Star Wars R2D2 Birthday Cake

I'm co-habitating with a geek. He tries to hide it from time to time, but he is a little boy at heart.

Week-long, themed birthday celebrations are the norm in our house and this year was no different. Not sure why it took me so many years to actually do 'Geek Week' for my love, but it was a smashing success. From Zombie Insurance to Light Saber Popsicles, each day brought a new present and more fun and they all led up to the grand finale: a homemade R2D2 Replica Birthday Cake.

Creating this Star Wars cake takes time and some patience but it's completely worth it. Bake the cakes ahead of time and freeze them so you can focus on the most important part - decorating. This isn't the time to test out new cake recipes; save yourself a lot of hassle and go with tried and true.

The cake is comprised of six layers: 1 chocolate stout bunt cake, 3 layers of buttermilk white cake, 1 layer of Rice Krispies and 1 layer of Chex Mix Krispies along with two extra pans of rice krispies for the arms and legs, four batches of buttercream frosting and four recipes of homemade fondant. The fondant keeps everything so moist and delicious- this cake lasts days of noshing. It's a big, giant, heavy, delectable cake.

Wow your birthday guy/girl with this R2D2 cake, then deliberate for hours whether you should actually cut into the cake, eventually enjoy a piece out of the back side, then let him take it to work and blow everyone away. The kudos will have you flying high for a week.  

Young or old, pocket protector or not, all fans of Star Wars deserve a Fat and Happy R2D2 Cake at some point. The only real questions is how to out-do this next year??

Caramel Rice Krispie Treats with Smoked Sea Salt

Recently I was asked to create desserts for the Causes for Kids fundraiser. This is a great cause that is committed to working to protect childred by preventing child abuse.

I felt the theme of the desserts needed to be fun and child-like, but with an upscale twist. Boozy Pudding Shots, Chocolate Kahlua Brownies with Whiskey Soaked Cherries and Red Velvet Cake Balls all worked perfect for whimsical childhood treats. But I couldn't shake the idea of the most classic dessert of them all- the rice krispy treat.

We've all seen rice krispy treats with other flavors of cereal in them, we made thousands of them at the restaurant. But something more 'refined' was needed for the guests attending this soiree. Using a caramel marshmallow base was pure genius (yup, patting myself on the back for this one) - the treats stayed soft for a week! Adding the smoked salt really put it over the top. It's almost like a salted caramel with crunch, but really more like a caramel-y rice krispy.

There is no reason why all of us are not involved in or giving to a charity, so do your part. It will make you feel good. There is also no reason to wait for a fancy party to make these ooey gooey Fat and Happy treats. They will also make you feel good, trust me!


Fat and Happy Food Blog Tips and Techniques: Purchase smoked salt at a local spice store or make your own by smoking it on the grill or soaking it in liquid smoke. Search the net for exact specifications if you decide to make your own.

Smoked Salt and Caramel Rice Krispy Treats

8 tablespoon butter

6 heaping tablespoon brown sugar

 6 tablespoon cream

20 marshmallow

6 cups rice krispies

1 tablespoon smoked sea salt

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar, don't worry if it doesn't doesn't all come together at this point but do be careful not to burn it. Continue to whisk while the sugar melts. Then whisk in the cream, this should all come together at this point. Simmer for about 2 minutes to make sure the sugar is well dissolved. Add in the marshmallow, turn the heat to low and stir until they are melted and the mixture has come together.

Quickly add in the rice krispies and stir to combine. Pour into a greased pan and quickly smooth the top. Sprinkle on the smoked salt immediately. Allow the treats to cool slightly before cutting them or just dig in with a spoon while they are still hot.

Homemade Marshmallows

You can do that? This phrase is not foreign to me. Like when making marshmallows from scratch. Contrary to popular belief, marshmallows DO NOT have to come from a plastic bag at the supermarket.

One of the great rewards about making homemade marshmallows, besides wowing your friends and family with your mad skills, is that you can flavor them. Peppermint, vanilla, almond, cherry, caramel, chocolate, maple - pretty much anything is doable.

The process is fairly easy but messy. Luckily the clean up is a snap since it's all sugar. A little hot water and it all just melts away! However one requirement for making marshmallows is a stand mixer; unless you are looking for a good arm work out and want to hold a hand mixer for twenty minutes.