Jesica's Baby Shower -- 2009

The next few photos will show the process that took place in creating the birdnest cupcakes and birdhouse cake for my friend Jesica's baby shower.

It began when I started making the cupcake / cake tower that would hold all 60 cupcakes along with the birdhouse cake that was placed at the top.



The three layer styrofoam tower was built with styrofoam pieces that already came precovered in the white fabric. (Sold at local craft stores) I then bought the white pillars and blue ribbon. With a little glue I glued the blue ribbon around each circular styrofoam piece. I then glued four pillars and glued the bottom of the second styrofoam piece onto the pillars. I continued the steps until I reached the desired look I was going for.

The babyshower was on a Sunday, so I began baking all the cupcakes on Friday night. After I made the batter I placed the cupcakes to bake in the oven and began making the butter cream frosting. When everything was completed and the cupcakes were cooled, I tied blue and white ribbon on each cupcake.

After that was completed, I began frosting the cupcakes with the butter cream frosting. 30 of the cupcakes were then topped with toasted coconut and the other 30 were topped with chocolate shavings. (This created the "birdnest" look I was going for.) After that was completed I topped all 60 cupcakes with  two Jordan Almonds each, alternating with blue and white / yellow and white.

All of the cupcakes were then boxed and put a side.

The next day the real challenge began. The first time attempting to make a birdhouse cake, with the help of my husband we created the birdhouse that sat on top of the cupcake tower. Made from layers of cake, chocolate graham crackers for a roof and then covered in fondant.

After the structure was completed and the birdhouse was covered, I went ahead and painted the cake with edible food dye.

***Tip: This was my 2nd time working with fondant, since then I have found it easier to dye the fondant first before stretching it and applying it to the cake, rather than painting it once its on the cake.

Like they say "Experience is the best teacher" :) (I find this to be very true being that I am a self taught baker.) 

Sunday was FiNALLY here, and delivering the cupcakes and cake was the BiGGEST mission of it all.

Once everything arrived to the location safely, I was extremely happy and proud of my work. :)