Traveling Cake

In June, I went to Tennessee to make a cake for my dear friend, Abby. For her daughter, Addison's 2nd birthday. Abby found a really awesome design online & I did my best to imitate it! Since I'm still really getting my feet wet with this, it was a bit of a challenge. But not one I was about to pass up! I bought some circle cutters, but they aren't fabulous, only 3 sizes, & odd ones at that. But I have my eye on a great set on Amazon. :)
This was also my first attempt at working with modeling chocolate, which went fairly well, as the shape was simple, but I didn't dye it as perfectly as I should have. Hind sight is 20/20...
I had a lot of fun making this cake, & my sweet friend, Abby even helped me with some of the little details. :)
I used pound cake, which was delicious! The cakes alternated, 2 pink cakes, and 3 pink & yellow rings, filled with buttercream. The pound cake batter is thicker than regualr cake mix, so the rings didn't pour perfectly, but still baked really well.

I just used the Wilton buttercream mix this time, where, with Peyton's, I'd found a recipe online & made that. I think the Wilton buttercream mix is too sugary, I didn't like the texture. From now on, I'll take the time to make it myself.

The bird on top was originally supposed to have a companion, but again, I was rushing & just couldn't devote the time to it. Another first with this cake was working with gumpaste, I made the butterfly wings & the green leaves with it. Not loving gumpaste...looking for an alternative soon. I don't like the way it looks when it's dry...to me it looks faded...  The design Abby found had writing on the side of the cake, which I did, but not very steadily, so it looked a little wobbly.
This cake turned out great, but was definitely a learning cake for me, I felt like it was my first b/c of the obstacles I had in the making.   Though I wasn't thrilled with the cake, Abby & most importantly, Addison, were very happy with it. :)