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Introduction
If you are just starting out in the novelty cake-decorating world, this is the book for you! It has all the advice you need, with clear step-by-step photographs to guide you through each cake project. On these pages you can discover and enjoy eight new ideas for novelty cakes including over 30 individual characters – explained in simple terms – all using the same fundamental techniques.
Novelty cake decorating is a very happy experience, full of colour and fun, with characters to delight all ages. Whether you copy my cakes to the letter, or use them as a springboard for your own designs, I am sure you will find something here to inspire you to get creative in the kitchen.
Those of you who are familiar with my work will know that I often feature animals on my cakes. This collection takes the animal theme one step further, giving you creatures bursting with character for all occasions, which I am certain you will have fun making. From chocoholic bunnies to carol singing penguins and newly-wed cats – there are brightly coloured animal-themed cakes here for all the major celebrations in life, all of which are guaranteed to be conversation pieces at any party. And if you are short of time to make an entire cake, it’s so simple to select your favourite characters and apply them to a pre-bought cake for quick and stunning results.
You will find my techniques are basic and simple to achieve, so when you have mastered them, you can elaborate with as much detail as you like. All the models start from a simple ball and grow and develop from there in many different ways. But the most important thing is that I have tried to show you how to put humour, movement and life into your work, which is the key to the success of these cakes.
Take the time to read the book carefully before you start and make sure you have all the equipment you need for things to go smoothly. And remember … everything starts with a ball!
Enjoy.
Maisie
Sugarpaste
All the models in this book are made using sugarpaste (rolled fondant) in one form or another. This firm, sweet paste is also used to cover cakes and boards. Sugarpaste is very soft and pliable and marks very easily, but for modelling it works best if you add CMC (Tylose) or gum tragacanth to it to bulk it up (see Sugarpaste for Modelling, opposite). This section gives you the lowdown on this wonderful medium, revealing everything you need to know for success with sugarpaste.
Ready-Made Sugarpaste
You can purchase sugarpaste in the most amazing array of colours; just take it out of the packet and away you go. Of all the ready-made pastes on the market, the brand leader is Renshaws Regalice (see Suppliers, page 126), which is available in white and 14 other exciting shades. This paste is easy to work with and is of excellent firm quality.
Tip
Very dark colours, such as black, dark blue and brown, are particularly useful to buy ready-coloured, because if you add enough paste food colouring into white to obtain a strong shade, it will alter the consistency of the paste and make it much more difficult to work with.
Ready-made packaged sugarpaste is quick and convenient to use. Well-known brands are high quality and give consistently good results.
Making Your Own
While the ready-made sugarpaste is excellent, you can, of course, make your own at home. The bonus of this is that you can then tint your paste to any colour you like using edible paste food colour (see page 10). This can then be dusted with edible dust food colour to intensify or soften the shade.
Sugarpaste Recipe
* 900g (2lb) sifted icing (confectioners’) sugar
* 120ml (8tbsp) liquid glucose
* 15g (½oz) gelatin
* 15ml (1tbsp) glycerine
* 45ml (3tbsp) cold water
1 Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and allow to ‘sponge’. Place over a bowl of hot water and stir with a wooden spoon until all the gelatin crystals have dissolved. Do not allow the gelatin mixture to boil.
2 Add the glycerine and glucose to the gelatin and stir until melted.
3 Add the liquid mixture to the sifted icing (confectioners’) sugar and mix thoroughly until combined.
4 Dust the work surface lightly with icing (confectioners’) sugar, then turn out the paste and knead to a soft consistency until smooth and free of cracks.
5 Wrap the sugarpaste completely in cling film or store in an airtight polythene bag. If the paste is too soft and sticky to handle, work in a little more icing (confectioners’) sugar.
Quick Sugarpaste Recipe
* 500g (1lb 1½oz) sifted icing (confectioners’) sugar
* 1 egg white
* 30ml (2tbsp) liquid glucose
1 Place the egg white and liquid glucose in a clean bowl. Add the icing (confectioners’) sugar and mix together with a wooden spoon, then use your hands to bring the mixture into a ball.
2 Follow steps 4 and 5 of the above recipe for kneading and storage.
Sugarpaste is such a versatile modelling medium, it can be used to create an almost endless variety of cute characters.
Sugarpaste for Modelling
To convert sugarpaste into modelling paste, all you need to do is add CMC (Tylose) powder or gum tragacanth (see page 25) to the basic recipe. The quantity needed will vary according to the temperature and humidity of the room, so you may need to experiment to get the right mix depending on the conditions you are working in. As a guide, add roughly 5ml (1tsp) of gum tragacanth or CMC (Tylose) to 225g (8oz) of sugarpaste
