Nana's Happy Day- Part 3 - "THE CAKE"

"Nana's Happy Day Eat Cake!"-Nana

This was by far my most favorite cake project yet!

First I started with two bowls of batter. I used strawberry cake mix for the red. Having the pink base really helps in the amount of food coloring that you need to use. I used plain white cake mix for the other.

Last year I inherited all of my Great-Grandmothers baking stuff. Included in it was this checker board cake pan set made by Wilton. Its really old, but still the same as they sell today.

So you then fill the rings with the two colors, like in the photo below. if you want STRIPES, like I did, then you need to fill ALL of your pans the exact same way. ( if you want checkers, then you alternate)

I baked 3 or 4 at a time, lucky for me i have about 8 round cakes pans so this too significantly less time, I think my cake was 11 layers!!

After all the cakes were cooled and removed from there pans i stacked them on cookie sheets with wax paper in between and put them in the freezer until 2 nights later.With 3 kids it would be impossible for me to do this in one day!! So the3 FREEZER is your Friend!!!

I covered the bottom of my cake caddy with wax paper because I knew i would be moving this to a cake board at some point. There would be NO moving this without the wax paper.

my cakes were pretty flat and required minimal work to insure they would stack properly. I used  cream cheese frosting in between and for the crumb coat!

When you are stacking cakes it is VERY important to make sure that you reinforce it! If you don't it WILL fall over! I just use the straws that they sell at the baking supply shop, they are like 10/$1.00

Once you are all stacked this would be the time you would want to trim or shape your cake!

Then give it a nice crumb coating. And put it back in the freezer untill you are ready to decorate it. About 24 hours prior to your party!

I decorated this the night before her party and then placed it back in the refrigerator untill about 2 hours before the party!

I used a Wilton Star Tip This worked out great for me. I had been dreading how to frost this cake all week. How would i get red and white stripes perfectly spaced with out messing it up? THIS was my solution! I actually love the look of the star tip!

I went back and forth between the colors a few times, just so i could get my spacing how I wanted.

 The morning of the party I added the black. I used a gel icing with glitter made by Wilton. I had never used it before and was concerned it would run so I waited but it did great and stayed put.

I had also made some number 2's out of the white chocolate when I make the cupcake toppers.

Here is a great shot of the inside of the cake!

And of COURSE one of the Birthday girl about to blow out her candle!

the last three photos were courtesy of Ashley Cherney Photography!