Sunday Sweets for Mom

Ah, Mother's Day. A day when we honor our moms for all they've done for us. However, it turns out there aren't many cakes celebrating last-minute dashes to the ER, or working the night shift, or talking us out of shaving our heads that time in high school. So instead, lets remind Mom of the cuter side of Mom-hood: the baby shower.

(Because I said so, that's why. And you have to look at every picture before you leave this blog, young lady, so don't make me come over there!)

Let's start with some good clean fun:

Submitted by Laura R. and made by Sabrina R.

Bubble, bubble, bath time is ador-able!

And as a former faux painter, I'm digging the woodgrain on the tub.

This next one may be hard to swallow...

Submitted by Joan D. and spotted at Chelsea Market

...'cuz that stack of diapers is really a cake. (I know, right?!) I'd love to see how it's made.


Here's a classic nursery rhyme, come to cake:

Made by CW reader Jean D.

The baby is rockin' in a tree top! How cool is that?

And check out the little details:

Carved initials and tiny roses for the win.

Here's one made of sugar and spice(cake?) and everything nice:

Submitted by Kristy L. and made by Poppy Belle's Cakery

It's amazing how that little bit of shine on the shoes makes them so much more realistic. Plus, look at the quilting on the cake board! Such a great touch.

What's that? You want to see some adorable hand-painted baby clothes?

By Lily's Cake Studio

Your wish = my command.

Forgive me for saying so, but this one here is cute as a button:

By abbietabbie

And did you see the little feet on the bottom?

No?

HYPERZOOM!

They're even wrinkly and stuff! Sooo cute!


Everybody knows a good baby shower cake needs the proper accessories:

By Charmaine's Pastry Blog

Our friend Julianne (aka Ninja Baby's mom) tells me the muppet-like baby booties are actually a Chinese style. Why don't we have such adorable footwear here in the States? And, you know, in my size?

Next a beautiful baby's bag:

By Cakes by Jen


Some completely charming cookies:

By Brenda's Cakes

...and, um, quite quaint quilts!

("q" words are hard)

By Andrea's SweetCakes

That itty-bitty choo-choo train just made tracks to my heart.

And finally, a carriage cake made pretty in pink:

By Fantasticakes

So delicate and sweet! And the butterfly on the handle is a great touch.

Before I close, I'd like to say that we here at CW know there are lots of different types of moms out there, and that these baby shower cakes might not apply to all of you. Maybe you adopted a toddler. Maybe you're a foster parent. Maybe you're a single dad who's had to be both parents to your little ones. Bottom line: there are endless variations of "Mom" out there, but regardless of your circumstances, today is for all of you. Happy Mother's Day!

Have a Sweet to nominate? Then send it to Sunday Sweets [at] Cake Wrecks [dot] com.

Rein in the Clowns

WARNING: Parents, there be funny business ahead!


Bakers, will someone please get a handle on these clown cakes?

"Woo woo woo!"

Wait. Let me rephrase that.

What I mean is, I'm seeing a lot of funny business lately...

Don't tell me this candle placement wasn't intentional.

(But do feel free to share a burning pee joke. That'd be hilarious.)

...and at some point we just have to ask SWEET MERCY WHAT IS THAT CLOWN DOING?!

Keep it up, Chuckles, and someday you'll be juggling one less dancing dog, if you catch my drift. (You know, tripping the blue elephant? Cooling the cream pie? Honking the big shoe?)

Hey, Bozo! Get those hands where I can see 'em!

Look, I'm all for romance, but did the Wizard display teach us nothing?

And I'm not sure these censor dots are the solution, either:

Though I suppose it does beat the alternative. [shudder]

Thanks to Dominique G., Jeny F., Kara P., Ibo, Melanie T., & Robin M., who are, suspiciously, all smiles.

I'll Drink to That!

HAPPY MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

Woohoo! Way to get all independent and stuff, Mexico!

(Pass the Corona.)

Wait. What? It's *not* Mexican Independence Day? But it makes so much sense: we have 4th of July, they have 5 of Mayo - it's perfect! And we can drink to that!

Well, fine.

HAPPY EDIBLE SOMBRERO DAY!!

Yes, it's a sombrero. Trust me.

So are these:

Lovely little piles of...sombreros.

And this:

We just need to keep drinking until they make sense!

(Pass the Corona.)

Hmm? What's that? I still don't have it right? UG. Fine.

[consulting Wikipedia]

A-HA! Here we go. Sorry about the previous confusion, guys.

HAPPY "EAT A MEXICAN" DAY!!

Whoah. If ever a cake needed beer goggles...

But wait, there's more!

And more...

And more...

And lots, lots more:

Plus another sombrero. Huzzah.


NOW can we head to the bar?

I think I need a drink.

Thanks to Andrea E., Selana, Danielle H., Mary H., Lauren R., Ashley A., Anony M., Melanie, & Sarah D., who think we should always celebrate cultural diversity with cake head effigies and 2-for-1 happy hours.


Notes from john: Just a couple of things to remember-
1. Mexican Independence Day is September 16th.
2. We didn't make the cakes.
3. Thank you.

Class Acts

Hey there, teachers! This week is for you! So, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, we'd like to say thanks to all teachers, past and present, the only way we know how:

With embarrassingly ironic school cakes.

It's the least we can do for you, teachers. After all, you've taught us so many invaluable lessons.

Like punctuation...

Read this out loud. You'll sound like "William," "Shatner."

...basic math...

I'm guessing the flux capacitor costs extra.

...and creative writing!

This is why you don't submit cake orders via Twitter.

Yes, teachers, if you hadn't taught us these basic skills, we might end up looking like total boobs!

And just think what would happen to our stick-figure drawing skills!

You're responsible for molding us from the very beginning...

Sure, just put those letters anywhere.

...all the way into adulthood, preparing us for the outside world!

I gradulate this wreckorator for making me water the keyboard. Through my nose.

So, teachers, we salute you - because even if I broke the safety scissors, slept through class, and skipped most of Senior year...

...I don't think I turned out so bad, after all.

Thanks to Aimee S., Anonymous 1 & 2, Cassandra B., Cassie P., Holly H., Jennifer C., and Sarah F. for these school house wrecks.

Say, have you thanked a teacher today?

Dear Go d, the Irony

Let's just hope s/he majored in Creative Writing.

Thanks to Cynthia for the cc!

Totally Awesome

"Bakers, it has come to our attention that 'morale' is 'low.' Therefore, effective immediately, we will be instituting mandatory staff meetings every Friday at 3pm to get to the bottom of this problem.



During these meetings you will each be required to list at least one 'awesome' thing about working here. Susan, GO."



"Oh, come on, this is so STU...."



"Did I mention this will be on your monthly review?"



"...PENDOUS! Haha! Yeah! [grabbing manager by lapels] WORKING HERE IS AWESOME."



"Something more specific, please."



"Oh. Ok. Um...



"Oh, I know! Making the candy apples is awesome.

"It really gets my aggressive tendencies out."

"I...see. Bob?"

"I like misspelling things and then convincing the customer it's actually spelled that way."

"Cracks me up every time!"

"Bob, I'm not sure this is exactly..."



"Ooh, yeah! And scaring the kids! That is SO awesome, am I right?" [high-fiveing Bob]





"Alright, everyone, if you'll just wait your turn..."

"Oooh, crap!"



"What's wrong, Debra?"



"No, that's my awesome thing! Putting chocolate poo swirls on everything!"

"I call it my number two special. Haha!"

[sigh] "And Mary? What about you?"



"I like giving the customers exactly what they ask for."



"Ah, excellent! You see, everyone? Now this is...



"No, I mean EXACTLY what they ask for."

"It's totally awesome." [giggle]

"Well, I think that's enough for today. I hope this meeting has helped remind you all to cherish the little things, and to really enjoy your jobs here. Now, next week: Airbrushing! See you then."



Thanks to Denise G., Gema B., Amanda N., Meagan B., & Anne L. for being, um, awesome.



Oh, and hey, here's something that really IS awesome: my friend Neil of 1,000 Awesome Things has a free copy of his new book, The Book of Even More Awesome, for five of you lucky readers!







For a chance to win, just leave a comment telling me one of your favorite awesome things. It can be anything: getting extra icing on your slice of cake, picking the fastest line at the supermarket, snagging the last one of that sale item you wanted - you name it. We'll announce the five winners both here - on this post - and on the CW Facebook page at 12 midnight, EST, so be sure to check back!

**************************

GIVEAWAY UPDATE! After randomly selecting five comments, we have our winners! Congrats to the following readers who shared a few of their favorite awesome things.

Sunshine Dayz at 10:17am, who understands how awesome it is to find a few extra hours of sleep before the alarm goes off. (We share this joy with you.)

qurlyloks at 12:34pm, who REALLY appreciates awesome caffeinated coffee.

Elizabeth C., at 1:54pm, who thinks it's "inconceivable" (and awesome) that her kitties unleash cuddly kryptonite! You wanted Neil's book? As you wish.

TCC at 3:06pm, who loves awesome unexpected treats (and turns it up to 11).

soarin_ca4 at 8:37pm, who shares a birthday with David Beckham (which happens to be today). I bet winning Neil's book just made your birthday even more AWESOME.

Congrats again to our winners! Please email us your mailing addresses. Thanks to everyone for the great comments. So much awesomeness!

Sunday Sweets: Game On!

Last week you may have heard all the brouhaha over the release of Portal 2. And you may also - like me - belong to certain social subsets that not only have no interest in video games, but would, upon questioning, ask what "port holes" have to do with anything anyway.

[sigh]

Well, never fear, fellow gamer geeks! Because today's Sweets are all about video games, and this is a safe place to geek out *AND* enjoy amazingly made cakes.

Let's start with some old-school gamer goodness everyone will recognize:

Submitted by Erin C. & made by Hello Naomi

My favorite part? You could totally arrange the cupcakes to set up different game configurations. Maybe even do a little stop-motion animation. And then: NOMS.

Another cupcake creation that makes this girl geek squee:

Sub'd by Hareem A. & made by Clever Cupcakes

Ah, the law of miniatures: everything smaller is cuter.

Whooooo...lives in Ryan's Rapture under the sea?

Sub-ject Del-ta!

Sub'd by Barbara G. & made by her brother, Doug.

Amazing and detailed and edible is he!

Plus I love the checkered floor.

(There's another Bioshock Sweet here.)

In honor of Portal 2's release, last weekend John and I finally played the first one - finishing up right around dawn. (Have I mentioned we have a hard time quitting a game once we've started? Heh.) Needless to say, now I have a new appreciation for this companion cube groom's cake:

Sub'd by Colleen O. & made by Semiahmoo Resort

Remember: your weighted companion cube cannot speak. But if it could, I'm sure it would say, "I'm delicious."


Time for another old-school goodie:

Sub'd by Kristen C. & made by Cakes by the Pound

Who else remembers these? Eh?

(Wow. You guys are OLD.)

(Just kidding. Hey, I remember Pong! [But only because my grandparents had an old one in storage. Honest.])

Moving up to the newest handhold gaming device: your iPhone...

Sub'd by Haley B. & made by Anya Richardson

There are lots of amazing Angry Birds cakes out there now, but this was the first to go viral - and with good reason. John will tell you I've had my 'Birds obsession renewed recently with the Easter theme addition. What can I say? There's just something about knocking pink bunny ears off green pigs that's oddly...soothing. :D

Here's a game I've been meaning to try for a long time now: machinarium. It's a puzzle game you play on your computer, and it has the most *adorable* little robots:

Sub'd by Kristy L. & made by Sweet Disposition Cakes

See? ADORABLE. And just look at all that detail! Ah-MAZ-ing.

Another game I can't believe I haven't played yet is Little Big Planet:

Sub'd by Daniel K., found here, & made by Lillybit (no link)

Really, I'm just a sucker for protagonists who'd make good plushies.


More classics: we can't have a game post without Mario!

Sub'd by Michael F. & made by his talented wife.

(Love the mushroom candle holders.)


Or Zelda!

Sub'd by Valerie L. & made by Mike's Amazing Cakes

Now THAT is a groom's cake. Gorgeous.

And finally, one more iPhone game cake:

By Crazy Beautiful Cakes

Anyone else play Cut the Rope? I did for a bit, until it got too hard for my spatially-challenged brain. John loved it, though.

Anyway, this is one of those rare Sweets that makes my jaw hit the desk. The baker used multiple techniques like modeling with krispy treats, sugar glass (for the window), stenciling, and - what I found most impressive - even made the shiny "packing tape" out of gelatin:

WOW.

Truly unbelievable.

One more detail shot:

D'awwww.

Well, that's our Sweets for today.

Now, go play!

Have a Sweet to nominate? Then send it to Sunday Sweets [at] Cake Wrecks [dot] com.