Happy Thanksgiving

 "Do you have any Thanksgiving Themed Cookie Cutters? 

They are doing a Thing at work next Week"

Lets just jump back a week when I got frustrated with not being able to find my Cake Decorating things when I needed them - So after Much Sorting, Many trips to Bunnings and a Huge Spreadsheet later and I can categorically say - No !

We don't 'Do' Thanksgiving in Australia so I was left searching the Cookie Stores for Halloween Pumpkin Cutters or anything I could use instead.

I found this Beautiful Cutter and Imprint at Sweetly Impressed (Echuca Victoria).

I also ordered a set of "Fancy Pants" Script letters from Cookie Stamp Co. (Perth W.Aust)

These were exactly what I needed and arrived in 2 Days!

So I was "Good to Go"

Cookies Baked - 

Time to turn them into something more Interesting.

I have had a little experience with Imprinting Fondant, but not with 3D Printed Cutters and Perspex Stamps!

I have however, had a LOT of experience in hand colouring Fondant & Sugarpaste (mainly flowers).

Dusting the plain coloured fondant with a darker petal dust started to bring these to life.

I was not able to source the beautiful Floral leaves and flourish that the online Sample had but, 

I was able to improvise with what I did have for the Pumpkin flowers & leaves.

DDIL#2 was delighted and happily took them to Work for their 'Thanksgiving Party'

There was just ONE problem:

They all said 

"They were Too Pretty to Eat"

and so they didn't!

Oh Good Grief.......

Cakes, Cookies & Parties

Whittlesea show:

A Bit of a difference this year with just One Demonstration each day.

 

Our President Iced and decorated a Christmas Cake while 'Yours Truly' ran the commentary!

GD#2 - Picnic Birthday

What could possibly go wrong?

An Uncle holding a Piñata at arms length while a 2 yr old swings at it with a Broomstick!

More Birthdays:

Late night Text from DS#1:  

"I hate Fondant - And my Hands Hurt!": 

For Little Miss H's 4th Birthday He Made 

A (hand coloured) striped, Fondant Covered, Stacked Black Forest Cat in the Hat Birthday Cake.  

Very ambitious for just his 4th Cake! 

Biscuit baking:

I don't know just HOW this started but I find myself delving into the realm of Sugar Cookies. 

(I am blaming it on Instagram!) 

"Freeze the Cookies before Baking" (They had better be worth it for all the fuss.)

JULY

DGD#1 is a huge fan of  YouTube personality Tigger Mac who was to be demonstrating at the Cake Bake & Sweets Show. 

Miss A. didn't see much of the Show, totally overwhelmed and bewildered as to WHY there were so many OTHER people there.

Her Sister however didn't care as long as there was CAKE!

November

Once again I am playing 'Catch Up' So - What happened in November?

The First Weekend in November is Demonstrating Simple Cake Decorations to the Children at the Whittlesea Show.  

Each year we hope we will get some new Members for our efforts.

At home, we Introduced DGD#2 

(Little Miss H) to Our Fairy Garden.

Looks Like Grandpa is a bit Big to play in here! 

She also Celebrated her 3rd Birthday with a Cat Themed Party.

Her Cake was made by Mum (DDIL#1) from the Iconic Australian Women's Weekly Birthday Cake Book.

The rest of the Month was taken up with Renovating the Bathroom. 

It's a Long process if you are to do it right.

Flooring had to be removed to prepare for the Shower Base to be Installed.

When we removed the Tiles from the Shower recess wall we found a Power point or in fact the back of one.

At some point in time a Plumber didn't think that THIS could be a Safety Issue.

Fortunately the Month ended with the arrival of the Electrician and moving the Power Point was added to the list!

Little Miss A is turning 2.

And as this was the first opportunity for her to have a Party 

- Her Cake had to be awesome.

I had always planned on using the Top Tier of DD's Wedding Cake (which had been vacuum packed) but 8 years was too much and although it looked fine - it just didn't taste good.

Plan B - Outsource the base cake from a company that makes Cakes to decorate.  

I still needed height for the cake and made a Gluten Free layer to sculpt.  Keeping it away from the Caramel Mud was a challenge but achievable.

Thursday Night:  I had the 2 layers together, sculpted and Crumb coated with (GF) Buttercream, and covered in Fondant.

Friday Morning was scheduled to help clean and prepare DD's house for the Party. 

I could spare the morning but not getting home until 4:00 pm meant I would be burning the Midnight Oil to get this cake made. 

By dinner time I had the bones of the Cake's main feature taking shape.

11:30 pm  It was not just Dragon who needed propping up for a sleep but he was done all but the Dusting and that could wait until the morning.

It is amazing how a touch of Colour (applied not unlike Makeup) can bring a model to life.

I was extra pleased that He actually looked somewhat like the photo in The Book!

(Enchanting Magical Cakes by Debbie Brown)

Happy Birthday was Sung 

(in a Surprisingly Tuneful way) and the Cake was cut and devoured in less time than it took to make.

Little Miss A's comment of 

"Dragon asleep on Mountain" 

made it all worth it.

And a Cake Review from one of the Guests (Ryan 7)

"That Cake was amazing.  It looked so good and tasted good but I think it looked better than it tasted that's how good it looked". 

Um? ... I'll take that as a Compliment. Thank you.

* * * * *

Footnote:  

This post is dedicated to 'Auntie' Em.  

Who lost her Mum the day before and still came to the Party.  Love and Hugs.

Back to Cake Decorating

 The lifting of COVID restrictions allowed us to return to Cake Decorating.

First Meeting of the CDAV for the year saw us watching a demonstration of  'How to make a Sugar Collar Decoration' by the Association's Vice President Jan Longley.

We also had our (belated) AGM where "Yours Truly" ended up on the Committee!

The Following Week I enjoyed a Workshop at NCDC on How to Make Flooded Cookie Decorations.

With an Easter Theme!

For a First Try - I think I did OK.

Our Demonstrator (Branch Member Michelle) had plenty of Icing left over and encouraged us to "PLEASE - Take Some Home"

So with some broken Biscuits to practice on I was able to try a couple of different patterns.

It was a good day despite the Rain and the fact we all got soaked walking back to our cars!

* * *

I am a member of  both the Cake Decorators Association of Victoria (CDAV) as well as the Northern Cake Decorators Group (Previously the Cake Decorators Society - Northern Branch).

Wedding Cake - Aussie Style

 … with a Texas Touch!

Making a Wedding Cake during a Pandemic with Strict lock-down rules was always going to have it's own special set of challenges.  
Not having the tools or ingredients easily to hand was one thing - but the concept that I was making a Cake for a Wedding that might not be allowed to proceed was frustrating.

The Groom was Our Son, and he'd asked for Australian Native Flowers, Kangaroo Paw and Blue Gum Leaves.  To this, I added the Victorian Floral Emblem - Pink Heath as well.

The Bride - far from her home of Texas USA didn't ask for anything specific.  However, I knew that she wanted Texas Bluebonnets to feature somewhere on her Wedding Day and of course Yellow Roses.

Finding some Botanical Sketches of the Bluebonnets which gave me the correct size and shape helped enormously. 

Together with 3 perfect Roses and Our Aussie Natives, as well as some White Sakura Flowers I was able to make 3 beautiful Sprays.

How to arrange them into something that looked good was another matter.

What type of Cake? 

How Tall - What Shape?

Let the Flowers decide!

The top tier spilling out of a small pouring jug and some negative space between. And for the observant - a small ceramic Gecko peeking out of the flowers.

It wasn't what we wanted for them.  

It wasn't what we had planned way back in January.

At the end of a very Big Day, 
In a small Local Cafe (that opened just for us).

The Cake was cut and the Marriage Celebrated, in a Covid-safe way with a handful of (Legally allowed) Friends and Family.

Flowers for My Wedding Cake

 In Australia the THREE most photographed things at a Wedding are in Order:

1.  Bride

2. Wedding Cars

3. The Cake

Our Bride to Be doesn't understand the ritual of leaving home, Chauffeured to the Church in a Glorious Car bedecked with White Ribbons. 

All that see her on her journey wish her well. Often with a Toot of Horns or a Wave. 

So there will be no Vintage Cars this time.

However - There WILL be Cake!

I have been working on the Special Flowers for their Cake over the past few weeks.  

Cake decorators are pedantic about Botanical Accuracy when making Sugar paste Flowers and this time A LOT of research has gone into these blooms so I can get them as close as possible.

The Groom wanted Australian Flowers.  

The Bride?  Well of Course it would need to be Flowers from "Home" for her.
The "Yellow Rose of Texas" (Harison's Yellow Rose) and a certain little Wildflower that is close to her heart - The Texas Bluebonnet.

They haven't seen their Flowers yet so this is all I can show you.  I am happy with how they have turned out - Just hope that they are!

Happy Birthday

Or should it be 

Happy (.....Socially Distant.....) Birthday

It was definitely NOT the Cake I would have made

It was not the Celebration we would have had

And it hardly feels like anytime since I was posting their 21st Birthday Photos.

A Shop bought Cake and Homemade Honeycomb for Decoration - Not my usual Style.

But we could all gather together (without anyone having to travel).

We brought our offerings to the Table, 

Said Grace as a Family

And enjoyed Time Together - But Apart.

And the Cake?

It was brought to the Table

and They Blew

And the Candles went out

I can still work Birthday Miracles!

Laura's Cake

My DDIL's Sister is getting married (second time around) and asked me if I would make her Wedding Cake. This is something I was more than happy to do.

Only problem  - She has asked for a "Naked Cake".  As far as requests go this one is NOT my favourite

Do not be fooled into thinking that this is an "EASY" cake to make- There is NOWHERE to hide!
Layers need to be perfectly level, sides straight and just the right amount of Buttercream.

Making this one even more complicated - The Bride wants FRESH Flowers to be added on the day.
So I find myself handing over a Partially finished Cake...

 .. not knowing what it is going to look like on the Day was a Bit nerve-wracking


Saturday Night I received a Photo from DDIL

Not too shabby if I must say so!

I wish them all the Best for their Future.

It's Showtime Again

Each November I volunteer to demonstrate Cake Decorating to the Children that attend the Arts and Crafts Pavilion at the Whittlesea Agricultural Show.

Sometimes we are distracted by roving entertainers or the glimpse of a beautiful Quilt on display.

This year the view outside was not one the organisers wanted...
The 'drought breaking' rain could have at least waited until Monday!

I did feel for the Vendors and those with rides for the Children as they were looking very miserable with no customers.

On the upside (for us) bad weather brings the Visitors inside the Halls and we have plenty of people to talk to.

This year the Show was celebrating its 160th Anniversary

 and the Theme was "Generations"

We were given a Mould (made from Gum Paste with extra hardener added) from which we made Faces. Creating appropriate Character by Sculpting and adding Age appropriate Hair before finally applying "Makeup" with Flower Dusting powders.

We did have the occasional request (read "I Challenge you") mainly from Tween Boys to create a Caricature of themselves.
Which we promptly obliged - anything to keep them engaged.  After all some of the best Cake Decorators are Men!

Mainly the Children were enthralled seeing a formless Blob become "Someone"

And then promptly devoured it in a single mouthful!

Learning New Things

Both of the Cake Decorating Groups I attend are now back in full swing and we are ready to learn lots of "new" techniques.

I started off last weekend, learning something I have been eager to try for a long time.

"Brush Embroidery" and "Applique" for Cakes.  

These are Old Techniques that we do not see very often on Modern Cakes - Maybe it is time to bring back this beautiful form of Decoration.

* * *

Yesterday we had visiting Tutor Marianne Bartuccelli from “Tastefully yours cake art” who, very Patiently, encouraged us in the Art of "Water Colour Painting" Direct on your Cake Surface.

Tutor Marianne with Our President Extraordinaire Dot!

None of us had attempted this type of Decoration before but I think, telling us "Don't Worry, No One will take home a Perfect Cake today" spurred some to Prove Her Wrong!

I was pleased with my Cake
with the exception of my lettering.

- Something I clearly need to PRACTICE!

If I were to make this Cake (for Real) I would try the Applique Techniques I learned from the Previous Workshop and bring those Balloons to Life!

Looking forward to Our Next Workshop.

What a Weekend. .

Melbourne Cup Day is the First Tuesday in November and DH always takes some Annual Leave on the Monday making it the last chance to have a long weekend before Christmas. And we had A LOT of things to do in a very short time.

SATURDAY:  I once again Volunteered to demonstrate Cake Decorating to the Children in the Arts & Craft Pavilion (Shed) at the Whittlesea Country Show. 
It is a Big day which involves telling the same stories to different (often sticky) faces over and over again -

Our Theme this Year was the 100th Anniversary of Armistice. The End of the Great War, and we made many Aussie Slouch Hats, Nurses Veils, Poppies and Calvary Horses to adorn Lollypops that were devoured in less time than it took to make them.

It was not without it's trauma, I took a short break for Lunch which was near the Dressage Arena and while taking some quick photos, stepped in a Rabbit Hole and nearly broke my ankle, then ended the day with a strained wrist from too much Icing Rolling!

SUNDAY: 
My Grandmother used to say "Better the Day - Better the Deed" so, Time to get very serious with the Backyard.  The Bungalow needs washing down before Painting and this IS a task I can trust DH to do.

He really enjoys demolishing things and delighted in ripping down the old rusted Guttering while he was at it...

MONDAY:  The only problem with ripping Guttering down was... It had to be put back and of course the timber BEHIND needed painting (2 Coats - 2 Hours apart).  Off to get the new Guttering while the first coat of paint dried.   And in  TRUE fashion we had to go to TWO Stores in order to get all the bits to install it. 

Time and Daylight was against us now and the Weather Report says it will rain overnight and tomorrow.

So, working in the dark with the help of DS#2s Film Lights we finally clicked everything in place by 8 pm.

And Did it Rain?

TUESDAY:  Oh yes - Did it ever!

I was woken by the sound of Rain at 3:40 am and it was STILL raining at 1:30 pm only to resume and hour later. 
Not the Best weather for Melbourne Cup Day and "The Race that Stops a Nation". 

We had Two Months worth of Rain in a few hours and were VERY glad the guttering was up and doing it's job - Pity about the rest of the house!!!! 

Why is it we always neglect cleaning the gutters until the very worst time to be up a ladder?


The Ground was soaked - We were Soaked.  And our "To Do List" got a bit longer...
When this project started, I wanted it finished by July - Now it will be lucky if it is done by Christmas!