<a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/chicken-and-rice-003.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-713" alt="ombre cake, petal effect" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/chicken-and-rice-003.jpg" width="500" height="374" /></a>

A long time ago, my mom became my grandfather's "#1 daughter-in-law" -- he has 3 daughters, and she was sick of being #4!  But, she's always been and always will be my #1 mom.  We were moving into our new house on her birthday, so we celebrated her big day with dinner out for Lobsterpalooza.  But, she didn't let me forget that I owed her a cake.  How could I let her down?  She is my #1 mom, after all.

<a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/chicken-and-rice-005.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-714" alt="smash cake" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/chicken-and-rice-005.jpg" width="487" height="500" /></a>

I was very curious to try out this decoration style known as "petal effect" or "ombre cake".  It's time consuming but super easy, and the results are great.