Canadian Nickel Cake

Last year my dad asked me to make a couple of cakes for the Regina Coin Show. They were so impressed with them that they asked if I would make a cake to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Regina Coin Club. They wanted a nickel with the years 1953-2013 on it. I checked back with them about a month ago and the cake was still a go.

Truth be told I was a little nervous about this cake. I wasn't sure if I could get it silver enough, or if I could make the beaver look like a beaver. The good thing about making coin cakes is that it says right there what it is - "5 cents" - so there is no mistaking the beaver is actually a beaver, regardless of how it looks. Unless, or course, you don't know what a Canadian nickel looks likes - then there could be confusion!

I guess I shouldn't have worried because the cake turned out very well. The beaver definitely looks like a beaver! And once I sprayed it with the silver food colouring the lines showed up better then I thought they would.

I met my mom half way to Regina and she delivered the cake for me. It sounds like they were quite pleased with it!


Update: The Regina Coin Club sent pictures from their 60th Anniversary party to Coin News and so my cake will be in the next issue - Dec 31/13!

The Last Penny

Since this is the last year the penny will be minted my Dad decided it would be a great idea to make a giant penny cake and take it to the coin show in Regina. He wanted me to use the biggest cake pan I have, which is 18 inches. It doesn't even fit in my oven. I had to go over to the in-laws. My husband was around to give me a hand this time; which was great because we had to paint on copper glitter dust with tiny paintbrushes. It took a while. There was copper dust everywhere. The end result was pretty good - it looked like a penny!

Dad also got me to make a silver dollar cake for one of the guys at the coin show. He visited during the summer and gave us all a silver dollar, so this was thank you cake. He also climbed Castle Butte, which is quite a feat for a older gentleman! I tried to pick the easiest silver dollar to duplicate, although they all are quite detailed.

Dad was quite happy with the two cake and carefully loaded them up (along with a picture window and 10 gallons of honey) while making jokes about being caught with counterfeit money! I talked to him after they got home and the cakes were a hit. Everyone really enjoyed them and thought it was a great idea!

Seth was quite disappointed that he didn't get a piece of the penny cake, so I told him he could make is own cake and paint it with the copper glitter dust. That cheered him right up. As soon as Grandpa left Seth was busy decorating his cake.

I helped him spell the names right, but he did the rest. Not to shabby for his first attempt!