May the Force be with you . . .

The kiddo had a Star Wars birthday party last weekend. Only 6 kids came over and I still feel like I'm in recovery mode!

Actually...it was really fun. No injuries, although my husband almost lost an eye with a projectile from the pinata. I'll spare you the details.

But, you will get the details on the sweets. Let's start with the R2D2 cookies....

I'm always reluctant to do "characters." I tried my hardest to channel these Star Wars cookies from Sugar Belle, but didn't quite get there.

These were the party favors. I mean, as if cake, ice cream, punch and candy from the pinata aren't enough...send the kids home with a little more sugar!!! You are welcome, parents! ;)

The plan was for the cookies to say "May the Force be with you." I couldn't get it to fit.

Can you see that sparkle in the background? I love it! I used my new disco dust. I didn't want the entire background to be glittery, so I brushed this on the DRY background (IE: the cookies had dried overnight) to make it look like the sky.

On to the cake....now the girls on my cake decorating team for NYC are about to get nervous because I am not a cake decorator! You'll soon see.

I made an R2D2 from candy melts and royal icing. Then, the Star Wars cake was inspired by the lovely multi-colored cakes from Amanda of i am baker. My son said he wanted red and blue layers...something about good and bad lightsabers.

{So, R2 didn't sit exactly flat on the cake...the boys didn't seem to notice!}

{These candles were supposed to have a blue flame...not as cool as they looked on the box.}

Want to see the inside??!?!

Cool, right?

I tried to get a few more pictures of the inside, but hungry boys just don't understand, "Wait about 10 minutes while I put this cake in the light box near the "good window" and take a picture from every angle." Geez.

The layers are just white cake mix with blue and red food coloring. (Each cake mix made 2 layers and I used AmeriColor Royal Blue and AmeriColor Super Red.)

This frosting was incredible...right from the back of the cocoa can (I used Hershey's Special Dark, or dutch-process cocoa).

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING
(from Hershey's...I doubled this recipe)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa, Special Dark or regular
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

I used 3/4 c. frosting between each layer and used the rest to cover the top and sides.