And I thought I’d share this with you, too: our first annual manger cake!

In order to keep our eyes focused on Christ’s birth, I created this Christmas manger cake that I hope we make each year together. After so much mulling about the “how-to”, I was quite pleased with the outcome. I’m not a “cake-baker” by nature, but really enjoyed this creation. And – what dya know – all of the icing and decorations still tasted good together! And, in a sweet tangible way, it enriched our Christmas day with thoughts of Christ. I wish I would have taken photos of each step so that you (and I) could easily bake it next year. But, words will have to suffice:

1. Using one box of yellow cake mix, I baked one small rectangular cake and one circle cake.

2. After they cooled, I cut the sides off of the rectangular cake at a diagonal; then, from the extra pieces, cut out two small triangles for the base of the manger. I cut off a curve of the circle cake for the body; then, from the extra circle cake, used a glass to cut a small circle for the head. From any extra cake, I cut out three triangles for the beams of light.

3. I iced the manger with white cream cheese icing. Vivienne sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top.

4. We mixed blue icing for the body and tan icing for the head.

5. I iced the three beams of light with white icing and added yellow sprinkles.

6. I added toasted coconut flakes for the hay.