Transplanted Texan: Life & Times

So, what does 2 bags of marshmallows, 2 boxes of Coco Krispies, 2 boxes of cake mixes, 5 cans of frosting and a terrific sous chef from Pikesville get you? One bad a$$ volcano cake, that's what!


Gary and I were deemed hosts for this month's office birthday party. We were, in essence, "the party planning committee." This honor rotates among 2 people each month. Our birthday parties are usually store-bought sheet cakes with non-descriptive plates and cups. Nothing is wrong with those parties, but Gary and I decided to step things up a bit. After winning a luau-themed party pack at the Taste of Govanstowne, a luau-themed birthday celebration seemed in order. Discussions of rum cakes and coconut creme pies swirled, but one afternoon, Gary came up with the idea to change all office birthday parties - the volcano cake, complete with a show. We were anxious that something like this could not be accomplished for such a occasion. With a Plan B, C, and D in place, we each attempted this feat. And, it worked, for both of us.

We researched the internet for different "recipes" for a volcano cake. Gary opted for a multi-layered 8" round cake approach. I decided on a hybrid Coco Krispies-butter cake cake. They both worked (though I think Gary's cake was much more moist than my own).


1. Make a base of Coco Krispies Treats.
The choice of Coco Krispies provided texture and stability to the finished product. I made two full batches of Treats (using a 2 inch tall, 10 inch wide round cake pan and a 2 inch tall, 8 inch wide round cake pan). I placed the small round on top of the larger round and sloped the top one to the bottom one. Allow to cool before proceeding to next step.

Karen making 2nd batch of Treats:

Finished product of step 1:


2. Place 1st layer of cake onto Treats base.
I used a cake plate on top of the Treats base to ensure that the cake would slide, etc. For cake, I chose a Butter/Yellow cake. For this particular project, I bake a 3 inch tall, 8 inch wide cake. No special cake recipe used; just plain old box cake.



3. Place 2nd layer of cake.
I decided against the multi-layered approached and instead opted for a bundt cake for the top of the volcano. Again, just used regular box cake mix. Also used another cake plate for stability.
I did not cut or mold the cakes to a particular shape (too much work for an unknown outcome).



4. Mold and Texturize with more Coco Krispies Treats "mix." I used the mix to cover the cake plates/separators as well as the "crater dish." I also used it to create some texture to the volcano.



5. Frost to your heart's content. I think I ended up using 5 cans of frosting. For the base, we used a mixture of frosting and non-refridgated pudding with sprinkles. We used a variety of utensils to create dimension in the frosting.


6. Accessorize.
Decorating frosting (orange, red, yellow) for some lava action. Milk Duds for boulders. Palm Tree toothpicks for some greenery (found at Party City).

7. Serve and Enjoy.
Pair your cake with a fruit salad, punch, rum cake (Mon!) and some authentic luau music. Oh, don't forget the leis! Gary provided the table scape - banana leaves and real pineapples.


So how did we pull off the smoke and fire of a real volcano??
Dry ice and warm water create smoke. (Make sure to use a safe container in your crater; I used a ramekin dish). Fire was performed with sparklers (Thank you JLB!)




The party was a success. I think everyone had fun and the cakes turned out well. Gary and I raised the bar for office birthday parties. Ha! :)

I adopted Champ on September 27, 2008, from PAW, the Partnership for Animal Welfare. They are a non-profit group of volunteers chartered to facilitate the rescue and adoption of homeless domestic animal. They recently asked Champ to pose for their 2010 calendar. It took some convincing, but Champ agreed to do the calendar. He is secretly hoping to be Mr. October. I'm looking forward to the calendar!

On a similar note, Meghan, my friend and co-clerk from my COA days, has decided to take the plunge into the photography world - www.meghanlynnphotography.com. (Way to follow your dreams, Meghan!) Champ and I went out with Meghan for an afternoon to get some a few pictures of Champ. Here are a few from the session. If you're interested in getting pictures of your pets, loved ones, etc., email Meghan at meghan.vince@gmail.com.

Sorry guys and gals. Life got overwhelming as soon I as created this blog. I am now back at it.
Boy have things changed lately. I moved to a wonderful new place in a charming "suburban-like" neighbor of Baltimore (pictures to come later).

I recently got a new car, a Mercury Mariner. It's super cute in a "got to have a SUV" kinda way. It's got a big engine (well, bigger than the VUE) and I usually catch myself accelerating a wee faster than I mean to be. Got to watch that!


I also just accepted a coaching position at Bryn Mawr School, a local, all-girls private school. I will be an assistant coach to the Varsity and JV soccer teams. If all goes well, I will move to the swim team once the soccer season is over. I am looking forward to getting back to the sport I love and starting my coaching career.

Playing, back in the day:

I think so. My good friend Karen took this adorable picture of Champ last week while I was in Michigan. I think it capture Champers so well. Great job Karen! I'll be entering the picture in B's Most Beautiful Dog contest. Let's hope Champ wins!

Welcome to my blog. Life is a series of adventures. I love life and love to share my experiences with my friends. You won't see anything too scandalous on these pages, but you'll get to read about the life and times of living in the "big city." You'll get an occasional rant and rave, but I hope it will become an interactive site for discussion and little lively debate from time to time.

Who Am I? I am a almost-officially-single twenty-something attorney in Baltimore City.


Let's Begin.

XX The Girl With Snake Skin Shoes.