff.

I'm going to fill the chocolate layer with raspberry preserves, and probably frost it a bright turquoise (or whatever I have close in paste) and white, and the yellow layer will be filled with peach preserves, frosted in perhaps a bright pink and white, still similar to the cake from yesterday's post. I'm making the icing, so it won't be TOO revolting, I hope. I also found the candles, quite by accident, and the local (cheaper, too!) grocery store, so I am quite thrilled.

I also managed to get her "Monk Box" done- made "Mr. Monk's Bottled Water- Guaranteed untouched by human hands!" labels, as well as "Germs driving you crazy? Try Mr. Monk's Hand Sanitizer!" and "Want a snack that doubles as entertainment? You need Mr. Monk's Butter Popcorn!" packaging too. She should get a kick out of that, with the box set of season 3. Now all I need is the ribbon, and to check back in with Mr. Monkey about the final plans. :) HEE! I love parties.