Shoe Cake
by Chelsea P.
(UP of Michigan)
Two Heritages, One Cake
One baby bootie Moccasin, One baby shoe
Baby Bootie Moccasin
Baby Shoe
My Baby shoe cake for a baby being welcomed into two heritages.
The art of baking cakes is something I am always exploring. I feel like I learn something new everyday, so it just keeps me coming back for more.
My Inspiration
I remember being in my Grandma's kitchen, watching her bake and being in absolute awe. She never used a recipe, and rarely measured anything, however, when those goodies came out of the oven they were the best things I ever tasted.
Kids all over the neighborhood knew when Grandma Jeanette was baking and would be at the door within minutes.
Today, I can only strive to be the kind of baker and person she was. There is always a moment in the middle of baking where I think of her.
So, in a way, she is my inspiration. I like to think if she were here today she would be in awe of me. Baking cakes has changed so much since her and I were in that kitchen. It makes me smile.
Welcome Baby
This cake was for a baby shower in which the baby was being welcomed into two different heritages. After talking to the mom-to-be we decided on the two shoes to represent the cultures.
Originally, the cake was to be only the two booties, each one feeding 20 people, that's a big shoe! I felt having the baby booties that big would take away from the little details I had planned, so this is what I came up with....smaller, more detailed footwear on top of a bigger cake.
It worked out wonderfully! The details were just that, details, and my favorite part of any cake!
Cake Flavors
The bottom tier was a chocolate cake with cookies and cream filling (which I hadn't made until this cake and am still wondering why because it was delicious!).
The middle, single layer tier, and the shoes, were an almond cake with raspberry buttercream. I carved the two shoes out of 2, two layered 6 inch cakes, covered them in fondant and used fondant to detail them.
I am very proud of this shoe cake and have showed it off to anyone that I can! I am still starting out, so I still amaze myself at times, and this was one of those times!
Chelsea Thank you for a wonderful entry. The cake is amazing and the story is heartfelt. I love grandmother stories. I am sure she would be so proud and in awe of your skills. Good Luck in the cake decorating contest.
