Umbrella cake

"Spring Showers"
 theme for a bridal shower cake.  

Using the container lid (6" circle) I cut pastillage paste. Then using Wilton gumpaste cutters (small circle) I cut points on the outer edge for marking the ribs of the umbrella. Remember to put a small hole in the center to attach the handle.

I was able to get several apple crate liners from my local Wegmans.

Here I have cut into individual cups.  I then put strips of hot glue on the bottom of the cup to create the ribs.  I left the pastillage to dry two days.

On day three I took the dried umbrella off the form, overturned the form and then put the umbrella underside up to make sure I have a solid dry lid before adding embellishments.  

 Note:  I made two umbrella shells incase I damaged one.

This tool is a pastry wheel to crimp edges of delicate dough.  I cut thin stripes of paste to add to the ribs creating ruffles.

Sometimes I become so engrossed with the project I forget to take pictures (which is the case here.) I have added all the ruffles.

The handle is several wires taped together to create a stick, which is then wrapped in gum paste and allowed to dry several days (leave approximately 1/2 inch of the wire exposed at the top to attach the handle to the umbrella.)  Apply gum glue to the top of the handle and insert it through the underside of the umbrella canopy,  with the exposed wire sticking out the top.  I then used a tall glass to help support the canopy of the umbrella so that the handle could dry for a few days ensuring a strong bond.

At this point the finishing embellishments were added to the canopy and again I left them to dry a few days.

This umbrella was used upside down.
 (If you are making the umbrella to fill as I have here, you may leave out the wire in the handle, you can insert it into the flower display to attach it)

I filled the underside of the umbrella with green hydrangea petals and pink filler flowers to represent the wedding colors.

The coma shaped cake was Almond with Raspberry Compote.  It was frosted in white buttercream and trimmed in pink, using a large shell tip.

The umbrella was placed at the wide end of the coma and additional green hydrangeas were placed at the base of the curve.

 

A few days after the coma cake was served, the brides mother ordered another cake for a smaller celebration in which an elderly grandmother would be in attendance.  The mother requested just the buttercream without the flowers as she stated the cake looked like fine architecture and she wanted to enjoy the frame.