Two Big Projects!

I return to my sporadic blogging after a week filled with baking, 13 containers of frosting, and a few heart shaped ice cubes for good measure.
This past weekend my older brother graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with majors in Elementary Education and Intercultural Studies. I traveled to Marion to be there for the big day and to help his wife Naomi with his open house part on Sunday. In a fit of uncharacteristic altruism toward my brother, I had offered to make his cake for the event. Sitting in my Global Literature Class I sketched out designs and settled on one that reflected his Elementary Education major (of course I did all this while still learning about Russian Czars. Multi-tasking is a wonderful thing!) I sold a few DVDs online to raise the funds and embarked on a nine hour baking expedition on Saturday in Naomi's kitchen. I was fairly pleased with the results. It is made of four sheet cakes, two chocolate and two white, and filled with chocolate. Although my many hours of watching cooking shows on the Food Network and TLC helped out some, there were still several quirks about my cake that made it decidedly homemade:D But not bad for my first 100-person cake attempt. The sides are bordered with sugar cookie ABCs and simple shapes. Here I am at the party with my cake! I think Daniel liked it although he informed me that "his students WILL NOT be writing their letters backwards." Mazeltov.After the party I headed home to finish up an 80 cupcake display for Anderson University's theatre department's awards ceremony. I baked and froze half the cupcakes earlier in the week, but the remaining baking, filling, and frosting still took a good 7 hours. When the display was set up at Byrum, I was very happy with it. For once something came out pretty much the way it looked in my head. Unfortunately the lighting in the theatre is heinous so the picture does not do it justice, but here's an idea. And miraculously there were no leftovers! Flavors included triple chocolate caramel, creme-filled chocolate, carrot spice with cream cheese filling, and my personal favorite: chocolate chip cookie dough filled. Delicious!
I wanted to share the recipe for the punch I made for the event. It was very simple but super yummy. I even made some pineapple pulp heart shaped ice cubes to add my own special signature:D4 packets of unsweetened strawberry Koolaid
3 cups sugar
2 (46 fluid oz.) cans of pineapple juice
2 liters ginger ale
4 quarts water (yes, that is one gallon for those of you like me who didn't do so well in elementary math. . .)
Mix the Koolaid, sugar, water and pineapple juice together. Add ginger ale and you're all set! I made the ice cubes by freezing pineapple juice with a little bit of crushed pineapple added.
That's it for now-I'm off to get started making treats for the History Department reception. Cheers.
p.s. I added a section to my blog that includes a price list and a partial list of available flavor options from aDorible Catering.