A Christmas Cake

As promised, the following post will discuss one of the three major crafty/cooking creations I have made in the last two months.

Before I post the photos, let me explain and describe the context in which this creation was made. Every year around the second weekend in December Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters hosts their annual Christmas Party for all folks who have ever worked there. Each year the event is marked by a great meal; great celebration of Christ's birth, life, death, and resurrection; great fellowship; and a bake-off! It's a blessing each year to attend for many reasons.

Until this year I have never competed in the SWO Christmas Bake-off. My inspiration to compete I believe came from my domesticated side that has grown significantly over the past two years. While discussing the possibility of entering with my cousin-in-law, who competed vigorously last year only to lose to inferior competition, I was sold on it and had to enter. The two of us then put our creative minds together and in theory crafted the masterpiece that took to the cake! (pun intended)

Baking and assembly of this prize wining delight took a little over seven hours over the course of about two nights.

I call it: Winters Dreamed of Across the Atlantic. 

It won Most Festive and Best All-Around.

The layers are chocolate (from scratch) and butter (Duncan Hines). The icing is Mint Chocolate icing made from scratch. The white dollops are homemade whipped cream dollops. Finally, the decorative touch of the peppermint is from crushed peppermint sticks (much softer than the hard candy mints). The crushed sticks are also inside the cake, sprinkled on alternating layers.

~ p.carrick ~