Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Cameron's Dress Form Cake












This is a cake for which I am VERY proud!! It was done by Cameron (and only Cameron! :) for our local county fair. I thought ya'll might want to see the process pics for this one, too. She worked very hard - from sketches to support structure to baking and fondant/gumpaste making to expert carving and so on. I have never done anything like this and I know I wouldn't have been able to do it as well as she did it. She did make the "Top 10", but unfortunately no further because her support structure did not fit their rules. She is ready to try again next year!

The "floor" is a chocolate cake covered with marbled fondant "tiles" and buttercream for the "grout". The dress is Madeira Sponge Cake with alternating layers of buttercream and chocolate ganache. Then the entire dress form was covered with chocolate ganache. The "neck" of the dress form is krispy rice treats, but shoulders on down is all cake. The pipe between the bottom board and dress is covered in fondant and painted with color gel. The neck and shoulders are covered with tinted homemade marshmallow fondant as is the "ruching" on the dress. Brooch and belt are gumpaste painted with bronze pearl dust.

The bottom support board is 3/4" thick plywood. There is a support board (foamboard) for every four layers of cake and a small plywood board at the very bottom of the dress. A galvanized pipe (covered with plastic wrap) runs through the center of the entire cake.

Natalie's Birthday Cake





This cake was to resemble the party invite. It was a lot of fun to do and i love the colors! Bottom and top tiers - vanilla cake; middle tier - chocolate. All iced in tinted vanilla buttercream. All decorations are fondant except "Natalie" which is gumpaste. What really put this one over the top was that I happened to have the cakestand it is on which were the identical colors used on the cake from the invitation.

Teapot and Teacups Cake






I love to enjoy a cup of hot tea and was finally given the opportunity to do it with cake - literally! Cake is chocolate with tinted vanilla buttercream and piped roses. Teapot is krispy rice treats covered in stamped fondant and painted with color gel. Teacups are gumpaste, also painted in color gel (filled with brown sugar for the "tea" effect). Napkin is fondant. A sweet cake for a sweet family!

Princess Castle Cake




Bottom tier-vanilla; top tier - chocolate; both iced in tinted vanilla buttercream. Tops of the turrets are ice cream cones iced with buttercream; bases of the turrets are fondant-covered cardboard tubes. Doors and flags are gumpaste and vines are buttercream. Princesses are plastic game pieces (I hope to get better images of this one soon.)

Canon 50D Cake



Another fun cake for our artist/photographer friend Shannon. Cameron and I worked as a team on this one: she did the lens and I did the camera. Cake is strawberry iced with vanilla buttercream and covered with tinted chocolate "clay". Cameron painted the decorations with silver pearl dust.

Drum Cake



This was a very fun cake for dear friends. Jamie has wonderful, musical talents (plays several instruments and sings) and, best of all, uses them for the Lord. His wife Rosie sent me a picture of the drum they have cleverly converted to a coffee table - and this is it! Yellow/Mandarin Orange cake and chocolate icing. Almost all elements are fondant and "sticks" are made from dowels. Silver trim pieces are Royal Icing painted with silver pearl dust. Message on top is painted color gel.

50th Anniversary Cake



Our neighbors (the Woods) had a beautiful celebration at Kirby's for his parents' 50th Wedding Anniversary. Bottom tier, White Almond Sour Cream; top tier - chocolate. Both iced with almond buttercream and decorated with painted, stamped fondant and dragees. "50" topper is gumpaste and flowers are fresh.

Seriously Chocolate 40th Birthday Cake

Christi wanted extreme chocolate for Robert's 40th b'day cake. SO, cake is chocolate iced in chocolate buttercream. Semisweet chocolate "panels" were placed on each side/tier and then swirly white chocolate panels over that. Chard topper and "40" are also white chocolate and sides are filled with fresh raspberries.

40th Birthday Cake


Her friends surprised Jen (my sweet neighbor) with a party and this cake. White Almond Sour Cream Cake and vanilla buttercream icing. Band around cake is stamped fondant and painted with silver pearl dust. Flowers are gumpaste and "sign" painted with gel color.

Belt Sander Cake


Our blacksmithing friend Marcus (see Anvil cake) wanted a real belt sander for his birthday, but alas, he got an edible one this year! Chocolate cake and mocha buttercream. All other decorations are fondant.

60th Birthday UT Cake

This cake was for our good friend and quite incredible Bible study teacher, Johnny. If you'd like to know how you can know God and hear some great Bible study, go to this link: www.radicalgrace.com. His wife, Connie, gave me some luscious New Zealand butter that was wonderful to work with (beautiful yellow, not as "oily"). Chocolate cake and chocolate buttercream with chocolate curls and fondant "Bevo". Please, none of you Aggies tell on me!! :)

Football Cake



Vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream. Credit for the "football guy" (fondant) goes to my husband, Bill. Goal posts are gumpaste.

Polka Dots Cake

Vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream (seems to be a favorite combo for the kids!) with fondant polka dots. Writing done with gel color.

Chocolate Roses Cake

Chocolate cake and chocolate buttercream made for my husband's friends at work. Flowers are gumpaste and outlined in painted black gel color.

Lego II Cake


This is another Lego cake, but this time with 4 legos since it was Gage's 4th birthday. Two vanilla and two chocolate cakes with tinted vanilla buttercream. Lego board and pieces are real.