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If you read my July 24, 2014 blog post, you'll know that I talked about Maleficent the evil fairy from the children's tale "Sleeping Beauty." You may have wondered why I picked that particular topic.
Well it was my birthday this week (I am 974 years old!) and I wanted a special cake to memorialize the celebration. There are not many holidays where we specifically celebrate with cake. If I were French, I'd have a buche de noel cake for Christmas. But I'm American!
Thanksgiving gets pumpkin pie. Valentine's Day - a box of chocolates if you're lucky. Arbor Day - don't even get me started on the lack of swag for that "holiday." Sometimes people will make a "flag cake" for Flag Day, but evidently I don't know any of "those people" because I don't see anyone knocking down my door to give me cake.
Basically unless I get married this year, the only opportunity to have an "official cake-sanctioned holiday" is my birthday.
So what kind of cake do you get to celebrate a once a year event?
I was procrastinating from cleaning by reading "news" stories online, when I saw a picture of Angelina Jolie doing a press junket for her movie "Maleficent" in Shanghai, China. It was also her birthday, so the press conference people presented her with this lovely birthday cake.
I have been to Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Macau, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand and what I have learned is "Asia Pacific Bakeries make GORGEOUS cakes."
This cake was Crazy Awesome - Maleficent with her staff with the Shanghai skyline behind her and ohhhh that purple fondant. I wondered if the cake inside was green as Maleficent is known for her green and purple tones. I knew instantly I needed a Maleficent cake like this for my birthday.
Now I know what you're thinking -- "Lily, you're already practically Angelina Jolie's twin ... gorgeous supermodel looks, insanely hot husband, six children, millions of dollars, humanitarian ... do you really need to have her birthday cake too?" That is what you're thinking, right? RIGHT?
Or maybe you're thinking "Lily, the only thing you and Angelina Jolie have in common would be a birthday cake, so go to it, Crazy Cat Lady!" (You're not thinking that, right? RIGHT?)
I MUST HAVE THIS CAKE ... and I knew immediately who could do it for me ...
Sweet Tweets Cakery of Tampa, Florida.
Sweet Tweets makes the most amazing cupcakes, but it is their cakes that have me speechless in awe.
I once had them make a strawberry champagne cake in the shape of a Tiffany's box. It was absolutely the right shade of Tiffany's blue. They also made mini cupcakes with pirate flags for a Gasparilla party that were THE hit of the party.
If you go to Sweet Tweets Facebook page, you'll see that Sweet Tweets makes some pretty darn amazing cakes. They have a wedding cake with cherry blossoms on their profile picture that is beyond gorgeous. I may have to get married just so I can have that cake. (If you see a Craigslist post that says "Marry me, so I can have cake;" you will know its me.)
I told Sweet Tweets I wanted a smaller version of the Angelina Jolie cake minus the Shanghai buildings. I emailed them photos and kept my fingers crossed.
And this is what they presented me with ...
ISN'T SHE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CAKE EVER? I know it's MY birthday cake, but come on ... she is perfection covered in fondant. (I also liked that when I picked up the cake from Sweet Tweets, the Sweet Tweets staff referred to the cake as "her" - women after my own heart who understand that a Maleficent cake is NOT an "it" but a "her.")
Maleficent is so regal with her green jewel topped staff! She is cute and yet slightly dangerous looking - exactly the look women have been trying to perfect for centuries!
I was trying to take glamour shots of my lovely Sweet Tweets cake when Chibby Kitten tried to jump into the scene. I rescued my beautiful cake before he could POUNCE! That would NOT have been a good picture had he reached the cake and took a big swipe out of it.
The cake is almond with an amaretto filling. I asked for the cake to be tinted green. I don't know if Angelina Jolie's cake was green, but I was determined that mine would be! The Sweet Tweets staff suggested tinting the amaretto filling purple - I trusted their judgment and I looooove the result!
Under the fondant, the cake had the most sinfully, smooth frosting. The cake was perfectly moist and delectable. The cake had a circle of edible gold chocolate pearls around it. So delicious!
Several friends who could not join me for "the big day" requested cake, so my freezer is filled with slices carefully wrapped that will be distributed later this week. (And for Mr. Cardamom Monroe - sometime hopefully in August if his relocation to Florida occurs soon!)
I can't get over what a beautiful job Sweet Tweets Cakery did on my birthday cake. I know at age 974, I probably shouldn't have a birthday cake with a cartoon character on it ... but life is short! Do I really want to be on my death bed thinking "I wish I had had a Maleficent cake?" I can tell you my answer is a booming, resounding, resolute "NO!"
My friend Ms. Wisconsin asked me if I was going to keep the Maleficent cake topper. I said "You bet, I am going to freeze her and bring her out to top French toast, hamburgers, anything I am eating I am going to stick her in!" (And I was only half joking!)
(Side Note: I picked up my cake the day before my birthday. Since I and my friends have no willpower, I picked up a four pack of Sweet Tweets cupcakes to keep any hungry cake eaters away from my beautiful, beautiful cake. I also learned an important lesson - my new Kipling purse [birthday gift to me!] can hold a four pack of cupcakes! I can just hear my friends saying "where are our cupcakes?" the next time we go to the movies. "You bragged on your blog that your purse can hold a 4 pack of cupcakes, so we expect you'll be smuggling in cupcakes to any and all movies we see!" Sigh ... Darn these friends of mine! More income will be going to Sweet Tweets in the future!)
After eating the most beautiful cake ever, I had a wonderful birthday celebration at Armani's Italian Restaurant. This is my most favorite place to go to watch the sunset over cocktails and a platter from their large antipasti bar. If you are in Tampa Bay, you must go. It is a memorable experience.
Armani's is at the top of the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay Hotel. I love this hotel for its location by the Bay and a lagoon as well as its restaurants Armani's and Oystercatchers. They have a slightly elevated walkway along the edge of the marshland off the Bay. It is a gorgeous walk where you can often times see waterfowl. I once took my sister to brunch at Oystercatchers and there was a Japanese anime convention at the hotel. It made for delightful people watching.
If you read my July 24, 2014 blog post, you'll know that I talked about Maleficent the evil fairy from the children's tale "Sleeping Beauty." You may have wondered why I picked that particular topic.
Well it was my birthday this week (I am 974 years old!) and I wanted a special cake to memorialize the celebration. There are not many holidays where we specifically celebrate with cake. If I were French, I'd have a buche de noel cake for Christmas. But I'm American!
Thanksgiving gets pumpkin pie. Valentine's Day - a box of chocolates if you're lucky. Arbor Day - don't even get me started on the lack of swag for that "holiday." Sometimes people will make a "flag cake" for Flag Day, but evidently I don't know any of "those people" because I don't see anyone knocking down my door to give me cake.
Basically unless I get married this year, the only opportunity to have an "official cake-sanctioned holiday" is my birthday.
So what kind of cake do you get to celebrate a once a year event?
I was procrastinating from cleaning by reading "news" stories online, when I saw a picture of Angelina Jolie doing a press junket for her movie "Maleficent" in Shanghai, China. It was also her birthday, so the press conference people presented her with this lovely birthday cake.
I have been to Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Macau, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand and what I have learned is "Asia Pacific Bakeries make GORGEOUS cakes."
This cake was Crazy Awesome - Maleficent with her staff with the Shanghai skyline behind her and ohhhh that purple fondant. I wondered if the cake inside was green as Maleficent is known for her green and purple tones. I knew instantly I needed a Maleficent cake like this for my birthday.
Now I know what you're thinking -- "Lily, you're already practically Angelina Jolie's twin ... gorgeous supermodel looks, insanely hot husband, six children, millions of dollars, humanitarian ... do you really need to have her birthday cake too?" That is what you're thinking, right? RIGHT?
Or maybe you're thinking "Lily, the only thing you and Angelina Jolie have in common would be a birthday cake, so go to it, Crazy Cat Lady!" (You're not thinking that, right? RIGHT?)
I MUST HAVE THIS CAKE ... and I knew immediately who could do it for me ...
Sweet Tweets Cakery of Tampa, Florida.
Sweet Tweets makes the most amazing cupcakes, but it is their cakes that have me speechless in awe.
 |
| Just a selection of Sweet Tweets many flavors - "The King" cupcake is my new favorite |
I once had them make a strawberry champagne cake in the shape of a Tiffany's box. It was absolutely the right shade of Tiffany's blue. They also made mini cupcakes with pirate flags for a Gasparilla party that were THE hit of the party.
If you go to Sweet Tweets Facebook page, you'll see that Sweet Tweets makes some pretty darn amazing cakes. They have a wedding cake with cherry blossoms on their profile picture that is beyond gorgeous. I may have to get married just so I can have that cake. (If you see a Craigslist post that says "Marry me, so I can have cake;" you will know its me.)
I told Sweet Tweets I wanted a smaller version of the Angelina Jolie cake minus the Shanghai buildings. I emailed them photos and kept my fingers crossed.
And this is what they presented me with ...
 |
| Look out behind you, Maleficent! There's a Chibby Kitten stalking you! |
ISN'T SHE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CAKE EVER? I know it's MY birthday cake, but come on ... she is perfection covered in fondant. (I also liked that when I picked up the cake from Sweet Tweets, the Sweet Tweets staff referred to the cake as "her" - women after my own heart who understand that a Maleficent cake is NOT an "it" but a "her.")
Maleficent is so regal with her green jewel topped staff! She is cute and yet slightly dangerous looking - exactly the look women have been trying to perfect for centuries!
I was trying to take glamour shots of my lovely Sweet Tweets cake when Chibby Kitten tried to jump into the scene. I rescued my beautiful cake before he could POUNCE! That would NOT have been a good picture had he reached the cake and took a big swipe out of it.
The cake is almond with an amaretto filling. I asked for the cake to be tinted green. I don't know if Angelina Jolie's cake was green, but I was determined that mine would be! The Sweet Tweets staff suggested tinting the amaretto filling purple - I trusted their judgment and I looooove the result!
Under the fondant, the cake had the most sinfully, smooth frosting. The cake was perfectly moist and delectable. The cake had a circle of edible gold chocolate pearls around it. So delicious!
Several friends who could not join me for "the big day" requested cake, so my freezer is filled with slices carefully wrapped that will be distributed later this week. (And for Mr. Cardamom Monroe - sometime hopefully in August if his relocation to Florida occurs soon!)
I can't get over what a beautiful job Sweet Tweets Cakery did on my birthday cake. I know at age 974, I probably shouldn't have a birthday cake with a cartoon character on it ... but life is short! Do I really want to be on my death bed thinking "I wish I had had a Maleficent cake?" I can tell you my answer is a booming, resounding, resolute "NO!"
My friend Ms. Wisconsin asked me if I was going to keep the Maleficent cake topper. I said "You bet, I am going to freeze her and bring her out to top French toast, hamburgers, anything I am eating I am going to stick her in!" (And I was only half joking!)
(Side Note: I picked up my cake the day before my birthday. Since I and my friends have no willpower, I picked up a four pack of Sweet Tweets cupcakes to keep any hungry cake eaters away from my beautiful, beautiful cake. I also learned an important lesson - my new Kipling purse [birthday gift to me!] can hold a four pack of cupcakes! I can just hear my friends saying "where are our cupcakes?" the next time we go to the movies. "You bragged on your blog that your purse can hold a 4 pack of cupcakes, so we expect you'll be smuggling in cupcakes to any and all movies we see!" Sigh ... Darn these friends of mine! More income will be going to Sweet Tweets in the future!)
 |
| White Wedding, Peanut Butter, The King and Banana Cupcake - because why have one when you can have FOUR? |
 |
| Normally I'd crop my gnarly feet out of the photo but I would like to point out that my zebra flip flops match my black and white skirt - which is about as color coordinated as I get. But even more important, I can fit FOUR JUMBO SWEET TWEETS CUPCAKES in my new Kipling purse! |
After eating the most beautiful cake ever, I had a wonderful birthday celebration at Armani's Italian Restaurant. This is my most favorite place to go to watch the sunset over cocktails and a platter from their large antipasti bar. If you are in Tampa Bay, you must go. It is a memorable experience.
 |
| The view from Armani's |
 |
| Our selected antipasti from the large antipasti bar |
 |
| Two Desserts In One Day? Well, it is my BIRTHDAY! |
On the grand occasion of my birthday, the Grand Hyatt did not disappoint. A "motorcycle enthusiasts" group made up of retired military, police, fire fighters and other helpers/first responders was having a convention at the hotel. I have never seen so many motorcycles in one place! And I have never seen so many bikers with so much alcohol in one place!
(For the record my answer to "what did you do for your birthday?" is now "Partied with a hotel full of bikers." OK that wasn't exactly the truth but we talked to three leather-clad gentlemen in the elevator as we were leaving and I took a picture by about 100 motorcycles. That counts, right?)
The service at Armani's is always stellar. We had two gentleman waiting on our table that night. The head waiter Jerry was very attentive and helped us select some great options.
My 974th birthday was a wonderful event -- an amazing Maleficent cake, a wonderful birthday dinner with a wonderful view, wonderful service, wonderful company, wonderful conversation, wonderful food, wonderful motorcycle enthusiasts (ha!) ... just plain wonderful.
(Side Note: Share my beautiful Sweet Tweets cake on Pinterest! Click here to pin!)
And like all fairy tales, my night ended happily ever after!
Whether you are looking for an amazing cake or an amazing place to watch the sunset and have a great meal, Tampa Bay has some amazing options! I hope you will check out both Armani's and Sweet Tweets!
P.S. When did my little blog surpass 150,000 page views? I turn around and I am already at 151,000+! Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading my wacky tales! I know other blogs may get 150,000+ page views an hour (or a minute!) but I'm just a wacky person in Tampa Bay so I appreciate every single page view. Thanks for making my day!
My 974th birthday was a wonderful event -- an amazing Maleficent cake, a wonderful birthday dinner with a wonderful view, wonderful service, wonderful company, wonderful conversation, wonderful food, wonderful motorcycle enthusiasts (ha!) ... just plain wonderful.
(Side Note: Share my beautiful Sweet Tweets cake on Pinterest! Click here to pin!)
 |
| No Cake For You, Chibby Kitten!!!!! |
And like all fairy tales, my night ended happily ever after!
Whether you are looking for an amazing cake or an amazing place to watch the sunset and have a great meal, Tampa Bay has some amazing options! I hope you will check out both Armani's and Sweet Tweets!
P.S. When did my little blog surpass 150,000 page views? I turn around and I am already at 151,000+! Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading my wacky tales! I know other blogs may get 150,000+ page views an hour (or a minute!) but I'm just a wacky person in Tampa Bay so I appreciate every single page view. Thanks for making my day!
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