Groom's Cake Unveiled

Here it is ladies and gentlemen, my most creative cake to date.

When talking with my brother about wedding stuff, I offered to do his groom's cake. I knew I would be busy with wedding activities, but I love to bake and I love my brother. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

His main request was a key lime cake with cream cheese frosting. It’s easy, moist, and always a hit. After that, he said he really didn't care what it looked like as long as it tasted good.
I went through several options before pulling out the old, "What about something Alabama?" suggestion. Of course he jumped on that. Again, he didn't care what, just as long as it had something with the University of Alabama.

It was actually Nelson who suggested doing something with the hat. For those of you who are not familiar with the University of Alabama's football program (I'll forgive you...but only if you're not from Alabama or have never watched a college football game), I'll need to explain.

I was born in Tuscaloosa, AL while my dad was finishing his Master's Degree at the University of Alabama. I was baptized in the chapel on campus. At the time, the football team was coached by the legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant, who at the time of his retirement, was the winningest coach in Division I college football. To put it in perspective, some people remember where they were when they heard the news that Kennedy had been shot. I remember where I was when I heard that Bear Bryant had died. Anyway, he never coached an outdoor game without his signature hounds tooth hat (he didn't wear it inside because he was, after all, a Southern gentleman).

I knew it would be challenging but once I got the vision for it, there was no turning back. Sure I could have just placed a hat on top of the cake, but that would not have achieved the "cool" factor I was looking for for Brian.

I was so nervous about how it would turn out that I didn't tell anyone but Nelson my plans just in case I had to scrap the hat and resort to a giant A on the top of the cake. When the cake had been put together and frosted white but not decorated, my mom came in my house for something.

She began like this. "How's the cake....ohhh."

"Mom, you're not supposed to see the cake. It's a surprise," I said.

"Um," she sputtered looking at the top of it all carved and seemingly caved in, "is it going like you had planned?" I’m sure she was wondering what had gone wrong and why I thought I could cover it up with frosting.

"Mom, we're not talking about the cake," I said, suddenly wondering if she would recognize it once it was colored in.

"Okay then," she said, not wanting to upset me, "I'll be praying for you."

Happily, when I walked into the rehearsal dinner hall with it in hand she had an epiphany of sorts and recognized it for what it was. "Oh," she exclaimed with a smile, "now I get it. That's so cool!"

Yeah, mom, I thought so too!