Attempt: Wedding Cake?!?!

First attempted wedding cake

It's been a while since I posted something but I’ve been incredibly busy with my condo...I moved out.  Throughout the week I have been packing, mini moves and looking for boxes.  It makes me sad to know these two cake were the last things I baked this place.  I moved on Saturday.  It won’t be the same cooking and baking in another other house. 

Aside from my personal life, this year is the year of weddings for me.  Four good friends are getting marry and the closest wedding will actually be in March!  They only announced their engagement last month!  This will certainly be interesting and fun, I haven’t attended a wedding in years, not to mention that I will be a bridesmaid.  I wonder what’s that like.....never been before..

Now here’s the crazy part, I even offered to make their wedding cake!! I have never made a wedding cake, nor have I ever learn how to make and decorate a wedding cake in my baking class.  by the way, it was over four years ago when I last took a baking class.  I have confident in myself, and I love a good baking challenge.  I went to the store and found all the supplies I think I needed which are, a Fondant Roller, Fondant smoother, already-made fondant, and gel food colouring.  I already have piping tips and piping bags at home so I thought I was SET!

Bought these fake flowers at the dollar store.. playing around with the design

The internet is such a powerful and helpful tool.  I researched and studied with the help of youtube and blog sites on how to build and decorate a fondant wedding cake.  After buying already-made fondant, I realized that marshmallow fondant its actually very easy to make, plus those who made it say its tastier too.  I was convinced, plus it cheaper too!  I didn’t return the fondant I bought cause I wanted to compare it with the marshmallow fondant.  My verdict is that the marshmallow fondant IS easier to make as well as being yummier.  The major difference between the two is:

Wilson’s fondant	Home-made Marshmallow Fandant
Has a sour smell when smell close to the noise	Smells like sugar up close
Very firm and needed to microwave to soften	Soft, like new Playdough
Due to the firmness, difficult to roll thin	Easy to roll
Just taste sweet but slightly doughy	Much tastier, like marshmallow

I made a simple chocolate cake recipe and after that, I crumb coated  the cake with a simple vanilla butter cream and placed it in the fridge for about four hours for the coat to harden.  What is Crumb coating? I now know that it is important to crumb coat when fondanting a cake.  Basically it is covering the entire cake with a very thin layer of icing to seal in the moister and FRESHNESS.  It also keeps the cake from (excuse my home-make term) "crumbing" and falling apart when you apply the fondant over your cake.

Wilson fondant

This was the result of my first attempt.  I honestly did not know how I should design the cake.  The bride gave me complete design control.  I was glad to have full control, but at the same time I was overwhelm with all the beautiful designs I saw on the internet which made it difficult to decided.  I wanted to gather ideas and did not want to copy someone else's design idea.   Eventually I realized that simplicity is the best.  I would incorporate her wedding theme colour, and flowers into the cake.  

I got alittle creative and decided to add a black ribbon.  Great colour contrast but I debating weather or not I want to add anything non-edible to a cake....

Although this cake has blue roses, I am wishing she won’t have blue roses in her wedding (I over heard her saying she will be holding a bouquet of blue roses, her favourite)  they were extremely time consuming and difficult to make.  And if a professional were to judge these roses, they would definitely criticize their shapes.  They don’t look like true roses.  Oh well I need more practices and I WILL definitely do it the bride wishes.  The second cake I made were decorated with calla lilies.  Much easier to make. 

Second Attempt, with home-made marshmallow Fondant.

 The second cake is a vanilla cake filled with mango buttercream.  It was FANTASTIC.  I had 2 slices of cake that night.  It was soooo tasty, I was surprised.  I just followed a basic buttercream recipe, but incorporated Mango Puree.  Excellent result and it was a hit. 

What I learned was that you can't make flowers with marshmallow fondant.  It will not hold it's shape.  I made one and waited 3 hours for it to harden.  never hardened.  I then did a bit of research and found out that I should be using gum paste, a.k.a sugar paste, a.k.a pastillage.  Apparently its easy to shape and it dries quite quick, which also means that you have to work fast!.  I haven't looked for gum paste recipes yet but I have seen it for sale at Bulk Barn.  I'll probably buy it if it cost less. 

 

 

 

 

 

Applying a border of edible silver beads, so pretty!