Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Bienvenue dans la jungle, bébé!

Two of my closest friends will be welcoming a baby girl into this crazy jungle of a world in just about a month, so this past weekend I cohosted a co-ed baby shower in their honor. The mom-to-be's only request (besides minimizing the pink) was that I make a cake for the occasion. All that pressure! So I really didn't want to disappoint...

For this jungle-themed cake I made the raspberry blackout cake from VWAV and added fresh raspberries to the ganache layer in the middle. After frosting it with the thick chocolate ganache, I rolled out white fondant to cover the cake. The zebra stripes were cut freehand from black rolled fondant and I piped a pink buttercream border. But the funnest part of making this cake had to be molding the elephant topper from fondant by hand! It turned out so cute! I have a feeling I will be making more fondant figures in the future...
And just in case the cake went fast (which it did, once I could bring myself to cut into it), I also made a dozen lemon macadamia white chocolate chip cupcakes (VCTOTW) in zebra striped cupcake liners with a piped buttercream swirl, a pink fondant flower, and placed in these adorable cupcake cuppies from Etsy.
I wanted to give the expectant parents a few more personalized gifts than just what was on their registry. So I got out my dressmaking shears, some pretty fabric, and 6 plain, white, organic cloth diapers and turned them into a bib and four colorful burp cloths using tutorials from Chickpea Sewing Studio. I thought the Eiffel tower bib was especially appropriate since the baby daddy is French and they are expecting a little girl. These projects were both so easy!
Testing my beginner sewing skills a bit more... ever since Shellyfish posted about the animal friends fabric book from Natasha who runs Hanies Etsy shop, I knew I wanted to make one for the parents-to-be. They have two rescue dogs and mom is a vegetarian, so animals are a big part of their lives (not to mention the jungle-themed party)! Each page of this fabric book features a different animal, including a cat, elephant, dog, lion, and a chicken. Sewing those tight little curves was a bit stressful for me, luckily my mom was there to help out and we cheered each other on through the tough parts.
And since I enjoy decorating real cakes so much, I figured I would attempt my first diaper cake for the occasion. Since this wasn't just a girly shower and I didn't want the guys feeling too threatened, I kept it simple with a few different ribbon trims and a bow on top. You can't see it, but on the inside are two bottles filled with baby stuff. Not edible, but still fun to look at.
I can hardly wait to meet their little girl! Now I am trying to figure out what homemade foods to make so I can help stock their pantry, fridge, and freezer. After all, they're going to need something to eat during those late night feedings!

This post is a part of Work-In-Progress (W.I.P.) Wednesdays where I share some of my projects that serve as a creative outlet for my mostly left-brained mind. I may be posting the results of finished projects, actual W.I.Ps, or projects that are on my to-do list. Be sure to check out others that are posting their projects as well. Thanks to Shellyfish for inspiring us all!

56 comments:

Anonymous said...

That cake is beautiful!

Anonymous said...

that cake is adorable! i love the elephant

jessy said...

this is all so awesome! that's the best cake i've seen to date! i love it so much! wowzers!

your fabric book is absolutely adorable, and i think the diaper tower is pretty spiffy, too - i'm really digging the ribbon!

i can't believe you even made a bib and all those burp cloths on top of everything else! you busy bee! everything looks so awesome - i love it all! :D

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

TOO ADORABLE AND MAGNIFICENT!!!


**Just as a heads up: I will not be able to comment on blogs as often now, during this semester, due to work overload (I'm stressed already) - PLEASE know that I'm still loyally reading, but just won't have time to comment. I hope you understand!!

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

Oh My God, Amanda!

*Hands over her "fondant queen" crown*

Anonymous said...

You are such an amazing friend, Amanda. I think I should have a baby just so I can get some cool stuff from you! (Ok, obviously kidding!).
This is all so amazing - and your Animal Friends book turned out so well - I just love your fabric choices...and the cake, and the bibs...WOW!

Rose said...

Gorgeous cake! Also, the gifts are super creative!

Sarah P said...

These are incredible. What lucky parents-to-be! And what lucky people, who get to eat your cake ^_^

Leslie Richman said...

Wonderful on all counts! I'm sure your friends feel very fortunate to have such a loving celebration for their baby!

Anonymous said...

You are so talented! Lovely work.

Leigh said...

You are amazing!!

Anonymous said...

Every time you post a cake I think: `Wow, this can't get any better:' and then it does! You have such amazing cake skills.
This whole baby shower thing is really interesting. We don't have that in Germany. The new family gets gifts after the child is born.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love your little fondant elephant — so adorable!

You're incredibly talented, and it's really a privilege to get to see (and squee over!) all the beautiful things you create. Thanks so much for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I am completely swept away by your talents! That elephant is sooooo sweet! Can I have him?! Ha. The baby shower looked like a great success. I love the idea for sewing bibs. My sister is having a baby next year, and making bibs is a great gift idea. Thanks for the link to the pattern(s)!

Veronica said...

What a lucky little baby, and baby mama! All of this just looks so gorgeous and thoughtful. Man, that cake is something else. I want it.

bazu said...

that is amazing! i can't imagine making a cake that gorgeous. lucky baby!

Hungry Hungry Dancer said...

OMG YOUR ELEPHANT IS SO DANM CUTE!!!!!!

how exciting your friends must be... a new baby!!! Im sure you didnt dissapoint with your beautiful beautiful cake

Lauren said...

Beautiful Cake! You are so multi-talented! I might have to fly you in for when I have a baby shower! (Pregnancy first, Lauren, then baby shower..! hehe!)

Jenni (aka Vegyogini) said...

I'm practically speechless, everything photographed in this post is absolutely gorgeous! WOW, you are talented beyond words!

Bex said...

Wow! Everything looks fantastic. You are uber talented. That cake, holy cow! err elephant! so cute

Anonymous said...

Oh my god, way too cute! That cake looks so professional.

Tami said...

You are brilliant and creative and amazing if I haven't told you lately.

Jes said...

I can't decide what's cuter: the elephant or the diaper cake! Or the book! Or the bib! Darn, you're crafty.

Anonymous said...

You are too cool Amanda! I bet they loved your cake and gifts!

DJ said...

OMG - that stuff is all so gorgeous I could SCREAM! The little elephant is just.. adorable!

Anonymous said...

You baking talent never ceases to amaze me! That cake is spectacular. I bet it WAS hard to cut into it! (At least you've got photos). So if Elsie and Chaser get another sibling, do we get a "baby" cake??? ;)

Anonymous said...

Everything looks incredible - what a great friend you are!! That elephant zebra cake is a masterpiece, everything is just beautiful, bravo :)

Ruby Red said...

Your craftiness is so impressive it makes me feel like a slacker.

I am absolutely, completely, thoroughly in love with the elephant cake. When I have my firstborn, you must be the caterer at my shower! (I gotta find a husband first, though.) The elephant is adorable, and the zebra stripes add a great touch. Your friend must be wondering what she did to have an awesome friend like you -- looks like you did a lot of (fun) work for the occasion!

Theresa said...

V_N, you are so amazing! That cake, and those cupcakes, and all of your craftiness. I am especially in love with the diaper cake--I've only ever seen them made with disposables before, but your version is so so much better!

Amy said...

Wow, your cake is incredible! And your craftiness is all wonderful. I'm sure your friend was one very happy girl (I know I would have been!)

Sal - AlienOnToast said...

The cake is so gorgeous, you did a really great job.

I've always been too scared to try covering a cake in fondant, I think I would make a total mess of it!!

Carrie said...

Wow...I am in awe of everything...especially that cake!

Vegan Girl (Roni Seabury) said...

I am just so impressed with everything here. You are doing so well! When is your Etsy shop opening?

allularpunk said...

so much awesomeness... i'm not sure where to start! well, that cake is beautiful and fun and flawless! i love the little elephant :) and all the sewed things you have made are just perfect. the bib and the book, especially! well done!

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

Ha, that cake is so cool! It did make me smile. You are such a sweetie for thinking of cooking for them too :)

MeloMeals said...

I don't know where to start... the cake.. absolutely stunning.. the lovely bib/cloths.. adorable...

the book.. literally brought tears to my eyes.. what a gift. Seriously, that is something that will probably be passed down in their family. Amazing..

Unknown said...

That cake and elephant are so cute!

Anonymous said...

What an amazing looking cake! You are so talented.

Bert said...

Amanda, the cake, the cupcakes and the fabric book are fantastic - lucky friends and their babies! Such detail. Is 'diaper cake' a culinary or crafts concept? :-)

Ruthie said...

You are too cute. :) You're going to be an awesome momma.

jd said...

I am SO impressed with that jungle cake!! Seriously, it's so perfect it almost looks fake (in a good way, of course!).

And the diaper cake was such a cool idea - I love that function and form are equally represented :)

I can't wait to say that I knew you back when you were "just" a blogger. Before you became an internationally acclaimed vegan baker/cake decorator, that is!

Very cool.

Eddie G said...

OMG...WOW!

Lisa (Show Me Vegan) said...

i'm speechless about your cake! I think you need a guest slot on Ace of Cakes.

aTxVegn said...

This is just amazing, Amanda! You are so incredibly talented.

Nicole said...

ALL OF THIS IS SO CUTE! I am "aw-ing" all over the place.

Anonymous said...

GIRL! You are killin it!! This stuff is amazing - sewing, baking and aweseome? You are too much!

River (Wing-It Vegan) said...

OMG you are amazing! The cake is so adorable and absolutely perfect!

All your crafty goodies are so cute, and a diaper cake? Genius! Wow, you're like... freaky good! :D

Carrie™ said...

That cake is amazing! Like something off of Ace of Cakes. How long did it take you to get it all together? Your sewing projects are just as impressive!

Jen Treehugger said...

WOW!!!
So many gorgeous beautiful things!!!
:)

VeganCowGirl said...

Everything about this post is AMAZING. you are such a good friend - holy moly. I am so using that chickpea link - thanks for that! The cake looks amazing and way to throw a co-ed shower!!! Can I rent you out to throw my baby shower????

Anonymous said...

Yep, I truly lucked out with such an amazing friend to throw us a wonderful baby shower! Everyone (even the guys) had a great time - and thoroughly enjoyed this cake. (I'm still getting rave reviews from the guests!) Not only was the cake adorable (and better than you can find in any shop I've seen!), but it was delicious. I loved the looks on the carnivore's faces when they said, "you're kidding me - it's really Vegan, but it tastes so good?!?!". Seriously, you gotta open up a bakery, miss Vegan_noodle! Oh, and the cupcakes were sooo good (I indulged!). When we opened up the fabric book, I thought this must have been made by some professional sewer - so much detail and little peices! Definitely a forever keepsake! On top of that, the bib and burp cloths (and diaper pyramid) were the "icing on the cake"! You are truly a marvelous friend - I feel so blessed! :)

The Vegan Snorkeler said...

Wow! Just amazing. The cake is just perfect!

Jess said...

That cake is truly the coolest thing I have ever seen! Wow, so beautiful!

Tacha said...

Wow - fantastic cake! I absolutely adore the elñephant.

Your fabric book turned out great. I really like your choicde of fabrics. I hope you had fun making it.

tofufreak said...

That's an amazing cake!

Melisser; the Urban Housewife said...

Oh my, everything is SO SO awesome! I'm never having a baby, but if I was, I would want YOU on my side! xo.