My first fondant cake.

[snack_pack85]

A friend of mine would like to make her daughters birthday cake in september, so we've been practicing. Here's some pics of the process and the end product. We got the idea for a sort of garden themed cake from a few cake websites, one cake in paricular had all the insects we tried to replicate. The bottom layer is not pictured as it completely fell apart shortly after applying the fondant.

The middle layer is chocolate chocolate chip and the others are vanilla. We had a lot on our plate so we didn't make the icing ourselves.

Each cake was split in half and filled with chocolate or vanilla frosting and cherry pie filling.

My buddy made the insects and the mushrooms and I made the bee's and the flowers. All done by hand out of fondant. All the cakes were covered with blue and white fondant to resemble sky and clouds.

We were stoked with the end results (although we had a LOT of structural problems and a lot of blemishes on the fondant) especially the insects.

Next time we'll need to add some support throughout the layers of cake. It crumbled under the weight of the other layers and the fondant was far too thick to be appetizing. I didn't like the cake recipe all together. It was very dry cake and that didn't help with the overall structure. Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[Cooksie]

I can't offer any tips because I don't do cakes, but I can tell you that it is "cute as a bug" .

 

[snack_pack85]

I can't offer any tips because I don't do cakes, but I can tell you that it is "cute as a bug" .

Aw, thanks! We liked how it came out and once we get some practice rolling fondant and using dowells (sp?) we should do much better next time. Oh, and we need a better cake recipe. Something not so...flaky?

The texture was just awful!

 

[Chicks]

I can't help either but It truly is a very cute Birthday Cake !!!!! Maybe a heavier cake like a pound cake recipe?
C

 

[msmofet]

i love the bees and bugs!!

 

[babetoo]

i would use a cake mix, myself. they almost always come out well. bake them just a tiny bit shorter time than directions suggest. you should have a very moist cake. unless u have unlimited time to do this, the mix is the way to go. IMHO

 

[Wyogal]

I find cake mixes to be too "fluffy."

 

[LPBeier]

Cake mixes or not won't help the structure. Make cardboard bases for each tier/cake, the same size as the cake, and cover them tightly with foil (or buy cake boards for Michaels or other supply store). your decorations will cover the board so no one will see. Also, if you are doing three tiers it is best to put some dowels in - you can get them again from a cake supply store or even from the Wilton Store online. Actually that site will give you a lot of tips and ideas as well.

Put the dowels into the cake in a square (four dowels per tier). Insert one into the cake, measure so the dowel is even with the top of the cake and then cut it. Make sure it is sanded so there are no slivers that can get into the cake. Make four for the tier and then measure the next one.

Another thing is to either trim the cakes flat (the bottom ones at least, you can leave the top round if you want). you can also flip the cake over and use the bottom as the top.

Hope these tips help. You have done a beautiful job. If you have any questions you can PM me. And please, keep the pictures coming. I love the concept!

 

[snack_pack85]

Thanks for all the comments and tips. LPbeier, wish I could take credit for the concept, but all the bugs were a mock of a nice cake we found online if I had the website I used I'd provide the link but we forgot. Woops. Thanks very much for the dowel info that's exactly what I need to do. We used a 1234 cake recipe off the back of a cake flour box. I couldn't even cut the cakes in half without them falling apart. There are several pics of me icing them back together like a cake puzzle, it was so frustrating. Isn't there a better cake recipe?

I like the pound cake idea a lot for texture reasons, but as far as taste goes, I am sad to say pound cake is not my fav. Babe, I would use cake mix but I have a real phobia of too much boxed stuff. I can't purnounce half of the ingredients. I really would prefer to make everything from scratch if I can. We used tub frosting last time because we were in a pinch for time. Next time I'll make my own. It tastes better IMHO.

 

[linicx]

If it would help, I have a very old recipe book on cakes from the '30s. They are all scratch cakes. All I need to know is white, yellow or chocolate. .

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

This may or may not help you. If you have a cake that is either too fluffy, or too dry, you can firm it up, and moisten it by adding flavored Jello to the cake. Simply pick an appropriate flavor that will work with the cake flavor. For instance, cherry or strawberry Jello works with chocolate cake. Lemon works with lemon and yellow cake. You just bake the cake, dissolge the Jellow in boiling water according to package directions, and while the cooled cake is still in the pan, slowly pour the entire liquid Jello all over the cake, letting it soak in completely. Then, refrigerate it for 2 to 3 hours. It makes the cake wonderfully moist, and suprisingly, the Jello doesn't actually gell, though it does firm up the cake. If you don't want to alter the flavor of the cake, use unflavored gelatine to add moisture.

Other things you can do if your cake is too dry; add 1/4 cup of either cooking oil or mayonaise to the batter. If making a spice or carrot cake, add 1/2 cup apple sauce to the batter.

A great cake mix is to use the Libby's Pumpkin pie recipe found on the 15 oz. can, and add three cups of flour with 2 tbs. couble-acting baking powder to make a wonderful pumpkin cake.

Hope these ideas help.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North