Cake School Progress Update

Back in September I signed up to a 10 week course in sugarcraft and cake decorating, run by the Worker's Educational Association (WEA) in Sheffield. I found the company by searching for cake decorating courses online, and they have been brilliant, they run all kinds of courses, you can check them out at www.wea.org.uk

I'm halfway through the course now, and the more I learn, the more I fall in love with cake decorating - which is a big deal for me considering just how short my attention span is! We have completed our first project, started a Christmas themed one, and I am already saving up to enrol on the next course.

For project one, we had to make a small arrangement of roses and carnations. As we were all beginners, we had to learn everything from the start, how use flower paste, how to colour it, shape it, and keep it from drying out. The arrangement we were making was held on wires, and over the week we have built up the components, as they have to dry between each element added.

Step One: Creating Stems and Buds

Step Two: Leaves

Step Three: First Layer of Petals

Step Four: Second Layer of Petals

The Completed Arrangement!

I never expected working with sugar paste could be so rewarding, and the possibilities are seemingly limitless. Working with flower paste is such a delicate task, however the results are amazing, and look so realistic! The flowers are totally edible, however we are taught to be careful about the wires in arrangements such as the one above, and advise 'clients' not to eat them.

I had a great opportunity to try a design with sugarcraft flowers last week when a friend asked me to make a birthday cake for her Mum. After looking at a few options, we decided to create a Cherry Blossom design on a Victoria Sponge cake. I have to say that the internet does provide a wealth of ideas for cake designs, and if you have a basic idea of something you want to achieve, you can get some really good inspiration online. I would add a note of caution however not to carbon copy designs you find online, as many professional cake decorators are very protective over the intellectual property rights of their designs.

Anyway, the idea I came up with was a simple, yet elegant ivory iced cake, with royal iced branches, and shaped cherry blossoms scattered across the surface.

Cherry Blossom Victoria Sponge Cake

I was particularly proud of the fondant icing on this cake, as I have struggled a little getting the icing smooth and even so far. I think I have now mastered the theory behind it, a few more practise attempts needed though I think before I can be totally confident. I suppose that means I have to make some more cakes... it's a hard life! ;-)

Vx

A Cake for All Occasions

It's Sunday night, and I'm wrapped up in the warm, with a tummy full of Black Forest Gateaux, and the muffled soundtrack of (slightly early) fireworks in the background, and I realise that I haven't posted on here for a couple of weeks. I make no excuse for this, it's been a crazy exhausting few weeks, however I haven't stopped baking, and have advanced my cake decorating skills somewhat. So I thought I would briefly bring you all up to date with the latest creations from The Pantry Door...

First was a gift for two very good friends of mine, who welcomed their second little boy into the world at the beginning of October, and I wanted to mark the occasion. This little lemon cake was decorated with a patchwork quilt, and adorned with teddy bears and little feet, and travelled over 200 miles to be eaten!

Patchwork Quilt Birth of Baby Cake

I have discovered an amazing You Tube channel recently called Cupcake Addiction Tutorials, it's by an Aussie girl who demonstrates the most amazing techniques, and explains them in such an easy and down to earth way. You can find her here http://www.youtube.com/user/mycupcakeaddiction?feature=results_main

I stumbled upon the channel looking for a tutorial on how to make buttercream roses on cupcakes, and found a great how-to to make stiletto cupcakes. Naturally I had to try both out, and these were the results!  

Next up were two actual orders for a friend, who had asked for a cake for Dad's 65th birthday, and then requested an additional cake for a 3 year old boy. After consulting with her, we decided that the Dad cake would be themed around wine, and the little boy's around rockets. Considering my lack of drawing skills, I sketchily tried to explained to her my design ideas, with little support from my illegible doodles. In my minds eye, I had designed a wooden cask shaped cake, draped in grapes, and labelled with the vintage year of her Dad, and a star spangled space cake with a rocket aimed for the moon. I cannot thank her enough for trusting me to bring these ideas to life! The wine cask is a four layered lemon sponge with lemon curd and buttercream, whilst the rocket cake is chocolate with a ganache centre.

'Shoot for the Moon' Rocket Cake

Vintage Red Wine Cask Cake - with Fondant Grapes

Just when I thought I might be able to hang my apron up for a few days, Gary forlornly reminded me that the house had smelled of cake for days, and he hadn't been able to even taste a sample. I had been wanting to test out James Martin's recipe for Cola cake for a while, so decided to use the opportunity, and make a cheeky little cake to tuck into at home...

'Monster-in-a-Box' Cola Cake

I'm off to wash the dishes now! Baking resumes tomorrow night! V x :-)