Precious moments

This was a precious moment for my family. The older of my twin sons, married a lovely young women 11 years this August.  I ran across this picture today and decided I would post it.

The entire cake was made-up of several individual cakes displayed on a five stand acrylic cake riser . Four tiers were octagon shaped and the top tier was a heart. 

The entire cake was covered in pale green fondant with white lids to represent a hat box style.  At the top of each tier I had made a wreath of gumpaste roses in pale muted colors.  The side walls were pipped with royal frosting filagree with very tiny five petal gumpaste flowers.

I am so very proud of the couple they are...Strong and happy...they have blessed our family with three lovely grandchildren.

Golf Husband

My husband is an avid golfer.

 He has enjoyed the game since the age of 12.  

The turf and golf bag are fondant.  I used a travel size bottle of aspirin to make the shape of the bag.  The clubs are made of painted uncooked spaghetti and fondant heads.

His favorite cake is Chocolate peanut butter with peanut butter mousse.  This cake is frosted in buttercream and features a reverse shell border.  The message is pipping gel and a no. 2 round tip.

Stenciling

Artist find inspiration in everyday items, ie a tissue box!!!

Once the tissue box was empty, I cut it apart and saved one of the long sides.  I cut a stencil of the flowers and leaves, by tracing the tissue box onto stencil plastic.  I then rolled out a small piece of gumpaste, very thin; and applied stenciled pattern to the paste.  As with other stenciling projects, you start at the outer edge with your color and pull it toward the center.  I then cut away the excess gumpaste, removed the stencil and left the piece to dry. 

I then covered my cake board with fondant and using the flower stencils, put a random pattern on the fondant to add an additional dimension to the finished cake.

Next, cover your overall dummy or fresh cake with fondant.   I then rolled out fondant and using a Designer  Stencil.com,  stencil of stripes.  I applied the color of the flowers to the strips and cut the pieces to fit the circumference of each tier.

I wrapped a very thin stain ribbon around each tier and using royal frosting applied the flowers and leaves.  I finished the design with a loose stain bow and long tail ribbon.

Satin Ribbon

Spring wedding are so pretty.   

After a long winter in the Northeast, it is so wonderful to have a cake that features spring flowers and colors.

This cake was for 125 guest.  I used two Lady Mary cake board to create a double ring of ruffle for the cake to sit on.   The 14" cake was Banana with Banana Custard, the 10"was  Pina Colada Cake with Pineapple, and  6" was Marble cake with Fudge filling.

The exterior is bright white fondant with a satin ribbon at the base of each tier.  To carry the theme of satin, the fondant was steamed after application, giving it a subtle shine.   The flowers are pink roses, blue and green hydrangea all made of gumpaste.  

The flowers were done in a wreath fashion so that the bride could give them to her mother and new mother-in-law as a keepsake.  The bouquet at the top was keep by the bride.

Congratulations to the couple, and Happy Spring!!!

Hexagon Relief

This cake was done for a bridal show using dummy cake layers.

It features hexagon shape and relief designs, all done in fondant.  A simply roll of fondant adorned the base of each tier.   Small strips of fondant were used to create the flowers, some where left flat, some where ruffled.  The leaves where cut from a small Wilton gumpaste cutter.

Using a No.2 round tip for the dot trim added yet another dimension. 

I will be the first to admit that I am not great with a camera and this picture is proof.  I wanted to capture the detail by getting as close as possible and when I saw the print copy I realized the camera was slightly crooked :( 

Spring Flowers

Vintage designs form the 70's are making a comeback this year.

A floral array of flowers were created out of gumpaste, for this cake.  Orchids, Calla Lilly's, Hibiscus, Roses, Lily of the Valley and Ivy.

The three tiers will serve 150 guest and are separated with Wilton separator plates and legs.  I will say , I personally,  am not a fan of these older separators.  They where the reason many cakes would collapse.  The newer leg go through the cake right to the board the cake is sitting on.  This give the leg much more support.  I will admit I hot glued the plates and legs together to make sure they would not give way if the table where to get bumped.

The sun was very bright and the cake was next to a window.  I closed the blinds to get this picture and apologize that it is not clear, I was trying to get a close up of the flowers.

Basic Techniques

Buttercream Transfer was one of the first techniques I learned at age 12.  Using a coloring book page, I cover the print with a piece of wax paper and tape it all to a piece of card-broad.  

Start by outlining the drawing in buttercream, (I prefer to always outline in black).  Then working carefully, fill in the colors of your choice.  For the face you must fill in the eyes, nose and mouth before added the skin color.  If you want to added dimension to the long hair you must add the highlights before filling in the main color. If you need to add a number to the jersey, you must also add it before the main color.

It is important to remember that the drawing will be in reverse when it is applied to the cake.   If your drawing is how you want the final outcome to look as you are looking at it, you must turn over your original picture.   Using a pencil, outline the character as well as any details the will help you to know how to fill in the picture.    Apply the wax paper to the pencil drawing and follow as above.

Once you have filled in all the areas, place the entire drawing with the wax paper and card board in the freezer.  This type of art can be done up to a week in advance of the finished cake.

Here I have a 13" x 9" cake covered in buttercream.  

First I airbrushed the background, green for the grass and clouds in the sky. At this point I chill the cake for an hour or so.  At the end of the hour,  I remove the buttercream transfer from the freezer, carefully remove the tape and lift the wax paper placing the buttercream drawing to the buttercream on the cake.  Your wax paper should now be on top facing you.  Again chill the cake for an hour and then you can remove the wax paper,  add your message and trim the borders of the cake.

Iroquois Wedding Show

Bridal Shows are a very good source of advertising.   

A local private boating club was the venue host for a fall themed show.  I was the only cake supplier so I was given free range for my display.  

The gumpaste flowers I made were the Tiger Lilly, Wheat, Lotus pods, Cattails, mini Carnations, Pine cones, Variegated Ivy as well as a variety of gumpaste fall leaves.

I made two 10" cakes, two 9", two 8" and one 7", serving 160 guest.

  This show was very special in that the brides, mothers, and attendants were provided a five course meal by the venue chef, while models walked around the tables wearing all forms of wedding and honeymoon attire.  The faux bride and groom then cut the cake and it was served as it would be during the reception. 

This cake display stand I purchase about 15 years ago at an ICES convention.  I love the victorian style and when I saw this cake display, I took a good deal of my new equipment budget for the show, to purchase it.