Flower Fairies!

Blossom Fairy

December was a busy month! I completed three gorgeous fairy cakes for three sweet little girls! All of these little beauties are made from homemade gum paste and sit upon a decadent fondant covered cake. Also, the flowers and other adornments are edible and sculpted by me.

Fancy Fairy

This was my first time attempting to create a figure with a human face. It was not easy! Each petite face had to be colored, formed, sculpted and painted to give a realistic look. The biggest challenge was getting their eyes to look sweet and happy.

Orchid Fairy

I always enjoy making sugar flowers.  Orchids are my favorite flower because of their exquisite beauty .  these orchids taste as sweet as they look!

Thanks for reading!
Amanda

Clowning Around!

Ruffles the clown takes center stage of this fun birthday cake!  She is made from homemade gumpaste and fondant.  I sculpted the rough shape of her limbs and torso first and left them to dry while I worked on other parts of the cake.  When they were rigid enough to stay in place I began to make her clothes.  I rolled out the gumpaste to less than 1/16" thickness to obtain a realistic look of fabric.  The pink ruffles are also thin gumpaste cut into long strips and gathered together.  Ruffles' hands and face were by far the most challenging.  It took a bit of trial and error to achieve a fun and friendly clown face! 

The cake was a two tiered french vanilla sponge with dark chocolate filling.  The bottom tier was an 8" round and the second was a 6" petal cake.  I baked the petal cake with a slight dome top so that Rufles would have a nice place to sit.  The accents on the cake are all made from Twinflower Signature Fondant and additional details are piped with a cream cheese frosting.

The birthday girl loved her cake and so did all the other children!

Happy 5th Birthday Caroline!

Josh, Sally, Emily and Caroline Tabor

Thanks for reading!

Amanda

Baby Beluga

Baby Beluga is a lively children's song by Raffi.  The song has been made in to a book with brilliant illustrations that became inspiration for my sugar art.  I started with a 1/4 sheet cake.  After carving and filling the cake with chocolate fudge frosting, I then covered it in homemade fondant.  It is the fondant that became my canvas for the art.  Each and every element of the picture was hand painted with food coloring and gently carved or sculpted to enhance the image.  I used gumpaste for the type print . 

The children loved eating this delicious cake after watching a performance by Don Sinetti AKA The Sea Chantey.  Don performs in Sitka, AK each year to celebrate "Whalefest". 

Happy Whalefest!

Amanda

Lambeth

Lambeth style cake

In 1934 Joseph Lambeth published a book called The Lambeth Method of Decorating Cakes.  The Lambeth method was popular in the UK for decades and it became popular in the US during the 1950's.  This time consuming and elaborate cake decorating style is now a lost art.  There are only a few professional shops in the US that even offer a true Lambeth cake. The Lambeth book has not been published since the '80's and is very rare.  A few copies can be found on the Internet but they sell for $500 - $700!  So, I gave it a try and only had pictures of cakes as a guide. 

The tools are very simple.  A pastry bag and a handful of tubes.  The method is not so simple!  I started by covering a cake in fondant.  I had to make sure the fondant was free of oils because oil breaks down royal icing.  Using a stick pin and a tape measure I divided the cake into 16 sections and marked it at several points.  I began by applying scrolls and borders with a small rope tube and then over piped them again with the same tube.  After the icing was set I went over them five more times.  Each time I used a slightly smaller tube.  I also added frills, strings and dots to further embellish the design.  Each element was over piped no less than three times.  Once all the icing had time to set I then painted the top layer with silver.  I used silver highlight mixed with vodka to create the paint. 

I thoroughly enjoyed creating this cake and I will do another.  I have so many ideas!  This style is very opulent and not for everyone but I love the way a Lambeth cake looks.  It is distinct, memorable and fit for royalty.   

close up of elaborate piping on Lambeth style cake

Close up of over piping and scroll work.  Most elements on this cake have been piped seven times over.  This creates the dimensional effect that is the mark of a Lambeth cake. By the time I got to the sixth layer my hands were shaking!

Top view of Lambeth style cake

Top view. 

Thank you for reading!

Amanda

Fondant Class

Over four evenings I taught the essential skills for creating a beautiful fondant covered cake.  Subjects covered included: making fondant, making butter cream, the science of cake baking, proper cake prep and decoration.  The six of us had a great time!  My students worked hard and overcame challenges that every cake decorator faces. 

Here are the finished cakes!  They look fantastic!  Three of the five students had never touched fondant before!  Nice work ladies.

I have plans to teach more classes.  Watch for updates and email me if you are interested.

Thanks for reading!

Amanda

Two Peas in a Pod

Two Peas in a Pod

These two little cuties and their pea pods are hand formed from gumpaste.  They sit on top of a two tiered french vanilla cake that is filled with a luscious raspberry pastry filling.

Sweet Pea Cupcakes

Two dozen chocolate and vanilla cupcakes surround the cake canter piece.  Each has been filled with raspberry and topped with vanilla buttercream.  The top of every cupcake has been adorned with a piece of nature, a sweet pea blossom.

Baby shower cake for twins - two peas in a pod

The cake is covered is a delicious butter fondant.  The pink and blue bow, along with the other art work has been made from gumpaste.

Peas in a pod cake - with cupcakes

The table presentation was stunning!  Congratulations to the mom to be! 

Amanda

Have Your Cake and Cupcakes to!

What better way to celebrate a first birthday than with a beautiful cake and cupcakes too!  The mother of the birthday girl had decided on a theme of cupcakes but she wanted a traditional birthday cake as well.  Using her paper goods for inspiration I designed this cake for her.  The bottom is a very tall 8" round cake with a 4" round cake on top.  12 mini cupcakes surround the second tier and an over sized cupcake creates the third tier. 

The two round cakes are covered in fondant while all the cupcakes are topped with a buttercream swirl.  Finally, I made the "1" from homemade gumpaste.  All the cake is a moist vanilla cake with princess buttercream filling.

Happy 1st Birthday!

Amanda