Saturday, November 15, 2014

Late Fall VintageTablescape

November 15th, 2014
National Bundt Cake Day

I baked my first bundt cake this week for Cuisine Kathleen's Bundt Cake Challenge on Wednesday November 12th.  It was not a pretty site, the two pieces of my pumpkin shaped cake did not fit together properly so I hacked at them with a long knife until I could get them to fit together (kind of) and the frosting turned to fudge before I could pour it onto my cake.  I surgically improved it by amputating the bottom of the cake and gave it a face lift in order to be able to participate in the challenge.  Let it be said that I was rather disheartened by the dismal appearance of my cake and needed some time to reconcile myself to the fact that I am not much of a baker.  I needed a little time to go ahead and fix my cake as best I could,  set the table that I wanted to do for a fall tablescape,  and then swallow my pride and fess up to the fact that I did not have any idea what I was doing.  But first before I get to the cake I want to show you a place setting from the vintage tablescape I did for late fall.  I used the beautiful place mat's I won from Fabby's Blogging anniversary give-a-way to set the tone for the rest of the table.You will see that this post is very similar to  Vintage Early Fall Tablescape .

Vintage Fall Tablescape
Late Fall  table setting


Vintage china, crystal stemware, brown and white tablescape, Fall tablescape, tablescape,
Early Fall table setting

On to the cake!  

When Kathleen first announced her bundt cake challenge I immediately went to Pinterest and started pinning bunt cakes and then I came across my dream bundt cake...... I was in love!    I do not know who originated this post but you can find this picture and a pumpkin bundt cake recipe at Top Graduation Cake Ideas here
Once I knew the cake style I wanted to bake I turned to Ebay to find the perfect bundt cake pan.
 

Before I even received my new cake pans I started looking for the recipe I wanted to use for my bundt cake.  I narrowed it down to two recipes (both found on Pinterest), one was a pumpkin based recipe and the other was an apple recipe.  Dearest hubby made the decision for an apple cake.  You can find the recipe for this cake from Tracy's Culinary Adventures here.

My cake resembled neither of the Pinterest posts,  I had to cut the bottom half of my cake off because of it's hideous appearance and then fix the frosting (it literally turned to praline fudge while I was trying to "drizzle" it over the cake). The frosting may look thick and chunky but it is delicious.  The cake is really tasty too. After surgery,  the face lift, and adding nuts to the top,  it did look kind of like Tray's cake. I have learned a lesson from this experience - move really fast if you want your frosting to drizzle.

My cake

After a lot of work it is now presentable enough.
(kind of)
The pecans on top really did help to smooth out the icing on the top of the cake.  The "drizzle" down the sides peals off like praline fudge and boy is it tasty.  Not a gorgeous cake but it is ok enough.  If I ever make another bundt cake it will not be frosted or drizzled,  only lightly sprinkled with powder sugar.
Plum Creek Place
I placed the cake under a glass dome and centered on the table behind the dining table and proceeded with taking the pictures for my tablescape post.

Vintage Fall Tablescape - Santa Anita Ware California Trellis
I love the wood look of this pilgrim set.

Vintage Fall Tablescape - Santa Anita Ware California Trellis

Dear Hubby got a kick out of the place cards on the table.
Vintage Fall Tablescape - Santa Anita Ware California Trellis
The dinnerware, flatware, and water glasses are all vintage.

Vintage Fall Tablescape - Santa Anita Ware California Trellis
The dinnerware is Santa Anita Ware - California Trellis

Vintage Fall Tablescape - Santa Anita Ware California Trellis
A warm buttery yellow color with a lite spatter of brown speckles with a brown trellis pattern in the middle.  I have had this set for a while and have periodically looked it up on Ebay but have not seen it for sale. I had a hard time getting the color to show up properly. In the picture below the color looks more creamy than it's true yellow hue.
Vintage Fall Tablescape - Santa Anita Ware California Trellis
The vintage amber water glasses have been collected from thrift stores over several years.  I have a few of the wine glasses but not enough for a tablescape yet.  I remember my mother having these glasses (a whole set, wine glasses and all) in the kitchen cabinet during the sixties.  They were premiums from a local grocery store.  The store was also offering a dark gold scrolled pattern of dinnerware that mother was collecting - I still see that plate pattern at the thrift stores now and then it, sells very quickly.

Vintage Fall Tablescape - Santa Anita Ware California Trellis
The flatware is from Interpur  the INR2 Pattern.  I found 20+ place settings and some of the serving pieces  at the Goodwill store near where I worked.  All of the flatware pieces were in new condition and still in the original wrappers.  I bought them all.  I love this pattern with it's 1960's look. 
 Vintage Fall Tablescape - Interpur INR2 flatwareVintage Fall Tablescape - Interpur INR2 flatware


Vintage Fall Tablescape - Interpur INR2 flatware
The napkins were a thrift store find (I think) that I did not remember buying.  I like finding surprises in my stash that I don't remember I have.  This looks like a Vera pattern but it is not marked as such.
Vintage Fall Tablescape - Santa Anita Ware, Interpur flatware

I have been emptying the china cabinets out to get them ready to move before the new flooring is installed after the holidays.  I arranged the shelves for the upcoming holiday season with some of  my winter looking china.
Plumcreek Place - Aqua glass and crystal in the china cabinet
Almost everything in the cabinets was thrifted.  I did buy some more of the aqua swirl bowls off of Ebay to add to the ones that I had found to Goodwill a couple of weeks ago (I bought four, only three survived the post office).  As luck would have it I did find another set at Goodwill the following week.  I bought them.   Now I have 11 of these pretty little bowls plus three of the serving bowls that go with them..

On a more serious note:

My cat Baby passed away after two year's of illness with hyperthyroidism. She gave us eighteen years of love.  She will be missed
Baby
I will be sharing at:

Cuisine Kathleen's Bundt Cake Challenge  (better late than never)

Susan's tablescape Thursday  (I'm late for this one too)

Christine's Table It Party

14 comments:

  1. Candy, I think your bundt came out just fine, it looks great! I also love that beautiful glass pumpkin and those gorgeous scrolled glasses.....so pretty! Sorry to hear about your sweet kitty, I know that must be difficult. :(

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  2. It looks delicious, and I bet it tasted good too. Beautiful setting, very inviting! Sorry for your loss, I am not an animal owner, but I know people consider pets part of their family. Thanks for taking the challenge! Get ready for Dec.! :)

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  3. Candy, I'd like a piece of your cake...it looks delicious...if you hadn't told us you hacked the bottom, we would never have known!
    Awesome vintage table...the flatware is great. The napkins sure do look like Vera...I have a couple pieces that look like her, but don't have her signature...wonder if some of her earlier pieces were without. Guess I will have to see if I can find anything on it!
    Love the way you have decorated the china cabinet.
    Have a great rest of the weekend.
    So sorry about your kitty.

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  4. Oh my oh my oh my. I do love those dishes. My granny had the same thing (she even lived in California). I don't know what happened to them, but I did get her "every day dishes" - Franciscan Desert Rose, so I can't complain. I love how the flatware and the glasses coordinated - and the napkins are darling.

    Your cake looks wonderful - I suppose what happened was that you cooked your frosting too long? It was a cooked frosting wasn't it? If not - I have no clue - but it looks tasty and the nuts on top are the perfect touch. I would like to make one of those pumpkin shaped cakes sometime though - that would be fun. I think that the manufacturers of such pan have a kitchen full of professional chefs and it might take many tries to get the cake to come out righ - I'd like to see their failures - probably a lot - but the pan is cute. You could use the same pan and decorate it differently and make it into a great big christmas ornament too. Maybe some peppermint on the top and swirlies all around to look like an ornament.

    The cabinet looks very wintery - I have those same turquoise bowls. I used to have a set of them in pink with the serving bowl too - wonder where they went.

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  5. I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my sweet Izzy three years ago and still miss her deeply.

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words. Baby was originally named Isadora, we called her Izzy for short. My husband kept telling everyone that she was my baby and eventually we just called her Baby. That is such a coincidence.

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  6. Such a warm and beautiful table....Loving your centerpiece and that flatware. It's gorgeous! and I am so sorry to hear about your sweet furry loved one. (((hugs)))

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  7. love your pedastal cake plate!! I was hoping to get my pumpkin pan out I got several yrs ago at Walmart & show it. Great job!

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  8. Dear Candy do you honestly believe that who ever bakes a cake that this hasn't happened to them? Really? as a professional baker this happens all the time ALOT.Our secret we don't tell anyone or we we hide the flaws in melted chocolate works like a charm every time. My heart aches for your Baby. when your heart has healed enough but not very long please run to the closest shelter and find your next Love(aka family member) so many Babies are waiting to love you forever.Susie..

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  9. Hi Candy,

    Your cake looks delicious and delightful from where I'm sitting, and I bet that icing was scrumptious! What a lovely tablescape, starring your cake! I love the flowery napkins, perfect for fall. So sorry to hear about your sweet Baby; I know she will be greatly missed.

    Hoping you have a wonderful week ahead, and thanks so much for your warm-hearted comment at Poppy View.

    Poppy

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  10. Oh, my gosh, Candy....I had that flatware many, many years ago!!! It was the first flatware I ever purchased as a newlywed! I've long since gotten rid of both the flatware AND the husband, but at least I have fond memories of one of them. Guess which? ;-)

    I'm so sorry to read that your cat died. I know that has to be really, really tough. I am so, so sorry.

    Lucky you to have new flooring on the horizon. I'd give anything to be in that same position. I HATE the carpet that's in our house!!! I have often threatened to "accidentally" spill a big ol' can of red oil-based paint on it...in every room!!!

    As for your cake, it's the taste that counts, right? I'm not all that creative when it comes to fancy cakes. and rarely do mine turn out looking magazine-worthy. You gave it your best shot, didn't burn down the house, and it still tasted good...I'd say all things considered you did pretty darn good! :-)

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  11. Sad to hear about your cat. I know the pain of loosing a pet.
    Your cakes look delicious. Wishing I had a slice of one for my evening treat.

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  12. So sorry to hear about your sweet cat. My Charlie is 16 and just diagnosed with thyroid problems. What amazing dishes you have. I'm a new follower of yours! I'm a dish addict also and love vintage so this table is perfect! My friend Marigene sent me over!
    hugs,
    Linda

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  13. I'm so sorry about your cat, Candy. Your table is so pretty. You find some of the best bargains! I can't believe you found that new flatware at GW. Lucky girl! I had to laugh about your cake. It sounds like my kind of cooking-always trying to repair something that didn't turn out right. I bet it was delicious though. I remember those pilgrims from last year. I really like those, and your foliage down the table is beautiful. That aqua glass in your cabinet is gorgeous! I love the way the color pops against the plates and cabinet. laurie

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