Hoppy Birthday Little Bro! - Tres Leches Cake with Sugared Hops

It's that time of year again.....   My little brother just aged another year.  And just like last year, he decided on a Tres Leches cake.  Last year, when I made it for him, I kept the decor on the utilitarian side however, in lieu of the fact that he has become quite the biermeister over the last year, I decided that a little celebration of his beer making prowess was in order.

In the quest to improve his beer, he decided to grow his own hops this year.  Cascade, Willamette, Saaz, Hood, and Kent Golding to be exact.  SO, when he wasn't looking, I denuded his Hop plants of a few leaves and the one lonely hop flower that was overlooked during harvest. (It's OK, he's already harvested this year's crop and the plants will begin dying back in another couple weeks).

A little reconstituted Meringue Powder from Wilton, a Paint Brush and some Granulated sugar...

...and you have the perfect cake decorations for one who, for all intensive purposes, is a hop-head. (Yes, he is an IPA, NWPA fanatic)

HOPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE BRO!!

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