Caterpillar

So, the Day of the Caterpillar came and went. I spent Friday night baking the cupcakes and the head (odd statement). I also discovered that making fondant was actually not difficult! I made a marshmallow fondant since I have had traditional fondant, which tastes horrible! Here's the recipe for the fondant:

1/2 package of marshmallows

2 tablespoons water

3/4 lb (about 3/4 package) powdered sugar

Crisco

Place marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl and add the water. Mix well and microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and mix well. Microwave for another 30 seconds, then remove and mix well. Continue until completely melted (about 2 minutes). On a sanitized counter, coat the counter with crisco to prevent the marshmallow to stick. Then pile the sugar on the counter. Take the marshmallow mix and scoop it out onto the sugar. Using your hands (helps a lot if you coat your hands with crisco), mix and knead until it resembles bread dough. Then lightly coat the mound with crisco and cover with plastic wrap and place within a ziploc bag. Refrigerate overnight.

The next morning I got up early, convinced that I would need extra time for when I made mistakes and would have to start over from the beginning. I tackled the head first. Once I evened the top and filled it with a raspberry filling, I covered it with a thin layer of buttercream. The raspberry worked well with the lemon cake. I started to play with the fondant, experimenting with colors. With the book cover as my guide, the head slowly came to be a caterpillar head. I shaped the feet and antennae. Then onto frosting the cupcakes (thankfully easy!). Once I arrived at the shower, I assembled it with great relief!

Surprisingly, I had such a fun time putting this cake together. I had been quite anxious to figure out what I was doing, convinced that I would ruin the cake and in essence ruin the shower. I was so glad that I actually went through with it and didn't just order it from someplace else. While it was somewhat time consuming, it was completely worth it. Do you feel an after-school special lesson coming on?? Don't worry, I'll spare you (and myself in the process). So, for all those who have heard me complain and worry all week about this, thanks for listening and I'll owe you a cake for listening!