Cake! magazine by Australian Cake Decorating Network November 2018 Cake! Magazine | Page 20

Step 20:
Step 17: Step 18: Step 19: Making of the wired
leaves. Refer to images
9, 10 & 11 for reference
to thinning leaves and
wiring. I used the same
cutter, but I squeezed the
metal to make it thinner.  Veining and thinning the
leaves. Once dry, dust
with a variety of green
dust and tape. Start with
the leaf with the longest
wire and tape the other to
it with floral tape. Filler berries. Make a
hook at the end of a 20
gauge wire, roll a ball of
gumpaste, dip wire in
sugar glue and insert into
the ball and secure. Dust
with colour. Prepping of Christmas
ornaments. Cut these
using a template off the
internet or make your
own. Smooth edges.
Mix fondant with tylose
or gumpaste. I cover a
dummy the size of the
cake with baking paper,
smear on shortening and
stick on ornaments to dry.
This ensures they dry with
the correct curve. Step 21: Step 22: Step 23: Step 24: Step 29: Step 30: Step 31: Step 32:
To create the watercolour
effect, paint ornaments
with rose spirit or
vodka and dilute your
paints a little. Just start
experimenting by putting
on colour and even taking
away colour with your
brush. I added some black
Sweet Sticks Edible Art
paint and some gold
detailing. I then sprayed
the ornaments with a clear
edible lacquer to give
them a porcelain feel. Prepare your cakes with
ganache and fondant.
Stack the cakes using
dowels for support. Creating the ribbon and
bow. Once the loops of the bow
are firm, stick in place
with royal icing. Add
the ends of the ribbons,
cutting to desired length. Add a smooth ball of
fondant, shape to fit, and
use a sugar shaper or
similar modelling tool to
give the knot shape. Position ornaments and
apply royal icing to the
back. Draw lines with a
ruler onto the cake and
paint with black gel or
paint. Using pliers to hold stems
and a pointed tool to poke
holes in cake, start to play
with your sugar flower
arrangement. Use cut
straws or flower picks to
hold the stems within the
cake and royal icing to fill
the gaps.
Step 28:
Step 25: Step 26: Step 27: Measure circumference
of the top tier and decide
height of ribbon. Roll out
fondant and add a little
extra so you can fold over
the top edge. Flip your fondant so
folded edge is against the
cake. I decide to wrap it
at an angle, gathering the
fondant where the ends
meet. Cut ends of ribbons at
varying lengths. The
sticks are just there to
help give the gathering
some shape before
applying to the cake. Add a little tylose to your
fondant. Roll out, measure
and cut to desired length.
Fold in half, hold loop in
place with a tube and
glue ends. Set aside to
dry.