Back in the Day - A birthday cake for Timmachee

Something you should know - I like revelry. I love parties and being around my friends and family and having a good time. Throw in a theme and some costumes, and I'm golden. Also, any excuse to make some food for others, and I'm totally there!

I used to live at a place we call PlymouthHaus, and I had three fairly social roommates. So we had people over all the time, which gave me countless occasions to feed some folks. It was there that I perfected my signature Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip cookies, and there that I taught myself to drunkenly make gravy and cheese sauce. Which, let me tell you, toss in some bacon and instant mashed potatoes, and you've got a delicious after-hours situation going on. I have so many great memories of that place, and I miss the constant opportunity to cook for my friends.

Now, to the point - one of the aforementioned roommates has been one of my best friends for going on 18 years.

Meet my friend, Timmachee. Yeah, he's a little crazy, but so aren't we all?

Anyway, the first year I lived at PlymouthHaus, 2005, we threw a zombie party for Timmachee's birthday, which falls just before Halloween. After weeks of planning, and also procrastinating on getting a costume together, I ran across this: http://www.theyrecoming.com/extras/. Scroll down a bit, and you'll see the inspiration for Timmachee's birthday cake.

I immediately decided I had to try it, the fact that I had none of the materials was immaterial to me. I would make this cake, and it would be delicious! After frantically searching the web for tutorials, grocery shopping, and hitting up my local JoAnns for some food coloring, I set out to create the zombie cake of my dreams.

Now, it wasn't all fun and games, but I had a dandy time making it, and learning how to make ganache AND modeling chocolate, both of which are so much easier than I had previously thought. However, I got so into this project that I completely failed in the costume department. A friend and I were making chocolate covered cherry eyeballs up to the end...

So, without further ado, I present to you my first baking masterpiece: Zombie-licious Chocolate Cake.

I especially like his oozing eye socket. I thought it was a nice touch. Also, there's a bit of his skull exposed in the back, but you can't see it so you'll just have to take my word for it. Sure, he's got a big nose, big ears, and obviously some oversized dentures, but all in all, I find him VERY handsome. Don't you? Clearly he's the best zombie to have eating your brains...