The Cake

I heve been totally out of the loop in the cooking world. I have been SO lazy. I had knees surgery and was unable to cook for a couple of months and I think I might have gone forever before starting up if I didn't have a family to feed. Some of you are probably surprised to hear that, because I have always (ok, maybe not always, mom) loved to cook. I was able to not cook and got very comfortable to with my status as eater and non-helper, but the kids weren't going to let this keep up.
When we got back from Spring Break, my favorite cooking magazines had come in the mail. Food & Wine and Bon Appetit. I went through them and marked a few recipes I wanted to make and...poof, I am back! I am having fun cooking for everyone again. So I decided to take on the birthday cake for a great friend of mine's birthday party. I was a little nervous because so many of the fantastic women in attendance are such great cooks but, oh well, here goes!
It turned out great! It was the Tuxedo Cake from the Pastry Queen Cookbook...it is such a pretty cake and a very LARGE cake. The party was at Joe T's, so by the time we got to the spot we were having the party I thought my arm was going to fall off. Here are a couple of pictures of the party (and the Cake)!

Jennifer and the cake...funny candles, huh?