Cowpony at the Chili Cookoff – 3/14/12 – This is one of my older and favorite cakes. My daughter’s class was studying Western Expansion in school, so her teacher asked if I could make a extra-special treat for those hard-workin’ kids for the end-of-unit Chili Cookoff. The teacher asked for a horse, no doubt thinking of a flat cut-out. Surprise! I felt the Indian Paint Cowpony was as iconic of the West as you could get, and I worked really hard to get the face of the critter just right. Both the Pony and Chili Pot are full of Spotted-Pony Chocolate-Chip Vanilla cake with “Please Everbody” classic Vanilla Buttercream. The saddle is created piece by piece out of rolled fondant and detailed individually. The entire horse is a food-safe frame holding up a cake body and rice-krispy-treat head, covered in fondant and painted. This one was a Big Thrill for all the kids and teachers – the whole school ground to a screeching halt as teachers, students, and admin all popped in for a glance. One little girl did get weepy when cutting time came, but she got over it once she tasted…like they always