Western-themed Anniversary Cake (click photos to enlarge).

I was really nervous about making this cowboy-themed cake. A few weeks prior to it, I began to feel anxious and started to fret. It was all in vain, though, because if I had to make a list of my top 5 most fun cakes ever, this would definitely make the cut.  

Lindsey, the sweet little newlywed who ordered this cake as a surprise for her husband Ray, only had a handful of requests for me: chocolate cake with chocolate butter cream, a replica of Ray's "winter" hat on top, a pair of jeans with a big ol' belt buckle, and a couple of horseshoes. In the end, I couldn't really find a spot for the horseshoes since the cake was pretty "busy," so I just slipped them around the backside of the cake. But you can see them here.

When the jeans were done, they didn't look right, so I hand painted them with a fanned brush and diluted (vodka) food color. Trying to make all the components look "real" and have the correct textures was the best part of this cake. 

The hat, the belt, the rivets...  they were all different and they were all so much fun to do. I hand-painted the bandanna (folded fondant) and although I'm not kidding myself about my lack of painting expertise, it actually turned out better than my worst fears (but not half as good as the way I envisioned it in my mind). Isn't that how it always goes?

A little birdy told me that Ray ate his entire hat, including 1/2 the BRIM. The little birdy provided this proof:

 

Happy Anniversary to this sweet couple.  Lindsey and Ray, I hope you have many more years ahead of you!  

 

Giddyup!

Oven's on.  I'll be back.

~ Peggy