I have recived this picture from Jennifer. Who have made these two beautiful cupcake stands by using this tutorial for a friends wedding.

She made them with five tiers in the sizes: 18″ 16″ 14″ 12″ and 10″ using Wilton silver cake boards. The styrofoam columns is bought from The bulk barn. The two stands could hold up to 140-150 cupcakes together.

It is vanilla cupcakes with buttercream icing and carrot cupcakes with white chocolate cream cheese icing, Mmmmmmmm:)I think it is a very beautiful display for a wedding. Thank you Jennifer.

Happy Caking

Louise

The seventh book from Lindy Smith is called Cakes to inspire and desire. It is an exciting, colorful and dramatic book for the more trained cake decorator. As the cake designs are a bit more difficult to make. But that should not stop the beginner, in cake decorating, to buy the book, because you can easilly take out the more simple ideas and still make a beautiful cake. This is also the book where she reveals on how she make her Wonky Cakes.

The book have more reading parts, to understand the way to construct the cakes. So it is important that you take your time to read, so that you fully understand how to do it. But Lindy has always a “shortcut” in her sleve on how to make the design more simple. It is listed with 36 unique designs in round - square and creative cakes. She also shows how to make her beautiful cake jewllery and her charming mini cakes to match the cakes.

I love in particular the luxurious orchid wedding and the eastern ornament cake designs and of course the charming wonky cakes. You can read about the Wonky cake class I took with Lindy here.

Happy Caking

Louise

I made this cake for my daughters birthday yesterday. She loves Strawberry Shortcake and this is Honey Pie Pony’s little friend Honey Doodle.

I have use the run-out technique and Honey Doodle is made straight on the cake. First I traced the template to the cake by using a needle and marked all the lines. Then I outlined the bee with royal icing using no.2 tip. I have then flooded with royal icing thinned down with water

Next day when the icing was dry I painted the small details in the face with edible brown petal dust dissolved in clear alcohol. I attached a few sugar flowers and have used my Sugarcraft-gun to make robes to finish off the cake.

My daughter was thrilled when we took it with her to school:)

Happy Caking

Louise

I have figured out how to make poured fondant icing that is close to the one I normally buy. It is not true white, but almost. I used a danish recipe that is close to the one from chef but with glucose syrup instead of light corn syrup.

This is what I use:

Click here for the recipe from CHEF
Sugar
Water
Glycose syrup
Casserole
Candy-thermometer
Heavy-duty mixer with paddle attachment
2 plastic bags
A spoon

Step 1:
In a casserole add sugar, glycose syrup and water. Put in the candy-thermometer so that you can monitor the temperature.

Step 2:
Give the sugar mixture a quick stir and heat it up to the “soft-ball” stage (238°F; 114°C). The mixture needs to be heated as fast as possible, to prevent the sugar from turning brown, so dont be affraid to put the cooking plate on max. When it reaches the needed temperature you remove it from the heat.

Step 3:
Carefully pour the “sugar syrup” into the mixing bowl. Let it cool until it reaches 140°F (60°C).

Step 4:
When the “sugar syrup” has reached 140°F (60°C) start the mixer and let it beat in a slow/medium speed. Do not leave it unattended.

Step 5:
When the “sugar syrup” is turned into a thick “dough” it is done. It should look like on the picture.

Step 6:
Get the fondant out of the mixing bowl and double wrap it in plastic bags. Let it rest for 24 hours, in a dry and cool place, and it is ready for use.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember to pay close attention when you beat the “sugar syrup”. When it gets thick and creamy it can harden in no time and your paddle attachment could “freeze” into the mixture and you could end up with a broken mixer.
But as long as you only beat on slow/medium and stop to check once in a while it should be fine. Remember to be carefull when handling the hot “sugar syrup”

You can read more on how to cover cupcakes with poured fondant here.

Happy Caking

Louise

Just a note to all of you on what I have been up to the last couple of days. Firstly I have recived the latest book from Lindy Smith so I have been doing a lot of reading, as it is a fantastic book. I will write a book review soon.

I have also spend a lot of time in the kitchen trying to work out a way to make a good pouring fondant. I think I have succeded and I am very exited about it.
I have baked a batch of cupcakes to try the fondant on tomorrow. So if it turns out great I will post a “how to make poured fondant” tomorrow, lets hope….

Happy Caking

Louise

I have been updating my cake book stores. I have re-arrange it so that the authors with many book titles now has theire own section. So I hope it will be easier to find you’re way around in the book stores.

I know that many in the US are waiting patiently for Romantic Cakes by Peggy Porchen. Until now the only message from her site is that the US and German edition will be avalible this autumn. So let’s hope it won’t be long as you have lots of great stuff to look forward too with that book.

Lindy Smith’s seventh book Cakes to inspire & desire, was said to be released in the US last month?. So if you are so lucky to have it, I would love to know. The hardback version however is published in the UK here in August in a limited availability. This is the one I am waiting for as I could not wait until november where the soft back is published in the UK.

Then there is a new exciting book on the way by Mich Turner. It is called Party Cakes: Exquisite Treats for Celebrating Special Occasions.
It is to be released in UK, US and Canada this October.

So hopefully you can all look forward to a lot of exciting cake reading during this fall

Happy Caking

Louise

I have made this christening cake for my husbands cousins sweet baby girl. A three tier cake in bright colors with flowers, toadstools, butterflies, ladybirds, caterpillars and snails. I have made all the decorations out of sugarpaste/rolled fondant.

The baby cake topper is partly made of marzipan and sugarpaste/rolled fondant. It have been a secret with the cake design. So when the parents saw the cake they were overwhelmed. I was so happy that they liked it. I am also a bit tired now as there have been a lot of work behind this cake. So it is great to know that the cake have now been eaten and all of the guest at the christening party loved it.

You can see more photos of the baby cake topper in my cake gallery.

A big thank you to Alex for the new photo:) It shows the colors much better.

Happy Caking

Louise

The sugarcraft gun is, in my oppinion, a “must have” for anyone decorating cakes. You can make robes, hair, fur, grass, ribbons, strings, bricks and logs very easy with this brilliant tool.

You can use it for different kinds of paste. Fx. sugar paste/rolled fondant, gum paste, mexican paste, flower paste and marzipan. I like to knead in a few drops of water and a small amount of white fat into my paste as it makes it more pliable and smooth when you press it through.

The sugarcraft gun comes with 16 discs included. I use the mesh, slotted and the clover leaf shapes the most.
You can see some of my cakes where I have used the sugarcraft gun here and here.

You can purchase the sugarcraft gun here: US, AU, UK

Happy Caking

Louise