The Shaker Nature Center in Shaker Heights, OH was celebrating their 40th birthday last night and decided to have individual table cakes as centerpieces. They needed 30 cakes and they asked people to bake and decorate using a nature theme. Cakes were to serve 8-10. The cakes would be judged and there would be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.
Unfortunately, I couldn't attend the party, but my DH took 2 cakes in for me. They hadn't been able to get 30 individuals to bake, so I made 2. My primary cake was a buttermilk butter pecan with maple buttercream that included an edible topper of a nest, eggs, and baby heron. The center's logo includes a blue heron, so that's the reason for the design.
A friend called today to tell me that I'd won first place! She said I'd beaten the former pastry chef at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in downtown Cleveland 
Honestly, it didn't really matter--I had such a blast designing and making this cake. I made the separate topper so that those at the table could remove it and cut the cake easily. It worked as planned and the topper is actually coming back to me.
The nest is chocolate covered pretzels and shredded wheat molded in a rounded glass bowl. The bird, eggs, rocks, and sign are straight fondant. The only thing you can't eat are the grasses.
Thanks for reading.
Rae
Congrats! You did an awesome job, you should be very proud!
Way to go!
How cool is that? One of the most original cakes I have ever seen! Good job! Congratulations!!!
Very nice, BlakesCakes !!! Congrats to you. Must be an awesome feeling!!
I have a dear, dear friend that lives in Beachwood, Oh - and I grew up in Euclid - so Ohio is near and dear to my heart (but I've lived in Colorado for 26 years now and love it here even more !!)
Great work!!!
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