*Play Ball!*

                                                               *Click To Enlarge Images*

*TNT Softball Cake*-2 layer chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, decorated with green and brown fondant, a mini cake softball in fondant with luster dust and fondant design, and assorted baseball decorations (sugar, fondant and plastic), complete with gum paste softball player 

*NY Mets Baseball Cake*-2 layer chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, decorated with green and brown fondant, a mini cake baseball in fondant with luster dust and fondant design, and assorted baseball decorations (sugar, fondant and plastic), complete with gum paste baseball player 

The Great American Past-time....Baseball! I have adored baseball since the first time my grandparents took my sister and I to freezing Candlestick Park in San Francisco when I was 8 years old. And, let me just tell you how lonely it can be to be a Giants fan near Dodgertown, not to mention the year I moved south was the year the Anaheim Angels (yeah, I said it, ANAHEIM!) beat my beloved Giants in the 2002 World Series. Oh, but one day I will have my revenge!

Anyway... if I can be involved in anything baseball related, I'm more than thrilled to try and knock one out of the park. A former student and her brother needed cakes for their end of the season parties and I have to say, the ideas for these cakes came rather quickly. For as similar as these cakes were, there were enough individual touches to make them each unique. It's easy to be motivated when you love what you are doing!

There were so many things to like about these cakes, but I have to say, my favorite has to be the little gum paste players. Having never worked with gum paste, I was excited to see what this medium brings to a cake. It was interesting, but I think the jury is still out until I've practiced with it more.  But, gosh, aren't they cute?