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Cloche Topped Cake on an Aesthetic Movement Transferware Platter

Reminder:  Enter my Candle Giveaway HERE

  Remember me telling you all that my family has gotten into the restaurant business?   This is one of the desserts we serve at the restaurant, and it is now being made by yours truly.  
Yummy Italian Cream Cake!


I made this one for a get together with Shawn's family but just had to play dress it up for Marty's cloche party!   Marty, at A Stroll Thru Life hosts several cloche parties a year and they are always such fun, so I had that in the back of my mind when I made the cake.  I wanted to try something a little different with a cloche and until now, I hadn't seen a cloche as a cake topper, so...here you go.




I baked the three layers in graduating sizes of cake pans, 8", 9" and 10" to give a pretty tiered look.  Because the cakes are round and I served them on an oval platter, I created an oval appearance by spreading pecans directly on each long end of the platter, mimicking its shape and 'extending' the cake.  I think it turned out nicely.



I had already decided I wanted to serve it on this rich brown, Aesthetic Movement platter with a bird motif'...and I didn't stop there.  (If you'd like to read more about  Aesthetic transferware and the movement itself, just click the link above...this is by far my most popular post).

  


I started thinking it needed something under the cloche, so I toasted some coconut and formed a birds nest using some of the cream cheese frosting as a glue to hold it together.   Three blue Robins eggs sit on the nest.

Then, back on went the cloche.  I tied a sheer, brown and blue ribbon around it to tie in the blues and browns.  I don't know about you all, but I find it very difficult to get good photos of any cloche.  It seems I can never get a really clear shot.


Of course, I had to continue on with the bird theme ( I like theme-y stuff!) by using these most adorable napkin rings!  

These are burlap wrapped wooden rings with hand sculpted bird nests filled with eggs.  Yes, each little nest and egg is individually hand sculpted.  Jennifer Arndt is the very talented artist who made these for me.  She to has an Etsy shop where she sells some of her sculpted miniatures along with many others, mostly of German and Italian origin.   Do visit her.



Even my flatware pockets have a hand stamped bird motif'


You know you want a piece, don't you?  


 You'll have to wait because I'm not giving out the recipe just yet...soon though, I promise...or you can pop into the restaurant and have a slice anytime you'd like.



And, since we're celebrating cloche's with Marty, I thought I'd show you some pics of my past posts with cloches.  
I made these bird nest topped, mini cloche on purple transferware for a tablescape HERE

I used the same bird cloche as on the cake in this table for two 

My Christmas cloche vignette HERE


My favorite cloche still, is the one that holds love notes Shawn and I wrote each other when we were dating.  Of course, it rests on an a transferware platter!


Thank you for hosting the cloche party Marty!


I'm joining:
A Stroll Thru Life
Chic on a Shoestring 
Somewhat Simple
The Shabby Chic Cottage
Beyond The Picket Fence
Between Naps on the Porch 
Charm of Home
Romantic Home 
Just A Girl 
504 Main 
Faded Charm
Show Off Your Cottage Monday
Homemaker on a Dime

Comments

  1. That cake is so lovely. The little birds nest and the cloche over it....what a great idea! Love the napkin rings too. That cake looks so delicious.

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  2. that looks delicious... :)

    wonderful blog...glad to have stopped by :)

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  3. My mouth is watering for that magnificent cake...I am a push over for coconut. those napkin rings are darling... Love your cloche collection...it is an ongoing love affair...

    Veronica
    www.tasselsandtwigs.blogspot.com

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  4. cake looks yummy, and I love your napkins, are they from Etsy too?

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  5. What a clever idea -- and I like how you carried the theme through to even the littliest detail!

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  6. I adore the cloche on top of your yummy looking cake.

    Dee

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  7. Wonderful cake and what a great idea for that little cloche, on top with a little nest with lil'eggs!! I love the great display of cloches all over your house. The napkin rings are so pretty, Nancy, love them!...and of course, you know I'm in love with transfer ware. Thank you for your lovely visit and comments. Love, FABBY

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  8. Oh, Nancy! You're just amazing! That cake is gorgeous and what a great idea making the tiny cloche the cake topper! Italian Cream Cake is one of my favorites and I used to make it years ago! Yum, yours looks so good! Love your little bird's nest napkin holders too! Every visit here to your blog is such a treat! :) Wishing I had a big ole piece of that dreamy cake with a glass of milk! ;)
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  9. Very clever, Nancy! I like the cloche on top of the cake ~ it makes for unique cake topper but makes it look more special. Love the nest you made for under it, too. The napkins and flatware pockets are wonderful additions to this table. The cake looks so delicious!

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  10. Yummy, I will send you my Fed-Ex account #, just ship out that cake!! Have a wonderful week.

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  11. Cute idea Nancy! I love the little bird on top of the cloche:@)

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  12. Totally unique presentation on a cake that looks soooooo delicious.

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  13. Nancy, Nancy Nancy, that is an amazing looking cake -- just a work of artistry as well as all of the bird inspired items. Since I am nowhere near where you live, I am glad that you will post the recipe! Joni

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  14. Your cloche vignette is absolutely yummy!

    I hope that you will stop by and enter my giveaway.

    Also, I have begun a new meme entitled Wayfaring Wednesdays. Link up your trips and favorite excursions.

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  15. Hi Nancy!
    I don't have to tell you how much I love the bird cloche on top of the cake. I'm just shaking my head... Everything you do is always so beautiful and inspiring. So very pretty... I love everything from the cake to the dishes to the napkins. The napkin rings are adorable. I hope you're all settled into your new home. Have a nice week!

    Karen

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  16. That cake is unreal and putting the small cloche on top is stunning. I love all of your cloches, they are always displayed so beautifully. The little nest napkin rings are just precious also. Thanks so much for sharing such beautiful vignettes and for joining the party. Hugs, Marty

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  17. I remember your love note cloche...that is so precious. Those napkin rings are really cute too!

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  18. What a great idea and so cute...however, I did have trouble seeing the cloche because I could hardly take my eyes off that yummy looking cake.

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  19. Do you ever sleep? :-) Seriously, everything you do is just incredibly beautiful! Moving, completely redoing this house and all the other 1,000 things that life brings daily to such a busy household...don't know how you do it.

    Italian Cream Cake is my very favorite! My mother always made one for my birthday and, even though it's been man years, I still miss it. Thank you for reminding me of this wonderful memory!

    Your cloche, napkin rings, napkins...everything is beautiful!

    Pat

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  20. I was wondering how the restaurant business was going. Wasn't that the main cause for your big move? This recipe looks delightful, but I'm really drawn to the minature bird nests - so darling.

    - The Tablescaper

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  21. That cake looks SO delicious . . . and beautiful with the cloche on top! Where is Shawn's restaurant where we can get this?! Yum!

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  22. That is a beautiful cake....I love your napkin holders and cloche vignettes too....I'm your newest follower.
    Simply beautiful.
    Shel

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  23. Nancy,
    Your cake looks fantastic! Your cloche displays at Christmas are wonderful, as usual, your entire room looks amazing!

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  24. This is such a lovely presentation of my FAVORITE cake! It's so "sinful" that I make it once a year, for my husband's birthday.

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  25. Girl

    I love your cloches !!!!!!

    the one on the top of the cake is so creative

    love all of them

    I played with Marty also at A Stroll Through Life with the cloche party but I didn't think ahead

    Janice

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  26. Nancy, sorry I'm late arriving at your party. All your details are gorgeous, and yes, I do want a piece of that wonderful cake. Your cloche filled with love notes is my favorite. What a wonderful treasure! ~ Sarah

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  27. Gorgeous post! The cake is wonderful and the little nest napkin rings are so cute!Your space is stunning..lovely pictures. Thanks for sharing:)
    Hope to see you on my blog:)

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  28. adore the nesting theme...your cake looks yummy and the transfer platter underneath is lovely...thanks for sharing at fridays unfolded!

    alison

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  29. Beautiful, as always, Nancy! Not only do you have the most amazing collection of dishes, but linens, too. Thank you for sharing each week.

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  30. That is so smart! I think it is a winner. What a cute idea and I love the napkin rings too. What another smart idea with the love notes in the cloche! Very neat! Thanks for linking it up at HSH!
    Sherry

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  31. Hi, Nancy! You've got so much creativity here and I'm admiring them all. Can you please share your creative posts at the Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop? Hope to see you there :)

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  32. I'm so honored that you chose to join the Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop. Thank you for adding this special masterpiece to rock my party :)

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