Are you looking for a fun, unique, and very personalized gift for your loved one this Valentines Day?
I think I have something that just might give your special someone a good idea of just how deeply you love them.
How about a personalized crossword puzzle written on a cookie nestling inside a delicious chocolate cake "box"?
I had seen bakerella do a Valentines Heart box a couple years ago and been dying to try something like it ever since!!
I started out with the idea of doing a personalized crosswords puzzle. I went to this site to help me get all the info. plugged in, then I made a rough sketch of how I wanted it to look on the cookie.
And then, because I know how very easy it is to make a mistake on a cookie and be heartbroken for days and days and maybe even shed a few tears in the process, I decided to do these on fondant.
That way if I made a mistake I could easily start over without have to bake and frost and new cookie!
(when done, just add some frosting or icing to the cookie and place the fondant on top)
Two things:
This looks really boring to me.
Who wants to eat cookies covered in fondant?
So! It was then pretty obvious that I needed to make the cake "box" for the cookies to be presented in.
I also wanted to make the crossword puzzle more fitting for the theme of Valentines Day.
So! Color in 27 million squares with red and pink glaze frosting? Check.
Create a box made out of chocolate pound cake (for stability) covered in red fondant? Check.
Wait impatiently for loved one to come home so you can tear into this sucker? Absolutely.
For writing you can either place some royal icing or glaze icing into a piping bag (or plastic baggie, some bakers swear by this method I promise!) and instruct the recipient to cut off the smallest tip to begin writing. Or you can provide them with a pen that writes with edible ink, easily available at your local grocery store!
Of course, you can make the puzzle as tame or as wild as you would like. ;)
Just be sure to give it to someone you love!
***
For those that requested to see that this was in fact, a cake, here is a picture from today.
And yes, it was good! :)
*****
Be sure to check this out on TidyMom's I'm Lovin It! (seriously awesome links over there, and a contest!)
and Amy Atlas's blog!
Wow. Blown away like usual. These are so cool!
Posted by: Jessica @ How Sweet | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:18 PM
Amanda, these are SOO cute!! WOW! Dang, you are creative, Girl!
Posted by: Liz | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:18 PM
AMAZING! You are so creative and always come up with such wonderful ideas.
Posted by: Diane {createdbydiane.blogspot.com} | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:19 PM
Excellent work Amanda! These are amazing!!!
Posted by: Renee (Kudos Kitchen) | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:22 PM
Incredible1what a genius idea. And so beautiful. Love it.
Posted by: Lora | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:28 PM
Amanda.......you blow me away every time!! This is amazing!!
Posted by: TidyMom | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:30 PM
Wow! THis is simple amazing!! Well done!!
Posted by: Alison | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Very nice job! :)
Posted by: Stephanie | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Just...incredible! Wow!
Posted by: Thehfive | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:41 PM
oh I love it!! Awesome job!!
Posted by: Joy | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:42 PM
Wow, oh , wow.....just the CUTEST, Amanda! Love, love, love them!
Posted by: bridget {bake at 350} | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:49 PM
you are one special lady! can I move in with you and just follow you around...all day long? these are InGenius! You are a genius! x
Posted by: susan | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:49 PM
holy guacamole! I sure hope you didn't have an order for like 100 of these...my hand is cramping just thinking about that :) Great idea lady and so awesomely awesome!!
Posted by: michelle@sugarswings | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:50 PM
did you ever consider a cookbook….i am serious!!!!
this is over the top….WOW! WOW!
Posted by: linda | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:53 PM
You are AMAZING! I hope you don't get sick of me saying that, but you are!
Posted by: Maria | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:53 PM
Wow just doesn't cover it... That is cookie dedication!!!! :)
Posted by: Dana Ryann | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:54 PM
So cute!
Posted by: Bea @ CancunCookies | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:58 PM
Extremely AWESOME!
Posted by: Renee | Jan 17, 2011 at 12:59 PM
This is the cutest cookie and cake I have seen in my life...I love it!! the detail work is amazing. You are so lucky to have the time,patience and incredible talent to do such a beautiful work. I am so curious...How long did it take you to do this including the template process?
Posted by: Kathia | Jan 17, 2011 at 01:00 PM
Seriously, this has me shaking my head. Wow. Just wow.
Posted by: Tara | Jan 17, 2011 at 01:02 PM
Wow. WOW. you are crazy in the best possible way.
Posted by: HeatherChristo | Jan 17, 2011 at 01:09 PM
Unbelievable! :) I usually look at your website and get inspired to try your ideas with my family... not this time. LOL. I think I will enjoy from a distance. I KNOW I don't have the patience to try this... though it is an incredibly cool idea. My husband would love it.
Blessings to you, Kari
Posted by: Kari | Jan 17, 2011 at 01:10 PM
OVER THE TOP BRILLIANCE!!!
Posted by: Sue | Jan 17, 2011 at 01:18 PM
You amaze me!!!
Posted by: Deborah | Jan 17, 2011 at 01:19 PM
Are you trying to tell me that the box is cake???
Posted by: Jenny | Jan 17, 2011 at 01:23 PM
Definitely a lot of work went into the making of this but it certainly paid off Amanda. It is beautiful, creative and no doubt delicious. Fantastic!
Posted by: Paula | Jan 17, 2011 at 01:42 PM
WOW. That is incredible. Love love love it!!!! It's like a work of art.
Posted by: Kelly | Jan 17, 2011 at 01:44 PM
7-Letter word that describes this project! A-----g!....hint...it also describes your talent and creatvity! What a blast this will be to try and recreate.
Posted by: Gwendolyn McBee | Jan 17, 2011 at 01:47 PM
Absolutely wonderful! You are so incredibly talented! I truly love this idea soooo much! Thank you!!
Posted by: Darla @ Bakingdom | Jan 17, 2011 at 01:50 PM
WOW!!!!!
Posted by: Christy | Jan 17, 2011 at 02:07 PM
These look so amazing! I am so jealous of your skills!
Posted by: A tablespoon of Liz | Jan 17, 2011 at 02:41 PM
Wonderful idea!!!! I agree with a previous commentor(er?, ar?, oh heck, I don't know). I will enjoy this from a distance. I don't think my children would allow me the time needed to design something like this...lol.
It's a wonderful design Amanda...you should think of a recipe book!
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1383896427 | Jan 17, 2011 at 03:16 PM
Amanda everytime I think you've done the best you can do, you come out with something like this!
You're so very clever, I'm in awe.
XxMB
Posted by: MamaBear | Jan 17, 2011 at 03:30 PM
You get my biggest WOW for today...or maybe for the rest of the week! I don't even have the confidence to properly roll out a plain fondant let alone create something like this. This is awesome!
Posted by: Lemons and Anchovies | Jan 17, 2011 at 04:22 PM
adorable...how big is that cookie I wonder?
Posted by: cherylene | Jan 17, 2011 at 04:47 PM
WOW WOW WOW WOW. I can't even imagine how long it took to make this! Its a fantastic idea!
Posted by: Georganne | Jan 17, 2011 at 05:02 PM
Oh my gosh, can I be your valentine??????
Posted by: Alicia | Jan 17, 2011 at 05:34 PM
Lady, the patience and skill that is required to do that is so beyond me! You are amazing!!
Posted by: Lorie | Jan 17, 2011 at 05:56 PM
Oh WOW!!!
I've followed your blog for a long time and this is the first comment I've made but I am completely blown away by there! Amazing!!! I'll never have the patience for that!
Posted by: Frances | Jan 17, 2011 at 06:23 PM
I can't wait to start working on my valentine's day baking projects, I love your cookie idea. You really do have endless amounts of patience, a gift from God, literally.
Posted by: Lexiscafe.wordpress.com | Jan 17, 2011 at 07:10 PM
I am amazed yet again! Where do you keep coming up with all of these ideas! Each time you decorate a cookie is just gets more and more creative! I'm sure your hubby loved this Valentine cookie!
Posted by: Lauren @ Crave. Indulge. Satisfy. | Jan 17, 2011 at 07:29 PM
WOW! Once again you have raised the cookie bar!! Bravo!!
Posted by: Shannon | Jan 17, 2011 at 07:38 PM
Oh my goodness you have the patience of a saint filling in all those tiny boxes.
Posted by: Nicole | Jan 17, 2011 at 09:31 PM
Holy cow. Crazy, yes, awesome yes. Wow.
Posted by: Zemphira Creations | Jan 17, 2011 at 09:53 PM
I love everything about it. Absolutely everything.
Posted by: Rochel | Jan 17, 2011 at 09:57 PM
Wow! That looks amazingly fun!
Posted by: Chantele | Jan 17, 2011 at 10:18 PM
Your creativity is amazing!! Love this so much, I linked it on my last blog post. hehe Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Barbi @ MF | Jan 17, 2011 at 10:20 PM
This is amazing and very creative, i absolutely loved it.Never came across something like this!
Posted by: Paromita | Jan 18, 2011 at 12:46 AM
beautiful!!
i really like that!
Posted by: rotem | Jan 18, 2011 at 02:13 AM
Love!
Posted by: Jennifer @ The Hudson Cakery | Jan 18, 2011 at 06:41 AM