Third Time

Is the third time really a charm? Not in this case.

I had this great idea....actually it was more than great, it was an AWESOME idea! I wanted to make a Rubik's cube cake for the party. I thought about it and planned it, weeks in advance. --As part of my preparation, I watch a lot of Food Network and TLC, especially the cake challenges. I had to get myself psyched up and ready to take on my own cake challenge. (Ok, I would watch those shows any way, but I really do think it helped.)

Weeks in advance, I baked several square layer cakes, wrapped them in wax paper and tinfoil and secretly put them in the freezer for a later date. --My family was curious about the foil-wrapped squares. When asked about them, I played dumb again.

Next, I had decided that sugar cookies would make perfect "buttons" for the Rubik's cube. I researched and found what I thought would be a good recipe. I needed a cookie that would hold it's shape, as it was baking. Blob buttons wouldn't cut it.

First attempt. The recipe called for vanilla and almond extract. I added the vanilla but didn't have any almond extract on hand, so I added the next best thing.... butter extract. NOT! The cookies tasted like homemade salty play-dough. Yuck! BUT... they did hold they're shape quite nicely.

Second attempt. I had wasted so much time with the first batch, with the second I went the easy route... pre-package, store-bought sugar cookie dough mix. This time they tasted really good, BUT they didn't look so good... blob-like.


Third attempt. I made up a triple batch of the first mentioned recipe. This time I added the almond flavoring as it suggested. It was better, but not that sweet. Oh no, could this be another fail???

I rolled and measured and cut and spatula-ed (nice word, eh?)the little squares onto the cookie sheet. Although the 3 attempts had been spread out throughout two weeks, I was starting to feel exhausted. I thought this cake could be so cool if it all worked out. I crossed my fingers again.

The last cookies came out pretty good. They weren't as sweet as I was used to, but after adding the royal icing, they tasted pretty good.

I also made Pac-man shapes and ghosts. The small Pac-mans went on cupcakes and the others were for snacking on at the party.

**Side note-I think I've figured out how they make those candy buttons. You know those little candies on the paper backing. Using thinned royal icing, you can make your own homemade version. Look what I found when I moved the cooling racks... candy buttons.

The day of the party finally arrived. We had decorated the Stoker's house and I was ready to put together my awesome Rubik's cube cake. I was happy with the shape I was able to get...fairly squared, but I was disappointed with the color. I frosted it with chocolate and then had a black food coloring spray that I thought would make the frosting black. It didn't, only a darker brown.

Next, it was time to put the cookie buttons on. We started puting them on.... they weren't fitting.... they were TOO big! Grrrrr. My awesome Rubik's cube cake was not meant to be.
We pulled off the buttons and set them aside to be eaten as cookies. Big bummer.

Costco... here we come!