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

I was busy last week with the preperation of this beautiful wedding cake. I made this wedding cake as a favour for a sweet friend of mine.

I started making the sugar flowers and leaves. I made lots of 5-petals, petunias and small blossoms i various sizes. The colors was from white to three different shades of peach.

I used my favourite silicon veiner for the sugar flowers. I dusted the flowers with peach and cream lustre dust and I gave the leaves some green petal dust dissovled in clear alcohol so they got a bit shiny.

Then it was time to bake the three chocolate cakes. I must say that my new oven is now officially tested We had a wonderful smell of chocolate in the house the rest of the day.

The next day when the cakes was cold and ready to level the fun started. Since I got my wonderful Agbay Cake Leveler it has been a joy to level my cakes. Before I knew it all three cakes was torted and ready to be filled.

I filled the cakes with raspberry and chocolate mouse and crumb coated them with vanilla buttercream. The cakes was covered with white rolled fondant and piped snail trails in royal icing. I stacked two of the cakes and used plastic dowels for extra support. The small tier was placed on cake pillars.

Then the only thing left was to attache the sugar flowers and leaves with royal icing. I must say that I was very satisfied with the cake and so was the happy couple

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

Gisele has finished a wonderful job and CakeJournal is, in my opinion, looking better than EVER! I hope you like it as much as I do. Now Im looking forward to get some new cake stuff done to look good with the new design

Happy Caking

Louise

Please have patience while Gisele Jaquenod is giving CakeJournal a much needed design make-over.

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

Ok, so its been a while since my last post. The reason is that we have been moving to a new place. It has taken a lot of my time and the good part is that I will get a brand new kitchen but it will not be ready until 2 weeks or so.So there is no baking for me yet

Also if you are one of those who have sent me an email or comment please forgive me for not replying to you. The reply list is long but all the renovation of the home takes all my time at the moment so I will do it when time permits.

So what other news do I have to you? Well I am a member of a nordic cake forum where we have just ended the poll for the cake of the year 2007. I was so happy to see that it was my cake that won the title ” Cake of the year” as that cake was one of the best I made last year. So for now until my kitchen is ready, be patience and I will soon post more about my baked goodies

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 apply it to the cookies. But you could also go for more detailed cookies if you apply 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
Paint brush for 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 edge 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 recently found a new sweet blog called: Bakerella with sweet cupcakes and other mouthwatering goodies. Bakerella is the proud creator of these cute snowman cupcakes. I really love this photo so I just had to show you.

The sparkling sugar on the blue frosting looks really good and I think she have done a great job with the snow couple aswell. I will look forward to read and see more of the sweet things she makes together with her pink KitchenAid (lucky girl!). Thank you Bakerella!

But I have found one more sweet thing to write about. On my weekly search on web to see if I can find new interesting cake books. A new book cover caught my eyes. The owner behind Maisie Fantaisie May Clee-Cadman have a book out in June 2008. It is called “Sweet & simple party cakes” and here is what the product description says:

“Create over 40 simple yet incredibly stylish cakes for every occasion, from weddings and anniversaries, to birthdays, christenings and Christmas. Discover a variety of irresistible cake designs in all colors, shapes and sizes. Includes a wide selection of sweet cupcakes and gorgeous minicakes to make when time is short.

Sounds good right? I have already made my pre-order ;-).

Sweet & Simple Party Cakes UK
Sweet & Simple Party Cakes US

Happy Caking

Louise

I was in the mood for making a nice treat for the family today and here is the result: Lamingtons. Let me tell you this, do not get fooled by the simple look of Australias traditional cake. They can also be found in a pink version in New Zealand. They are SO good!. Perfect together with a nice cup of coffee, tea or a cold glass of milk Mmmmm.

I made my Lamingtons with a nice butter cake (baked and cooled the day before) and the traditional chocolate icing.

Toss them in desiccated coconut to cover.

Let the icing set. You can either serve Lamingtons plain or sandwich them with whipped cream and raspberry jam. Enjoy!

Australian Lamingtons
Classic kiwi pink Lamingtons

Happy Caking

Louise