I've been taking a fondant class (pictures coming soon!) and I've learned some great tricks. One is to minimize the amount of powdered sugar I use when working with fondant. Too much sugar causes the fondant to dry and crack. Another trick is to use a very tiny amount of shortening to smooth out any cracks or just if the fondant starts to feel very dry. I used both tips when sculpting the super-cute fondant cake toppers for this baby shower cake. The mom-to-be is having a baby boy, and the invitation, in shades of green, gray, and blue, was elegant, with her name written in a beautiful script. I was asked to color coordinate the cake with the invitation and to write her name in the same script as the invitation; I got to choose what kinds of baby boy toys to make for decorations. My mom requested the buttons around the base. I think they've kind of become my baby shower signature decoration.
Here's the cake. I think the toys - especially the dinosaurs - came out really cute!
Here's a closer look:
I know the red car doesn't fit the green/gray/blue scheme, but I liked the pop of color. And don't all little guys need a red car?
The bear was modeled after a cute wedding topper I saw. I liked how tall and skinny he sat, though mine is more short and round.
And these dinos are my favorites. SO cute! Boy-o already asked if he can have them for his next birthday cake, even though that's not for another 50 weeks. Here are the great photo tutorials I used for the T-Rex and Stegosaurus.
The mom-to-be requested any kind of cake with cream cheese frosting, and the hostess picked red velvet. I used the same recipe I have used before for cupcakes, and I actually thought two of the layers came out a little dry (I may have overbaked it by a minute). To compensate, I cooked up a little simple syrup (50/50 water/sugar; boil for a minute or two until the sugar is dissolved) and brushed it on the layers as I assembled the cake.
I used Pinky's cream cheese frosting, which really tastes delicious. It is fabulously easy to frost with, and smooths out beautifully. BUT. You can't futz with it. Every time I decided some little part wasn't perfect, and tried to fix it, I dug myself in deeper. For the writing, I just colored some frosting dark grey to match the invitation. Oh - one more weird thing: I intended for the frosting to be a very pale blue, and even though I used only blue food coloring, it totally came out green! The cream cheese frosting must have just enough yellow tint to affect the color. It actually matched the invitation just right, so I didn't adjust it, but it was so strange to put in blue and get green out.
I hope the mother-to-be had a wonderful shower and loved her cake! I had fun making it!
Print red velvet cake recipe.
Print cream cheese frosting recipe.
Here's the cake. I think the toys - especially the dinosaurs - came out really cute!
Here's a closer look:
I know the red car doesn't fit the green/gray/blue scheme, but I liked the pop of color. And don't all little guys need a red car?
The bear was modeled after a cute wedding topper I saw. I liked how tall and skinny he sat, though mine is more short and round.
And these dinos are my favorites. SO cute! Boy-o already asked if he can have them for his next birthday cake, even though that's not for another 50 weeks. Here are the great photo tutorials I used for the T-Rex and Stegosaurus.
The mom-to-be requested any kind of cake with cream cheese frosting, and the hostess picked red velvet. I used the same recipe I have used before for cupcakes, and I actually thought two of the layers came out a little dry (I may have overbaked it by a minute). To compensate, I cooked up a little simple syrup (50/50 water/sugar; boil for a minute or two until the sugar is dissolved) and brushed it on the layers as I assembled the cake.
I used Pinky's cream cheese frosting, which really tastes delicious. It is fabulously easy to frost with, and smooths out beautifully. BUT. You can't futz with it. Every time I decided some little part wasn't perfect, and tried to fix it, I dug myself in deeper. For the writing, I just colored some frosting dark grey to match the invitation. Oh - one more weird thing: I intended for the frosting to be a very pale blue, and even though I used only blue food coloring, it totally came out green! The cream cheese frosting must have just enough yellow tint to affect the color. It actually matched the invitation just right, so I didn't adjust it, but it was so strange to put in blue and get green out.
I hope the mother-to-be had a wonderful shower and loved her cake! I had fun making it!
Print red velvet cake recipe.
Print cream cheese frosting recipe.
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