I have received many questions about how I make my royal icing. When I make my royal icing I make it with eggwhites (pasturized) only because meringue powder or dried eggwhite powder is not commen use here in Denmark. Some of the cake decorating shops may have it though but I stick to the eggwhites.

If you do know how to make royal icing but are having trouble getting it runny for flooding your cookies then take a look at the photos maybe they can be helpful to acchive the smooth look on a flooded cookie. I can tell that I always start out with a stiff royal icing and then I thin it down with water to either soft for piping and runny for flooding.

Always remember to cover up your royal icing with either cling film or a wet cloth as this will prevent the royal icing to dry out. Also if your icing gets too thick add water or if it is too wet add more icing sugar. So here is the tutorial on how to make royal icing.

This is what I use:
2 eggwhites
2 lb icing sugar sifted (Not all may be used)
1 tsp lemon juice
Large bowl
Handheld mixer with hooks or kitchen mixer with paddle attachment
Cling film

Step 1:

Combine eggwhites and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add some of the sifted icing sugar to the mixture and start the mixer.

Step 2:
Keep adding icing sugar a little at a time. When the mixture looks like thick whipped cream and makes soft peaks when you push down the hooks/paddle in it, you can use it for piping.

Step 3:
When you have the soft peak icing, you start to only add 2 tbsp of icing sugar at a time because from now on the icing will get more and more stiff. When you can pull out small stif peaks the icing is ready. Cover the icing with cling film and a lid or wet cloth and store it in the fridge.

Runny icing:
If you want to make runny icing for flooding cookies or making run-outs then take some royal icing (stiff made) into a bowl and start mixing it with water, a few drops at the time. Continue this until the icing it thin and liquid. It should be smoothing out when you lift the spoon. The mixing with the water will most likely cause many air bubbles in the icing, so it is always good to cover up the icing and let it “rest” for 30 min. Then give it a slow stir and you have reduced the amount of air bubbles in your icing.

I hope you can use this

Happy Caking

Louise

Here are the four cookies that I made from my own templates. The cupcake cookie lollie from the previous post, a mini cupcake, a cake and a Petit Four or domed cupcake?.

If you like, you can download your own copy of the cookie templates, from me to you. They are easy to cut out with a small sharp knife on cold cookie dough.

Note: It is a good idea to transfer the templates to cardboard paper or laminate them so that they last longer.

You can also find inspiration on how to decorate cookies.

Happy Caking

Louise

Are you tired of using lots of time cleaning up your cake tins after you are done baking? I know I am, so I like to line my cake tins when I bake my cakes because it prevents the cake to stick to the cake tin and makes the cleaning a lot easier. Here is a tutorial on how to line a cake tin.

This is what I use:
Baking paper or grease proff paper
Non-stick baking spray
Pencil
Scissors
A paper clip

Step 1:
Take your baking paper and place you cake tin on top of it. Now draw around the cake tin with your pencil.

Step 2:
Cut out the marked piece of paper and make sure that it fits the tin.
Note: This is for the bottom of the cake tin.

Step 3:
Cut a strip of baking paper long enough to go all the way around the cake tin. I like to cut my strip 1″ higher than the tin.

Step 4:
Fold down 1″ of the strip and make 1/2″ cuts into the paper. Make around 1″ between each cut.

Step 5:
Grease you cake tin with non-stick baking spray.
Note: butter and vegetable oil can also be used

Step 6:
Now you take the long strip of baking paper with the fold and cuts facing down at the bottom of the tin. Make sure it fits nicely all the way around the cake tin.

Step 7:
You can use a paper clip to hold the ends together. Now take the paper from step 2 and place it at the bottom of the cake tin.

Step 8:
The cake tin is now ready to be filled with cake batter.

Note: If you are baking a cake that raises a lot then it is important to line you cake tin with a collar so you wont end up with cake batter everywhere.

Happy Caking
Louise

I had some cake scraps from the wedding cake so I decided to make some cake bites to indulge with my afternoon tea. Cake bites is made out of cake scraps (I used chocolate cake) and is mixed with either buttercream, cream cheese icing or chocolate ganache until it looks likes a sticky “dough” that you can mould. You can add flavours like sugar syrup or liqueur if you like.

Roll the “dough” into small bite sizes and chill them in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Then decorate them as you desire with melted chocolate, poured fondant or sprinkles.

I decorated some of my cake bites with “home-made” pink sprinkles and covered the rest with poured fondant and decorated them with green vines and some small pink sugar flowers. Placed in paper cups these small cake bites would be a perfect treat for a tea party.

Happy Caking

Louise

Here is a little “How to” on how to make marshmallow fondant also known under the name MMF or chocolate MMF. You can use it to cover cakes. If you want to make flowers and figurines you will just have to knead in some Gum Tragacanth or Tylo powder so they dry up hard. 

This is what I use:

1 bag of white marshmallows (8 oz)
Water (2 tbsp)
Icing sugar sifted (1 to 2 pounds)
Crisco
Heatproof bowl
Spoon
Sift
Food colors or cocoa powder
Flavouring optional
Note: you can offcourse use your kitchen mixer when mixing in the icing sugar. Just remember to grease the bowl and paddle attachment well with Crisco.

Step 1:

Put the marshmallows in a heatproof bowl and add the water. Put the bowl in the microwave oven and heat it for approx. 2 mins. until the marshmallows puff up like on the photo.

Step 2:

Stir the marshmallows until they get smooth. This is the time where you can add your chosen food color/cocoa powder or give it flavour.

Note: Color the mixture a bit stronger than desired. You can always make the color lighter afterwards by mixing it with white marshmallow fondant.

Step 3:

Now add the icing sugar and stir the mixture with a well greased spoon. Keep adding icing sugar until it looks like a dough. Turn out the “dough” on a greased work board and with your hands greased with Crisco start kneading the marshmallow fondant. Keep adding a little icing sugar at a time until it is not sticky anymore.

Be careful not to use all the icing sugar as to much icing sugar can makes it too dry. It is ready when it feels pliable and ready to roll. If you are not using the marshmallow fondant straight away then rub a bit of Crisco on it and wrap it in cling-film and seal it in a airthight bag.

Note: Some uses the marshmallow fondant right away but I prefer to let it rest for a day before use.

If your marshmallow fondant feels very hard you can always warm it up in the microwave for a few sec. at a time. Then it should be more pliable to work with. If it feels dry then knead in some Crisco or if it is too soft add more icing sugar. I hope you can use it.

Happy Caking

Louise

Many have asked me about the sugar flowers that I used on the lemon meringue cupcakes. I can tell that the flowers are called frangipani. A very “simple” flower to make as you use 5 petals in the same size. Frangipanis is often in the color combinations white/yellow or pink/yellow.

So while I was browsing for suppliers for the cutters I found this cool Frangipani tutorial online. It is with photos and is well explained. I hope that you will enjoy it and that it will help you make beautiful frangipani flowers for you cakes and cupcakes.

You can buy frangipani cutters here:
Earls Craft ‘N’ Cake
International Sugar Art Collection

Note: If you know other suppliers who have frangipani cutters please let me know and I will add them here. Thanks!

Happy Caking

Louise

To decorate cookies with rolled fondant is very easy and quick. The cookie do not need to dry overnight like you do with royal icing.

You can go for a simple look by only cut out the same shape in fondant and applied it to the cookies. But you could also go for more detailed cookies if you applied fondant accents on top of the cookie.

I also like to use small embossing sticks or a veining tool to make pretty details in the fondant. Here I will show you how I make my dragonfly and butterfly cookies. I love the look you get when you use a veining tool on the wings. So simple. If you brush your fondant cookies with edible luster dust they look even better.

There are no limits when it comes to decorating cookies. Just be creative!

This is what I use:
Sugar cookies in the shape of butterflies or dragonflies
Cookie cutters in the same shape
Non-stick board
Rolling pin
Knife
Corn syrup & brush
Soft brush for the lustre dust
Dresden & veining tool (I recomend the one from Jem)
Luster dust (I have used: Aqua shimmer & Iced Pink from Edable Art)
Rolled fondant in your chosen colors

Dragonfly:

Step 1:
Roll out your fondant thinly and cut out the wings with the cookie cutter.
As it is only the wings we are going to need. You dont have to cut out the whole shape like I did. Just the wings.

Step 2:
Cut the wings in shape with a knife like shown on wing A.

Step 3:
Brush a thin coat of corn syrup on the sugar cookie but only on the wings and gently put the wing pieces on top

Step 4:
With your finger smooth out the edge all around the wings.

Step 5:
Take your veining tool and mark the wings with fine lines.

Step 6:
If you like you can brush luster dust on the wings.

Step 7:
Take a small piece of fondant and make the body and the head. You can make small marks on the body with the veining tool.

Butterfly:

Step 1:
Take your chosen color for the large wing and roll out the fondant thinly. Cut out the wings with the cookie cutter and cut wing A. with a knife like shown on the photo.

Step 2 & 3:
Repeat step 3 & 4 for the dragonfly.

Step 4:
Take your veining tool and make 3 lines on both wings.

Step 5:
Roll out the second color of fondant and cut out another pair of wings with the cookie cutter. Cut the small wings in the shape as shown on step 1/wing B. Brush with corn syrup.

Step 6:
Gently put the small wings on the cookie. With your finger smooth out the edges all around the small wings. Again use the veining tool to make 4 lines on the wings.

Step 7:
If you like you can brush luster dust on the wings.

Step 8:
Repeat step 7 for the dragonfly.

Tip: Make the butterfly in all white with pearl luster dust and you will have the perfect wedding favour.

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

I have recived a lot of questions regarding the use of poured fondant icing on cupcakes. So in this tutorial I will try to show you how to cover cupcakes with poured fondant.

This is what I use:
White fondant
Abricot jam
Hot boiled water
Cupcakes (firm cupcakes works best)
Pastry brush
Tea spoon
Heatproff bowls
Optional: Flavourings and food colors.

Step 1:
Brush the cupcakes with a thin coat of hot abricot jam. Let it dry.

Step 2:
Place the fondant in a heatproff bowl and heat it gently in the microway oven for approx 1 min. It needs to be warm but dont let it boil. Give it a stir to get it smooth. It is important that you get the right consistency. If it gets too thick you will have difficulty to dip the cupcake properly and if it is too thin it will look transparent on the cupcake. Give it a few tries and you will find the right consistency. You can use boiled water, a tsp at a time, to thin it down. If it gets too cold gently reheat it in the microway oven a few sec.

Step 3:
Now take the cupcake and dip it upside down in the hot fondant. Carefully shake the excess fondant off. I like to dip my cupcakes so the fondant sticks to the paper cases.

Step 4:
Set the cupcakes aside and let them dry. If you like you can give them a second coat when the first one is dry.

Step 5:
Attach your choosen decoration on the cupcakes with dots of royal icing.

Note: Store the cupcakes in cake boxes. NOT in the refrigerator because that will dissolve the poured fondant. Also air thight containers can make the fondant melting.

Happy Caking

Louise

Video tutorial, how to make a ribbon rose. As you can see CakeJournal is now on youtube. I am just testing this so please abstract for the poor picture and sound quality I would though really love your feedback. Is this something you would like to see more of?

Happy Caking

Louise