Taking the Cake: The Cookies

We started the cookies for the kiddos' birthday cake on Tuesday, with all three of us rolling out, cutting, and baking half a batch and then later playing with frosting (on Wednesday).

I saved the second half of the batch, just in case the kids wanted the cookies they made (they did), and so made another set on Tuesday night, 7 perfect bunnies and 7 perfect dinos. Which if you do the math means I have three spares of each animal (because they're getting four on a cake, one for each year old).

But I decorated all 14 last night (just in case some break before the party): the dinosaurs are blue, six of the bunnies are pink, and one of the bunnies is white, just like Sis's favorite bunny, Amy. (I cheated and used Wilton White Cookie Icing, in the bottle, adding gel colorings, because it was later than I expected and I didn't want to mess up my kitchen with homemade royal icing.) Tonight, I will add the facial features and such (maybe yellow and green spots for the dinos), though Mama and I differ on exactly what needs to be added. She thinks they're great as an abstraction; I think the kids will like them better with a bit of detail. We'll see. I have a few to practice with.

I also have to attach the sticks to the back of the cookies with royal icing tonight, so I can poke them in the cakes. I had talked to Miss T about options: baking the stick inside the cookie would have meant very thick cookies, but sticks are better than trying to affix the cookies to the top of the frosted cake. So, royal icing as glue it is. And if it doesn't work, I'll prop the cookies up with toothpicks or candles or something!

But I haven't decided if I should do the details first or the sticks first. Gonna be an exciting night . . .