Tuesday 16 February 2010

A Pink Birthday Cake!

A birthday cake for a little girl who is very fond of books.  She's my son's schoolmate as well as my friend's daughter.  We had a wonderful party at their place - the highlights were the dance floor and the karaoke singing which kept as awake till the early morning hours of Valentine's day. Some of the songs have still not left my lips...Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein...How I love music!!! Had a gala time... :)  

This time I've got the step by step snaps for you :)






I am a book-taught ametuer in cake decoration.  Few of the techniques I use here might not be the proper proffesional way.  

Things you will need...

A little patience, no special talent other than this is needed
A cake 
White Icing/Sugar Paste or Fondant
Marzipan - 500gm
Sugar Modelling tool kit(if you don't have can adjust with few kitchen equipments and cocktail sticks)
Paste food color
Marmalade(shredless) or any jam without bits
Cocktail sticks
Pastry brush
Icing Sugar
Rolling pin
Paint Brushes(preferably sabel hair brushes) - few of the different sizes
Non stick icing sheet
Cake board/stand
Cling film
Flower cutter - 3 different sizes
Wafer Biscuits

Marmalade glace:
To marzipan a cake you need a glace which helps the marzipan to stick to the cake.  I have used marmalade glace here. To make marmalade glace you will need...
Marmalede - 200 gm
Water - 45ml
Place marmalade and water in a saucepan and heat gently until the marmalade dissolves fully.  Bring to boil.  Take off heat and set it aside to cool. 
Note:
Any jam without bits can be used.  If using a jam with bits, strain after boiling. 


Marzipaning  the Cake:
Marzipaning is essential for a smooth, even, blemish free cake. To do this unwrap the cake and remove the lining paper.  Place the cake on the cake board, lightly roll the cake with a rolling pin to flatten slightly.  Brush the top and side with marmalade glace.  Knead the marzipan to make it smooth.  Sprikle the work surface with seived icing sugar.  Roll out the marzipan to suit the shape of the cake. To transfer it on to the cake, roll the marzipan loosely around the rolling pin.  Lift the rolling pin with the marzipan on it and place it on top of the cake positioning it correctly.  Smooth it and trim off the extra lengths. Save the extras for later use. Some people don't like the taste of marzipan. In that case use sugarpaste instead. Check out the links I've given below for a clearer understanding.


To make the sofa:
To make the sofa arrange the wafer biscuits as shown in the figure(let your imagination run wild, personalise your sofa, love seat or even couch, to your liking).  You might need to trim off the extra lengths of the wafers which makes the handles. Once you are happy with the look, stick them together with marmalade glace. I have used marzipan to stick the back rest.  Employ marzipan wherever you find it difficult to stick with just marmalade glace.  Make the side table with same techniques.  Can cut the wafers to a size of ur liking.  Use a sharp knife while cutting to prevent the chipped edges.  Once assembled you need to cover it with marzipan to get a smooth finish for the sugarpaste decoration. Can do this by bushing maramalade glaze on the sofa, roll out the marzipan on a smooth dusted surface  and cut it into desired shapes.  I used a ruler to measure and cut it with the tool shown in figure.  The tools are very handy, helps to attain better perfection and worth the price.  I highly recommend them.  


Colouring Sugar paste:
You can manage with just the primary colours red, blue, yellow and black.  Other colors can be obtained by mixing these.  It's better to buy brown since you need to knead way too much to obtain the color with red and green.  I'm giving few combinations here. You might be knowing these combinations already, but just in case if you don't remember, here it is...
Red+Yellow= Orange, when a small tinge of both are used with white as the sugarpaste base you can get skin colour.  
Blue+Yellow=Green
Red+Blue=Purple
Green+Red=Brown

The sugarpaste I used here is storebought and comes white in colour.  You can make sugarpaste at home(I've never tried, choosing the easier option since decorating itself is so time consuming). If you need the recipe for sugarpaste please feel free to ask.  Coming to coloring, we need paste colors for this, powder colors can also be used eventhough pastes are more effective.  Take as much as sugrapaste you need.  With the help a cocktail stick transfer the color paste to the sugarpaste.  Go slow starting with very less color since the paste colours are very concetrated.  Knead until you get an even finish.  Cover the sugarpaste with cling film until use to prevent drying out.(Kneading is the toughest part for me...phew...)


I used dark brown for sofa and covered the marzipaned sofa and side table with brown sugarpaste, following the same steps as we did for marzipan covering.  


For the side piping in pink, color the sugarpaste with very little red and you can get pink.  To get the piping threads  use an icing gun(i don't have one) or if you are familiar with the idiyappam press(chakli maker, shown in figure) use that(it's very handy, I use it for all my sugarpaste attempts).  Stick the piping along the sides. To stick, brush water lightly with a 0 brush. Cut out different shades of pink flowers with the flower cutter and decorate the sofa with it. Stick using water.  If you dont have flower cutter make small balls of sugarpaste and flatten it with hand to get polka dots of different sizes.  This would look equally good. To make the drawers I have cut out sugar paste oblongs and marked the edge design with the tool shown in figure.  



The frills can be made by rolling cocktail sticks along one side of sugrapaste stripes.  See figure.


Sugar paste Figure:
To get the skin colour add very little red and yellow to the white sugarpaste.  For the hair I used the chakli press(icing gun) or can make this with the help of a seive.  Press a small ball of sugarpaste through the seive, you can get fine strands. Mould the body parts as shown in figure. Assemble them on the sofa.  Two tones of frills can be used for the skirt. For the eyes prick the face with cocktail stick tipped with black color.  The tool used for mouth is shown in figure. Use water to stick the body parts together.


Sugarpaste Books:

Table Lamp:

Slippers:

By the time i reached the flower cushion I was running short of time and missed out the clicks. If you are really keen on it, let me know, I can do it again and post the pictures for you. I am a last minute doer and usually finishes things in the nick of time.

Here are few links and refernces which might come handy.
Book Reference:  The International School of Sugarcraft Books 1 and 2 by Nicolas Lodge.


I have tried to be as clear as possible.  If you have any questions please feel free to ask, I'll be happy to help. 

63 comments:

  1. Wowwww great effort dear....Looks cute and lovely...Evidunnanu cake dec padichathu...

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  2. Tina, have a cousin who has done a course, got the basic info from her, then books and youtube...

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  3. wow........ great dear.....looks very very very very lovely.........

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  4. Oh my god, this is marvellous..You seriously have patience..one thing i dont..so i see myself getting to the part where i buy everything, making the cake and maybe even rolling the marzipan..but after that..it would be down hill for me... So much effort has gone into taking pics too after each step..hats off to you..great going.
    If ever i decide to surprise myself with an effort like this, im sure to have a million doubts..and i shall def get in touch with you.

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  5. fabulous cake,,great work dear....really amazing!!!!!!!!!!!

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  6. Nice cake with gr8 details..liked the idea of using idiyappam maker,so clever....Keep up the good work....Thanx for sharing awards with me dear ,hope u had a gr8 v'day....

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  7. brilliant head dear...what a creative mind u have...ausumn idea or decoration..lovely one..

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  8. Cicily...Great effort friend....Belated Birthday wishes to the book lover...

    Love
    Kairali sisters

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  9. You have impressed me very very much with your creative skills and patience and I have to say hats off to you. And thanks for your step by step instructions. Love the cake and love the post even more.

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  10. I can't help saying again and again...you are so creative..Thanks a lot for sharing the pics with description..When I get enough courage to venture something like this, will def try your ideas ..bookmarking this ,thanks Cicily !

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  11. woww..what a Fantastic cake!!!!..great effort & patience..eniku tuition tharumo pls. you are very creative..Thanks a lot for sharing cakes..

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  12. oh my god!!!!!!!!!!...Are you owning any pastry shop?...so so creative!!..you are really an expert, dear!

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  13. u have such a lot of patience...but seriously worth ur efforts, so perfect and ur so talented too...wish i could learn this art from you...simply amazing and superb cicily.....just loved it and your other cakes too..thanks for dropping by and i hope to see u around more often,take care

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  14. Cute cute cute just amazing.. what can i say ? Looks fantastic great job, great clicks..

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  15. Fantastic.. that sure is a piece of art and to share it you are very kind. Wonderful information and keep going I am enjoying this site.

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  16. OMg wat a fantastic work, can see ur efforts dear, truly a cute cake, amazing am speechless..

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  17. Fantastic cake. Nice step by step pics. Has come out so perfect and looks really cute. Kids would have surely loved them.

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  18. Awesome..Awesome Awesome...allathe enthu parayana...kidu..

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  19. Good lord.. this is a stunning piece of art n patience combined..The cake is awesome "Pretty in pink" We'r sure the lil b'day girl loved it too..N Kudos to take time n pics for the detailed explanation..

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  20. Amazing cake... Required loads of patience for sure...
    Very nice blog...

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  21. Awesome..very very cute cake..you have lot of patience..kudos to you Dear:-)

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  22. Wow what a great Effort! I just can't believe that you are book taught in this! Just fantastic...

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  23. Hats off to for all that effort in creating this post with the step wise pics.

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  24. Very lovely cake..I wish I was the bday girl

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  25. That's really nice description u have given....nice cake, I'm sure the little girl must have felt very happy....btw thanks for visiting my blog.

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  26. Wow. What great work. I am so impressed...speechless.keep rocking dear.

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  27. OMG Cicily!.. you are the best!!:).. looks super cute and perfectly done dear!!... lovely!!..

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  28. Wow! Just fantastic! Lot of hard work

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  29. Cicily really great ...even i need to learn this.I do make cakes but not this perfect. This is very impressing......

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  30. Wow..what a masterpiece.I admire ur patience.Im sure ur daughter would hav been proud of her supermom...!

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  31. OMG!!! That's all I could say! U r so creative dear...I'm so impressed with the cake. I think one should learn from U what is patience when it comes to creating something like the cake above! Oh my! Don't know what else to say, I'm speechless! :)

    What a lucky Birthday Gal!

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  32. Hi, thanks for stepping into my blog and the lovely comment....I loved reading your posts...you have a wonderful blog dear...the cake is absolutely awesome...thatz one lucky and happy girl :)

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  33. omg!!!! thats amazing cake....nice bolg
    thanks for visting my blog
    iam also following ur blog
    http://gunturtraditions.blogspot.com/

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  34. OMG!!!!what a fantstic cake...are you taking any orders?..;0) Looks fabulas!!!

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  35. looks fantastic....loads of effort of course..but gorgeous !

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  36. wow!!!!!!!!!11 excellent.How long does this take to make?Very professional.

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  37. Stunning!! Cake looks fantastic and thank you so much for step by step pics!

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  38. Oh my gosh....that looks highly proffessional, cute, wow...man thats an incredible work, hats-off to ur effort':)

    I can never eat this...looks so beautiful.

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  39. I appreciate for your wonderful presentation. Cake looks colourful, yummy and gorgeous. I don't feel like eating this cake as it has been decorated so nicely. Just marvellous. Great work.

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  40. This is excellent. There is no gain without pain. Worked on it perfectly.

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  41. For a book taught decorator, you are amazing. Keep up the good work.

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  42. First time at your blog and I am glad to follow...
    OMG.. I am speechless!!! You have tremendous patience...that is obvious.. gr8 work..had seen such cakes only in books.. u are simply awesome...!!!

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  43. hey cicily thnx for visitng n commenting on my blog...hope 2 cu agn now...u hv a lovely blog with awesome recipe...i am speechless 2 c this wonderful cake...it luks awesome...u hv gr8 patience and talent to do it, nice detailed info u hv gvn with pics...egg curry also looks very delicious....following u 2 get more such yummy dishes

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  44. OMG! what a lovely cake and neat explanation. I am sure the child could have enjoyed the cake very much along with the guests.

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  45. wow! great work...words are not enough to describe the beauty..

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  46. such a wonderful cake, its truly awesome..so much effort, wont feel like cutting it..just love to treasure it..too good..you are so creative..

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  47. lovely pink cake..
    awards waiting for u in my blog...

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  48. Wow...this is amazing..appreciate the amount of time you have put into this...

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  49. First time 2 ur Wonderful Blog..Uve a nice collection of recipes with awesome clicks..adding u 2 my blogroll..wil b visiting often
    Btw What a Gr8 patience u've...Lovely Cake.!!!
    Keep adding more recipes !!!!!!!
    Drop in some time at Panchamrutham at ur leisure
    regards
    deepti

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  50. hello..

    Hai ..enthu rasamanu cake.U have done a wonderful job.great work

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  51. wooooooooooooooooooow!gr888888 work!!!
    u have an awesome space dear
    tnx 4 visiting my blog...

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  52. Dear Cicily..UR are so talented and with loads and loads of patience. I'm a beginner when it comes to cake decorating and I'm trying to learn and ur post here is inspiring me to do so quick. LOve ur step by step pictures. Its a lot of work but believe me It will help people like me immensely. SUPERB JOB ..U shd be very proud of urself amd I'm sure ur son is proud of his mommy..JOb well done. EXcellent.

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  53. Oh my sweet lord look at the beautiful cake... I am so awed by the color pattern and the minute deatils taken care off!!! Beautiful work dispalyed!!!

    http://memoryarchieved.blogspot.com

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  54. There is so much of patience and hard work that has gone into this...it looks really pretty!

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  55. cic.. u r great.. nice decoration... u have lot of patience.. thanks for the step by step process. really u should start a baking school and air shows on TV..

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  56. Wow - that is sucha cute, cute cake!! I cannot get over that sofa - it is so creative!!!

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  57. Wow!!! That's a lovely and cute cake Cicily! You are so talented and I really appreciate for the effort you have taken to do the step by step presentation! First time in your blog and you have a wonderful blog!

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  58. I jus came across your blog today and saw this wonderful cake..Hats off to you for the effort that u have taken..did u attend any cake decor class?

    btw i jus started blogging today..pls do chk my blog www.magickitchenworld.blogspot.com

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