Monday, May 10, 2021

Twofer Challenge #38

It's the 10th of the month, and you know what that means, right?! Yep, time for another Twofer Challenge! Can I just say that I really enjoy putting my brain to work and stretching my stamps and dies?! And we've got another great prompt, too. You're going to love this!


CAKE!!!! If you're anything like me, you've got more than one cake stamp. I will admit that I have several...just because I can't resist ordering them. Or leaf stamps. Or sentiment stamps. Or bunny stamps. Or sooo many other kinds. I won't even get into the number of "happy birthday" stamps and dies I have, lol!! But we like what we like, and some people (me), will keep buying those stamps (me again) and dies (also me) that make our eyes and our hearts happy. And I know that you know that we're all the same in this, hahaha! Anyhoo, let's talk about the Twofer Challenge a bit.


Sometimes the ideas come flooding in, and I can make 3 or 4 cards with the same set/different designs. Sometimes, it's more of a struggle, but it's okay, I just dust off those rarely used brain cells and somehow manage to figure it out! Here's what I came up with for this month's prompt:


And individually:



The stamp I used on both cards is from Avery Elle, and it's called Cake For All. Very appropriate! The first card is a thank you card, in which I sent a Starbucks gift card, hence the EH "magic inside" sentiment. The little bunny is from Hello Bluebird. I did a little yellow blending behind the focal point then stamped the cake, colored it black with Copics, and cut off the base. Stamped and added some color to the bunny, and just like magic, a card appeared! (I am so funny...well, ok, maybe not...) For the birthday card, I went pretty traditional, adding a Verve sentiment, a scrap of stripes, and a teensy strip of black for emphasis. The cake was colored with Copics, and I used some star sequins for the candles. 

Now it's your turn. Head on over to The Twofer Challenge blog and check out the inspiration from our DT and GD! Then, break out those cake/cupcake stamps and create away! I can't wait to see you in the gallery! 

P. S. As an added bonus, I'm adding a favorite CAKE recipe to this post. It seems wonderfully appropriate for this month's prompt! For those of you who have followed my blog for a while, you know that I'm mostly a pie baker. The grandkids adore them, and I've been told that my fresh cherry pie is the best there ever was (by a person who's not even a family member, to boot!!). But every now and then, I like to make cakes. From scratch. Here's one of my favorites, and I hope you give this one a try! 

Cherry Almond Pound Cake

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup ground almonds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups butter
6 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup maraschino cherries, rinsed, drained well, and quartered

Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan. I can't recommend a non-stick spray... Do not, whatever you do, preheat the oven. 
In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, and mix thoroughly after each one. Add in almond extract.
Save out 2 Tablespoons of the all-purpose flour. Toss with cherries, set aside till last.
In a mediumish bowl, mix flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt.
Add the milk and flour mixture alternately. Mix until smooth. Fold the floured cherries into batter. Pour batter into pan. Tap the pan on your counter a bit to release the air bubbles. Set the pan on a cookie sheet and place into the cold oven. Turn oven to 350, and bake from 60-90 minutes, depending on your oven. Toothpick test to test for doneness.

I've also made a glaze with some of the maraschino cherry juice, a dash of almond extract, and powered sugar and just drizzled it over the top. This is a rich and moist cake. A big hit with our family.

There! Cards and cake. A perfect way to start the day! And as always...



14 comments:

Claire said...

That is genius and very clever to turn the cake stand into a top hat, utterly brilliant Bev. Nice to include a yummy recipe that sounds scrumptious, one cannot get enough cake ;) x

Hope everything is getting a little easier for you, take care x

Darnell said...

Geez Louise and Ethel, my mouth is literally drooling, Bevie! That cake sounds divine!! Thank you for sharing! You already know how incredibly genius I think your upside top hat cake is with the bunny inside! So fun for a gift card thank you! Way to think outside the kitchen! And your conventional cake is beautifully decorated and designed! Off to find something sweet to eat, lol! Hugs, Darnell

Marcia Hill said...

Your cards are both FABULOUS Bev!! I love, LOVE your cake/magic hat card...how clever and it totally makes me smile! And your traditional cake card is just as sweet as can be with the pretty flowers added to it! And the actual cake recipe?????? Oh my gosh Bev...can't wait to try this one! I do love my pie, but not gonna lie...I do LOVE cake too, and this one sounds absolutely delicious!! And yes, I will absolutely tell Eunice Cornelia "hi" for you this Friday when I go up to celebrate her big brother's birthday! Take care my friend! Hugs. :0)

hellerlittle said...

LOVE the magic you tourn the stamp image around....
wonderfull idea !!!!
even with the giftcard inside the 1st one
CU hellerlittle

I Card Everyone said...

So clever. SO adorable. Very sweet! and delicious - all in one post?? Oh, you are good!
=]

Bonnie said...

You are so clever, Bev! Love the magic card and presto you changed the cake into a magic hat with a rabbit no less! What fun! And your birthday cake is so pretty with the blue flowers! Your cherry almond cake sounds delicious! I could go for a piece right now...

oldpunca said...

It is genius idea to put the cake upside down and make it a hat, Bev. Bunny is super cute and with the yellow background matches perfectly. Birthday card is so "fresh" in blue. Cute candles. :-) The recipe for the cherry almond cake is yummy. But for my baking skills...I would better come to you to taste it. :-)
Stay safe! Hugs, Sonja

Anita in France said...

Hello, sweet friend! As your cake recipe was last, it's the most recent thing in my mind ... and even for a non baker sounds just so scrumptious. Can I order one for the next LH?? Your cards are both brilliant ... the birthday cake against the fun stripes, with those sparkling candles is wonderfully celebratory ... and how brilliant are you to come up with a top hat from that image! Your little bunny popping out is adorable ... magical against the background glow ... and you brushed and shined the hat to perfection ... any magician would be proud! Great post, fantastic twofer, delicious recipe! Miss you ... big hugs and bisous, Anita :)

Janet a.k.a. swanlady21 said...

Thank you for letting me join as GD for this challenge. I love your creative take using the cake as a magic hat! Brilliant. Thanks for your recipe - baking is something I love so I'll give it a try!

lostinpaper said...

Sorry.... was there cards in this post, I'm drooling over your recipe lol. Just jokes your cards are both wonderful but seeing that black hat was a big surprise, you are so very clever my friend. Ps the pies sound goooood too!

Cat Craig said...

Oh that cake recipe looks yummy and your cards...a top hat...no that's genius!

Bobby said...

Brilliant, Bev. Just brilliant. It wasn't magic that turned the cake into a hat but you and your creativity but the sentiment fits perfectly. The birthday card is elegant. Never mind the cake recipe. Cherry pie is my favorite so it would be great if I ever got to sample yours.

TK said...

There you go, thinking outside the box! What terrific cards, and brilliant way to change your cake up! And for that recipe? Well let's just say THAT'S right up MY alley!

Kim S said...

This is so amazing - a hat AND a cake!! I'm lucky to have the creativity to use a stamp in the way it was intended - let alone seeing entirely different uses for it!!