11/07/2024
Hello, Friends.
It's been a few months since I last posted. It's been crazy busy. My last few months included finishing a contract position for the state of MN, going to Scotland, celebrating a birthday, going to a gaming convention to play D&D every day, all day long for 4 days, and then a few more cakes. Here's what I've made in the past few weeks.
The first cake was a special request to make an only granddaughter's birthday special by making a cake around her favorite musical called "Heathers". If you haven't seen it, I recommend looking it up. The result was spot on. I received photos of the birthday girl and her cake and complements all around on the result. Techniques used on this cake include dry luster dust shading and details on buttercream, buttercream stenciling, Piping buttercream curtains, words, grass, etc, and making fondant details such as lipstick, croquet mallets, and cup.
Flavor= Lemon cake with vanilla American buttercream
The second cake is my annual Halloween cake for my husband's work. This is not a commissioned cake so; I do whatever I want with it. I always try to pick a skill that I haven't done or have been wanting to try. When I asked for some ideas online, someone said I should make a dragon. I immediately thought that it was beyond my skill level. However, I was intrigued. I watched some tutorials and decided to go for it. I'm so glad I did! Now, this cake is covered in modeling chocolate which I don't usually do for my cakes but made an exception this time to practice the skills that went into making it. The head is solid modeling chocolate and sculpted with fondant horns added. The eggs are actually cake pops and 100% edible. Scales and texture was made using rolled up aluminum foild and a scissors. After all the texture was completed, I hand painted and blended the colors using a paint mixture of metalic luster dust and Everclear. I used bronze, turquoise, dark grey, and red. The resulting colors in the picture don't do it justice. They were better in person. The eye was coated with clear piping gel to give it a lifelike shine.
All in attendance were enamored and awed at the result, including myself. This cake took over 36 hours to create and I stayed awake that entire time to get it done by my deadline. I learned a lot and would like to practice making it again...someday. Perhaps a long winter's nap, first! Despite the many frustrations, redos, and time with my lack of skill; it was totally worth it!
Flavor= Pumpkin molasses cake with chocolate American buttercream under the white chocolate modeling chocolate.
