Georgetown

Naked Cake

Naked cakes are becoming a very popular option for weddings. They tend to have a more natural or organic feel. A naked cake is one that is lightly frosted on the sides, if frosted on the sides at all. Instead of sugar or gum paste flowers, fresh flowers are used for decoration.

We decided to make a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. Any combination can work, but I've shared our delicious recipe below.

Moist Chocolate Cake

-- 2 cups sugar

-- 1-3/4 cups flour

-- 3/4 cup cocoa

-- 1-1/2 tsp baking powder

-- 1-1/2 tsp baking soda

-- 1 tsp salt

-- 2 eggs

-- 1 cup milk

-- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

-- 2 tsp vanilla extract

-- 1 cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9-inch pans.

2. Stir together all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla, and oil. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

Cream Cheese Frosting 

-- 1 stick room temperature butter

-- 6 oz cream cheese

--4 cups powdered sugar

-- 2 tsp vanilla extract 

Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and cream cheese. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat after each. Then add in the vanilla.

Once the cake has cooled, slice off the top in order to make a flat surface 

Flip the cake over so that the side you sliced is face down on the plate

Once you've frosted your first cake, place the second one on top and frost it as well

You can move your butter knife in a wave-like motion to get a nice texture 

Lightly frost the sides so that the cake underneath can still be seen or leave the sides unfrosted 

Decorate your cake with fresh flowers and/or fruit 

You can pick the flowers off or cut around them.

Slice, serve and enjoy :)

Flower Girl

The Asylum

I was doing some research on abandoned places that I could visit in the area. I came across multiple blogs talking about an abandoned asylum in Laurel, Maryland. The complex contains about 20 buildings but I only went inside 3. This asylum was for the mentally ill where patients ranged in age. The Forest Haven Asylum opened up in 1925 where residents were improperly treated by unqualified employees. Years passed and treatment for the mentally ill began to change. After much investigation and lawsuits the asylum closed in 1991. 

The complex has one main entrance that's blocked off by security. My friend and I parked elsewhere (which took us a while to find) and walked to the main road that led to the asylum. A security guard stopped us in his car and told us we had to leave. Once he drove away we walked into the woods to be hidden from the main road. Walking through the woods we found the asylum without being seen. Everything we saw just seemed unbelievable. Shattered glass and torn ceilings in every room. Hospital beds remain and medical supplies scatter the floors. Paintings and pictures cover the walls to give a more "joyful" feel for the children. It's crazy that this place still stands untouched and it freaks me out just thinking of what it was like while running. 

Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions! Click on each image to view individually and larger.

Not sure what this switch was used for but it looks dramatic...and scary 

Pillows

The areas that weren't lit with natural light were frightening...flash was the only way I could capture the room and feeling 

 One of the main buildings 

Patient's room: heavy door