Can I Mold That for You?

I wanted to make some really realistic seashells for a beach themed cake.  I was at the cake decorating store and noticed that they had some really great seashell candy molds.  They were around $2 so I thought, "What the heck, may as well try it."

I went online to see if there was any information on exactly how to use candy molds with fondant.  There were lots of suggestions on how to use them.  Lots, and lots, and lots!  I tried almost all of them.  Putting them in the freezer, letting them dry overnight, putting powdered sugar in the molds...none of it really worked.  If I was going to use the molds I was going to need to figure it out on my own.

And I did!!!!  Figure it out, I mean.  It took me 27 tries, but I finally figured it out.

So let me save you some trouble, frustration and the desire to pull out your hair.  This is how to do it.  Easy peasy (as my five year old would say).

1. Roll a ball of fondant in the size you need to fill the mold.
2. Coat it in powdered sugar.
3. Push fondant into mold.
4. Remove excess if needed. (If you do, coat the back with powdered sugar before you remove it)
5. If you don't get the detail that you want repeat steps 2 and 3.

I used molds for the seashells, fish, crabs, lobster and seahorses.  The seashells I made out of white fondant and then hand-painted them when they were dry.  I am so happy with the results.  You will be seeing me stalking the candy molds aisle from now on!

The Mother of Invention

First I want to let you all know that I STILL haven't finished the plastic bag tote.  Hopefully I will have enough bags by vacation because I wanted to take it to the beach with us.  I promise to keep you updated.

So I have found that when it comes to cake decorating I am always in need of some random yet specific tool.  Let me try to explain.  I have an order for "Back to School" cupcakes coming up for a clothing store.  They requested that they be decorated with jeans.  No problem I thought.  Not so easy.  I searched everywhere for a jeans shaped cookie cutter, no luck.  I finally came across what I was looking for online...at least I thought.

The cutter I ordered is beautiful.  it is handmade riveted copper.  The problem with it is that it is 2" wide, not 2" high.  It easily 6" high...which is too big for cupcakes. ;)

 I was sure I would just have to make my own...but how do you make cookie cutters?  I am happy to report that I found a way.  First was a trip to Home Depot.  When I asked the nice gentleman who worked there where the aluminum flashing was he asked me what I was going to use it for.  I told him cookie cutters.  I really wish I had a picture of the look on his face...not the answer he expected!  I also picked up some JB Weld (epoxy cold weld) and some electrical tape.

These are the directions I used as a guide (because I always like to do it my own way).  http://cakecentral.com/articles/125/how-to-make-your-own-cookie-cutters

Instead of clamps I used the electrical tape. Electrical tape won't stick to the epoxy if any of it happens to leak out.  Other than that I pretty much followed the directions from cake central.

So far I have made two pair of jeans, a teardrop, a surfboard, and a towel.  This is SOOOO great.  It has saved me so much time because I don't need to hand-cut each shape.  I am so excited to know how to do this!

Two for the Show

I finished two amazing cakes this week and I wanted to share them with you!  Here is the "Corvette" cake.  If you are a car expert, I am profoundly sorry.  I am very happy with the way it turned out...I did my best.  More important is the fact that my daughter's teacher absolutely LOVED it.  He did mention quite a few times, though, that he had meant he wanted a real Corvette. 

So, the other cake I made was a "Minute to Win It" cake.  This is based on a game show that I had never watched before getting this order.  Now, my children and I are obsessed with it.  It is too much fun! The cake was a blast to make.  Here is how it turned out!

The cake is based on games that they play on the show.  My favorite thing on this cake is the roll of toilet paper.  It actually looks pretty real!  What do you think?

Get In Shape Cake

I normally don't do a ton of cake carving.  It is never as easy as I think it is going to be.  I thank goodness that I spent all of those years in sculpture class.  Thank you Professor Jay...you were right, I was wrong (mark this day down on your calenders, people, this is rare).
Soooooo, of course I decide to do a shaped cake for my oldest child's teacher for the end of the year.  He has mentioned to the kids about 1,000 times that he really wants a white Corvette, so I am going to make him one out of cake. 
I looked at tons of Corvette pictures online and picked out the ones I really liked.  It seems that I like an old school Corvette the best.  It has some shape to it, but I think I can pull it off.  Here is the picture I like best:

I hope it looks as good in white!

I started out by baking two 11x15 cakes.  I know it is big, but I wanted to make sure there would be enough cake for 30-40 people after it was carved. I cut two inches off of the cakes lengthwise to put on top.

To be honest, at this point I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do it.  It seemed like mission impossible.  I had read somewhere that cake was easier to carve if it was frozen...so into the freezer it went!  I was mentally preparing myself to actually start cutting.  Anxious!

 I took off LITTLE pieces at a time.  I was probably more cautious that I needed to be, but I figured better safe than sorry.  After I finished shaping it I put it back in the freezer while I made a batch of buttercream.  Covering the cake in buttercream was actually the most difficult part...I would suggest throwing the cake back in the freezer when the cake starts pulling away.  I think it turned out pretty well, though!

Back into the freezer.  I actually left in in overnight, but that was because it was late and I was too tired to try to cover it in fondant.  I think it was the right move because this morning I was itching to get it covered!  I made the fondant this morning.  I know you are supposed to let it sit in the refrigerator for a night, but when I am covering something large or awkward I like to do it when the fondant is super pliable (this really takes some practice, so I wouldn't try it on an important cake the first time you do it).

I am really happy with how it looks so far!

I know there is a dent in the "windshield", but that will be covered with black fondant later.  I pushed a lot of the extra fondant into the wheel wells.  All in all I am pretty impressed with it.  I will post a picture of the finished product later, but let me know what you think so far!