A very important cake!

My dearest Gus turned two recently. And he wanted a train cake! Inspired by the Internets, I went with a train coming out of the tunnel cake. And? It was completely fun and easy to make! The rock candy and train were important extras.

The cake is chocolate from Smitten Kitchen - perhaps a little moist to move around much, but I froze the layers and have no problems at all. The Swiss Buttercream is also from SK - the same as I've made on wedding cakes in the past. The chocolate buttercream (on the tunnel, and some cupcakes) is also from SK, and is definitely my new chocolate buttercream recipe. It is fast (food processor icing! wow!) and completely delicious. Non-chocolate buttercream would work there, too. Maybe I'll try that next time. I was super happy with the components of the cake - the icings and the cake. And super happy with the design, and I thought the execution came off nicely. I'm now working on shells for borders - to break out of my stars habit.

Additional cupcakes are tucked away in the freezer, and have been coming out slowly but surely, only to be eaten before I can even ice them. They are so good!

Happy birthday Gus! What kind of cake will it be next year, I wonder?