Cakes, Cookies and Presents

For Nora's birthday we had some friends and family over and I made cakes. Two to be exact. I had planned on making cupcakes, but then I saw this star form pan on super-duper clearance and then there was the problem of locating the large cupcake tins (with the combined household, we have enough tins to make over 7 dozen mini-muffins without re-using a tin, but my regular sized muffin tins are packed and Mom can't find hers), so it turned out to be two, two layer star cakes. One was chocolate with pink icing and the other coconut with white coconut icing. I adapted Isa's chocolate cupcakes and "buttercream" icing from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and her Coconut Heaven cupcakes and icing from Vegan with a Vengeance. I even broke out the pastry bags and icing tips for my first ever attemp at cake decorating. It wasn't Martha Stewart, but Nora was really happy as was I. Here's a really bad picture of a partial coconut cake and the pink cake after a star point was cut off. (I have no idea why I don't have a picture of just the cakes).
She had a really great time and everyone brought her too many wonderful presents. One of the many downsides of having a birthday right before Christmas is that all of your loot comes in one fell swoop, and it's hard to not get overwhelmed. On the upside, Jason and I will probably always be off for her birthday and we'll do our best to make sure her day isn't lost in the big holiday hubbub.

The Saturday before, Nora, Laura, Grammy and I made cookies - here Nora and I are working on the gingerbread cutouts (we used a doctored up recipe from Vegan Lunchbox) she really loved decorating them BEFORE they went into the oven (so, yes, they are safe to eat despite a three year old's hands being on them). She also loved tasting the dough, sprinkles, red hots, and sanding sugars as well as the finished product. We also made the Lemony Cutout cookies from Vegan With A Vengeance, but we just dropped them, flattened them and added sprinkles.

Christmas meant even more presents to open, including the whole Santa mythology which continues in our house thanks to Dad and I (Mom and Jason are really not into it).
Santa, with the help of Elves, Todd and Natascha who made a trip to Ikea, brought this fabulous easel. It's been one of the most popular gifts this year:
Along with Steve, Barbie's dog who's been born with a plastic heart on his abdomen and came with a complete pink and purple vet kit (thanks Mom). I don't know why Nora named him Steve. Lastly, I have my Aunt to thank again for this:
This is Penny. And actually I belive my cousin Ellen might be the responsible party, because believe it or not, this is a My Pretty Pony Newborn. Yes, I know it's blue, its eyes are too big (this is a big selling point with Nora) and it's hair is rainbow colored and it has a pacifier, but nevertheless its a horse and now its also beloved and must sleep with us. Her ears are not very nice to roll over on, but I think Penny is here to stay.