This morning I'm serving cake. Lots of cake. All the cake you could possibly eat.
Those of you who have been reading for awhile know my weakness for $30.00 cake pans. I just love those decorative cake pans and all the wonderful creations that spring forth. My mild obsession started with the Christmas Tree ring pan.
Sorry, I don't have a picture of the finished cake. I baked the first one for my boss at the newspaper, using my favorite buttermilk pound cake recipe. It was decorated very simply, with a frosting glaze that dripped down the trees and finally a dusting of white powdered sugar. I presented it wrapped in clear cellophane with a gold bow.
My boss went crazy for it and insisted that the newspaper photographers take pictures of it.
I was hooked on $30 cake pans and thereafter I was forced to avoid Williams Sonoma at all costs, or at least to the peril of my budget.
One day I was walking down the promenade at the lifestyle mall, totally unaware that my path would take me past Williams Sonoma. In the front window was a fantastic sandcastle cake with ribbon flags flying on the ramparts.
Luckily my willpower was very strong that day, but the cake pan was never far from my thoughts. My mind was debating the merits of the pan and whether there would ever be an occasion for me to bake one. And then our friends invited us to their summer home in Michigan. That's it!!!! The excuse I needed to invest in the pan.
+My daughter and I hid the cake in the car until late at night. We arranged the cake, with it's brown sugar sand and fresh fruit, on the counter so that Jan would see it first thing in the morning.
Here's one that got away. I successfully managed to avoid buying the giant cupcake pan,
and it's cousin the slightly smaller cupcake pan.
I continue to dream about this one.
Photo - Williams Sonoma Kitchen
What a fantastic looking cake. I'd love to plan a summer party around this one.
Unfortunately I made the big mistake of checking out W-S's website. They also have cakelet pans.
Photo - Williams Sonoma
Evidently the company has heard of my addiction because what do I find in my e-mail in-box? This................
\Photo - Williams Sonoma
The holiday season has weakened my defenses and my willpower. The Sandwich Cookie Cake Pan is calling my name and today's errand list is going to take me past the store. Isn't it the cutest? They've used crushed peppermint candy canes on the edges of the frosting. Although I may be temporarily craze enough to buy a $30 cake pan, I can confidently say that I will never, EVER spent $20 for one box of cake mix.
Photo - Williams Sonoma
Stayed tuned to see what happens and whether we enjoy a sandwich cookie cake in the near future.
How about you? Any similar addictions? I once had a neighbor that was addicted to office supplies! Seriously, she'd buy tons of office supplies.
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Our family party is coming up soon and we're going to be doing several fun things.
First, we're going to have two sweater contests. The women will be competing in the "Ugliest Christmas Sweater Ever" contest. We're shopping all the resale stores to find those truly atrocious sequin and bead adorned beauties. The guys will compete in the "Best Bill Cosby Sweater" contest. You know the ones.
We're also going to have a Crappy Christmas gift exchange. Again, the resale stores will provide us with something really awful. It's alot of fun opening those beauties.
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I'm busy putting the finishing touches on some handmade Christmas gifts. i can't tell you about them because certain people read this blog occasionally and I don't want to spoil the surprise. I'll show you them after Christmas.
Are you making gifts this year? Are you avoiding the big box stores?
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That's all for today. I'm turning the meeting over to you. Feel free to bring up any topic that suits your fancy.
17 comments:
All of those pans look like a whole lot of fun! I think that you need the giant cookie cake pan. It will be the gift you give yourself. :)
I like the idea of the crappy gift exchange. I have some really hateful things I would like to say about a relative in relation to crappy gifts but I will keep them to myself. But I really don't want to!
We are currently awaiting the big storm to descend upon us. I need to get to the store for important blizzard supplies like chicken feed and scotch tape!
Oooooh, you need the giant cookie cake pan. I think that I saw your name on it. :)
I confess to having a lot of cake pans myself, and they're very fun. I have almost as many cake pans as I have tutus.
Life is good.
Oh no! I need to have the big oreo cookie pan and the honey bee. I am gonna google it to buy it. Thanks!
What delightful cakes...makes me want to bake right now! I especially like the bee skep and oreo cookie.
First off, I have to tell you that I received my dish cloths in the mail. Thank you again. They are lovely. I'm a bit afraid to use them though and I'm a little confused. Are they really for washing dishes? They're so pretty!
Secondly, I am a recovering cake pan addict and it is just not right for you to tempt me in this way. I had almost forgotten the beehive cake pan since the last time you posted it. I'm going to be strong, though.
Finally, I love your sweater contests and crappy Christmas exchange ideas. What fun!
Those are some great cake pans. My grandma used to make cakes for all kinds of people and I have her Wilton cake pans. She made me a Holly Hobby cake for my third birthday and now I have the pan and have made it for both my daughters. I've also used several of the other pans.
I love those Christmas gift exchanges. We often do a family one on New Year's Day, with the very large family of in-laws. It's always a lot of fun.
I try to do homemade Christmas gifts as often as I can. We try to keep gifts and giving simple and meaningful.
I LOVE the cookie cake pan! Once upon a big farm kitchen, I used to collect things like that. Had a herd of kids growing up, and always had extra waifs and strays hanging around and expecting to be fed. These days, I cook for me, and keep the gadgets to a minimum. However, I REALLY shouldn't be allowed near yarn or fabric stores! In my own defense, I DO make most of my Christmas presents. Have a good week!
They have wonderful cake pans at King Arthur Flour too...I just resist and resist...sigh.
We do a crappy gift exchange thing, only we use those presents to play Christmas Bingo.
The 'bingoer' gets to choose a present and the next 'bingoer' gets to either take that one, or choose another. It is fun.
Craving cake now ;) I love the cookie one. Saw that on the Today Show this morning. Hope you are doing well!
if i lived next door would you make me a birthday cake with bee skep pan? yes, i have stayed away from the 'big boxes'. i usually make our gifts but nota one this year...no creative juices. our little town has TWO wonderful feed stores where i find real treasures, who would think. also, i try keep the dollar in town. oh dear, i forgot the internet......so lovely to shop in pj's.
bv
I didn't even know those kind of cake pans existed! Oh the possibilities! I am addicted to Post it notes. It's not that I buy them all the time, its that when I do buy them, I don't want to use them because I'm afraid that I will run out, so I never use them. How dumb, lol.
I started reading the day you posted about the giant cup cake pan... ah yes...memories. :)
by the way, the one looks like something Madonna would wear...
no gifts or Christmas here at our house this year. Can't be upset, life happens, ya know?
tell me your stories, I'll enjoy Christmas that way!
I too covet the beehive pan. But I don't think I can pass on the cakelette village. I fear it must take up residence in my kitchen.
I try to avoid the big box experience, but I have yet to come up with a crochet pattern for a T.V or tent ;)
O dear gawd!!!!!!!!
why o why did I click on your blog???? Now I have been infected with your cake pan fetish!! And I already have to many addictions to count. LOL
Great blog!!!!!
Xx
OH MY GOD! Layers and layers of French toast goodness!
I love these! I hope I get the talents to make them! LOVELY.
They are mouthwatering!~
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