Fantasy Football Draft Cake

Spark wanted to bring something special for the snack table at the fantasy football draft he and Dad were going to.  He settled on a football cake, which we made at the last minute, which shows in the frosting job.  The cake came out of the oven at 4:50 and they had to leave at 5:30.  After the cake came out of the oven I cut it in a football shape and popped it in the fridge while making the frosting so at least the surface would be cool enough to frost. 

The frosting is Creamy Vanilla Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup softened butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
About 2 tablespoons milk

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix with the hand mixer until it is a spreadable consistency. 

I scooped out a little bit while it was still white for the laces on the ball.  The hard part was making the frosting football brown.  We got out the colors and it said to use two drops of red to every one drop of green and yellow. 

It did make it pretty in the bowl.  I started with twice that amount and mixed it up.  It looked like pale skin.  With the urging of the kids I kept adding more and more and more colors.  It was still the color of puce and never did get very dark.  The solution was to get out the unsweetened chocolate and keep dumping it in until we got a semi dark color which was quickly starting to look like chocolate frosting.  The clock was ticking so I smeared it on the cake, Dancer put the white frosting in a sandwich bag to be able to pipe it on the cake,  I drew on the laces, snapped a quick picture, threw some saran wrap on the top and the boys were out the door with instructions not to smash the top or chip the plate.  Hope it is good. 

This didn't make me feel any better

Dad and Spark are heading out the door for Spark's Saturday morning flag football game.  It is flag football but they are 4th graders.  Fourth grade boys love to tackle and so it is more of tackle, or pile on whoever has the ball, football.  I yell out to Spark, "Be careful when you are playing!"  I want my little cherub to come home in one piece to me.  Spark yells back, "Don't worry Mom, I will come home with all my teeth."

The key word here would be FLAG

Spark is trying football this fall through community ed. The 3rd and 4th graders, he is 3rd, play flag football and then when they are older they play the real deal. Well, these boys are so not interested in mamby pamby flag football. Here is their definition of flag football. They tackle who ever has the ball. Once he goes down, four other boys will jump on the pile just for good measure. A few moments later a hand will jut up out of the middle of the heap holding a flag. All the while the coaches, high school varsity players, are yelling "NO TACKLING - NO TACKLING." Well, good luck with getting 8 - 10 year old boys not to rough house, especially while playing football. They are cute out there though, running around like they are in the pros and dancing when they get a touch down.