Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Tutorial: How to make a closed book cake "Diary of a Wimpy Kid cake"



Hi My lovely cake fellows!!! It is this time of the month when I have a little chance to come with some nice information on How to make a cake and turn it out simple and easy to do. Most of the time when I am making a cake I realize how to proceed with execution while I am working on it; I must say few years ago when I was just on the "beginners" stage (I am still on that stage BTW) , it was really difficult to realized how to make something I was requested to make. For days and days I used to browse all google searching for the right information, and let me tell you sometimes we can't find much or it is way too complicated to make or way too expensive if you would like to buy tutorials or videos etc!!! 

I was requested to make this cake by my Friend Deyse, her son turned 9th and is an avid reader of all stories form "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" , since he is a straight "A's" student, his  Mon wanted to celebrate his birthday with a cake that represents what he loves the most : on of his books. 


Here is some really basic information on how to make this cake, Let's Start!








First most important step: chocolate ganached cake no other cake, no buttercream, no nothing, only ganache to cover this cake. Why? it is the only way to achieve perfectly straight sides, better for  smoothing, better for covering and the best: it will make your life easier!!! trust me on this one. 
Tip: when ever you are making either a squared or sheet cake that will be covered with fondant, your best option always will be ganaching your cake.










Once your cake is completely covered in ganache, now proceed to measure high of your cake and also measure 3 sides of your sheet cake. Those 3 sides will be the actual pages of your book cake. Roll the fondant, I used MMF on this part, once roll and measured (remember we'll need enough fondant to cover 3 sides of your cake) The best and easy way to proceed is to roll your fondant strip on your rolling pin and on your brushed wet cake (3 sides only) then you strat from one side and "unroll" the fondant strip. One hand holds and unroll the rolling pin, other hand smooths fondant on cake. 
Tip: I always, ALWAYS, measure everything at least twice. I got a small measure tape that rolls inside. I got mine from the sewing section on my local craft store, $1.00








Once 3 sides are cover now proceed to cut all excess, I used an extremely sharp x-acto knife. Smooth several times, get rid of bubbles, marks, wrinkles etc. Now it is time to mark pages, i used my son's ruler that it happen to has a metal strip all over the edge , really handy BTW because It allows me to make thinner lines imprinted on the fondant (make sure your ruler is clean of any "sharpie" previous use)

Tip: If you want to make your pages lines to pop, brush them with some shimmer dust (dry)







This book's design (If you have seen it before) has some stripes on one side. On this step I used the most clever and magnificent technique,  lovely created by Jessicakes  (She is about to launch a video for this technique). Update:One of the cleaver techniques I have learned in many years!!!
All the class class can be found here:

 


 
  I simply cut some stripes using 2 colors fondant.  Then I placed them on a long piece of parchment paper brushed with some shortening so the stripes can stick to the paper. Remember to measure the side of the cake we are about to cover, I used a sheet pan 9x13, but remember to measure twice, cakes turn larger once they are covered in ganache or buttercream. You should leave 1/8 " on each side, can you imagine a hard cover book? must of the time the cover is larger then the pages. 

Tip: use your ruler to get even stripes, to measure, to mark etc. Really useful!!







Now is the time to place our design onto the cake, but you can avoid this part if you are not making this specific book, just take a look of your book design and see if you need this step. Brush wet your side of the cake that still needs decoration, lift your parchment paper from  your work table and making sure wher you need to place the stripes, now stick the stripes with the paper to the side of the cake, smooth paper to make sure stripes are really stick to cake. Once is completely stick, just peel of paper and VOILA!!! your design will be on your cake perfectly place, I love this transfer technique !!!







Now again you need to measure twice the top of the cake we still need to cover and where letters and design will be placed, don't forget to leave 1/8" on each sides, if your design should look like a hard cover book. Once you cut it, let it dry for a bit on a board or flat pan that is dry and you have shaken some cornstarch (this one is from  IKEA) , around 10 min. Then wet cake surface where the cover should be place, slowly slide the cover and place it on top of the cake. This is the cover of your cake. 

I hand panted the drawing from the cover and hand cut the letters from the title.

Cakey Hugs, Joly


Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Some Cupcake Toppers for Valentine's Day

Woow I 've being absent for a little while and I felt I was missing sooo much posting some silly words here. I am always busy, not like I am a workaholic, but I can't keep my mind away form creating something or planning to create something. I look for Ideas everywhere: you can find me a any Target taking pics of baby clothes, gift paper, invitations, bedding sets and everything that catches my eye and can be transform into a cake or cookie or both!!!


I have found several amazing ideas on scrapbooking paper, I collect any paper and sometimes I need to keep myself from buying too much paper (I don't even do scrapbooking anymore!!... but I should there are so many cute pics in my drawer!!).   SO I found these hearts that I looved so much especially because their color combination is so dramatic!!! and I thought these could work as cupcake toppers and they certainly did. I took some (NOT SO ) nice ok pics to help you, my sugar lovers, to visualize (if you are like me: "First I see , then I get it") how to make these lovely ones. I took pics from  only 5 of them, just to give you an idea and them... well YOUR imagination will be the limit, right?

 Here are all finished and lovely, I really love the color combination, and I must add I never thought this combination would work, but it certainly did!!!


This is more like a pictorial with Pictures,  dah! :)  and I am just letting know what did I use and also showing the cutters I actually used, but (and this part is important) work with what ever you have with you, if you need to buy too many things is because probably you have nothing at all to start working on your sugar projects, but I am pretty sure that if this is not your first time, you must have some cutters in hand.
You will find the materials under each picture.


Materials: circle cutter, hearts cutters,  stencil. black Royal Icing, texture for embossing (I used a piece of plastic I found at our local Home Depot it is used for covering ceiling lamps), tip #2 or #3 from wilton, flower cutter.



Materials: Medium  heart cutter (2" or 3"), gel colors in red, green, White (americolor works really good), small paint brushes, black fondant.




Materials : Heart cutters (different sizes) Fondant extruder gun, texture for embossing



Eyelets cutters (you can also use different tips and use them as eyelets cutters ) hearts cutters, little bow or any other embellishment, large circle cutter, large flower cutter, white paint



Heart Cutter, Edible frosting sheet with any desired design, Fondant Extruder Gun

I hope you had liked this idea and that you expend your Valentine's day along with the person you love the most in this world, the one that makes you happy and makes you shine!!! 

Big Sugar Hugs, Joly <3