Ace Of Cakes Book Contest!

I haven't done a cookbook giveaway in AGES, and I apologize about that. And the book that I am giving away today isn't exactly a cookbook, but the behind the scenes look at what happens at that wacky, amazing place called Charm City Cakes. I will get to that giveway eventually, but as usual you are going to have to suffer through the backstory, which I have titled "The Teenager's Sculpture Class Final," otherwise known as "Don't Try This At Home."

So, the teenager has been taking a sculpture class in school this year, which has resulted in a beautiful green bowl that sits on my desk, a life mask that she made by layering plaster all over her face (I'm glad I found out about that one AFTER it happened), and various different incarnations in pottery of the Joker from the Batman movie. The final exam for this class, however, took the cake. Literally. The assignment was this: sculpt something out of food.

The teenager, being the teenager, decided that the very best thing to sculpt out of food would be a life-size electric guitar. I immediately cancelled any plans I had for cooking anything in my kitchen that night.

So, armed with mounds and mounds of cake, frosting, M&Ms and licorice, the sculpting began. First the cake was painstaking carved out according to a pattern she had made, and put on a platform of heavy foam core. Luckily I was not home for this part, because I think it would have given me a nervous breakdown. Then she slowly, methodically, painstakingly began applying the frosting and the M&Ms in sections.



Frosting first, then M&Ms applied in a pattern that matched the look of the guitar she was modeling this thing after.

One M&M by one M&M at a time.

"Pwweeaaase can I have some???"

Then came the Twizzler guitar strings, measured, cut and applied with frosting "glue."

"PUHWEEEEEAAAASE???????"

I have to say, I had my doubts. Big, serious, doubts. But dang if the girl didn't pull it off. She brought it in, got a A on the final, and then became a minor celebrity in school as she carried the thing around for the rest of the day giving away slices.

So in celebration of the end of school, a good report card, and a job well done, I'm giving away two copies of the fabulous book ACE OF CAKES, with my heartfelt advice not to try any of this at home. Enter this giveaway by leaving me a comment telling me your favorite cake. (My wonderful email subscribers - click on the title of this post and it will take you to the website where you can leave your comment.) I will let you know next Saturday who the two lucky winners are.

And if your cake suggestion doesn't involve a thousand M&Ms, I might even try to make it.