Let's start with Cam's 7th Birthday

Cam is a Star Wars guy.  He can tell an AT-ST from an X-wing fighter better than any 7 year old I know! He, as with all of my kids, get to pick what type of birthday cake they want each year.  Sometimes they just give me colors or characters.  Sometimes they give me drawings or ideas.  But I always try to get as close to what they want as I can or if they have no ideas (can't quite think of when that has happened), I come up with something on my own.  So, Cam knew he wanted a Star Wars cake.  He looked through all his books and at his characters and was having a hard time coming up with one idea. So with a little help, we decided that a cake with the Star Wars logo and some of his "guys" on top would be good.  Well, Uncle J, Auntie Nell and cousin T-dog were in town that weekend.  Everyone was giving out ideas. Great!~ yes. Night before the bday with elaborate suggestions ~ not so much. 

Just before he headed up to bed, he gave me a kiss goodnight and said, "I can't wait to wake up and see my Milleniumb Falcum (aka Millennium Falcon) cake, love you!" So I enlisted the help from the suggestion group and off we went.

I started with a 8" round cake and rectangular cake. I split the rectangle cake in half lengthwise. Then I trimmed a chunk off each end. First I put the round cake on the foil covered cake board. Then I made the front with two long pieces and filled in the side and center with the "chunks". Too technical for ya?

Next came the crumb coat.  If you are not aware of the crumb coat, it is just a light layer of frosting to cover the cake before you either recover with more frosting or cover with fondant. In other words, it's a good thing. 

Then I made the fondant (marshmallows, powdered sugar and a little water), colored the fondant and rolled it out. Doesn't it look like Darth Vader? The force was with us that night. It was past midnight at that point, if that had anything to do with it.

Since I wanted it to look a bit rustic spaceship-ish, I kept the extra powdered sugar on the fondant when I covered the cake.  I smoothed out the fondant and created the design and markings.  My staff, (the suggestion group) and I started adding the details. 

Before we knew it (it was 2 am!) and we had finished.  We were all super giddy! Whether it was from all the taste tests, satisfaction in a job well done or the fact that Cam would be so happy when we woke up- that I don't know.  What I do know is that when Cam came down the next morning on his birthday and saw all the homemade signs and decorations, he was thrilled! He took one look at the cake and then looked at me with one of those looks that melts your heart and gave me the biggest, warmest hug a 7 year old could give.   

"Thanks so much, Mommy! It really is the Milleniumb Falcum!" he said. I was so touched and feeling such love is awesome.  

All I could think was, anything for you, my sweet boy, anything.

Here's the final product, enjoy.