Spring Has Sprung

The birds are chirping, the trees are full of buds, the sky is (mostly) blue...and the cakes all seem to scream SPRING!!!

This past weekend was Easter, and everyone had flowers, pastels and bunnies on the brain...and, apparently vanilla & berries :)

Vanilla cupcake w/ black-blueberry buttercream
& sugar daisy

On April 1st, my sons drew two names (from all of our Facebook page "likes") to win a dozen delicious cupcakes each. One of the winners chose to take hers to a baby shower, and the colour scheme was purple & white. Hence, vanilla cupcakes w/ black-blueberry buttercream & white sugar daisies and non-pareil. I hear they were a hit with all the ladies! Congrats on the win Christa!

Nana's "bunny cake"

Every Easter, for as long as I can remember, my Nana has made a cake that we have simply dubbed "bunny cake". It was traditionally a chocolate cake, covered in Swiss meringue and coconut, decorated with paper ears, green coconut "grass" and a mixture of chocolate eggs and jelly beans.
For at least 25 years, she hosted a brunch and egg hunt at her and my grandfather's home. The finale was always this cake. The last few years, since I had my sons, the torch has been passed and I have hosted the annual get-together. Nana has continued to bring her cake, but this year we switched it up! After a year of health problems (passed now, but exhausting nonetheless) I felt she needed a break. It was time for me to take up this tradition as well, but with a twist. So, bring on the bunny butt cake :) It consisted of vanilla bean cake, vanilla buttercream and the requisite coconut "fur". The ears and foot pads are gumpaste, surrounded by the traditional "grass" and eggs. It was a hit for sure, especially with my little guys!



Bunny butt cake. Vanilla cake w/ vanilla
buttercream, coconut & gumpaste details

April is a busy month in my family. Especially when Easter weekend falls like it did this year. My birthday one day, Easter Sunday the next, my grandma's birthday the day after that! It may be a bit hectic, but we celebrate them all regardless.

My mom commissioned a cake for her mother-in-law (my grandma) with the broad criteria of: "Vanilla, soft colours, maybe some flowers...whatever you think". The result was this simple, yet (I think) effective cherry blossom cake with black raspberry buttercream filling and gumpaste flowers. Cherry blossoms in all forms are one of my favourite images, and growing up my grandparents had a wonderful cherry tree that never failed to impress.



Cherry Blossoms. Vanilla cake w/
black raspberry buttercream filling,
vanilla buttercream & gumpaste details

Happy Spring everyone :)