<a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMGP1756-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1216" alt="gluten free smash cake" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMGP1756-2.jpg" width="331" height="500" /></a>
<p style="text-align: center;">A friend of mine's son is on a gluten, egg, and dairy free diet.  So, when it came time for his first birthday, she attempted to make his cake herself.  The baking of the cake was a big success, but she didn't have so much luck working with the vegan buttercream.  Since O and I were planning to attend the celebration, she enlisted my help with decorating the cake.  I can't take any credit for the baking of the cake, but I did manage to make it look respectable.  I used a recipe for vegan buttercream from <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Allergen-Free-Bakers-Handbook-Cybele-Pascal/dp/1587613484/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1407069471&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=allergen-free+baker%27s+handbook">The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook</a>, </em>and while it was a good starting place, I ended up using way more powdered sugar than the recipe called for.  The frosting was just too soft to work with.  After messing with the frosting and pulling the cake in and out of the freezer several times, I was finally satisfied with the results.  I even used a special allergen-free chocolate to make the inscription on the cake.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zIOgCgjcT0Q/UOL3nzHZ7OI/AAAAAAAAEwc/jmgUP5fvbDI/s280/balloon+cake+with+type.jpg" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">This was the <a href="http://www.designmegillah.com/2013/01/one-cake-three-ways.html?m=1">inspiration</a> for her cake.  She wanted a simple, white iced cake with inscription and a few real balloons.  Sadly, our balloons didn't look quite like this, but I think we came pretty close.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMGP1784-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1217" alt="smash cake" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMGP1784-2.jpg" width="500" height="331" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Marty, who is quite possibly one of the happiest kids I have ever met, loved every minute of his smash cake session.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMGP1806-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1219" alt="smash cake" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMGP1806-2.jpg" width="500" height="372" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Yuck!  He really did a number on it!  I left the cake in the fridge until about an hour before we served it.  I was concerned that if it stayed refrigerated, it would be too cold and hard for him to enjoy.  With the August heat and the nature of the vegan buttercream, it was pretty soft by the time he got around to it. But, Marty loved the feeling of the frosting between his fingers, massaging the cake, spreading it around, and even beating on it like a drum!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMGP1789-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1218" alt="cucpcake" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMGP1789-2.jpg" width="331" height="500" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">And, it wouldn't be a party unless O got messy eating cupcakes!</p>