Navy and Silver Wedding Cake

It was such a joy making this cake for a wonderful couple! Their colors were Navy Blue and Silver- they wanted their cake topped with gorgeous blue roses from Ecuador, and a two-heart topper.  This photo doesn't do the roses justice, but you get the idea!

The Happy Couple! Congratulations to you both!!

The bottom layer was dark chocolate WASC cake with chocolate filling and chocolate buttercream. The base of the layer was lined with navy blue ribbon, and the details were hand-piped royal icing dots accented with silver dragees.*

The middle layer was a white almond sour cream cake with a raspberry filling and vanilla buttercream. The base of the layer was lined with navy blue ribbon, and the details were hand-piped royal icing scrolling accented with silver dragees.

The top layer flavor was a repeat of the bottom layer, and the details included navy blue ribbon, hand-piped royal icing dots accented with silver dragees.

The chocolate buttercream I used was my take on the Wilton Buttercream recipe- it held up great in the 90+ degree heat!

Crusting Chocolate Buttercream:

Quantities used were to cover a 16" square cake and an 8" square cake- split recipe as needed.

 

2 1/2 C Vegetable Shortening
1 1/2 C (3 sticks) Butter
3 C Cocoa powder
4 teaspoons vanilla
16 C Confectioner Sugar
1/2 C Heavy Whipping Cream or Whole Milk

1/2 - 3/4 C Water (depending on the consistency you're trying to achieve)

1) In a stand mixer (you can use a hand mixer, but it can get difficult with large quantities) Blend the shortening and butter together.

2) Slowly add in the cocoa powder and vanilla.

3) Mix in the Confectioner (powdered) Sugar alternately with the whipping cream/milk and water until you achieve the desired consistency.

4) Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

*Dragees were used for decoration only.

Retirement Cake

This is a Chocolate WASC cake with Bavarian Cream filling and a chocolate buttercream icing under rolled fondant.  The parole agent this was made for loves Hershey's chocolate bars, so I made a modified replica in cake-form.  The cake was gobbled up quickly and there were requests for more :) (PS- the candy-bar wrapper was 'torn' open exposing the yummy chocolate buttercream 'candy')

Gone Fishin' with my Tackle Box

Last year my cousin's son- Lil' D wanted a fishing cake. I made a (albeit crude) lake fishing cake with a dad and his son fishing on the back of a boat. This year, his request was another fishing cake. Realizing that fake people made out of marzipan or gum paste aren't quite my strong suit, I decided to go with a sculpted-ish cake- a Tackle Box! D got a Tackle Box for Christmas this year and he was SO excited, so I was inspired and decided to make an edible version (except for the bobbers and fish hooks) :)

This is a Chocolate WASC cake with a Chocolate Buttercream icing and a Chocolate Mousse filling. The fondant is homemade Marshmallow Fondant with Butter Vanilla flavoring. This was my first attempt at making homemade fondant, and I was very happy with the results.

The Box itself and lid were both made of fondant-covered cake. The shelves of the box were made out of cardboard covered in fondant, then gumpaste was used to make the individual compartments (I ran out of fondant :( ). The gummy worms and Swedish fish were not homemade unfortunately!  My hubby delivered the cake and decorated with the gummies, hooks and bobbers because I was out of town for the weekend.

I was very happy with the results of this cake- I found that the time it is taking me to complete a fondant-covered cake is diminishing and is much less frustrating. I also found that using my own fondant was much easier than any store bought (even FondX!)

Homemade Marshmallow Fondant (MMF) Recipe- Adapted from the MMF recipe of Tippystclair 
I started with my homemade marshmallow recipe- Found Here
2 lbs Powdered Sugar
1/2 C Water
2 tsp Any Extract / Flavoring (Almond, Vanilla, Chocolate, Peppermint- the sky is the limit)

Instructions:
1a) Complete the marshmallow recipe above, but do not allow the marshmallows to set and cool
1b) If you want to use already made marshmallows, put the marshmallows in a glass bowl and add a couple of Tbsp of water (as indicated in Tippystclair's recipe above) and follow her instructions.
2) Stir in half the bag of powdered sugar; Pour the remaining powdered sugar on a very clean counter.
3) Pour the marshmallow mixture on your powdered sugar pile.
4) Add flavor to your marshmallow mixture.
5) Knead the remaining sugar into the dough, keeping your hands covered in powdered sugar (DO NOT use oil, lard or shortening to avoid sticking), .
6) You will reach a point where you think that no more sugar can be incorporated, but keep going and add in little bits of the remaining water.
7) You know that the fondant is ready when you have a smooth, elastic ball.
8) If the dough breaks when stretched, add a bit more water.
9) Double wrap the fondant when it is not being used.
10) If your dough is too stiff (e.g. after refrigeration), place it in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds on defrost.


Thanks for looking!!!

R2-D2 Groom's Cake (and a Wedding Cake)

I was recently asked by a couple of dear friends to create a wedding cake and a grooms cake- I was so thrilled and honored to be asked to do make these cakes!  The Wedding cake was a funfetti (top tier & bottom tier) and white cake (middle tier) with buttercream frosting and bavarian cream filling, and fondant covering. 

The Grooms cake was a surprise- R2-D2 for the Star Wars lover! It was a Chocolate WASC cake filled with chocolate mousse and iced with chocolate buttercream, then topped with fondant.  The accents were painted on, and the feet and legs were pure fondant.