90th Birthday Cake, part 2

The final result

Sorry for the delay, but I was busy 

with Birthday activities and meeting new people yesterday! 

So, after making the chocolate Madeira cake and allowing it to cool completely, I sandwiched the cake with a layer of orange curd and buttercrem. For the buttercream I incorporated orange zest to create a deeper orange flavour. I crumbcoated the entire cake, spreading a very thin layer of the buttercream all over the surface, creating a barrier and allowing the fondant to stick.

Using ready made white fondant, we rolled out a thin squarish shape and covered the cake. This wasn't as smooth as hoped and some elephant skin appeared, largely due to the hot weather causing the fondant to dry out quickly. To cover a few blemishes, specifically at the corners were we struggled to achieve a neat Finnish, we wrapped pink ribbon around the base of the cake, securing with a cocktail stick. 

I then moved onto making some silver stars. Rolling out yellow ready made fodant, I used plunge cutters to cut out small stars. I then used edible silver glitter and a small nontoxic paintbrush to pat on the shimmer. After carefully placing the 'Happy Birthday' letters by using a ruler, I stuck them down with a small amount of water and the same paintbrush. I then used the stars to create a border underneath. If any of the glitter fell onto the cake I quickly wiped it off with a dry brush.

I then began placing on the many fondant flowers I had made the day before.

 Creating small clusters on the top of the cake we tried to make them appear naturally positioned! Where I used the lilac flowers I added 3 small iridescent pearls, which were simple but looked lovely, and added another 3D element. Round the sides of the cake I also wanted to add some colour so individually places a mixture of the small pink and lilac flowers. For all the flowers and decorations I just used water as glue which worked sufficiently.

 I was so pleased with how the cake turned out, despite some difficulties with the fondant. The cake also managed to withstand an hour and a half car journey to my Grans with only a few flower breakages! Thankfully I brought a few spares and quickly replaced the broken ones, whilst my second cousins happily ate any left over flowers! Whilst most were full from a large meal we all had a small piece and every body loved it, everyone took some home with them.

90th Birthday Cake, part 1

Covered in icing sugar

Making a a cake for your grandma's birthday is daunting. Making a cake for a milestone birthday is scary. Making a 90th birthday cake for your Grandma to be presented at a family meal is terrifying! But cake making is what I do so mum and I set to work. Knowing the cake would need to feed a lot of people we decided on a square, chocolate and orange Madeira cake. But first I needed to make the decorations, giving them time to firm up before adding to the cake.

I knew I wanted to spell out 'Happy Birthday' in pink fondant so I purchased these lakeland alphabet cutters to make it easier. I was really happy with how these turned out, and the brighter shade of pink will stand out well on the white cake. I made 2 of each of the letter just in case of any breakages.

My OCD is killing me right now

I also knew I wanted to add flowers in both lilac and the brighter pink, as my gran used to make beautiful sugar flowers. Whilst mine are no where near as delicate or beautiful I'm quite pleased, especially with the lilac flowers.

For the purple flowers I cut a thin simple daisy shape with cutters, using a large ball tool and a foam pad to create shape to the petals. I then just left the flowers to dry out on cling film, surprised that the shape stayed without a moulding tray.

At this point I also attempted my first ever rose, but it was apparent sugar paste would be more appropriate than fondant, particularly on a hot day. The fondant cracked rather than sugar paste which is extremely flexible. I stopped after making the rosebud but not bad for a first effort!

Tomorrow when I bake and construct the cake, I plan on adding silver stars around the writing to add a bit of sparkle! This is easier with soft fondant as the edible shimmer can stick more easily.

My favourite cake

Easter 2014/ Mum's birthday

Being away for Mum's birthday meant I wasn't able to make her a cake, which I was a bit disappointed by as I had quite a few ideas, but I also had similar ideas for an easter cake. Rather than making two separate cakes, I decided to combine a couple of the ideas I had, including practising with some of my new icing nozzles. Mum's not too keen on chocolate cake but wanted something more interesting than a Victoria sponge so I settled on a vanilla sponge sandwiched with lemon curd and lemon buttercream.

It would be no easter cake without a few mini eggs! I used quite a thick layer of lemon curd as it is one of my favourites and a really easy way to add a lot of flavour and moisture, and a much thinner layer of buttercream. I essentially crumb coated the top of the cake with an extremely thin layer of the lemon buttercream, as none of my family are particularly fond of icing, except me! Using a star shaped nozzle, similar to a Wilton 1M, I piped stars all the way around the cake, building up height to prop up the eggs. This definitely takes some practise and I tried not to worry about any uneven stars and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

As the cake was largely to celebrate Mum's birthday, I used some wafer daisies which she really likes as they aren't too sweet. The pastel colours also worked well with the easter element of the cake, particularly the lemon buttercream. I do use these sparingly though as they are very expensive for 12 little flowers.

Overall, mum really liked her cake, no one complained about there being too much icing, and I'm really starting to see my piping skills improving. Practise really does make perfect(ish)!

An Awkward Start

Okay, so this is weird. 

After years of reading blogs, although only recently discovering the joys of baking blogs, I thought why not. Whilst my friends all prepare to leave for university, I plan on staying at home and beginning a patisserie and confectionary college course. And I couldn't be more excited!

Baking has brought me both tears of joy and sadness, hours agonising over the perfect cupcake icing and a ridiculous feeling of happiness as I surprise my friends & family. I always knew university wasn't the path for me, but I only decided after GCSE's that I either wanted to be a pastry chef or an artisan baker. Whilst I'm still not sure, I just know I want to be happy, and making and decorating cakes genuinely makes me happy. 

I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing, but I just want to display my attempts both past and present. This could go well, or I might just feel daft and stop, but I need to do something productive with my time.