Happy Blog-iversary Cake (and a “Thank You” Apron Giveaway!)

Print Print | Print Email this to a friend | November 2, 2008
Filed Under cake, equipment, giveaway!

This month I am celebrating so many things I felt it necessary to make myself a cake and have a party, with you! As you all know by now it is my blog-iversary, but it is also my birthday in a couple of weeks, the first anniversary of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (75,000 in print, oh my!), the election is FINALLY here and this just happens to be my 100th post! To say the least November is a BIG month for me!

The very talented and generous folks at Crooked Brook, where I get all of my chef jackets, sent me a wonderful apron (see picture below) to give away! Leave a comment and I’ll pick the winner next Sunday and send it off, just in time for Thanksgiving!

I know my blog-iversary cake seems to have gone on and on and on, with the baking of the Génoise, making of the rolled fondant, filling it with Milk Chocolate Cinnamon Mousse and covering it in a layer of Cinnamon Buttercream. Here are the final touches; rolling out the homemade fondant and creating a few simple gum paste roses.

Assembling the cake:

What you will need:

Homemade Rolled Fondant or prepared Wilton Pure White Rolled Fondant (Wilton is easy to work with, but you DO NOT want to eat it. I only use this if the person I’m making the cake for intends to peel off the fondant. Yes, you just peel the entire layer of fondant off and reveal some delicious icing underneath. I’m suggesting you start with Wilton’s product just because it is so easy to use.)

Food Color Soft Gel Paste (Use the gels, not the water based kind you get at the grocery store.)

Food Service Grade Disposable Latex Glove (This will protect your hands from the food coloring.)

Heavy Gauge Clear Vinyl (This is the clear sheet that I roll out the fondant on. Nothing sticks to it and you can lift it up easily and move it around. you can also use a Roll’Pat Pastry Mat, but it is much more expensive.)

Rolling Pin

Kitchen Shears

Pastry Wheel (For trimming the fondant around the base of the cake.)

Fondant Smoother

Corn Starch

Corn Syrup (to adjust the consistency of the fondant, read on)

Start by adding the color to your fondant. As you can see I mixed the color into my homemade fondant in a stand mixer. If you use Wilton fondant, it is a lot gummier and easier to add the color by hand as seen here.

Between two layers of the clear Vinyl, sprinkled with cornstarch and roll the fondant out to 1/8″ thick.

As you can see the edges of the fondant were cracking almost like a pie crust. It happened because I let the fondant sit for almost a week wrapped, at room temperature and it dried out slightly. Have no fear, you can fix that!

I just put it back in my mixer and added a tablespoon of corn syrup. Voila it was…

nice and smooth again!

Be sure you are rolling it out so that the fondant will hang down beyond the bottom of the cake.

Press the fondant to the cake and then trim off the excess with scissors and smooth is with your fondant smoother.

I picked up the scraps and added more color to it in the mixer. Roll this out to 1/8″ thick. Using a metal ruler press and cut off a 1/2″strip that will be laid onto the cake to create the stripes. Obviously you can make them as thick or thin as you like! Or create polka dots with a round cookie cutter as I did on cake #11.

Once all of your strips are laid on you may need to add a very tiny amount of water to glue them down. Make sure your pastry brush is just barely damp, you don’t want water dripping down your cake.

To make the gum paste flowers, use a prepared gum paste product and roll it out as thin as you can, using the same technique as you did for the rolled fondant. Gum paste is so strong that you can get it almost as thin as a piece of paper. It also dries incredibly fast so be sure to keep it covered as you use it. Cut it into 1″x4″ thick strips. Starting at one end begin to roll and crimp the gum paste to create a rose. You will want to stretch it slightly as you roll, to create the look of petals as you go.

Now you can arrange the flowers on your cake.

The “1″ was made in the same way I created the “C” for Claudia’s cake.

Thank you all so much for visiting Zoëbakes during the past year! I love having a place where I can create pastries and share the things I have learned over the years. As a small token of my gratitude I’m giving away this lovely unisex apron that Crooked Brook made specially for this occasion. It has been such a pleasure to get to know so many of you through blogging and Twitter! Thank you to the many food bloggers who have been such an inspiration to me!

Leave me a note below and win the apron! For those of you who want to purchase an apron you can contact me!

Don’t forget to VOTE!!!

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Comments

124 Responses to “Happy Blog-iversary Cake (and a “Thank You” Apron Giveaway!)”

11/2/08 6:30 pm	Karen said... Oh, pick me pick me pick me! You look stunning in your apron — and that cake ain’t bad either!
11/2/08 7:06 pm	mary said... The cake is amazing!
11/2/08 7:11 pm	MsC said... Zoe, you, your book, and your blogs all ROCK!!! Happy anniversary!
11/2/08 7:29 pm	Celeste said... Congratulations for the coming celebrations!!! This cake is a masterpiece.
11/2/08 8:08 pm	Deb Ellis said... Congrats! I’m waiting for the Apple Pumpkin Cake from your previous post to cool while reading this entry!
11/2/08 8:38 pm	Lauren said... what a fun cake! looks like a bit of work, but an payoff and a great way to commemorate the blog. congrats on the anniversary!
11/2/08 8:56 pm	Cindy Ruth said... Zoe-That cake looks so great! Thanks for taking the time to post all of the step by step directions. And I’d love to win the apron….
11/2/08 9:20 pm	chrismaria said... Congratulations on one year! I love reading your blog! I recently made the Apple Pumpkin Cake and it was delicious. I am hooked on “Artisan Bread” . . . just bought ten more individual brioche tins today to add to the six I have so I can make a big batch at once. Thanks for all the photos, too.
11/2/08 9:32 pm	Y said... Happy Birthday, blogiversary and bookiversary!
11/2/08 9:53 pm	Nichole said... What a lovely cake!
11/2/08 10:03 pm	Sue from Atlanta said... Hi Zoe and congrats on your year blog-iversary…I owe you big time for all your help and advise in my beginning bread making months…I hope you sell a miilion more copies of your great book!! Sue in Atlanta.
11/2/08 10:09 pm	gabbricha said... Congratulations! That fabulous cake looks like a great way to celebrate your 1 year blogiversary! Love the tip on how to fix the dried fondant.
11/2/08 10:25 pm	Brady said... Great work. Hope to be as talented some day. I love working with sugar and chocolate, artistically and to eat. Congrats on all fronts… Bday, book, blogiversary. Hope you have many more…
11/2/08 10:27 pm	Sandy S said... Happy Blogiversary! That apron is stunning – and so is your amazing cake! BTW, your book came on Friday . . . I’m so excited! Not sure what to make first!
11/2/08 10:42 pm	Saundra Shaver said... Wow! That is a spectacular cake! I am going to go make the olive oil dough right now. I make absolutely everything from the boule recipe. Even my own hamburger buns and hot dog buns. I adore this method!
11/2/08 11:50 pm	Elizabeth said... This joyful website is always a delight. Brava, Zoe!
11/3/08 12:07 am	Lyns said... I use you book everyday and am so pleased to have met you. happy everythinganniversary! You deserve only the best! Many thanks again for your book! Would love to taste that cake!
11/3/08 12:11 am	Regina said... I just started reading your blog, which has been fun and informative. The book looks great as well. Congratulations on all your milestones!
11/3/08 12:12 am	Shari said... What a gorgeous cake! It’s been a great year with your blog (and with your bread!), and I hope you have a very happy birthday!
11/3/08 12:14 am	Vicki said... Wow, what a beautiful cake! I’d never have the patience.
11/3/08 12:14 am	Beth Radcliffe said... Love the cake. Congrats on your anniversary.
11/3/08 12:18 am	Debbie said... Congratulations! Everything on your blog looks absolutely wonderful and delicious–I love it!
11/3/08 12:42 am	yaelian said... Zoe, your cake looks stunning! Thank you so much for your step by step instructions and happy first anniversary for your blog!
11/3/08 3:34 am	Nabeela said... Lovely cake and lovely apron
11/3/08 5:10 am	Pamela said... Wowow, what an awesome cake,it’s so colorful! Happy Blogiversary and hope you have loads more! Ciao
11/3/08 5:56 am	Heather Peskin said... What a beautiful cake! Excellent pics too – I would love to imitate it but have a long way to go to get anywhere near making such a cake.
11/3/08 6:24 am	jillian said... The cake looks beautiful! I love the color combination! Congrats on your anniversary!
11/3/08 6:52 am	Alissa said... Hi Zoe, As always the cake is gorgeous and you have inspired me to try working with fondant again.The apron is very stylish. Happy Blogiversary. I can’t wait to see what is next.
11/3/08 7:53 am	Karen said... What a gorgeous looking cake. You are truly one talented gal.
11/3/08 8:02 am	Stefan Bert said... congratulations and well deserved applause…brava & bravi (the 2 of you) for a great book that gives joy to everyone, S & S
11/3/08 8:26 am	K.C. said... The cake looks AMAZING! CONGRATS on a whole year of blogging!!!
11/3/08 9:02 am	Shari said... What a gorgeous cake! happy blogoversary!
11/3/08 9:16 am	Maris said... Happy Blogiversary! The cake is absolutely beautiful.(Those Tastespotting people must be crazy!!)
11/3/08 9:50 am	Amy (Sing for your supper) said... Happy Blogiversary!!! This cake is gorgeous!!!
11/3/08 9:55 am	Denise said... Add me to the congrats. Oh and pick me!
11/3/08 10:28 am	Cheryl said... Thank you for all your tips and information. I really have used quiet a few in starting my own Bakery. You are truly an inspiration. Happy Birthday, Blogiversary, Bookiversary, and Voting Day!
11/3/08 10:32 am	Lindsey said... Your cake looks so good! I have never tried coloring fondant on my own, so maybe that is something I need to try. Happy Blogiversary!
11/3/08 10:51 am	Tracey Callison said... Happy Anniversary! My husband and I love your book, and I love reading your entries. Keep up the great work!
11/3/08 11:29 am	cindy said... happy everything! what a fun month for you. beautiful cake!
11/3/08 12:02 pm	Karen said... Lovely cake… Happy Blogiversary! Love the black apron, too!
11/3/08 12:14 pm	Cheryl said... Love the book. My husband makes bread in bed for me every morning. Thanks so much. PS. Love the apron too.
11/3/08 12:33 pm	Doreen said... great to see the rest of the steps for creating your blog-iversary cake … and such a nice apron to give away… Your blog is very educational and inspiring!
11/3/08 12:44 pm	hayley said... I did my civic duty! That cake looks lovely. You can never have too many aprons… Congrats on your many milestones!
11/3/08 12:50 pm	devlyn said... I just stumbled upon your blog a few weeks ago, and the reading has been entertaining and inspiring! Thanks for taking the time to explain the things you do.
11/3/08 1:20 pm	Anne said... Congrats on all your achievements! That cake looks amazing! Also, thanks for the chance to win!
11/3/08 1:24 pm	Sue said... Happy November!!! It’s a great month to have a birthday. I just celebrated mine on Saturday. I love that apron.
11/3/08 1:48 pm	Peter said... Congrats Zoe and many happy return readers! I’d love to have that nifty apron, please.
11/3/08 2:08 pm	Emilie said... LOVE the cake, Zoe, and so enjoy every one of your posts. Happy birthday in a few weeks! (What day is it? Mine is in November also. I never liked having my birthday on Thanksgiving every few years because I end up working too hard that day. But thanks to Artisan Bread in 5, at least I won’t have to slave over the bread!)
11/3/08 3:38 pm	Lady Di said... Congratulations, Zoe, on all of your milestones and successes!!! I have to say that your cookbook has changed my life more than any I have ever picked up – and I am a compulsive cookbook collector! It has been so much fun to bake bread I think I have you to thank for a few extra pounds on my body (but some culinary admiration from my friends!) I’d love to win that apron!!!I have an apron from the days of FoodFest in Rochester which was autographed by all of the visiting chefs over the years. I would need your autograph too – wish me luck! Thanks for all you do!
11/3/08 3:41 pm	clumbsycookie said... Congrtulations on everything happening in your life! That apron is so cute! But really I’m in love with the cake! Gorgeous colors and so elegantly decorated!
11/3/08 3:43 pm	Julie said... Congratulations on your one year Blog-iversary! Amazing cake:) Thank you for always taking the time to post the beautiful pictures. Have a wonderful Birthday!
11/3/08 3:51 pm	carol said... Congratulations on one year!!!! Wishing you many many more!
11/3/08 4:27 pm	Dragon said... Congratulations on a wonderful year!
11/3/08 7:24 pm	Teresa said... Hahppy one year blogiversary! That cake is beautiful. Thanks for the giveaway.
11/3/08 8:40 pm	Fuji Mama said... Gorgeous cake and great apron!
11/3/08 9:15 pm	Tracy said... Congratulations on your year! I got the cookbook for Christmas last year, and eleven months later, it’s still my favorite gift – the one that keeps on giving!
11/3/08 9:42 pm	laura said... Thanks for making cake decorating look so simple.
11/3/08 10:03 pm	marybeth i. said... I am sure I would still mess the cake up. It is absolutely beautiful!
11/3/08 10:36 pm	Big Boys Oven said... Congratulation Zoe! Wow! great steps to a beautiful fondant cake! I did another wedding cake last weekend but a smaller one with lots of petite flowers and just posted on blog yesterday, let me know it is!
11/4/08 12:03 am	Roberta said... Found your book at the library which is what drew me to locate this blog. Have had a great time baking bread and will now need my very own copy of the book. Congrats on year 1 – the cake is too pretty to eat!
11/4/08 7:10 am	Julie said... Happy Birthday and Congratulations Zoe! I am a very happy owner of your book – Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day – and it has changed my life. Thank you for that and very best wishes for many more great years of baking and blogging.
11/4/08 8:49 am	Conrad said... Congrats Zoe- I enjoy your blog and of course the book. I am waiting for the next book to come out. Thanks again for sharing with us.
11/4/08 10:28 am	Tiffany said... That cake is absolutley beautiful! I am moving in a couple weeks and can not wait to have a kitchen again. One of my first goals is to use fondant on a cake. It looks so fun to do. I hope it comes out even a fraction as well as yours. I love the colors.
11/4/08 11:38 am	Veronica said... I love your book and blog, you recipes are fantastic!
11/4/08 11:46 am	joey said... Happy anniversary!!! That is a lovely apron! Crossing my fingers
11/4/08 1:26 pm	Barb said... Your cake is ‘to die for’ beautiful! Well, maybe to injure myself slightly for, haha! What a talent you have, Zoe – an artist in icing! Ummm – can’t I have the CAKE? lol! If not, the apron would be PERFECT for the demo’s I’m giving of your bread this month! Thank you for sharing!
11/4/08 3:38 pm	Alicia said... The cake is beautiful! You’re an awesome blogger and I love the apron.
11/4/08 5:54 pm	Gabi said... Beautiful cake Zoe! Congratulations on your 1st blogiversary and your 100th post- both excellent milestones- along with the well deserved success of your book Best wishes to you! Gabi at The Feast Within
11/4/08 8:00 pm	Paula said... Amazing cake! Congrats on your first blog-aversay and 100th post. I hope there are many more!!!
11/5/08 12:19 am	jain said... congrats on all your yearly news, but that cake is the real stunner here! i love your flavor combo and to see the finished product is beautiful! i love how you share your step by step pics, makes a novice think they have a fighting chance in the kitchen!
11/5/08 12:40 am	Nick said... Wonderful cake and happy 100th post! Interesting timing for my first visit here because November 1st is my 1 year blogging anniversary as well, although I’m only at about 90 posts, I need to catch up!
11/5/08 8:23 am	CookiePie said... Congratulations!!! Great blog, gorgeous cake!
11/5/08 9:32 am	HoneyB said... What a great looking cake! I’m coming upon my 1 year anniversary also right after Christmas!
11/5/08 9:34 am	Lindsey 333NH said... What a wonderful baking & blog year. I must say, I took a quick look at the photo of you with your apron and I thought it was Sarah Palin. I guess that I have watched far too much campaign coverage and now it’s time to return to the basics — BAKING! Congrats on your first.
11/5/08 9:51 am	Kristen said... What a beautiful cake! You are so talented… in writing and baking. Keep up the great work!
11/5/08 10:28 am	Katharine said... I really, really would love that apron. I think I will just have to paint a picture of the cake- I don’t think I could make it.
11/5/08 10:48 am	lynnette said... Zoe..I love the apron and your cake looks amazing!!!
11/5/08 11:02 am	zoe said... Hi Everyone, Thank you so much for all of the incredibly kind comments about the cake and I’m so glad you like the apron! Happy blog-iversary to so many of you! It is exciting times for us food bloggers, a great group! Happy Birthday to all the other November babies! Thank you so much to all of you bread bakers! It is such a compliment to know you are still baking bread and enjoying the book! This has been a fantastic year and it just keeps getting better! xo Zoë
11/5/08 1:14 pm	Shaheen said... Congrats n completing a year of blogging. Feeling thrilled, aren’t you?
11/5/08 1:44 pm	Gretchen said... Thanks Zoe for your fabulous website. I love to read it and am thankful for your “how-to” pictures. It inspires me to be creative, even though my creations never look anything like yours!
11/5/08 3:29 pm	Lina said... Felicitaciones Zoe!! I enjoy reading your blog very much.
11/5/08 3:30 pm	Cora said... Love your blog, love your book and that cake is beautiful. Happy Blogiversary. Looking forward to the next 100 posts!
11/5/08 3:50 pm	Hillary said... That is one hell of a beautiful cake! Happy blogiversary! You totally out beat our cake by I don’t even know what kind of measure.
11/5/08 4:15 pm	Stephanie Schiltz said... You look so beautiful in your apron! I love your bread book, love the cake, and would love that apron! Steph
11/5/08 10:14 pm	Rebecca said... The cake is gorgeous! I love the stripes. Congrats on your big month.
11/5/08 10:48 pm	wynk said... The cake is adorable. I had to show my mom, too, and she agrees. I am inspired to figure out when my blogiversary is so I can make a special cake for it.
11/6/08 12:10 pm	Randi said... Happy Blogiversary( from the eG member who started your bread topic over on Egullet).
11/6/08 12:23 pm	Eileen said... Love the cake… Love the apron!
11/6/08 1:28 pm	Leigh Ann said... The cake is beautiful! Happy 100th!!
11/6/08 5:30 pm	Rosa said... Happy Bloganniversary! That cake looks terrific! Wow! Cheers, Rosa
11/6/08 8:08 pm	Cyndi said... That cake is so adorable, Zoe! I love the color palette you chose. Also, I have definitely enjoyed following you on Twitter, especially when I found out you actually lived here in Bakersfield at one time! Happy Blogiversary
11/6/08 8:38 pm	Suzanne R. said... Happy Anniversary! Love your blog!
11/6/08 10:21 pm	Jude said... Happy first bloggaversary! So inspired to make cake right now.
11/7/08 9:54 am	JoJo said... Happy Blog-iversary! The cake looks incredible! Love the bread recipes!
11/7/08 1:35 pm	Carol Mashuga said... Happy Anniversary. Gorgeous cake. I’m looking forward to taking your class tomorrow at Cooks of Crocus Hill. Carol
11/7/08 1:40 pm	zoe said... Hi Carol, That is wonderful, I’ll see you tomorrow! Thanks, Zoë
11/7/08 4:07 pm	Cakespy said... Ooh, congratulations–and I hope you pick my name! The cake is really inspiring. You’re so talented!
11/7/08 4:41 pm	Dgee said... That cake is amazing.. and intimidating! I think I’ll have to work my way up to that one.
11/7/08 4:52 pm	At Home with Kim Vallee said... Happy 1st blog birthday! The cake is gorgeous. I will featured it on my daily quick links.
11/7/08 7:53 pm	Susan said... Zoe, I have been enjoying your book so much but even more so now that you are on Twitter and Facebook.
11/8/08 9:05 am	Lu said... Apron. Me, me, me. (tee hee)…. Lu
11/8/08 10:21 am	patricia said... happy anniversary!! beautiful cake beautiful blog
11/8/08 10:30 am	Psychgrad said... Beautiful cake! Happy blog-birthday and happy (early) birthday! Fondant is my next cake decorating task to attempt. Thank you for your words of wisdom. Love the apron!
11/8/08 11:15 am	Patricia Eddy said... Your photos are beautiful!
11/8/08 5:37 pm	Colleen said... Hi Zoe! Thanks for bread baking class today at Cooks of Crocus Hill – me and my girlfriends had a great time!
11/8/08 7:39 pm	Janice Parranto said... Hi Zoe, I was in your class today and I had a wonderful time. It was fun to get to meet you and I thought that all of the breads that we made tasted wonderful. I am a true convert to your idae of artisan bread in five minutes!! You are a very good teacher, and I thank you for sharing your expertise with us. If I don’t “win ” the apron, I would be interested in buying one:-)
11/8/08 7:42 pm	Tora Consolo said... Congratulations Zoe, on your blog, the book, your birthday and the election too! I thought it was quite a stretch when I read that purchasing your book “changed my life”. But I really believe it now. The main recipe is so versatile and the whole book so user friendly, it’s no wonder this book makes such a big impression! Congratulations again! Tora in Chagrin Falls, Ohio
11/9/08 1:01 am	Suzy said... What a gorgeous cake! Congrats on your anniversary, birthday and milestones! I “won” your book in a little drawing an online friend had. Priceless!!!
11/9/08 4:12 am	LisaSD said... Geez, Zoe! If Martha Stewart ever decides to quit the biz, I think we’ve found her replacement! Nice photos and story! CONGRATS on your 1 YEAR anniversary! Glad I follow you on Twitter!
11/9/08 4:47 am	ellen said... i hope i win your apron
11/9/08 7:35 am	Lil said... Hi Zoe, It was nice to meet you yesterday at COCH. I look forward to reading your blog and trying more bread!
11/9/08 9:25 am	dessert girl said... It looks beautiful and the cinnamon sounds wonderful!
11/9/08 10:04 am	Mike said... Congratulations Zoe and here’s to many more to come!!!!
11/9/08 12:24 pm	At Home with Kim Vallee said... Daily Quick Links \| 2008.11.09… Daily Quick Links \| 2008.11.09…
11/9/08 12:33 pm	Merrie said... Thanks for the great class yesterday. Congratulations on your anniversary and birthday. I have 2 loaves of bread baking right now.
11/9/08 5:42 pm	Suzana said... Congrats on your blogversary! The cake is absolutely stunning – love the colours, ans lovely little flowers. And way to go for being #9 cookbook on Amazon!
11/10/08 7:34 am	michelle of bleeding espresso said... I realize the contest is over, but I still wanted to offer my congratulations on all you’ve accomplished this past year. Woohoo!
11/10/08 8:51 am	Jo said... Happy Anniversary! You’ve got a wonderful blog, I love coming here to see all your amazing creations!
11/10/08 10:38 am	Tammy W said... Absolutely gorgeous cake!! Found your blog just today and am ordering your book. Can’t wait!!
11/10/08 1:14 pm	angela said... Happy blogiversary! Love the apron!
11/15/08 6:21 pm	Michelle said... Beautiful cake! The apron looks fabulous. How’s the new book coming?
11/16/08 12:47 pm	Rebeca said... Congratulations for so many things!!! Thank you for inspired me!
11/16/08 1:21 pm	TiV said... Hello! What a beautiful cake – and very stylish apron! Congratulations!
11/9/09 7:11 pm	Daily Quick Links \| 2008.11.09 \| At Home with Kim Vallee said... [...] + Zoe shows us how she decorates the adorable cake she made to celebrate her first year of blogging. I wish for a birthday cake like that at my next anniversary. Via Zoebakes [...]