Happy Birthday Eleni!

I really love all the cherry blossom cake designs out there, and wanted to experiment for myself with this kind of style for a birthday tourta for a friend.
I used a strawberry cream & chocolate tourta covered in fondant tinted with blue and a little green for that 'Tiffany' Blue colour, chocolate ganache for the tree and branches - piped through greaseproof paper (i like to diy).

The flowers were made a day earlier and left to dry/harden. For the large flower i used 3 different sized heart shape cookie cutters to make the petals which were thinned out at the edges and left to harden a little in a cupcake holder! I started with the outter edges of the flower, using larger pieces of the flower petals and a little water to hold/glue them together then smaller petals. I probably should have done it the other way around but hey ho, it still turned out ok!

et voila!

Fondant Roses Tutorial

Oooh, how exciting, I've made a recent discovery... actually, it's a brilliant blog for decorating tips and all things to do with sugar art -with the lovely Benson of Cakes du Soleil showing us how to create a vanity set. Love it!
I've never thought to make roses this way, but will definitely give it a go next time i'm making fondant roses.

Instructions:

Roll out the pink gumpaste very thin. Using the large end of the #12 piping tube, cut 6 circles.

Dampen one edge of the circle with gum glue; line up with overlapping sides, as shown.

Place a toothpick at the end and roll the first circle around the toothpick, creating the center of the rose. Remove toothpick, and continue to roll the circles around the center.

Gently roll back the edges of the "petals" and cut the excess from the bottom of the flower, using sharp scissors, creating a flat bottom. Set on styrofoam to dry.
Repeat this process four more times to make 5 roses in total.
Roll out a small amount of ivory gumpaste. Using the large end of the #12 piping tube, cut two circles.

Then place the tube 1/4" inside circle and cut again, as shown, creating a leaf shape.

Make veins in leaves using a toothpick. Pinch ends of the leaves together and set on styrofoam to dry.

images via Sugar Teachers

Fondant Ribbons and fondant decorations

Today i've made my first attempt at making the fondant ribbons I featured in my previous posts about fondant decorating tips... It's not complete as the ribbon pieces are yet to dry, so will have to wait til tomorrow. Anyhow, I found another great little site which has great step by step instructions on making fondant roses... Here's the down-lo from Make Fabulous cakes.

All images via Make Fabulous Cakes

Fondant Decorating techniques

Ever since my recent fondant exploits, I decided I needed to learn different techniques and practice more. I've a long way to go, but for now I want to share what i've discovered online by Wilton's - the very finest in Cake knowledge & Bake Decorate Celebrate! I'll be playing with these techniques in my next cake decorating exploits.

Draping effect - v. luxurious!

Fondant Veil - add detail for a bit of Va Va Voom

Full Bloom Rose Fondant

The following techniques are by Bake Decorate Celebrate.