Fondant figurines

Here are some of my first fondant figurines and decorated cakes...

SEPTEMBER 2011

My very first attempt of cake decorating.  My 2nd daughter Alexia loves bunnies so I made this for her 4th birthday...

DECEMBER 2011

A friend's son's 1st birthday cake.  I was quite impressed with the teddy bear I made

Xmas Fruit cake covered and decorated with fondant

Fondant snowman

JANUARY 2012

Fondant owl

Carrot cake with cream cheese icing and fondant decorations

Flourless Orange and Almond cake with dark chocolate ganache and fondant decorations.  This cake was for my youngest (3rd) daughter Chiara... she loves her stuffed doggie so I made the fondant replica of it as the cake topper

Fondant Mario characters

Fondant Mario

The Cake Decorator's Secret... sshhhhh!!!

The secret to a moist cake is freezing the cake before icing.

Frosting a cake and then freezing it will actually have the exact opposite effect.  It will dry out your cake!  Therefore, freeze the cake first, then ice it...

Here's How:

• After you have flipped your cake onto a cooling rack, you want to make sure it is completely cooled.  Cool for 45 minutes to an hour
• When your cake has cooled, wrap it in plastic cling wrap.  Ensure the entire cake is covered well
• Next, wrap the entire cake in aluminium foil.  Again, be sure to wrap it well
• Place your cake in the freezer and leave it overnight.  If you do not have time, try to freeze it for at least 3-4 hours
• When you are ready to ice and decorate your cake, remove it from the freezer and unwrap it.
• IMPORTANT - you want to ice your cake immediately after you remove it from the freezer.  This is the key to our frozen, moist cake decorator's secret

When you ice a cake while it is still frozen, the moisture is sealed into the cake as it thaws.

Be sure to allow a few hours for your cake to thaw before serving it.

Also, a frozen un-iced cake can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 weeks

Sharing my research - pt 1. - Preparing your cake...

Here are some very important steps and tips that you first need to follow before you start being creative with fondant... First, make your cake (obviously)... now follow these steps to prepare your cake:

1. Level the cake - remove your cake from the oven.  Immediately place your clean kitchen towel over the cake.  When baking larger cakes, you will need to use two or more towels.  You want the towels to cover the entire cake.
• Starting in the middle of the cake, use your hands to push down with gentle pressure.  Move your hands from the centre of the cake to the outer edges.  Be sure to apply a steady, even pressure as you go.
• You want to do this several times, making sure to start in the centre each time and move outwards
• Remove the towels and you will notice that you now have a nice, level cake.  If it is not yet level, simply repeat the steps above several more times
• It's important that you do not cool your cake before using this method.  So, use as many towels as you need to keep from burning your hands
2. Secure the cake - Before you begin to fill or frost your cake, you want to make sure to secure the cake to a cake board so that it doesn't slide.  Using a metal spatula, place a couple of tablespoons of icing on the middle of the board.  Use your spatula to spread the icing a little, but not too much.  You want the icing to be a little thick so it can properly hold the cake in place.  Centre your cake layer with the bottom side of the cake down if you are filling the cake.  If you are not filling the cake, place the bottom side, which is the smoothest side.  Press the cake into place on your cake board.  You are now ready top fill the cake or frost the cake.
3. Fill the cake - The most common way to fill cake layers is with icing or frosting.  This method is used when stacking two or more cake layers of the same size.  The icing between the cake layers helps secure the layers in place.  If also adds more flavor to your cakes.
• Using a metal spatula, place a good sized glop of icing on the top of your cake layer
• Spread the icing over the top of the cake, being careful not to lift your spatula as you go.  this will help not to make cake crumbs
• Use a simple back and forth motion to spread the icing over the cake until the top is covered
• Get the icing as even as you can.  You want the icing layer to be about 1/4" thick
• If the icing goes over the side of the cake a little, it's fine.  It will be smoothed out later when you frost the cake
4. Stack the cake - When you secured and place the bottom cake layer on the board, it was placed with the bottom side down.  You want to stack your second layer just the opposite, with the bottom side up.  Simply place your second cake layer on the top of the first.  Make sure the two cakes are lined up evenly all the way around.  Secure the second layer in place by pressing it down onto the filling on the first cake layer.  If you are stacking more than two layers, stack them in a way that is the most even looking all the way around.  However, always make sure the top layer is stacked bottom side up.  This will ensure that the top of your cake is level as well.
5. Frost the cake - Firstly, ice cake whilst frozen (cake decorators secret... sshhh).  Before you can frost your cake you will need to prep your cake.  If you have a rectangular cake, trim the edges off.  The next three steps are essential to frosting a cake:
1. Crumb coat the cake.  By applying a thin layer of icing (crumb coat) on the cake the icing will pick up any crumbs right off.  Start off by placing a good sized amount of frosting in the centre of your cake and using a spatula spread the icing across the top of the cake from the middle out and down the sides of the cake.  Holding the spatula upright, go around the sides of the cake to smooth out icing and make sure all areas are covered
2. Final frosting layer.  Now that we have applied our crumb coat and let our cake air dry for a bit, its time to apply the final layer of icing.  In the same way as before, place a large amount of icing in the centre of your cake and spread icing across the top of the cake.  As you reach the edge of the cake, push any excess icing over the edge and down the side of your cake.  Use the excess icing to cover the sides of the cake.  Hold your spatula upright to go around the sides of the cake to apply your layer of icing.  Make sure you have a good thick layer of icing covering the entire cake
3. Smooth icing.  Get some water heated up to smooth the cake.  Grab a large microwave cup and fill it with water and put it in the microwave for about 6 minutes.  Dip your metal spatula in the hot water, hold it sideways and run it from the bottom of the cake up the side over the edge and slightly over the top.  Dip spatula in hot water again and repeat this process all the way around the sides of the cake.  Once the sides are smooth, do the top of your cake.  Dip your spatula in the hot water and start at the edge of your cake going toward the centre.  Go in on direction - not back and forth.  If you pick up some icing on your spatula, simply wipe it on the edge of your cup.  Repeat until the top of the cake is smooth and taa-daa...

Starting out in cake decorating

I started cake decorating about 9 months ago... it all came about from my youngest daughter's christening.  I had asked a friend's cousin if she could make me a cake as she had started decorating and her creations were amazing.  On the day of the christening everyone was so impressed by the very simple yet elegant cake that this girl had made which started me thinking - "what does she have that i dont to make such an impressive cake?"  I have two hands and a creative brain... I just need cake decorating equipment and lots and lots of practice...

So then it began... I spent hours and hours researching all about cake decorating, the steps on how to create the perfect cake, tips on how to make fondant creations, and so on... I went on to eBay and purchased the basic cake decorating tools and watched youtube tutorials on how to use fondant.  I sourced out a local cake decorating/supply shop to buy equipment and ingredients... then I was ready to start.

So now the days of following the Women's Weekly Birthday Cake book of sculpting and icing/decorating kids birthday cakes are over and a whole new world of cake decorating with fondant has opened...

Above photo: the cake that inspired me to start cake decorating...