Georgie,,,, I am glad to hear everything was so successful.  I, too, think the chocolate band is clever.  The piping on the layer cake is so pretty, perfect, and creative. 

Congratulations, also, on having a complete library!!

Thank you ladies! I made the frostings and decorated the two layer cakes the same day and am really very happy with how both turned out. I’d had the design of the chocolate tree cake in mind for quite a while. I love the way a band dresses up a cake. They look so impressive and but are so easy to do! It was my first foray into spinning sugar. Love that too. I think the gold popping against the chocolate made the cake.

The request for the birthday cake came as a surprise. I wanted it to look special, but with my plans for the other cake knew I needed to do something relatively easy. I saw this design a month or so ago on “Pinterest”. It had a link to the food blog with directions how to do it. Pipe a vertical line of dots, use a warm dry spoon to wipe each to the side. Repeat. Super easy!

Wow, Georgie!!!!!  That’s some baking!  You sound like you have a very nice family!

I love your piping on the Downy Yellow.  It looks like a giant peony!!!  Or zinnia.  I’m not sure.  But it’s beautiful!!!!