Look What I Can Do!

I think I said before that I have much more fun making birthday and shower cakes as opposed to wedding cakes.  They are soooo much less stressful.  I had the opportunity a couple of weekends ago to make a birthday cake for a one year old.  This is the ultimate of non-stressful, because pleasing a one year old is just not that difficult (Although, I've heard that some people go crazy for their kid's first birthdays, so I may be wrong. Luckily, I knew the family I made the cake for, and they are very relaxed).  

Anyway, my assignment was clear- make a duck cake.  Oh yes, a cake shaped like a duck, and  I had a total blast making it!  I also got a very approving, "OOOOh!" from the birthday boy.

So what I did was bake a couple of vanilla sheet cakes, and cut out a duck silhouette with a template I made.  After that I filled the cake with a cream cheese and raspberry icing.  I frosted and decorated with simple vanilla buttercream- my favorite kind.  Below are the results:

I am telling you, I think this was one of the most fun and cutest cakes I have ever made. I know the picture is fairly unprofessional, but I hope you can see my work well enough.  I have come a long way since pastry school, and quite honestly I am proud of myself!