Stay Off The Grass, Dude

Double-Layer Chocolate Cake, Peanut Butter Buttercream filling, tinted Vanilla Buttercream frosting, sugar candy Lady Bugs

I love the playfulness of this cake!!  It makes me laugh every time I even think about it - much less look at the photographs.  This has me giggling all day.

Yesterday, I decided to bake a double-layer chocolate cake as the base for an experimental cake (and baked a few chocolate cupcakes as well).  The cake topper I was making didn't turn out as I had hoped (that's why this is call the Test Kitchen), but I still had this lovely chocolate double-layer.

Back story: I was working with a friend yesterday who was interested in some cupcake decorating techniques.  It was great to get together, he was a quick buttercream study, and he got to take home 8 chocolate cupcakes of his own design (not bad for a Tuesday).  So....

Anyway, I still had this layer cake.  I could DO ANYTHING I wanted with this cake; my life partner and I decided to take it to some friends in need of a chocolate/peanut butter pick-me-up.  It came to me so clearly this fun little design.

I had these little lady bugs and a Wilton grass tip #233.  This is an adorable combination.  Add a printed "Please Stay Off Grass" sign taped to a skewer...and it's a cake for birthdays, celebrations, parties, etc. 

 

 

Of course, being the Addictions Therapist that I am .... keep off the grass has a bit of a mixed message.  And this is what tickles my funny bone - "Yeah Dude, stay off the grass."

 

In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (p. 132), old-timers and newcomers are reminded, "...we're not a glum lot."  It's important to laugh and have fun again.  It's important to be able to poke fun at ourselves.  It's important to accept life on life's terms. 

This cake is a good reminder that we all get to have fun...no matter where we are in our journey.