make your own take family of...

Textured

isomalt

tiles

A floral ABC Smooth carrot cake Springtime sugar blooms

EXCLUSIVE

CAKE TUTORIALS

Make your own

family of bunnies!TAKE YOURCAKES TO THE NEXT LEVEL

10 insider

tips from top

designers

gooey vegan hot cros brownies with a celestial

wedding cake

Reach for the stars

10

ALL YOU NEED TO BAKE AND DECORATE YOUR OWN CAKES

APRIL/MAY 2019

& SUGARCRAFT

TOP TIP

Use a sharp knife to cut out a cone from the centre of each mini cake.

Fill the well with orange buttercream to create a carrot-shaped surprise.

page 6 c akes & sugarcra f t APRIL/MAY 2019

A Bunch of Bunnies

Celebrate springtime with a colony or ‘fluffle’ of playful

bunnies in flowerpots. Mix and match their poses with the

suggested decorations to create your own combinations.

EDIBLES

Round, filled sponge cakes, 5.5cm (2¼”)

deep: 5 x 7.5cm (3”)

150g (5¼oz) buttercream

SK Sugarpaste: 95g (3¼oz) Bridal White,

95g (3¼oz) Coco Brown and 450g (1lb)

Zesty Orange

SK Designer Paste Food Colour: Terracotta

SK Essentials Edible Glue

SK Essentials CMC Cellulose Gum

SK Essentials Piping Gel

SK Carlos Lischetti HD Sugar Modelling

Paste: 325g (11¼oz) Beige, 5g (<1/4oz)

Black, 45g (1½oz) Green, 20g (¾oz) Pink,

12g (<½oz) Orange, 5g (<¼oz) Red, 5g

(<¼oz) Turquoise, 120g (4¼oz) White and

5g (<¼oz) Yellow

SK Professional Paste Food Colour: Teddy

Bear Brown

EQUIPMENT

SK Modelling Tools: Medium Ball, Petal &

Leaf Shaper and Small Ball

FMM Ribbon Cutter

Scribing tool

PREPARING THE CAKES

1 Cut out a 6cm (23/8”) disc of baking

paper to use as a template. Place

the template in the centre of the first 7.5cm

(3”) cake. Using a serrated knife, trim away

the sides of cake at an angle to create a

flowerpot shape, using the template as a

guide. Repeat to carve all the mini cakes.

2 Apply a crumb coat of buttercream

to the side of each cake. Use a side

scraper to remove the excess buttercream

and create a smooth surface. Refrigerate the

cakes for approximately one hour.

3 Knead Terracotta paste food colour into

450g (1lb) of Zesty Orange sugarpaste.

Roll out the terracotta-coloured sugarpaste to

a 2mm (1/16”) thickness. Use a pastry brush to

apply a thin layer of cooled, boiled water over

the surface of the cake. Lay the sugarpaste

over the cake and use your hands to smooth

the surface, then finish with a cake smoother.

Trim away the excess sugarpaste with a

sharp knife.

4 Use a Petal and Leaf Shaper to draw

cracks and fracture lines in the side of

the pot. Repeat to cover all five cakes then

set them aside to firm for at least 24 hours.

CONSTRUCTING THE

FLOWERPOTS

1 Once firm, carefully turn the cakes over

so they sit on the narrower end. Spread a

layer of buttercream over the top of each cake.

2 Knead 95g (3¼oz) of Bridal White

sugarpaste into 95g (3¼oz) of Coco

Brown sugarpaste. Use your hands to shape

35g (1¼oz) of the light brown sugarpaste into

a 7.5cm (3") diameter mound. Use the sides

of your hands and fingers to create an uneven

surface with peaks and grooves (A). Glue the

mound on top of one of the flowerpots. Repeat

to add a soil topper to each pot.

A

PROJECT

by Vicky Teather

c akes & sugarcra f t APRIL/MAY 2019 cakesandsugarcraft.com

3 Knead ¼tsp of CMC into the remaining

terracotta-coloured sugarpaste. Wrap

the paste well with cling film and set it aside

for 30 minutes.

4 Roll out the terracotta-coloured paste

to a 1–2mm (1/16”) thickness. Set the

ribbon cutter to a 2cm (¾”) width and cut out

a 26.5cm (10¼") long strip. Paint a thin layer

of piping gel around the top edge of one

flowerpot. Wrap the strip of paste around the

top edge (B). Use a cake smoother to smooth

the paste into place. Repeat to add a rim to

each flowerpot then set them aside to firm.

MAKING THE BUNNY

EARS

1 Knead a little Teddy Bear Brown paste

food colour into 14g (½oz) of Beige

modelling paste to make a golden brown

colour.

2 Divide the golden-brown-coloured

paste in half and roll each piece into a

long, thin cone shape. Dust the side of your

little finger with a little cornflour and gently

press it into the middle of one cone to form a

groove (C). Place another finger on the outer

edge of the cone and begin to thin the edges.

Pinch the base of the cone together to form

the ear (D). Repeat to shape the second ear.

3 Bend the top of one ear over a little (E).

Glue the ears together at the base then

fix them on top of one of the flowerpots.

MAKING THE BUNNY

BOTTOM


food colour into 50g (1¾oz) of Beige


colour.

2 Roll 40g (1½oz) of golden-brown-

coloured modelling paste into a ball

then flatten one side to create a dome (F).

3 Roll 5g (<¼oz) of White modelling

paste into a ball and glue it centrally on

the top of the dome. Use a small ball tool to

make indents all over the surface of the white

ball to create a fluffy texture (G).

4 To make the feet, roll 4g (<¼oz) of

golden-brown-coloured modelling

paste into a cone and gently flatten it between

your fingers. Place one finger widthways

across the wider end of the cone and use

another finger to gently press the wide end in

towards your finger to thicken that section of

paste. Press a Petal and into the wider end

of the foot twice to mark the toes (H). Use a

craft knife to cut through the indents to form

individual toes (I). Use a medium ball tool to

mark in the sole then a small ball tool to mark

in the pads underneath the toes (J). Repeat

to make a second foot. Use edible glue to fix

the feet behind the dome.

MAKING THE PEEKING

BUNNY


food colour into 70g (2½oz) of Beige

modelling paste, aiming for a slightly different

shade from the previous bunnies.

2 Divide 6g (<¼oz) of the golden-brown-

coloured paste in half. Roll each piece

into a cone then gently flatten them. Press

a petal and leaf shaper into the fore-foot

twice then use a craft knife to cut through the

indents to form individual toes. Glue the paws

to the front of the flowerpot, with the toes

overhanging the rim.

3 Shape 15g (½oz) of the golden-brown-

coloured paste into a squat dome for

the body and use edible glue to fix it on top

of the soil behind the paws. Roll 5g (<¼oz)

of White modelling paste into a ball for the tail

and add texture using a small ball tool. Glue

the tail on top of the dome.

4 For the head, roll 35g (1¼oz) of the

golden-brown-coloured paste into an

ovoid. Press your thumbs (or a large ball tool)

into the paste on either side of the centre (K).

Use your fingers to smooth the outer edges of

the indents. For the muzzle, roll a pea-sized

ball of White modelling paste into a capsule

shape. Use the pointed end of a petal and

leaf shaper to draw a line across the middle

of the shape (L). Glue the muzzle in place on

the face. Shape a small piece of Coco Brown

sugarpaste into a triangle and glue it on top

of the muzzle to form the nose.

cakesandsugarcraft.com page 9 c akes & sugarcra f t APRIL/MAY 2019

PROJECT

B C D

E F G

H I J

K L


5 Press a medium-sized ball tool into the

wells on either side of the muzzle to

create eye sockets. Fill each indentation with

a small ball of White modelling paste. Press a

smaller ball tool into the inner corner of each

eye then fill the indentations with a small ball of

Black modelling paste (M, N). Glue the head in

place on top of the dome.

6 Repeat step 2 from the Making the

Bunny Ears instructions to make two

ears. Glue the ears on top of the head and

bend the left ear over the face.

MAKING THE SLEEPING

BUNNY


food colour into 75g (2½oz) of Beige

modelling paste to make a golden brown colour.

2 For the body, roll 35g (1¼oz) of golden-

brown-coloured paste into an egg. Place

the side of your little finger against the wider

end of the egg and gently press down to create

the haunch of the left leg (O). Smooth away the

indent towards the narrower end of the egg.

Use a petal and leaf shaper to draw a crease

line along the indentation.


Peeking Bunny instructions to make three

paws using 3g (<¼oz) of paste each. Glue

one paw underneath the haunch and the other

two at the front of the body.

4 Roll 5g (<¼oz) of White modelling

paste into a ball and add texture using a

small ball tool. Glue the tail to the back of the

bunny (P).

5 Repeat steps 4–5 from the Making the

Peeking Bunny instructions to create a

head using 25g (>¾oz) of modelling paste,

this time filling the eye sockets with golden-

brown-coloured modelling paste, rather than

White, to create closed eyes. Use a scribing

tool to draw a line across the centre of each

eye and add two creases on the outer edges.

6 For the ears, roll two 3g (<¼oz) balls of

golden-brown-coloured modelling paste

into elongated cone shapes. Gently pinch and

flatten each cone between your fingers. Glue

the ears to the top of the head.

MAKING THE DOZY

BUNNY


food colour into 110g (3¾oz) of Beige


colour. Roll 45g (1½oz) of golden-brown-

coloured paste into a pear shape. From the

wider end, gently pinch and shape the paste

on either side to draw out two short legs. Glue

the body over the edge of the flowerpot, with

the majority hanging over the side.

2 Shape a small piece of Coco Brown

sugarpaste into an uneven mound and

use edible glue to fix it to the side of one of the

flowerpots, right at the base.

3 Create two rear paws following step

2 from the Making the Peeking Bunny

instructions. Glue one paw to the base of each

leg, with the toes resting on the side of the

flowerpot and the Coco Brown sugarpaste.

Use the same method to create two front

paws, each using 4g (<¼oz) of golden-brown-

M

N

O

P

Q


PROJECT

coloured modelling paste. Glue the front paws

on top of the flowerpot at the front of the body.

4 Roll 5g (<¼oz) of White modelling paste

into a ball and add texture using a small

ball tool. Glue the tail in place.


Peeking Bunny instructions to create a

head using 35g (1¼oz) of modelling paste.

Roll two very small pieces of golden-brown-

coloured modelling paste into tapered sausage

shapes and glue one over the top of each eye

(Q). Use your fingers to gently flatten the paste

so it covers the top half of the eyeball. Glue

the head to the neck, using a cocktail stick as

support until it is fully adhered.


Bunny Ears instructions to make two

ears using 14g (½oz) of golden-brown-

coloured modelling paste. Glue the ears on

top of the head.

MAKING THE FLOWERPOT

DECORATIONS

1 Make up a 50:50 mixture of White and

Green modelling paste. Roll three small

pieces of pale-green-coloured modelling paste

into long, thin cone shapes. Use edible glue

to fix the cones together into tufts of grass.

Repeat to make as many tufts as you need.

2 Roll 4g (<¼oz) of pale-green-coloured

modelling paste into a teardrop. Flatten

the shape with your fingers then use a petal

and leaf shaper to mark veins in the surface (R).

Repeat to make as many leaves as you need.

3 Make up a 50:50 mixture of White and

Pink modelling paste. Divide 12g (<½)

of the pale-pink-coloured paste into fifths. Roll

each piece into a teardrop shape then gently

flatten them with your fingers. Use edible glue

to fix the petals into a flower shape. Use a

petal and leaf shaper to mark a crease along

the centre of each petal (S). Make up a 50:50

mixture of White and Yellow modelling paste.

Roll a small piece of pale-yellow-coloured

paste into a ball and glue it in the centre of

the flower. Repeat this step using a 50:50

mixture of White and Orange modelling paste

to make orange flowers.

4 To make a snail, shape a large-pea-

sized ball of Beige modelling paste

into a sausage with one tapered end. Bend

the sausage to a 90° angle one third

of the way in from the wider end (T). Make

up a 50:50 mixture of small amounts of

Turquoise and Pink modelling paste. Roll

the mixed paste into a second sausage with

one tapered end. Starting at the pointed

end, roll the sausage up into a spiral (U).

Glue the spiral on top of the Beige paste to

create a snail (V).

5 To make a ladybird, make up a 50:50

mixture of White and Red modelling

paste. Roll the light-red-coloured paste into a

capsule shape and cut away one third of its

length, discarding the smaller piece. Use a

scribing tool to draw a line down the centre of

the remaining piece of paste (W). Make up a

50:50 mixture of White and Black modelling

paste. Roll the paste into a capsule shape

and cut away two thirds of its length. Glue the

remaining third to the pale red body (X). Roll

five very small balls of mixed black modelling

paste and glue them in place on the red

section of the body.

6 Glue the decorations to the tops and

sides of the flowerpots, fitting them

around the shape and position of each bunny.

R S T

U

V

W

X


As well as sharing their top tips

for cake decorating success,

the designers also reveal their

favourite tried-and-tested cake

recipes. Find Emma Ivane's

Smooth Carrot Cake recipe on

page 24.

Sometimes, the difference between a good cake and an amazing

one can be as simple as technique. Designer Cake Decorating is the

must-have book for anyone looking to step up their sugarcraft game

and make their cakes look as polished and professional as possible.

The book features step-by-step tutorials from 12 top cake makers.

Within them, the designers break down their techniques into simple,

achievable steps to help you learn new skills and achieve your goals.

Here are some of our favourites to get you started.

When preparing sponge cakes for a wedding

or other special occasion, bake the cakes so

they are 2.5cm (1”) bigger in size than you

need so the darker crusts can be removed

before covering.

Fruit cakes are best baked to a depth of

7.5–10cm (3–4”). If you’re baking a

traditional fruit cake and need it to match

the height of layered sponge tiers,

sandwich a separator between two cake

boards and place them underneath the

fruit cake before covering.

If you’re using liquid

or paste food colours

to achieve a strong

shade, add dust food

colour at the same

time to maintain the

consistency of the

icing or paste.

DESIGNER TIPSTO TAKE YOUR CAKES TO THE NEXT LEVEL

10

**Couture Lace, step P, page 100**

**Modern Geometry, step M, page 131**

**White on White, page 105**

**Silver Polka Dots, step E, page 203**

**Blue Magnolias, either steps A to D or step

F, page 219**


When painting with edible paints, build up the layers, starting with the lightest tones first and

finishing with the darkest tone. Use big strokes, being careful not to overwork the layers. Don’t

worry about being too precise; you need to incorporate movement and energy into your

painting for the best results.

When coating a very deep tier, the

sugarpaste can tear easily. Drape the

sugarpaste over the cake carefully and

secure the top edges straight away.

Work quickly to smooth the paste down

the sides, taking care not to pull the

sugarpaste down from the top edge.

When dusting colour onto

a cake tier, use a cosmetic

brush reserved solely for

sugarcraft. It has lots of fine

hairs and holds more dust

colour for better coverage.

It’s best not to try to attach a long strip of

ruffles around the circumference of a cake

in one go as it will be difficult to handle

and can tear. Instead, use a few strips,

overlapping them carefully to disguise the

joins within the ruffles.

Use a clean, damp paintbrush to push piped

royal icing into place if it’s not quite the right

shape. If it’s completely wrong, carefully

remove the icing with a sharp knife. Clean

up the sugarpaste with a damp brush and

wait for it to dry before piping on it again.

To make an extra

strong lace, allow

the first layer of

Flexi-Ice to dry then

add another coat.

Steaming and glazing can alter the colour

of a dusted leaf or petal. It can be helpful to

steam and glaze one before continuing with

the rest to make sure that you are happy

with the final look.

c akes & sugarcra f t APRIL/MAY 2019

Spring in BlomFeaturing narcissus, magnolia, ranunculus, tree peony, roses and apple

blossom, this wedding cake offers the perfect opportunity to experiment with a

whole range of seasonal sugar flowers.

EDIBLES

SK Sugar Florist Paste: 100g (3½oz)

Holly/Ivy and 1kg (2lb 3¼oz) White


SK Quality Food Colour (QFC) Dust:

Extra White

SK Professional Dust Food Colours:

Berberis, Bulrush, Chestnut, Fern,

Marigold, Vine and Sunflower

SK Designer Pollen Dust Food Colour:

Catkin

SK Essentials Confectioners’ Glaze

SK Designer Dust Food Colour: Pastel Pink

SK Sugarpaste: 240g (8¾oz) Coco Brown,

60g (2oz) Glamour Red and 1.5kg (3lb 5oz)

Sunshine Yellow

Square, filled sponge cakes, 15cm (6”)

deep, coated with ganache: 10cm, 15cm

and 20.5cm (4”, 6” and 8”)

Floral wires: 18-, 26- and 28-gauge green

and 22-, 26- and 28-gauge white

Small, round-headed stamens: 72 white

Floral tape: brown, dark green, light green

and white

Tinkertech Two Daffodil Petal Cutter Set: Small

Stay-fresh mat

Food-grade foam pad

SK Modelling Tools: Medium Ball and Petal &

Leaf Shaper

SK Great Impressions Daffodil Petal Veiner

Set: Mini

Sugarcity Magnolia Buds Mould

Non-stick grooved board

Tinkertech Two Magnolia Petal Cutter Set:

Large

SK Great Impressions Magnolia Veiner: Very

Large

Food-grade cupped former e.g. fruit tray

PME Five-Petal Cutters: 5cm and 6cm (2”

and 23/8”)

PME Miniature Modelling Set: tool no. 8

Medium, pointed-head stamens: 72 white

Tinkertech Two Tree Peony Cutters: 4.5cm

and 5.5cm (1¾” and 2¼”)

Aldaval Peony Petal Veiner: Wide

CelBuds: 2 x 2.4cm (1”)

FMM Rose Petal Cutters: 2.2cm, 3cm and

3.5cm (7/8”, 11/8” and 13/8”)

SK Great Impressions Tea Rose Petal Veiner:

5cm (2”)

Tinkertech Two Apple Blossom Petal

Cutter: 1.5cm (½”)

SK Great Impressions Poppy Petal Veiner:

Original Medium

Culpitt Tiny Round Stamens: 72 Yellow

FMM Rose Leaf Cutters: 3.1cm and 4.2cm

(11/8” and 15/8”)

SK Great Impressions Tea Rose Leaf

Veiner: 7cm (2¾”)

PME Calyx Cutter: 4cm (1½”)

Tinkertech Two Ruscus Leaf Cutters: 2cm,

3.5cm and 4cm (¾”, 13/8” and 1½”)

SK Great Impressions Apple Leaf Veiner:

5cm (2”)

1cm (3/8”) width velvet ribbon: 2m (2yd 6

¾”) rust

Posy picks: small and medium

Fine-nosed pliers

• It’s always advisable to make more

flowers and leaves than you require

to account for any breakages when

arranging them on a cake.

• If you end up making lots of popular

flowers, such as roses, why not make

a batch of them ahead of time using

White SFP and add colour to them

later as needed?

TOP TIPS

EQUIPMENT

PROJECT

by Rachel Hanna


1 Cut three 28-gauge white floral wires

into quarters.

2 Roll a tiny piece of White SFP into a

ball and insert the very end of one

quarter-length wire into the centre. Holding

the wire in one hand, use the thumb and

forefinger of your other hand to gently roll the

ball 8–10mm (1/4–3/8”) down the wire, pinching

at the base to make sure it’s secure (A). Use

a craft knife to gently indent a line in the SFP

at the tip of the wire (B). Repeat to make 12

pistils then allow them to firm for at least four

hours, or overnight.

3 Dust the pistils with a mixture of Vine

and Extra White dust food colours.

4 Brush a small amount of edible glue

over the tip of a small white stamen

and dip it into Catkin pollen dust food colour

(C). Repeat to add pollen to both ends of 18

stamens. Allow the glue to dry then cut the

stamens in half. Tape three pollen-covered

stamens around each pistil (D).

5 Roll out approximately 30g (1oz) of

White SFP to a 1.5mm (<1/16”) thickness

and cut out 12 central petals using the arch-

shaped Daffodil petal cutter. Store the petals

under a stay-fresh mat until needed.

6 Place one petal on a foam pad and

use a ball tool to thin and stretch the

entire surface of the petal, being careful

to retain the curved shape (E). Press

the petal between the two halves of the

corresponding Daffodil petal veiner (F). Use

a small paintbrush to apply edible glue to

the short, curved bottom edge and the two

sides. Wrap the petal loosely around one of

the flower centres, securing it at the base,

with the top edge fanning out into a cone

shape (G). Repeat to add a trumpet to each

of the flower centres then leave them to firm

for at least four hours, or overnight.

7 Roll out 50g (1¾oz) of White SFP to a

1mm (<1/16”) thickness and cut out 24

sets of petals using the three-petal cutter in

the Daffodil petal set. Store the petals under

a stay-fresh mat until needed.

8 Place two sets of petals on a foam

pad and thin the edges with a ball

tool. Use the pointed end of a petal and leaf

shaper to draw lines from the centre towards

the edge of each petal (H). Brush a small

amount of edible glue in the centre of one

petal set and place the second set on top,

making sure the individual petals are offset.

9 Brush a little edible glue in the centre

of the top set of petals. Pierce the wire

stem of a flower centre through the middle

of the petals then feed it up to the top. Cup

the petals around the centre and pinch at

the base to attach securely (I).

10 Repeat steps 8–9 to shape and

attach two sets of petals to each

flower centre then allow them to firm

overnight. Once firm, tape the flowers

together in groups of two or three to be

arranged on the cake later.

MAKING THE MAGNOLIA

1 Press 6g (¼oz) of White SFP into the

largest well in the Magnolia Buds mould

(J). Carefully remove the shape from the

mould, making sure not to squash any of

the detail. Insert a 22-gauge white floral wire

into the base of the shape until it reaches

approximately halfway along its length. Pinch

the paste at the base of the shape to secure

then allow to firm overnight.

2 Dust the magnolia centre with a mixture

of Marigold and a little Chestnut and

Berberis dust food colours.


into quarters.

4 Roll out 20g (¾oz) of White SFP to a

1mm (<1/16”) thickness over one of

the grooves on a non-stick board. Cut out

three petals using the smallest Magnolia petal

cutter, making sure the vein runs through the

centre (K).

5 Feed a quarter-length wire through

the vein on the back of each petal (L).

Press the petals between the two halves

of the Magnolia petal veiner (M). Place the

petals on a foam pad and lightly thin the

edges with a ball tool, being careful not to frill

them. Lay the petals in a cupped former, such

as a fruit tray, to firm.

6 Repeat steps 4–5 to make three petals

using the medium Magnolia petal cutter

and six petals using the large Magnolia petal

cutter. Allow all the petals to firm overnight.

7 Use white floral tape to fix the three

smallest petals just underneath the

magnolia centre, spacing them evenly (N).

Repeat to add the three medium petals,

offsetting them with the previous row. Finally,

add the six large petals in a single, evenly

spaced row.

MAKING THE PAPERWHITE NARCISSUS


PROJECT

A B C

D E F

G H I

K L

M N

J


MAKING THE

RANUNCULUS

1 Cut a 20-gauge white floral wire into

thirds and bend a small hook in the end

of one piece. Wrap white floral tape around

the hook several times, continuing the tape

down to halfway along the wire’s length (O).

2 Roll out a piece of White SFP to a

1mm (<1/16”) thickness and cut out one

petal set using the 5cm (2”) five-petal cutter.

3 Place the cut-out on a foam pad and

thin the edges with a ball tool. Return

the flower to a non-stick board and roll tool

no. 8 from the PME Miniature Modelling Set

over each petal to add veins and shape (P).

4 Brush a little edible glue in the centre

of the flower and at the base of each

petal. Holding the flower in one hand, insert

the straight end of the taped wire down into

the centre and push the petals up towards

the hook. When you reach the top, wrap one

of the petals around the taped hook, leaving

it slightly open at one side (Q). Repeat with

each of the other petals, wrapping them

around one at a time to create a spiral effect

(R). Leave the last petal slightly open as this

is where the next petal set will begin. Pinch

the paste at the base of the flower to secure.

5 Repeat steps 2–4 to make, shape and

attach a further three sets of petals.

Insert the first petal of each set into the gap

left in the previous set. Be sure to pinch the

base of each petal set to fix it in place before

attaching the next one. Once all four petal

sets have been attached, make sure you’re

happy with the shape and individual petal

placement and adjust as necessary. Allow the

flower to firm overnight.

6 Once the central petals are firm, repeat

steps 2–4 to prepare and attach a

further three 5cm (2”) five-petal sets. Allow

the petals to firm for approximately two hours.

7 Repeat steps 2–4 to prepare and

attach four petal sets using the 6cm

(23/8”) five-petal cutter. Leave the final

two sets more open to reflect the natural

positioning of the flower’s outer petals.

8 Allow the finished flower to firm for

at least four hours. Dust the whole

flower with a mixture of Sunflower and Extra

White dust food colours. Mix some Bulrush

dust food colour into Fern dust food colour

and add a little Extra White. Use a small

brush to dust this colour in the very centre

of the flower.

MAKING THE TREE

PEONY

1 Mix Sunflower dust food colour with

a little Magnolia dust food colour

and add a little clear alcohol, e.g. vodka or

gin, to make a paint. Paint the tips of the

medium pointed stamens and leave them to

dry for five minutes.

2 Divide the stamens into four sets.

Wrap a quarter-length 28-gauge white

floral wire around the centre of one set of

stamens, twisting it tightly to secure. Bend

both ends of the stamens up to meet in the

middle. Use pliers to twist the wire tightly

around the base so that the stamens are

properly secured. Repeat with the remaining

three sets.

3 Use white floral tape to bind all

four sets together into one centre,

continuing the tape down the length of the

wires (S).


into quarters.

5 Roll out 30g (1oz) of White SFP to a

1mm (<1/16”) thickness on a CelBoard

and cut out three petals using the 4.5cm

(1¾”) Peony petal cutter. Repeat to cut out

a further three petals, storing them under a

stay-fresh mat until needed.

6 Place the petals on a foam pad and

thin the edges with a ball tool. Feed

one of the quarter-length wires through the

vein on the back of each petal. Press the

petals between the two halves of the Peony

petal veiner (T). Lay the petals in a cupped

former, such as a fruit tray, to create a

cupped shape as the petals firm.

O

P

Q

R

S


PROJECT

7 Repeat steps 5–6 to cut out, shape

and wire six petals using the 5.5cm

(2¼”) Peony petal cutter. This time, bend the

top edges of the petals back a little before

placing them in the cupped former. Allow the

petals to firm overnight.

8 Mix a small amount of Pastel Pink

dust food colour into Extra White dust

food colour to create a very subtle blush

pink. Dust each petal lightly from the centre

outwards.

9 Bend the wire on each small petal

back so it sits at a 45˚ angle. Position

the first petal nestled closely underneath the

yellow stamen centre and secure with white

floral tape (U). Add the remaining five small

petals in the same way, spacing them evenly,

then add a row of medium petals. Continue

wrapping the tape down the stem until the

petals are secure and the wires covered.

MAKING THE YELLOW

ROSES

1 Cut one third off a 22-gauge white

floral wire. Set the small section aside

and feed the long wire through the hole in

a CelBud going through from left to right,

leaving an even amount of wire protruding

from each side (V). Fold the ends of the

wire down the sides of the CelBud, twisting it

tightly under the base to secure (W).

2 Roll out 20g (¾oz) of White SFP to a

1mm (<1/16”) thickness and cut out

three petals using the 2.2cm (7/8”) cutter.

Place the petals on a foam pad and thin

the edges with a ball tool. Press the petal

between the two halves of the Tea Rose petal

veiner. Brush the surface of one petal with

edible glue and wrap it around the top of the

CelBud, making sure it forms a tight overlap

at the top (X).

3 Apply a V shape of edible glue to the

bottom half of each remaining petal

then work the glue slightly higher up on one

side of each. Place the first of the petals onto

the bud, positioning it slightly higher than the

centre petal, then add the second petal so

that it partly overlaps the first and tucks into

the open edge on the other side (Y). Position

these two petals close to the central petal so

this section looks quite tight.


and attach a further three small petals,

spacing them equally around the centre.


and attach a further four petals using

the 3cm (11/8”) rose petal cutter, this time

positioning them slightly higher than the

previous row and curving the top edges

outwards slightly using your fingertips.

6 Repeat steps 2–3 to cut out and shape

five petals using the 3cm (11/8”) rose

petal cutter. After veining the petals, use

a cocktail stick to gently curl back the top

edges of each petal. Apply edible glue in a

V shape and attach the petals around the

flower, positioning them slightly lower and

further apart than the previous row to begin

opening out the flower.


and attach 10–12 petals using the

3.5cm (13/8”) cutter, curling the edges back

as in step 6. Use five or six petals to create

T U V

W

X

Y


the first row and the remainder to create the

final row, positioning each row approximately

5mm (¼”) lower than the one before it.

8 Repeat steps 1–7 to make a second

rose. Check you’re happy with the

shape of the roses then allow them to firm

overnight.

9 Mix Sunflower dust food colour into

Extra White dust food colour and use

this to dust the entirety of each rose, using

a small, narrow brush to get between the

central petals, if necessary.

10 Roll out a small piece of Holly/Ivy

SFP on a non-stick board and cut

out a calyx using the Calyx cutter. Place the

calyx on a foam pad and thin the edges

slightly with a ball tool. Brush the centre of the

calyx with a little edible glue. Pierce the wire

stem through the centre of the calyx and run

it up to the back of the flower, fixing it in place

against the petals at the base. Repeat to add

a calyx to the second rose. Tape down the

wire stem with green floral tape.

MAKING THE APPLE

BLOSSOM

1 Cut 15 28-gauge white floral wires

into quarters.

2 Roll out 10g (¼oz) of White SFP to a

1mm (<1/16”) thickness over one of

the small veins on a CelBoard. Cut out five

petals using the Apple Blossom cutter. Dip

the end of a quarter-length wire in edible glue

and remove the excess. Carefully feed the

wire through the vein on the back of one of

the petals until it runs approximately halfway

along its length (Z). Gently pinch the paste at

the base of the petal to make sure it’s secure.

3 Place the petal on a foam pad and thin

the edges with a ball tool. Press the

petal between the two halves of the Poppy

veiner. Lay the petal in a cupped fruit tray to

firm for at least four hours, or overnight.

4 Repeat steps 2–3 using 45g (1½oz) of

White SFP to make a total of 60 petals.

5 Gather together 15 tiny yellow stamens

and cut them in half to create two sets.

Tape each set together, leaving approximately

1cm (3/8”) of stamen visible at the top. Use

your fingertips and a petal and leaf shaper to

gently open up the stamen heads. Repeat to

create 12 sets of stamens.


into quarters and bend a tiny hook in

the end of each piece. Push the straight end

of one wire down into the top of each set of

stamens until the hook is nestled securely in

the centre of the group (AA).

7 Once the petals are firm, tape one at

a time around the first flower centre so

they’re cupping the base of the stamens and

the flower is open (AB). Repeat to add all five

petals, then continue taping down the length

of the stem until fully covered. Repeat to add

five petals to each flower centre.

ASSEMBLING THE APPLE

BLOSSOM BRANCHES

1 Wrap two 20-gauge floral wires with

brown floral tape. There is no need to

be particularly neat or even here, making

some sections slightly thicker than others will

make it look more natural.

2 Fix the first blossom approximately

2cm (¾”) from one end of a wire using

brown floral tape. Continue adding blossoms

along the wire, angling the flowers in different

directions. Repeat to make a second branch.

MAKING THE ROSE

LEAVES

1 Cut two 26-gauge green floral wires into

thirds. Knead 20g (¾oz) of White SFP

into 60g (2oz) of Holly/Ivy SFP.

2 Roll out half of the green SFP to a 1mm

(<1/16”) thickness over a grooved, non-

stick board. Cut out three medium and three

large rose leaves, making sure the veins run

through the centre.

Z

AA

AB


PROJECT

3 Place the leaves on a foam pad and

thin the edges with a ball tool. Feed one

length of wire through the vein on the back

of each leaf. Press the leaves between the

two halves of the Tea Rose leaf veiner (AC).

Return the leaves to the foam pad and run the

ball tool over the edges once more to create

movement. Allow the leaves to firm overnight.

4 Mix together two parts Fern dust food

colour, one part Bulrush and a touch of

Extra White. Use this colour to dust the entire

leaf, building up the colour over the central

vein and around the edges.

5 Carefully pass the leaves through

steam to set the colours. Once dry,

brush confectioners’ glaze over the back and

front of each leaf then allow to dry. Wrap each

wire with dark green floral tape to finish.

MAKING THE TRAILING

LEAVES

1 Cut seven 30-gauge green floral wires

into quarters.

2 Roll out the remaining green SFP used

for the rose leaves to a 1mm (<1/16”)

thickness over a non-stick grooved board.

Use the Ruscus Leaf cutters to cut out nine

2cm (¾”) leaves, 12 3.5cm (13/8”) leaves and

seven 4cm (1½”) leaves (AD).

3 Feed one quarter-length wire through

the vein at the back of each leaf. Place

the leaves on a foam pad and thin the edges

with a ball tool (AE). Press the leaves between

the two halves of the Apple leaf veiner. Return

the leaves to the foam pad and pull the broad

end of a petal and leaf shaper down from the

tip of each leaf and along the sides to curl

and create movement. Allow the leaves to firm

for at least four hours, or overnight.


Rose Leaves instructions to dust, steam

and glaze each leaf.

5 Use light green floral tape to bind three

of the small leaves together, with one

leaf leading and the others slightly lower

down. Continue taping more leaves along the

stem, increasing in size as you go. Repeat

to make four stems of different sizes. Bend

the wires on each finished stem into a slight

curve to add movement and realism.

MAKING THE YELLOW

BERRIES

1 Cut three 28-gauge green floral wires

into quarters.

2 Roll a small piece of White SFP into

a 5mm (¼”) ball. Dip the end of one

piece of wire in edible glue and insert it into

the ball (AF). Use your fingertips to secure it

at the base. Repeat to create 12 berries then

allow them to firm for at least four hours, or

overnight.

3 Dust the berries with Sunflower dust

food colour. Carefully pass the berries

through steam to set the colour. Once dry,

brush confectioners’ glaze over each berry

then allow to dry.

4 Use green floral tape to bind the

berries together in a single bunch.

COVERING THE CAKES

AND DRUM

1 Knead together the Sunshine Yellow,

Coco Brown and Glamour Red

sugarpaste to create a mustard yellow

colour.

2 Roll out 900g (2lb) of mustard yellow

sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8”) thickness

and lay it over the top of the 20.5cm (8”)

cake. Smooth the sugarpaste over the top

and sides of the cake using the palms of

your hands and a cake smoother.

3 Repeat step 2 using 600g (1lb 5¼oz)

of mustard yellow sugarpaste to cover

the 15cm (6”) cake and 300g (10½oz) of

mustard yellow sugarpaste to cover the

10cm (4”) cake. Allow the cakes and drum to

firm overnight.

AC

AD

AE

AF


ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

1 Place the 20.5cm (8”) cake on a

covered cake drum or your chosen

cake stand. Insert four cake dowels into a

central 15cm (6”) square on top of the cake,

spacing them evenly. Mark the point at which

the dowels meet the icing using a food colour

pen. Remove the dowels from the cake, trim

them all to the tallest mark then re-insert them

into the cake. Fix the 15cm (6”) cake on top

of the dowelled area using a little royal icing.

2 Repeat the dowelling and stacking

process to fix the 10cm (4”) cake on

top of the 15cm (6”) tier. Allow the royal icing

to set for one hour.

3 Wrap velvet ribbon around the base of

each tier, fixing it at the back with a little

royal icing.

ARRANGING THE

FLOWERS ON THE CAKE

1 Lay all the flowers, leaves and berries

out in front of you, along with posy

picks, fine-nosed pliers and wire cutters.

2 Start with the main focal point of the

arrangement which, in this design, is

the tree peony. Decide on the positioning

and insert a posy pick into the cake. Cut the

peony stem to a suitable length and insert it

into the posy pick using fine-nosed pliers.

3 Repeat step 2 to attach the two stems

of apple blossom to the cake, bending

the wires gently to trail the branches into a

position that you’re happy with. Continue

adding the roses, ranunculus and magnolia,

leaving space between them for the filler

flowers and leaves and being careful not to

break any petals.

4 Continue adding the narcissus, berries

and leaves until you’re happy with the

finished arrangement.


by Emma Ivane

1 Preheat the oven to 175˚C (155˚C fan/350˚F/gas mark 4). Grease

and line two cake tins in the chosen size with baking paper.

2 Mix together all of the dry ingredients. Peel the carrots and grate

them into a large bowl. Add the milk, apple cider vinegar, eggs

and vegetable oil and mix them together. Sift the dry ingredients into

the bowl and mix until fully combined.

3 Pour the mixture evenly into the two prepared tins and smooth

over the top to level out the batter.

4 Place in the preheated oven and bake for the required time,

or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes

out clean.

5 Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then remove

from the tins and wrap in cling film until ready to use. Store the

wrapped cakes in the refrigerator for up to one week.

6 Mix together the butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract and milk for

the buttercream in an electric stand mixer until light and fluffy. In

another bowl, mix the cream cheese and the icing sugar for the filling.

Add one fifth of the buttercream to the cream cheese mixture, mixing

well until fully combined.

7 Make sure the cakes have completely cooled in the refrigerator

before cutting the layers. Moist cakes like this one are easier

to handle when fully chilled. Cut each cake horizontally into two

layers. Fill them with the cream cheese filling and cover each tier

with a crumb-coat of buttercream. Cover with your chosen colour of

sugarpaste and allow to firm overnight.

D ESI GNER TI P

If you are short on time you can put the cakes in the freezer for

10 minutes after crumb-coating with buttercream, rather than

refrigerating for 30 minutes, before coating with sugarpaste.

This recipe is from Designer Cake Decorating,

an expert guide from 12 of the world's best

cake designers. In it, the designers share their

most popular recipes, all of which have been

tried and approved by hundreds of clients so

you can be sure they're utterly delicious.

Use the table opposite to calculate the quantities of ingredients

and the baking time for the size of cake you plan to make. Divide

the mixture between two tins and cut the cooled cakes into two

layers using a sharp knife. The weight of the carrots is measured

before peeling and grating.

smoh carot cake WITH CREAM CHEESE FILLING

30.5cm

(12”)

28cm

(11”)

1.01kg

(2lb 3½oz)

800g

(1lb 12oz)

4tbsp

4¾tsp

¾tsp

1.6kg

(3lb 8½oz)

310ml

(10¾fl oz)

1½tbsp

12½

620ml (1pt

1¾fl oz)

1 hr 30

mins

800g

(1lb 12oz)

480g

(1lb 1oz)

1½tsp

4½tbsp

950g

(2lb 1½oz)

190g

(6¾oz)

28cm

(11”)

25.5cm

(10”)

850g

(1lb 14oz)

670g

(1lb 7¾oz)

3¼tbsp

4tsp

¾tsp

1.3kg (2lb

13¾oz)

260ml

(9fl oz)

1¼tbsp

10½

530ml

(18¾fl oz)

1 hr 15

mins

650g

(1lb 7oz)

400g

(14oz)

1¼tsp

4tbsp

800g

(1lb 12oz)

160g

(5½oz)

25.5cm

(10”)

23cm

(9”)

710g

(1lb 9oz)

550g

(1lb 3½oz)

2¾tbsp

3¼tsp

½tsp

1.1kg

(2lb 6¾oz)

220ml

(7¾fl oz)

1tbsp

9

440ml

(15½fl oz)

1 hr

550g

(1lb 3½oz)

330g

(11½oz)

1tsp

3tbsp

650g

(1lb 7oz)

130g

(4½oz)

23cm

(9”)

20.5cm

(8”)

580g

(1lb 4½oz)

450g

(1lb)

2¼tbsp

2¾tsp

½tsp

900g

(2lb)

180ml

(6¼fl oz)

¾tbsp

7

360ml

(12½fl oz)

55 mins

450g

(1lb)

270g

(9½oz)

1tsp

2½tbsp

550g

(1lb 3½oz)

100g

(3½oz)

20.5cm

(8”)

18cm

(7”)

460g

(1lb ¼oz)

360g

(12½oz)

1¾tbsp

2tsp

¼tsp

700g

(1lb 8¾oz)

150ml

(5¼fl oz)

¾tbsp

5½

290ml

(10¼fl oz)

45 mins

350g

(12¼oz)

220g

(7¾oz)

¾tsp

2tbsp

450g

(1lb)

90g

(3oz)

18cm

(7”)

15cm

(6”)

350g

(12¼oz)

280g

(9¾oz)

1¼tbsp

1½tsp

¼tsp

540g

(1lb 3oz)

110ml

(3¾fl oz)

½tbsp

4½

220ml

(7¾fl oz)

40 mins

300g

(10½oz)

180g

(6¼oz)

½tsp

1½tbsp

350g

(12¼oz)

70g

(2½oz)

15cm

(6”)

12.5cm

(5”)

250g

(8¾oz)

190g

(6¾oz)

1tbsp

1tsp

¼tsp

380g

(13½oz)

75ml

(2½fl oz)

½tbsp

3

160ml

(5½fl oz)

35 mins

200g

(7oz)

130g

(4½oz)

½tsp

1tbsp

250g

(8¾oz)

50g

(1¾oz)

12.5cm

(5”)

10cm

(4”)

170g

(5¾oz)

130g

(4½oz)

¾tbsp

¾tsp

1/8tsp

260g

(9oz)

50ml

(1¾fl oz)

¼tbsp

2

100ml

(3½fl oz)

30 mins

150g

(5¼oz)

100g

(3½oz)

¼tsp

¾tbsp

180g

(6¼oz)

30g

(1oz)

10cm

(4”)

110g

(3¾oz)

85g

(2¾oz)

½tbsp

½tsp

1/8tsp

170g

(5¾oz)

35ml

(1¼fl oz)

¼tbsp

1½

70ml

(2½fl oz)

25 mins

100g

(3½oz)

70g

(2½oz)

¼tsp

½tbsp

100g

(3½oz)

20g

(¾oz)

Round cake

Square cake

Plain flour

Caster sugar

Baking powder

Ground cinnamon

Salt

Carrots

Milk

Apple cider vinegar

Medium eggs

Vegetable oil

Baking time

Salted butter, at room

temperature

Icing sugar

Vanilla extract

Milk

Full-fat cream cheese

Icing sugar


RECIPE


CHICKEN!These adorable baby birds are ideal for Easter celebrations. The heads are

made using a mixture of marshmallows and crisped rice cereal, making them

light enough to balance on the bodies.

EDIBLES

SK Sugarpaste: 20g (¾oz) Bridal Rose,

210g (7½oz) Bridal White, 40g (1½oz)

Lullaby Blue, 65g (2¼oz) Opera Violet,

600g (1lb 5¼oz) Palm Green, 1.9kg (4lb

3oz) Sunshine Yellow, 5g (<¼oz) Tuxedo

Black and 100g (3½oz) Zesty Orange

Square Madeira sponge cake, 4cm (1½”)

deep: 25.5cm (10”)

500g (1lb 1¾oz) chocolate ganache

SK Sugar Florist Paste (SFP): 55g (2oz)

Pale Blue, 45g (1½oz) Pale Pink and 125g

(4½oz) White

SK Edible Glue

SK Essentials Gum Tragacanth

200g (7oz) marshmallows

30g (1oz) unsalted butter

170g (5¾oz) crisped rice cereal

SK Professional Dust Food Colour: Rose

SK Edible Paint by Natasha

Collins: Jasmine

COVERING THE CAKE

DRUM

1 Brush the surface of the 35.5cm

(14”) cake drum with a little cooled,

boiled water.

2 Roll out the Palm Green sugarpaste to

a 3mm (1/8”) thickness. Lay the sheet

of sugarpaste over the drum and smooth it

into place with a cake smoother. Trim away

the excess paste from around the edge of the

drum then leave it to firm overnight.

SHAPING THE CAKES

1 Use a cake leveller to level the top of

the Madeira cake. Cut the cake in half

horizontally to create two equal layers of

sponge, each around 2cm (¾”) deep.

2 To make the smaller chick, cut out one

4.5cm, one 6cm, one 5.5cm and one

4cm (one 1¾”, one 23/8”, one 2¼” and one

1½”) disc from a Madeira sheet. Stack the

discs in the listed order and fix them together

using chocolate ganache (A, see page 29).

Refrigerate the cake for 15 minutes to firm.

3 To make the slightly larger chick, repeat

step 2 using one 7cm, one 7.5cm, one

6.5cm, one 5.5cm and one 4cm (one 2¾”,

one 3”, one 2½”, one 2¼” and one 1½”) disc,

stacked in that order. Refrigerate the cake for

15 minutes.

CHICK, CHICK, CHICK, CHICK,

EQUIPMENT

Round cake drum: 35.5cm (14”)

Round cutters: 6mm, 1.4cm, 2.5cm, 4cm,

4.5cm, 5.5cm, 6cm, 6.5cm, 7cm, 7.5cm

(¼”, ½”, 1”, 1½“, 1¾“, 2¼“, 2 3/8“, 2½“,

2¾“ and 3”)

Wilton Oval Cutters: 8.5cm x 5cm, 12.5cm

x 8cm, 14.5cm x 9.5cm, 16.5cm x 11cm,

14.5cm x 9.5cm and 12.5cm x 8cm (31/8” x

2”, 5” x 31/8”, 5¾” x 3¾”, 6½” x 4¼”, 5¾” x

3¾” and 5” x 31/8”)

Small bowls: 2 x 10–11cm (4–4¼”) diameter

Orchard Products 5-Petal Cutter: 2.5cm (1”)

3 wooden barbecue skewers

SK Modelling Tools: Bone and Petal & Leaf

Shaper

SK Professional Food Colour Pen: Black

Jem Strip Cutters: 5mm and 6mm (1/8”

and ¼”)

Jem Small Bow Cutters: 4cm and 6cm

(1½” and 23/8”)

PME Daisy Marguerite Plunger Cutter:

1.3cm (½”)

FMM Blossom Cutter: 9mm (3/8”)

1.5cm (½”) width grosgrain ribbon: 1.2m

(47¼”) blue and white stripe

PROJECT

by Karen Taylor


4 From the remaining sponge, cut out

one 5.5cm disc, one 8.5cm x 5cm oval,

one 12.5cm x 8cm oval, one 14.5cm x 9.5cm

oval, two 16.5cm x 11cm ovals, one more

14.5 x 9.5cm oval and another 12.5cm x 8cm

oval (one 2¼” disc, one 33/8” x 2” oval, one

5” x 31/8” oval, one 5¾” x 3¾” oval, two 6½”

x 4¼” ovals, one more 5¾” x 3¾” oval and

another 5” x 31/8” oval). Repeat step 2 to stack

the discs in the listed order, making sure the

third, fourth, fifth and sixth oval layers sit flush

with each another at the front of the shape.

Refrigerate the cake for 15 minutes.

5 Once firm, use a sharp, serrated knife

to shave down the cut edges of the

sponge to give the shapes a smooth finish

(B). Once you’re happy with the shapes,

spread a layer of ganache over the top and

sides of each one. Refrigerate the cakes for

approximately one hour, or until firm.

MAKING THE EGGSHELLS

1 Roll out 45g (1½oz) of White SFP into a

thin sheet. Cut out a disc of paste using

an 18cm (7”) round cake board as a guide.

Cut a hole in the centre of the disc using a

2.5cm (1”) round cutter. Use a sharp knife to

cut away just under one quarter of the ring,

then set it aside (C).

2 Roll out 45g (1½oz) of Pale Pink SFP

into a thin sheet. Turn the paste over

then place the white cut-out on top. Cut

around the edge of the white section and

remove the excess pink paste. Turn the

shape over so the pink side is uppermost

and smooth the paste to make sure it is firmly

adhered.

3 Use a craft knife to cut a jagged edge

in the outside of the circle to create a

broken eggshell effect (D).

4 Brush a little edible glue over one of the

short edges of the ring then attach it to

the other short edge to make a funnel shape.

Lay the funnel over the base of a small bowl

approximately 10–11cm (4-4¼”) in diameter

at the top edge. Smooth the paste around the

base of the bowl (E).

5 Roll out the remaining White SFP into

a thin sheet and cut out 15 1.4cm (½”)

discs. Attach the discs to the eggshell using

edible glue.

6 Repeat steps 1–4 using 55g (2oz) of

White SFP and 55g (2oz) of Pale Blue

SFP. This time, use a 20.5cm (8”) round cake

board as a template and cut out a 2.5cm (1”)

disc from the centre.

7 Roll out the remaining White SFP and

cut out approximately 16 2.5cm (1”)

blossom shapes. Roll out a small piece of

Sunshine Yellow sugarpaste into a thin sheet

and cut out one 6mm (¼”) disc for each

flower. Fix the flowers over the outside of the

blue eggshell and glue one yellow disc in the

centre of each one.

8 Leave the shells to firm over the bowls

for 24 hours before sliding them off

carefully (F).

COVERING THE CAKES

1 Brush the surface of each cake with

a little cooled, boiled water. Roll out

200g (7oz) of Sunshine Yellow sugarpaste

to a 6mm (¼”) thickness. Lay the sheet of

sugarpaste over the smallest chick’s body

(G). Smooth the sugarpaste around the

cake, stretching out any pleats and working

downwards (H). Trim away the excess

paste from around the base of the cake

and smooth again to give a neat finish. Use

edible glue to fix the chick’s body inside the

pink shell.

2 Repeat step 1 using 300g (10½oz) of

Sunshine Yellow sugarpaste to cover

the larger chick. Glue this chick inside the

blue shell.

3 Roll out 600g (1lb 5¼oz) of Sunshine

Yellow sugarpaste to a 6mm (¼”)

thickness and use this to cover the chicken’s

body. Smooth the paste as before then work

the sugarpaste at the back of the chicken

into a point for the tail. Position the chicken

cake towards the back of the covered cake

drum, fixing it in place with a little royal icing.

4 Push a 22cm (85/8”) long wooden

barbecue skewer down into the

chicken’s neck, leaving 5cm (2”) protruding

from the top. Repeat with a 14cm (5½”) long

skewer for the larger chick and a 12cm (4¾”)

long skewer for the smaller chick.

MAKING THE FEET

1 Knead 1tsp of gum tragacanth into 80g

(2¾oz) of Zesty Orange sugarpaste.

2 Roll 4g (<¼oz) of the strengthened

orange paste into a long sausage

shape with a diameter of approximately 5mm

(¼”). Cut two 3.5cm (13/8”) lengths from the

sausage (I). Set the legs aside to firm.

3 Repeat step 2 using 8g (¼oz) of

strengthened orange paste to make a

sausage with a 1cm (3/8”) diameter. Cut two

3.5cm (13/8”) lengths and set them aside.

4 Roll out the remaining orange paste

into a rectangle with a thickness of

6mm (¼”). Cut a straight line across one of

the long edges (J). Roll the paste out a little

thinner from 5mm (¼”) below the straight

edge (K). Use the templates to cut out two

smaller feet for the chick and two larger feet

for the chicken (L). Smooth the cut edges

then draw webbed markings in the surface

using a petal and leaf shaper (M, see page

30). Set the feet aside to firm slightly.

FE

ET

TE

MP

LA

TE

S


PROJECT

BA

C

D E F

G H I

J K L


M N

O P Q

R S

T U

V W


PROJECT

5 Use a small amount of edible glue to

attach the legs to the feet for the chick

and the chicken (N). Position the chicken’s

feet on the drum and attach with edible glue,

bending the tips of the toes over rolls of

kitchen paper until they hold a curved shape.

6 Position the feet for the larger chick in

front of the blue egg, attaching them to

the shell and drum with edible glue.

MAKING THE WINGS

1 Knead 1tsp of gum tragacanth into

150g (5¼oz) of Sunshine Yellow

sugarpaste.

2 Roll out 45g (1½oz) of the strengthened

yellow paste into a 6mm (¼”) thickness

rectangle. Cut a straight line across one of the

long edges. Roll the paste out a little thinner

from 1cm (3/8”) below the straight edge. Use

the smallest wing template to cut out the first

wing for the smaller chick, positioning it so

the inner edge of the wing is thicker than the

outer edge (O). Turn the template over and

repeat for the opposite wing.

3 Smooth the cut edges on each wing

(P). Brush the thick edge with edible

glue and position the wings on the small

chick’s body, smoothing the paste at the joins

slightly to conceal the line. Hold the wing in

position for one minute to help it secure.

4 Repeat steps 2–3 using 55g (2oz)

of the yellow paste and the medium

wing template for the larger chick and the

remaining yellow paste and the largest wing

template for the chicken.

MAKING THE CRISPED

RICE CEREAL MIX

1 Place the marshmallows and butter in a

saucepan and heat gently until melted.

Stir well to avoid the mixture sticking.

2 Measure the rice cereal into a

large mixing bowl. Pour the melted

marshmallow mix over the top and stir until it

is all coated. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.

MAKING THE HEADS

1 Shape 155g (5½oz) of crisped rice

cereal mix into a ball. Press the ball

firmly between your palms to compact it,

creating a smooth surface. Repeat to make

a medium ball using 65g (2¼oz) of crisped

rice cereal mix and a small ball using 35g

(1¼oz) of crisped rice cereal mix. Roll five

13g (½oz) portions of the rice cereal mix into

egg shapes. Allow the balls and eggs to set

for 10–15 minutes.

2 Use small pieces of Sunshine Yellow

sugarpaste to fill any gaps in the

surface of the balls, creating as even a

surface as possible (Q).

3 Divide 10g (¼oz) of Sunshine Yellow

sugarpaste in half and roll each

piece into a ball. Flatten the base of each

ball slightly to create a dome (R). Attach

the domes to the front of the smallest ball,

approximately 5mm (¼”) apart (S). Smooth

the edges onto the ball to conceal the join.

4 Repeat step 3 using 18g (5/8oz) of paste

for the medium ball and 25g (>¾oz) for

the large ball.

5 Roll out 100g (3½oz) of Sunshine

Yellow sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8”)

thickness and drape it over the small head.

Smooth the paste around the shape and

trim away the excess paste from the base.

Smooth the surface with your hands to

remove any creases or imperfections.

6 Use the small end of a bone tool to

make two oval-shaped indents just

above the cheeks for the eye sockets (T).

7 Roll out a small amount of Sunshine

Yellow sugarpaste into a long sausage

shape. Cut the sausage into thirds and roll

the end of each piece into a point. Gather the

three pieces together and trim the bases so

the tufts are approximately 1.5cm (½”) long.

Fix the tuft on top of the chick’s head and use

the broad end of a petal and leaf shaper to

smooth the paste at the join. Curl the tips of

the tufts to create movement.

8 Shape 3g (1/8oz) of Zesty Orange

sugarpaste into an ovoid and flatten

the base to create a dome. Cut across the

midline using a craft knife, being careful not

to cut all the way through (U). Use the larger

end of a petal and leaf shaper to open out the

cut and make an open beak shape (V). Use

the pointed end of the petal and leaf shaper

to make two small holes at the top of the

beak. Attach the beak to the face using edible

glue (W). Allow the head to firm.

WIN

G T

EM

PL

AT

ES


X

Y

Z

AA

9 Repeat steps 5–8 to make the medium

chick’s face, using 5g (<¼oz) of Zesty

Orange sugarpaste to make the beak. Make

the chicken’s face in the same way, this time

using 10g (¼oz) of Zesty Orange sugarpaste

for the beak.

10 Roll tiny balls of Tuxedo Black

sugarpaste and glue one inside

each eye socket. Add a tiny white highlight

to each eye using Jasmine edible paint. Use

a Black food colour pen to add eyelashes

around the top edge of each eye. Dust

the small chick’s cheeks with Rose dust

food colour.

11 Feed the heads over the skewers

in the bodies and secure with

edible glue.

MAKING THE BOWS

1 Roll out 20g (¾oz) of Pale Pink SFP to

a 6mm (¼”) thickness. Use the small

template to cut out the three pieces for the

bow. Smooth the edges of the two bow loop

pieces with your finger to remove any harsh

lines then use a petal and leaf shaper to

mark a line down the side of each piece and

two lines in the front (X, Y). Pinch the narrow

end together then cut across it to create a

clean edge (Z). Smooth around the edges of

the central bow section then use edible glue

to join the three pieces together (AA).

2 Repeat step 1 to make a bow for the

larger chick using 20g (¾oz) of Pale

Blue SFP.

3 Knead 25g (>¾oz) of White SFP

into 25g (>¾oz) of Opera Violet

sugarpaste. Repeat step 1 using half of the

purple paste and the large bow templates.

Set all three bows aside to firm slightly.

4 Once the bows hold their shape, glue

the pink bow onto the head of the

smallest chick.

5 Roll out the offcuts of Pale Blue SFP

and cut out a 6mm (¼”) wide strip.

Wrap the strip around the medium chick’s

neck, securing with edible glue. Attach the

blue bow to the front of the neck.

6 Roll out the remaining mixed purple

paste and cut out two lengths of ribbon

using the larger templates and a 1.5cm x

20cm (½” x 77/8”) strip. Attach the strip of

paste around the chicken’s neck using edible

glue. Attach the two ribbon lengths to the

body then cover the point where they join with

the purple bow.

MAKING THE EGGS

1 Use small pieces of Bridal White

sugarpaste to fill any gaps in the surface

of the crisped rice cereal egg shapes made

earlier to create a smooth finish.

2 Roll out 40g (1½”) of Bridal White

sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8”) thickness

and lay it over one of the eggs, smoothing out

any creases and trimming away the excess

paste at the back. Roll the egg between your

palms to smooth over the join.

3 Repeat step 2 to cover one more egg

with Bridal White sugarpaste, one with

Lullaby Blue sugarpaste, one with a 50:50 mix

of Bridal White and Bridal Rose sugarpaste

and two with a 50:50 mix of Bridal White and

Opera Violet sugarpaste. Allow the eggs to

firm in a foam drying tray for approximately

one hour.

4 Roll out the remaining coloured pastes

and use the strip cutters, blossom

cutters, bow cutters and round cutters to cut

out a variety of shapes. Fix the decorations to

the eggs using edible glue.

FINISHING TOUCHES

1 Arrange the decorated eggs on the

cake drum and fix them in place using

edible glue.

2 Wrap the ribbon around the edge of the

cake drum and attach it using a non-

toxic glue stick, being careful not to come into

contact with the paste.

BO

W T

EM

PL

AT

ES

Designer Cake Decorating

12 Top Cake Designers, £40.00

(hardback), B. Dutton Publishing

Available from 4th April 2019

In this beautifully presented book 12 of the

world’s leading cake designers come together

to reveal their tried-and-tested recipes and cake

decorating techniques. The book opens with a

comprehensive guide to the foundations of cake

decorating, from baking and layering to making

sugar flowers and models. The recipes that follow

include a basic butter cake and fruit cake that

you’ll be using for years, as well as some more

adventurous options, including an ambitious

Banana and Brownie Pâtisserie Cake. Alongside

the method for each of the recipes you’ll find a

table of ingredient quantities and baking times for

a range of cake sizes and shapes so you don’t

need to spend time scaling recipes up and down

when making multiple tiers. The 25 cake tutorials

are elegant and varied, covering a wide variety

of sugarcraft skills including piping with royal

icing, airbrushing and sugar flower making. Each

project has clear instructions and detailed step-

by-step photography to make sure you achieve

professional, polished results every time. Although

the cakes are all tiered, many of the designs will

also work as a single tier with a few small tweaks

so they’re suitable for all sorts of celebrations. It’s

the shared knowledge of 12 talented authors which

really sets this book apart and makes Designer

Cake Decorating a must-have for your bookshelf.

If you’re looking for inspiration or would like to expand your repertoire, we’ve handpicked the

best of the latest cake decorating and baking books to whet your appetite. To be in with a chance

of winning the giveaways, visit cakesandsugarcraft.com and go to the Cake Chat page.

RECOMMENDED READS

cakesandsugarcraft.com page 33 APRIL/MAY 2019 c akes & sugarcra f t

Sugar Rebels

Nick Makrides, £16.99 (flexi), Hardie Grant

Books, Available from 4th April 2019

Nick Makrides is the star of YouTube channel The Scran Line.

Through his social media pages, and now his first book, he aims to

inspire people to think outside the box and bake creatively. With his

background as both pastry chef and graphic designer, Nick is able to

take cakes, cupcakes and macarons and transform them into dramatic,

colourful and often outright outrageous feasts for the senses. Starting

with basic recipes and techiques, the book is then divided by style into

chapters like ‘Rebel Freak Show’, ‘Rebel Kweens’ and ‘Rebels Rejoice’

and the 60 designs within are inspired by everything from architecture

to pop culture and music. If you’re looking for a lively and colourful

baking book with plenty of fun anecdotes and even a touch of drag,

look no further!

Icing on the Cake

Tessa Huff, £21.99 (hardback), Abrams

Available from 26th March 2019

In a follow up to her first book, Layered, Tessa Huff reveals her tips

and tricks for putting the Icing on the Cake. The bakes are divided by

style, with chapters titled ‘Elegant Cakes and Confections’, ‘Decadent

Desserts’, ‘Kids’ Cakes and Party Treats’ and more. Whilst each cake is

paired with a certain decorating technique, such as Chocolate S’mores

Tart with weave piping and Blueberry Galaxy Cake with watercolour

frosting, Tessa encourages you to ‘mix and match the different

elements as you wish’ to create your own treats. The book is bright and

beautifully styled and the recipe and decoration ideas are fun with clear

instructions. So, as Tessa puts it, ‘if meticulously blending together the

perfect shades of buttercream or hand-rolling dozens of roses out of

pie dough makes you happy’ then you’ll love Icing on the Cake.

Pleesecakes

Joe Moruzzi and Brendon Parry, £15.00

(hardback), Quadrille Available now

Joe and Brendon were school friends who began working together as

painter/decorators in their twenties. They shared a passion for food

and, after Joe spent time perfecting his recipes, Brendon joined as

his business partner and Pleesecakes was born. They gained a huge

Instagram following overnight and they were soon running a thriving

company. For a book seemingly about cheesecakes the recipes are

surprisingly varied. Fans of their Instagram with enjoy the Strawberry

Edge Ledge and Fully Loaded while those after something different

might like the Ruby Murray Minis or Mac & Cheesecake. There are

vegan offerings too including Avocado & Lime Minis and Protein Slices.

We

have two

copies to

give away!

We

have two

copies to

give away!


Litle ElephantCELEBRATION CAKE

Make a splash with this adorable pair of elephants. Have a go at using an airbrush

to create depth and employing simple techniques to build the characters.

EDIBLES

SK Sugarpaste: 800g (1lb 12oz) Bridal

White and 200g (7oz) Spa Blue

Round, filled, sponge cake, crumb-coated

with buttercream, 9cm (3½") deep:

15cm (6")

SK Professional Liquid Food Colours:

Gentian and Teddy Bear Brown

SK Professional Instant-Mix Royal Icing:

15g (½oz) White

SK Carlos Lischetti HD Sugar Modelling

Paste: 10g (¼oz) Black and 800g (1lb

12oz) White

SK Professional Paste Food Colours: Rose,

Sunflower and Teddy Bear Brown

EQUIPMENT

Round cake drum: 25.5cm (10")

Round cake card: 15cm (6")

SK Airbrush Kit

Food-grade card, e.g. cereal box

SK Modelling Tools: Medium Ball, Petal &

Leaf Shaper and Small Ball

Scribing tool

Cocktail stick

Wooden barbecue skewer

1.5cm (½”) width satin ribbon: 85cm

(33½”) pale blue

COVERING THE DRUM

1 Knead 200g (7oz) of Spa Blue

sugarpaste into 800g (1lb 12oz) of Bridal

White sugarpaste to create a mid-blue colour.

2 Brush cooled, boiled water over the

surface of the 25.5cm (10") cake drum.

Roll out 400g (14oz) of mid-blue sugarpaste

to a 5mm (¼") thickness. Lay the sheet of

sugarpaste over the cake drum and use

a cake smoother to smooth the surface.

Use a sharp knife to trim away the excess

sugarpaste from around the edge. Set the

drum aside to firm overnight.

COVERING THE CAKE

1 Spread a small amount of buttercream

in the centre of the 15cm (6") cake card

and place the 15cm (6") filled cake on top. Use

a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of cooled,

boiled water over the surface of the cake.

2 Roll out the remaining mid-blue

sugarpaste to a 4mm (3/16") thickness.

Lay the sugarpaste over the cake and use

your hands to smooth the surface. Finish

with a cake smoother to achieve a neat

finish. Trim away the excess sugarpaste

around the base using a sharp knife. Set the

cake aside to firm overnight.

AIRBRUSHING THE

CAKE AND DRUM

1 Half-fill the airbrush cup with Gentian

liquid food colour. Hold the tip of the

airbrush gun approximately 20cm (8") away

from the covered cake drum. Gently pull

back the trigger and, starting at the edge of

the board, work in a spiral pattern into the

centre and back out. Concentrate the colour

on the edge to create a gradient effect.

2 Place the covered cake on a turntable

covered with cling film. Repeat step 1

to airbrush the top and sides of the cake with

Gentian liquid food colour, concentrating the

colour around the top edge. Allow the cake

and drum to dry for 30 minutes.

PROJECT

by Vicky Teather


DECORATING THE CAKE

1 Knead Teddy Bear Brown paste

food colour into 400g (14oz) of White

modelling paste to create a golden brown

colour.

2 Cut out a 5cm x 10cm (2” x 4”)

rectangular template from a sheet of

food-grade card, such as a cereal box. Roll

out the golden brown paste into a large sheet

with one side of the rolled paste 5mm (¼”)

in thickness and the other side 3mm (1/8”) in

thickness. Cut out three rectangles using the

template. Use a petal and leaf shaper to draw

a woodgrain pattern over the surface of the

rectangles (A).

3 Use edible glue to attach the wooden

planks vertically around the side of the

cake, with the thicker end at the top (B).

4 Repeat steps 2–3 to cut out, shape and

attach three planks at a time

until the side of the cake is completely

covered. If there is one, fill the gap at the back

of the cake with a rectangle trimmed to the

correct width.

5 Half-fill the airbrush cup with Teddy Bear

Brown liquid food colour. Place a sheet

of paper behind the wooden planks around

the side of the cake to protect the surface

from the colour. Start at the base of the cake

and gradually spray the colour over the planks

(C). Work your way upwards along the joins

between the planks and then along the top

and back down towards the base of the cake.

Set the cake aside to dry for 30 minutes.

6 Once dry, fix the cake in the centre of

the covered cake drum using a little

royal icing.

MAKING THE BABY

ELEPHANT

1 Knead a small ball of Black modelling

paste into 95g (3¼oz) of White

modelling paste to make a pale grey colour.

2 Roll 25g (>¾oz) of the pale grey paste

into an ovoid and gently flatten one of

the longer sides. Use petal and leaf shaper

to draw two vertical lines in the front of the

shape to represent the legs (D). Glue the

elephant’s body to the top of the cake.

3 Roll 50g (1¾oz) of pale grey modelling

paste into a ball. Place your hand on

one side of the ball and gently roll back and

forth to extrude the trunk (E). The tip of the

trunk should be narrower than the base.

4 Press the tips of your thumbs into

the face on either side of the trunk

and lightly press down to create the eye

sockets (F). Press a small ball tool into the

inner edge of the eye sockets to create a very

shallow well. Repeat using a smaller ball tool

pressed into the inner edge to around a 5mm

(¼") depth.

5 Gently bend the trunk upwards. Use a

petal and leaf shaper to mark horizontal

lines across the trunk (G). Enhance the

wrinkles with a scribing tool. Press a small

ball tool into the end of the trunk and rock it

from side to side to open out the hole (H).

Pinch the tip of the trunk into a point.

6 Fill the 5mm (¼") eye sockets with a

small ball of White modelling paste.

Press a small ball tool into the upper centre

of each eye to create a shallow well. Fill the

well with a ball of Black modelling paste.

7 Roll two tiny balls of Black modelling

paste into fine sausages with tapered

ends. Glue one sausage around the top

edge of each eye. Add a small ball of White

modelling paste to the top of each eye for

a highlight.

8 Use a petal and leaf shaper to draw

a smile running from the lower left

cheek to just underneath the right eye.

Add a dimple to the end of the smile using

a small ball tool. Press the wide end of a

petal and leaf shaper into the middle of

the smile, just to the right of the base of

the trunk, and gently pull down to open the

mouth (I). Fill the mouth with a small piece of

Black modelling paste. Knead a little Rose

paste food colour into a tiny piece of White

modelling paste and glue it inside the mouth

for the tongue (J). Push a cocktail stick into

the body and use edible glue to fix the head

in place.

9 Press a 10g (¼oz) ball of pale grey

modelling paste between the palms of

your hands to stretch and shape the paste

into an ear (K). Repeat with a second ball for

the other ear. Glue the ears in place on either

side of the head (L).


PROJECT

B C

D E F

G H I

J K

A

L


MAKING THE BRUSH


food colour into a marble-sized ball of

White modelling paste. Shape the paste into

an elongated disc and use a petal and leaf

shaper to mark a woodgrain pattern in the

surface (M).

2 Knead a little Sunflower paste food

colour into a small ball of White

modelling paste to create a pale yellow

colour. Shape the pale yellow paste to match

the elongated disc and use edible glue to fix

the two pieces together. Use a scribing tool

to mark lines over the sides of the paste to

represent bristles (N). Glue the brush to the

top of the baby elephant’s head.

MAKING THE ELEPHANT

PARENT

1 Knead a small amount of Black

modelling paste into 200g (7oz) of

White modelling paste to create a slightly

darker grey colour.


Baby Elephant instructions to make

the elephant parent’s body using 50g (1¾oz)

of dark grey paste. Glue the body to the top

of the cake behind the baby elephant. Push a

skewer through the body and down into

the cake.


Baby Elephant instructions using 120g

(4¼oz) of darker grey paste to make the

head. For the mouth, use a petal and leaf

shaper to draw a smile running from the left

cheek up to the right cheek. Add a dimple at

each end of the mouth using a small ball tool.

Glue the head on top of the body and glue

the tip of the trunk to the top of the brush.


Baby Elephant instructions to make

and attach two ears using 15g (½oz) each of

dark grey paste.

FINISHING TOUCHES

1 Knead 5g (<¼oz) of the leftover mid-

blue sugarpaste into 35g (1¼oz) of

White modelling paste. Roll the paste into two

marble-sized balls and two slightly smaller

balls then roll them into long teardrops.

Use edible glue to fix the teardrops into two

groups of one large and one small. Glue one

pair to the back of the cake and one to the

front so they drip down from the top edge.

2 Use your fingers to shape three balls of

the pale blue paste into puddles. Glue

the puddles around the base of the cake.

3 Roll the remaining pale blue paste and

40g (1½oz) of White modelling paste

into variously sized balls and glue them all

over the cake for bubbles. Flatten a few of the

tinier balls so they sit flush against the cake.

4 Wrap pale blue ribbon around the edge

of the drum and fix it in place using

double-sided tape.

M N

Developed by the experts at Squires Kitchen and thoroughly tested by professional cake makers

Flexible, high-

performance icing

with a delicate natural

vanilla flavour

Ideal for creating fine,

edible lace in sugar

Easy to make

up and apply

Available in

5 colours

• Just add water and the icing is ready to pipe and stencil, or spread over a lace

mould and allow to oven-dry or air-dry for a realistic lace effect • Flexi-Ice remains pliable

for at least one day and, if it starts to firm up, simply pass the icing through steam to

restore its flexibility • Colour the decorative flexible icing any shade with your choice

of Squires Kitchen’s liquid, paste or dust food colours

Available from all good cake decorating and sugarcraft shops, please call +44 (0)330 223 4466

to find your nearest stockist. Trade enquiries are welcome. Made in Great Britain. Made in Great Britain

We have five packs of SK Mrzipan , worth £4.25, to give away!

page 50 cakesandsugarcraft.comc akes & sugarcra f t APRIL/MAY 2019

In each issue we handpick our favourites from the latest

baking and cake decorating must-haves to help with your

sugarcraft projects. To be in with a chance of winning them,

visit cakesandsugarcraft.com and go to the Cake Chat page.

PRODUCT PICKS AND GIVEAWAYS

Favorite Fins

MARZIPAN MADE BETTER

This Easter, give your cakes, treats and models a perfectly

smooth, crack-free finish with Squires Kitchen Marzipan. Made

from the finest sugar and almonds, this premium-quality almond

paste has a superior taste and gives a flawless finish. It’s the

perfect covering for a simnel cake and for creating its all-

important 11 apostles. It’s also an essential component of

a Battenberg cake, fondant fancies and many of the other

colourful teatime treats that adorn your spring table.

The marzipan is ready to roll right from the packet and can even

be mixed 50:50 with Cocoform for a delicious chocolate and

almond covering. For a fresh new look it can also be coloured

with paste food colours, brushed with dust food colours or

surface painted with edible paints.

cakesandsugarcraft.com page 51 APRIL/MAY 2019 c akes & sugarcra f t

TREAT YOURSELF TO NEW TOOLS

Internationally renowned sugar modeller Etty van Urk, a.k.a. Cake

Dutchess, has designed and created her own signature collection

of modelling tools to help with all of your sugarcraft projects.

These high-quality, stainless steel modelling tools are strong and

sturdy, dishwasher safe and heat resistant. Use them with a wide

range of cake decorating mediums including modelling chocolate,

buttercream, sugarpaste and even isomalt. Included in the set are a

cone tool, a needle tool, a small ball tool, a large ball tool, a Dresden

tool, a knife tool, a flat tool and a veining tool, useful for a wide range

of sugarcraft applications. The tools are available from Fabricake now

so visit fabricake.co.uk to treat yourself to them today, as well as

many other cake decorating and sugarcraft supplies.

We have three sets of the A Vry Englsh Rse and Drip Icing Cutrs, worth £16, to giveaway!

RISK-FREE DRIPS

As the drip effect continues to be a popular

choice for celebration cakes, FMM have

introduced the new Drip Icing Cutter to their

range. Taking away the guesswork and risk

of applying a liquid drip, such as fluid icing

or ganache, the Drip

Icing Cutter allows you

to cut a drip design

out of sugarpaste or

modelling paste which

you can then effortlessly

apply to the sides of

your cakes. The design

for the Drip Icing Cutter

mimics the natural drip

effect, with drips of

different lengths and

widths, giving the effect

of a liquid drip without

the stress or the mess!

We have one set of Cake Tos by Cake Dutchss, worth £59.95, to give away!

Another new addition to the FMM range, the

A Very English Rose cutter set allows you to

make sumptuous and sophisticated full-

bloom roses with ease. Use this set of three

cutters to create perfectly formed roses to

decorate wedding and celebration cakes.

The cutter for the centre of the rose allows

you to cut five petals at a time, with a variation

in petal sizes for creating centre petal clusters

quickly and easily.

The cutter for the inner layers of the rose has

a frilled edge to enhance the beauty of the

flower. This cutter enables you to cut the inner

layers as a whole, rather than having to cut out

individual petals and fix them around your rose

centre one by one. The outer layers of the rose

are created using the third cutter – a larger,

single layer which encircles the whole flower,

completing the bloom. The all-in one cutter

allows you to quickly

and simply cut as

many outer layers as

you need to complete

your beautiful, very

English rose.

ENGLISH ROSES

MADE SIMPLE


HOT CROSS BROWNIES

Gently spiced and dotted with sultanas, orange

zest and pecans, these hot-cross-bun-inspired vegan

brownies are just the thing for your Easter get together.

You can also use the brownie batter base to make your

own flavour combinations: simply replace the nuts, dried

fruits, mixed spice and zest with your choice of additions.

YOU WILL NEED

Square baking tin: 20.5cm (8”)

200g (7oz) dairy-free dark chocolate

170g (5¾oz) self-raising flour

15g (½oz) cocoa powder

1tsp mixed spice

180g (6¼oz) golden caster sugar

1 orange, zest only

Pinch of salt

90ml (3fl oz) flavourless oil, e.g.

sunflower oil

230ml (8¼fl oz) unsweetened almond milk

100g (3½oz) pecans, roughly chopped

100g (3½oz) sultanas

100g (3½oz) SK Cornflour-Free Icing

Sugar

Small piping bag

Makes nine

VEGAN

RECIPE

BAKING THE BROWNIES

1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F/gas

mark 4). Grease and line a 20.5cm (8”)

square baking tin.

2 Break the chocolate into a heatproof

bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of

simmering water, making sure the base of the

bowl is above the surface. Allow the chocolate

to melt, stirring occasionally. Once melted, set

the chocolate aside to cool slightly.

3 Sift the flour, cocoa powder and mixed

spice into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the

caster sugar, orange zest and a pinch of salt.

4 Add the oil, almond milk and melted

chocolate to the mixing bowl and fold

through until fully combined.

5 Fold the pecans and sultanas

through the mixture until they are

evenly distributed. Pour the mixture into the

prepared tin, spreading it out evenly.

6 Bake the brownies on the middle

shelf of the preheated oven for 20–25

minutes, or until cooked on the top, but still

gooey underneath.

7 Leave the brownies to cool in the tin.

For best flavour and fudginess, turn

the brownies out of the tin once they’re

completely cool, wrap them in cling film and

refrigerate overnight. This will also make

them easier to slice.

DECORATING THE

BROWNIES

1 Use a long, sharp knife to slice the

brownie into nine even squares.

2 Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add

2tbsp of orange juice or water.

Stir until thoroughly mixed.

3 Transfer the icing to a small piping bag

and snip off the tip. Pipe a cross of

icing on top of each brownie then allow to dry.


TOP TIP

The brownies will keep in an airtight

container for one week.

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If you have some interesting news or views or details

of an event you would like us to mention, please email

[email protected].

CAKE CHAT

c akes & sugarcra f t APRIL/MAY 2019page 72

SURREALIST SUGARCRAFT

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Salvador Dali’s death, a group of cake designers and sugar

artists have collaborated to create the Dali in Sugar collection. The collaboration was organized by

Elisabete Caseiro and included 53 cake designers and sugar artists from all over the world.

The prominent Spanish artist is perhaps best known for the striking and bizarre images in his

surrealist paintings, but he has an expansive catalogue of work beyond them, including sculptures,

photography and films. Most of the pieces in the Dali in Sugar collaboration were inspired by Dali’s

artistic creations, but some also depicted the eccentric character and appearance of the artist himself.

The collaboration was revealed at facebook.com/DaliinSugar on 23rd January, 30 years after Dali’s

death in 1989. The pieces will then be exhibited at Sweet Sugar Festival in Anadia, Portugal, on

5th–7th April.

BADDELEY CAKE 2019

In 1794 Robert Baddeley, one of the original directors

of the Drury Lane Theatrical Fund, left a provision

in his will that cake and punch be served to the

company in residence at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane

on Twelfth Night every year. There have been over 200

Baddeley Cakes since the first was presented on 6th

January 1795. Squires Kitchen has the privilege of

organising and sponsoring the Baddeley Cake every

year, with the cake maker presenting it at the theatre

in London.

Currently, Theatre Royal Drury Lane is playing host

to 42nd Street, an all-singing, all-dancing show

set in 1930s New York. The story centres on Peggy

Sawyer, a Broadway hopeful fresh off the bus from

Pennsylvania. With a huge chorus line and a glitzy

set, the show provided plenty of inspiration for a

spectacular cake design.

This year, the Baddeley Cake was created by

Penelope d’Arcy Graham, School Manager at Squires

Kitchen International School. She created a stunning

five-tier starry sky cake complete with silhouette

skyline and light-up numbers. Penelope said, ‘I

had great fun making the cake. I was inspired by

the staging as it’s all quite dark

but it would have these pops of

colour. There was also a blue

sparkly effect on the poster so I

splattered the cake with glittery

blue sparkles.’

As is tradition, the cast

gathered together to cut the

cake after they wrapped up

their evening show. The

cake was then sliced

and served to the

actors and members

of the Drury Lane

Theatrical Fund, along

with a glass of delicious

punch made according

to a historic recipe.

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I am a surgeon from Canada that decorates cakes as a hobby. Here

is a collection of my surgery-themed cakes that I thought you may

find interesting.

Stephanie Hiebert, Canada

A SLICE OF YOUR NEWSI love carousel cakes and was

overjoyed to be asked to make one.

Beautiful gold, pastels and peonies

with a unicorn carousel topper.

Katie Mills, UK

cakesandsugarcraft.com APRIL/MAY 2019 c akes & sugarcra f t

AUTISM AWARENESS

It’s that time of year again when sugarcrafters from across the globe come together to create a heartfelt and

expressive collection of edible art in honour of Autism Awareness. This year, organisers Suzy Khalaf and Dina

Nakad were drawn to the work of fashion designer Michael Ryan Andolsek, a person with autism who created

the Andolsek social initiative and fashion house. Michael and his staff are dedicated to fostering the creative

abilities of people with autism and keep the struggles and strengths of those on the spectrum at the forefront

of their minds. After seeing Michael’s beautiful clothing and his love for art and design, the Sugar Art for

Autism group decided to draw inspiration for their edible pieces from his portfolio. The collaboration is due to

be officially revealed on 2nd April to coincide with Autism Awareness Day and can be viewed from then on at

facebook.com/sugarart4autism.

DATES FOR

YOUR DIARY

Cake International on Tour!

www.cakeinternational.co.uk/london

4th–6th April 2019 I ExCeL, London, UK

Following on from the success of their

25th flagship event in November, the Cake

International team are taking the show on

tour. In April 2019 Cake International on

Tour will be at ExCeL, London, co-locating

with The Creative Craft Show. On offer

will be a full daily theatre programme,

demonstrations and talks, workshops,

feature displays, a hand-picked selection

of your favourite brands to shop, plus the

stunning competition display. The London

competition offers some brand new

classes including Floral Bridal Headpiece

and 90s Grunge: The Gen X Soundtrack.

All this will be on offer for just a £5 day

pass so, whether you’re a seasoned fan

or a first time visitor, there’s no reason not

to join them for a slice!

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TEXTURED TILESThis geometric design is made up of a mixture of sugarpaste and isomalt

tiles. The texture on the isomalt is created using Flexi-Ice mats

and is a great way to use your existing tools for new effects.

EDIBLES

SK Sugarpaste: 1.4kg (3lb 1½oz)

Bridal White

SK Professional Paste Food Colour:

Bluegrass

Square cakes, 5cm (2") deep:

2 x 15cm (6")

825g (1lb 13oz) ganache

SK Ready-Tempered Isomalt: 250g

(8¾oz) Colourless

SK Designer Metallic Lustre Dust Food

Colour: Copper

SK Essentials Confectioners' Glaze

SK Essentials Confectioners' Glaze

Cleaner


SK Professional Instant-Mix Royal Icing:

250g (8¾oz) White

COVERING THE CAKE

DRUM

1 Colour the Bridal White sugarpaste pale

aqua using a little Bluegrass paste food

colour. Knead a little white vegetable fat into

the sugarpaste until soft and pliable. Wrap

two thirds of the paste well in cling film and

set it aside. Roll out the remaining pale aqua

sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8”) thickness on a

non-stick board.

2 Brush the cake drum with a little cooled,

boiled water and lay the sheet of

sugarpaste over the top. Smooth the surface

of the paste with a cake smoother and trim

away any excess around the edges. Set the

drum aside to firm for 24–48 hours.

COVERING THE CAKE

1 Level the tops of the cakes then slice

each one in half horizontally using a

cake leveller. Use a little ganache to fix the

first layer of sponge on top of the 15cm (6")

cake board.

2 Spread a layer of ganache over the

top of the sponge and place the

second layer on top. Repeat to sandwich the

remaining layers of sponge together. Apply

a thin crumb-coat of ganache to the top and

sides of the cake then refrigerate the cake for

at least 30 minutes.

3 Apply a coat of ganache all over the

cake, keeping the surface smooth and

the corners sharp. Allow the ganache-covered

EQUIPMENT

Square cake board: 15cm (6”)

Square cake drum: 25.5cm (10")

SK Bellissimo Flexi Smoothers: Medium

1.5cm (½”) width satin ribbon: 1.05m (40")

pale aqua

Hexagonal cutters: 4.5cm, 5.5cm, 6.5cm and

7.5cm (1¾”, 2¼”, 2½” and 3”) (measured

point to point)

Food-grade plastic sheets, e.g. stay-fresh

mats

Food-grade gloves

Chef’s blow torch

SK Flexi-Ice Mats: Geometric Floral,

Individual Rose, Lace Doily and Paper Lace

SK High-Quality Paintbrushes: nos. 6 and 10

PROJECT

by Marianne Stewart

cakesandsugarcraft.com

cake to firm at a cool room temperature

overnight, or until the surface of the ganache

is dry.

4 Roll out the remaining aqua-coloured

sugarpaste to a 4–5mm (3/16–¼”)

thickness and lay it over the top of the cake.

Smooth the surface with your palms and

a cake smoother. Before the sugarpaste

is firm, hold the rectangular edges of the

Flexi Smoothers against the side. Applying

medium pressure, run the smoothers around

the top edges of the cake until a crisp line

appears. Continue working around the top

and sides of the cake until you are happy with

the finish. Allow the sugarpaste to firm at a

cool room temperature overnight.

5 Once the sugarpaste is firm, fix the iced

cake in the centre of the covered drum

using a little royal icing. Allow the royal icing

to dry for one hour before decorating.

MAKING THE

SUGARPASTE TILES

1 Roll out the remaining aqua-coloured

sugarpaste to a 2–3mm (1/16–1/8”)

thickness and cut out approximately 25

hexagons using the 5.5cm (2¼”) cutter. Place

the shapes underneath food-grade plastic to

prevent them from drying out.

2 Dot a small amount of Bluegrass paste

food colour over the surface of the

remaining aqua-coloured sugarpaste and

knead it roughly to

create streaks of

colour. Roll out

the marbled

sugarpaste

and repeat step

1 to cut out 15

hexagons.

3 Knead the leftover sugarpaste until it is

a uniform colour then add more dots of

Bluegrass paste food colour, kneading them

through roughly then rolling the paste out

in the same way to create a darker marbled

pattern. Cut out a further 15 hexagons and

keep them covered, as before.

MAKING THE

ISOMALT TILES

1 Roll out the remaining sugarpaste to

a 5mm (¼”) thickness and cut out

squares approximately 2cm (¾”) larger than

the hexagonal cutters. You will need a total of

four for the 4.5cm (1¾”) cutter, seven for the

5.5cm (2¼”) cutter, four for the 6.5cm (2½”)

cutter and three for the 7.5cm (3”) cutter.

Lay the squares of sugarpaste on trays lined

with parchment paper. Cut out one hexagon

shape from the centre of each square using

the corresponding cutter. Knead together the

hexagon cut-outs to create more sugarpaste

moulds until you have used all the sugarpaste.

2 Pour 150g (5¼oz) of isomalt into a

heatproof jug and heat it in 15-second

increments in the microwave until it is melted

and just starting to bubble. Use a cocktail

stick to add a little Bluegrass paste food

colour to the isomalt. Heat the remaining

100g (3½oz) of isomalt in a separate jug and

add Copper lustre dust food colour.

3 Heat the isomalt again until it is runny.

Allow the bubbles to settle then pour

it into the sugarpaste moulds to a depth of

4mm (3/16”) (A). Allow the isomalt to set for 10

minutes.

4 Once set, wear food-safe gloves to

carefully break away the sugarpaste.

Knead together the sugarpaste, then re-roll

and create more moulds for the remaining

isomalt tiles. Continue until you have the

desired number of isomalt tiles in a mixture of

copper and aqua. Use a paring knife to clean

any remaining sugarpaste

from the edges of the tiles.

A

B

C


PROJECT

5 Arrange approximately three quarters

of the tiles on a clean, dry baking tray.

Use a chef’s blowtorch to heat the surface of

the isomalt tiles until just the top surface is

melted and it is still holding its shape well (B).

Gently and evenly press one of the Flexi-Ice

mats into the top (C). Hold the mat in place

for one minute then gently lift it away to reveal

the pattern (D). Repeat for the remaining tiles

on the tray, varying the mat design, then allow

them to cool.

6 Use a no. 10 paintbrush to paint a thin

layer of confectioners’ glaze over the

surface of each tile, both patterned and plain

(E). Allow the glaze to dry for 20 minutes.

Once dry, turn the tiles over and glaze the

back and sides then allow the glaze to dry for

a further 20 minutes. This prevents humidity

from clouding the isomalt.

7 Colour the remaining confectioners’

glaze with Copper lustre dust food

colour. Use the copper-coloured glaze to

paint the edges of all the aqua tiles using a

no. 6 paintbrush (F).

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

1 Arrange 10 of the pale sugarpaste

tiles on a baking tray lined with baking

parchment. Use a no. 10 paintbrush to paint

the top and sides of each tile with copper-

coloured confectioners’ glaze (G). Allow the

tiles to dry for 10 minutes.

2 Starting at the back of the cake, use a

little edible glue and a no. 6 paintbrush

to stick a row of three sugarpaste tiles to

the side of the cake, positioning them at the

top with the pointed edges facing upwards.

Repeat to add two rows of three sugarpaste

tiles beneath the first, leaving one or two

gaps for isomalt tiles to be added in between

(H). Be sure to arrange the tiles so that no

two touching are the same colour. Once the

side is complete, use a little royal icing to fix

isomalt tiles in the gaps.

3 Use a paring knife to trim away

sections of the tiles so they slot into the

remaining gaps at the top and bottom of the

cake. Stick these in place using edible glue (I).

4 Repeat steps 2–3 to add sugarpaste

and isomalt tiles to all sides of the

cake. Allow the cake to dry for several hours,

or overnight.

D E F

G

I

H

TOP TIP

To remove confectioners’ glaze from

a paintbrush, clean the brushes

thoroughly with glaze cleaner, then

rinse with water and pat dry.


5 Use royal icing to stick a large isomalt

tile towards the left side of the base at

the front of the cake. Add a second large tile

on top, positioning it towards the top right of

the first. Attach a medium isomalt tile above

the previous two, sitting just beneath the top

edge of the cake. Allow the first layer of tiles to

dry for one hour before continuing.

6 For the next layer, use a chef’s blow

torch to heat the back of each tile to

slightly melt it before sticking in place against

the other isomalt tiles (J). Hold the tile in place

for approximately 10 seconds to let it set (K).

Build up the tiles until there are, at most, three

layers, all slightly overlapping and building

upwards over the top edge (L).

7 Wrap pale aqua ribbon around the edge

of the cake drum and fix it in place with

double-sided tape.

J K L

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