Barbie Pajama Party

My baby turned 6 this week and we celebrated with a Barbie Pajama Party.

 This cake was fun to make and decorate. I used a bake and fill pan, but you can also use a pyrex bowl to make the dress.

 Since it was a pajama party they woke up ready to have fun. They also woke up to sleet and a bit of snow flurries, which is so unusual in the South.

Each Barbie had their own special party seat made out of play-dough. We also painted nails, played pin the candle on the cupcake, ate yummy food, and ended with a Barbie movie. Happy 6th Birthday my dear Olive!

Alligator Cake Sneak Peak!

Here is a quick look at Jem's very green gator cake for her 3rd birthday tomorrow. I think it turned out really cute for her alligator jungle themed party. I'll show more photos tomorrow.

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting!

To celebrate the end of our school year I made a super yummy chocolate cake with peanut butter buttercream frosting!  Buzz says it's the best frosting I have ever made! The recipe could easily be made into just vanilla buttercream too. I think everything taste better when it's made on my Grandmother's old Sunbeam mixer that still works wonders.

The Best Frosting Recipe:

• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 of milk or whipping cream
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• dash of cinnamon

I

The BEST darn sheet cake!

Trust me, this is the best darn sheet cake you will make this year. I got this recipe from the Pioneer Woman's site  here.

 

It's super yummy, but make sure you have some friends over to share it with or you will eat the entire cake by yourself!

Best Sheet Cake Ever:
From the Pioneer Woman.

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 2 cups Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
• 2 sticks Butter
• 1 cup Boiling Water
• ½ cups Buttermilk
• 2 whole Beaten Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• _____
• FOR FROSTING:
• ½ cups Finely Chopped Pecans
• 1-¾ stick Butter
• 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
• 6 Tablespoons Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar

 In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. 

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat.

Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool. In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. 

Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make the icing. I added hazelnuts. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the nuts, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

Birthday Girl

The cake turned out cute and I wanted to share some photos. I always think that I'll just go out and buy a cake, but then the guilt hits and I end of making one. This year Olive wanted me to make one that looks like a castle, chocolate with princess icing.  Note to self:  it doesn't matter what it looks like, it just matters that mom made a cool cake.

Birthday girl is happy, not only did she have a great party, but Grammy and Pop-Pop surprised her with a trip to Disney.  Just the three of them, lucky girl!

FYI...my girls will where costumes each and every day. We went through a period where it was a struggle to have them put on their "real" clothes, but my Buzz Lightyear reminds me that this stage will pass and to just enjoy it.