We made the big move yesterday. I have a lot of moving boxes to unpack, before I can go into my “new” kitchen and bake something delicious to share with you. Our online access is not up right now, so I have to use the computer at my in laws until its fixed.
Happy Caking!
Louise
The summer holidays are here and the sun is shinning. So a little batch of yummy summer cupcakes is what we will enjoy today. I have used royal icing which gives a nice crunchy frosting. It is also, in my opinion, the best frosting to use on warm and sunny days.
Today is also a big day for us, because we are leaving Copenhagen next week, moving into our very first house. The kitchen is much bigger and I will get my own little place, where I can sit with all my cake decoration tools. I cant wait……
Happy Caking!
Louise
Just wanted to show you some sweet non-edible crafts that I have made. Two sweet needle-felt cupcake pillows. Next to cake decorating, needle-felting is another favourite craft of mine.
I have embellished the cupcakes with different sorts of beads and used some pink and green cotton yarn for the buttonhole stiches. The two small cupcake pillows will get a special place in my basket chair.
Happy Caking!
Louise
What do you think of my gum paste peonies? I have been working on them the last couple of days. It is my second go with peonies and I must say that they look difficult to make, but they are quite easy to make. It is the preparation of all the petals that takes time. I have used a lot of small foam pieces to keep all the petals in place while drying.
I have been thinking on giving them a little petal dust, but Im not sure? I think that I will have to make a little “test” peony to see how it looks.
Happy Caking!
Louise
I have now been testing the white chocolate fondant. I decided to test it on a dummy cake first. That way it was easier to peel off the fondant if there were any problems. I did not experience any problems though.
The white chocolate fondant was really wonderful to work with. It rolls out easy and I did not have any troubles with cracks or the fondant tearing. I find dummy cakes the worst thing to cover, but this white chocolate fondant passed its test. Next, is to try it with a real cake…
Happy Caking!
Louise
For a long time I have wanted to be able to collect all my tutorials in a folder. A folder that I could bring with me into the kitchen. Being a perfectionist and a sucker for all things sweet and pink a simple screen print could of course not do the job.
For that reason I started to looking for someone who was able to make my online tutorials into printable “works of art”. After searching the internet for a few months I almost gave up on finding someone suited for the job. Luckily for me I chose to ask Gisele Jaquenod, who has designed CakeJournal.com, if she could recomend anyone. She then told me about Martín Hoare from Themaninh and it turned out to be a perfect match.
Martín has spend the last couple of months turning the first eight tutorials into beautiful creations in PDF format ready for printing. All the tutorials has been designed with sweet illustrations to match the content of the tutorial. All tutorials also have a little note section for you to write down your own notes as you work your way through the tutorial. All new tutorials that I make on CakeJournal, aswell as the “old” will over time be available in PDF format.
The 8 first PDF tutorials available are:
How to decorate cookies with rolled fondant.
How to make a race car cake topper.
How to make gum paste strawberries.
How to make a turtle cake topper.
How to make a five petal fantasy flower.
How to make a gum paste flower.
How to make a gum paste bow.
How to make a train cake topper.
The PDF tutorials can be purchased in my new CakeJournal shop. The price for each PDF tutorial is $2.50 USD.
Please note that all tutorials will still be available online here on CakeJournal.com for free.
Also remember to get the FREE front cover for your tutorials. You can get that in the CakeJournal shop aswell.
To celebrate the launch of the PDF tutorials I am also making a little giveaway:
3 lucky readers, will all receive the 8 first PDF tutorials. All you need to do, is telling me which of the existing tutorials you would love to see on PDF next.
I will use random.org integer generator to pick out the lucky 3 numbers and the deadline will be Thursday, June 03. 2010 at 8.00 p.m GMT+1 The lucky winners will be announced later Thursday evening. This giveaway has ended.
The lucky winners of the 8 PDF tutorials are:
Congratulations to: Jackie P, Amy Peeples and Deanna Downey!
NOTE: The giveaway competion can only be entered by leaving a comment. Any emails send directly to me will not be considered!
Happy Caking!
Louise
I have for some time now heard about a very tasty white chocolate fondant that Jennifer Dontz makes on one of her dvds. The white chocolate fondant should be really good to work with and who would not like that? There is nothing worse than a rolled fondant that tear and crack when you cover a cake.
I had to order the Merckens chocolate as we can not get that here. Luckily does my supermarket have an “american food” aisle. So there was no problems in getting the corn syrup. I did already have a few pounds of Pettinice fondant in stock.
Not only was the white chocolate fondant easy to make, it taste delicious too. Now I only need a cake, so that I can try how it is to work with. That will be my next mission….
Happy Caking!
Louise
Trains are always very popular among boys, my own son included. So I thought it would be time for another tutorial for the boys. I have made a sweet little train cake topper inspired by one of my sons “old” birthday cakes. I have tried to make the train very simple in the design, so that even the beginners in cake decorating can have a go with it. I hope that you will enjoy my tutorial on how to make a train cake topper.
This is what I use:
Gum paste
Rolling pin
A pair of fondant smoothers
Cornstarch duster
Small knife
Tylo glue
Veining tool (Jem) (if you dont have such tool, then just use a knife)
Paint brush
Gel paste colors
Round piping tips in various sizes. (circle cutters can also be used)
Tip! If your gum paste is little too soft, then knead in a little tylo powder. This will help the gum paste to thicken and hold its shape.
Step 1:
Start by coloring in the gum paste for the trains “body” in your chosen color. Take a piece of gum paste and roll it into a smooth ball without any cracks. Then place the ball on your work table and roll it into a thick sausage about 3″ long. This will be the “base” for the train. Take your pair of fondant smoothers and flatten all the sides.
Step 2:
Flatten one of the short ends with the fondant smoother (see photo). Set aside to dry a little.
Step 3:
Take another piece of gum paste, again roll it into a smooth ball. Then roll it into a short sausage on your work table. It should cover about 2″ of the “base”. Flatten the ends with the fondant smoothers. Brush a little tylo glue on the “base” and attach the “sausage” on top of the angled end. This will be the front of the train.
Step 4:
Next, roll another smooth ball of gum paste and form it into a block. It should be slightly taller than the “front” part, and about 1″ wide. Flatten the sides with the fondant smoothers. Attach with a little tylo glue.
Step 5:
Roll out some gum paste thinly and cut out 2 small windows for each side of the train. Glue them on with tylo glue.
Step 6:
Roll out some gum paste (about 4-5mm thick) and roll it out large enough to cut, both wheels and roof for the train. Find 2 different sizes of piping tips or circle cutters and cut out 1 pair of large and 3 pair of small wheels. I have used round piping tips to emboss the center of the wheels. Set the wheels aside to dry. Then cut out a square piece of gum paste for the roof and glue it on with tylo glue.
Step 7:
Now it is time to decorate the front “base” of the train. Roll out some gum paste (4-5mm thick). Cut a strip of fondant and cut the ends slightly slanted. Next make indentations in the gum paste with either a veining tool or a knife. Glue it on the angle front with tylo glue.
Step 8
Glue on the wheels.
Step 9:
Take a small piece of gum paste. If it sticks to your hands, then rub hands with a little cornstarch. First roll a small ball, and glue it on with tylo glue on top of the train (not shown). Make the chimney by rolling some gum paste into a large pea size ball and then roll it into a cone.
Step 10:
Rub some more cornstarch on your fingers. Slowly pinch the “thick” end of the cone all the way around. While you pinch, press down in the middle of the cone with your index finger. So that it get slightly hollow (see photos) Trim a little of the end, so that the chimney can stand upright. Attach it on the train with a little tylo glue. Set aside and let the whole train dry completely.
Step 11:
If you like, you can make small train wagons aswell for your train cake topper. Make them out of a ball of gum paste, that you shape into a block. Flatten all the sides with the fondant smoothers and attach some wheels.
Tip! It looks very sweet placing birthday candles on the train wagons.
Happy Caking!
Louise
There are always some cake decorating tools in the toolbox, that turns into the “favourite ones”. I have five cake decorating tools that I just love to work with:
1: My set of sculpting tools.
2: The 5 petal blossom silicone mould/veiner. I just love this one!
3: Rose petal cutter set in various sizes. For big and small gum paste roses.
4: Petunia cutter set. A great match with the silicone petal blossom moul/veiner.
5: My rolling pin.
THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED!!!!
Even though you have your favourites its always nice to stock up some new cake decorating tools and this is your chance. Flour Confections have been so kind to sponsor a great cake tool giveaway for CakeJournals readers. I have personally selected the prizes for the winner to choose from. So I hope that you like it!
One lucky reader can choose from either:
prize A: A great 9 PC sculpting tool set.
Or
prize B: A 5 petal blossom silicone mould/veiner and a 5 petal cutter set of 4
If you would like to participate in this giveaway please leave a comment with your favourite cake tool and which prize you want, should you be the lucky winner.
I will use random.org integer generator to pick out the lucky number and the deadline will be Monday May 10. 2010 at 8.00 pm GMT+1 This giveaway has ended.
The lucky winner is: #318
Congratulation to Nancy!
NOTE: the giveaway competion can only be entered by leaving a comment. Any emails send directly to me will not be considered!
Happy Caking!
Louise
Having a daughter who loves ballet I just had to make these pretty ballet cookies for her. They are made with my own (paper) templates, so no cookie cutters used. I used a little Brush embroidery on the Tutu, to get the “look” like layers of tulle. I think that it worked out very good. Both cookies are decorated with royal icing.
The pretty little pink ballet shoe or point shoe if you like? Would also be charming to use as edible place cards for a pretty pink ballet party. The shiny pink satin ribbon just finish off the shoe.
I made three of each kind and I used the rest of the ballet cookies, as a little gift for my daughters ballet teacher and her assistant at the end of season dance yesterday.
Happy Caking!
Louise
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