Joel turns 13!

On Tuesday, Joel turned 13. He didn't ask for much just a Pokemon/Pikachu birthday cake and some pokemon toys/movies. Here is a couple of his toys from family and the progress of his cake.

Wrapping Joel's presents

About to open presents

Slippers from Aunt Jenny and Uncle Matt

Pikachu 

This is the first gum paste character I have ever made. I spent a few hours Friday night molding this, coloring the gum paste, and gluing him together.

The parts of Pikachu before I put him together.

The completed cake. It is suppose to be a battle area with the poke ball and Pikachu. The Poke ball is rice krispies with fondant over it. 

A few guy friends came over to enjoy sub sandwiches and cake. The cake is red velvet with buttercream icing.

StarCraft Zerg Cake!

Here is the start of Nate's cake. I made a spice cake with cream cheese icing between the layers. I used pre-made fondant (because the homemade was too sticky to use this time around) in 2 different colors. I added the gray around the edges. After pre-icing the cake, I added some pieces of cake to the top to add the bumps and hills to the top of the cake. Then I added purple fondant in different layers for make it look like it is falling off the cake. 

Then I added the modeling chocolate pieces to the top of the cake. Next came the pieces of jolly ranchers to be blue crystals.

This is a screen shot of what I had to work with in order to make this cake. StarCraft 2 Zerg cake with hatchery, drones, and vespene geyser made with chocolate and minerals made with blue jolly ranchers. 

Nate's first time seeing the cake

Nate was so happy with his cake he sent pictures to StarCraft fans at work and the Pres of his company, Blizzard Entertainment!

Close up of the cake

My First Fondant Cake...From scratch.....

For Mother's Day Nate got me some new decorating toys and books....Toys you say, well yes they are my adult toys for my adult play time.

I already had a spice cake made and sitting in the fridge so I decided to make my own marshmallow fondant to decorate it.

The recipe is easy, just a bag of marshmallows and confectioner sugar. Melt the marshmallows in the microwave and then add in a cup of sugar at a time, slowly adding more as you stir and fold together. Sounds easy right?  Easy yes, simple and fast NO! The website I got the recipe from said to be patient it will take a while. I thought I was patient until I had to make the fondant. After 1 hour of folding, pulling, rolling, and adding sugar.....I was not so patient. I did however stick with it and finish the fondant and the cake. I dyed the fondant pink with gel food coloring. I made flowers and leaves too.

The start of melted marshmallows and sugar

My work area

My fondant!!!!

Don't get me wrong this was a lot of fun and a cool learning experience for me. I will make fondant again!!!! By the way, the sugar goes EVERYWHERE!

I thought I took more pictures but I guess with the sugar going everywhere I did not. 

Here is my cake!!!!!

And the critics review was ~ 

Nate ~ loved it, tasted great, needed more icing in between the layers

Joel ~ Loved it and ate two pieces.....but said it all tasted good but the pink stuff

Cori ~ loved it, ate a piece, left the pink stuff and put it in the trash without me seeing (yea right)

So my kids were not a fan of the fondant but the cake was pretty and tasted good ! That is success in my book. Now on to Nate's Birthday cake for Thursday.

Making Modeling Chocolate

My newest hobby is cake decorating. Why? I have no idea but it sounds fun and everyone loves cake!

As I start this new hobby I have to learn how to make all the different facets of said cakes. Here is my first attempt at making modeling chocolate.

Recipe ~

10 oz chocolate (I used white almond bark)

1/3 cup light corn syrup

Mixing bowl

Gel or powder food coloring if you want to change the color of the chocolate.

Instructions ~

Break up chocolate and place in mixing bowl. I melted the chocolate in the microwave but if you want to melt on the stove use a double broiler. I set the microwave for 2 sets of 30 sec to melt my chocolate.

Broken up pieces of chocolate

Once the chocolate is melted, Stir the chocolate really well and then add the corn syrup. Continue to stir until  it is mixed well. I used almond bark with can separate with the corn syrup but the separation is okay. Just let the mixture set a little while longer.

Once the chocolate and syrup is mixed together spread out on a plastic cookie sheet or on wax paper in a cookie sheet. Let the chocolate sit for 2 hours. I placed mine in the fridge to help it set. If you are wanting your chocolate to be the same color you can also add in the food coloring before the chocolate is set. I want to use different colors in small parts for the chocolate so I am going to dye mine later.

Chocolate rolled out on the wax paper

After the chocolate has set for 2 hrs, pull out and the chocolate is ready for modeling. I rolled mine into smaller balls and placed in an airtight container, in the fridge. Now It is ready to mold when I have the time to work with it. Once you are starting the modeling process, let the chocolate get to room temp for easier use. 

Balls of modeling chocolate

Here are a few other items that I have to help with modeling and decorating.

Baking supplies

Decorating tips

Modeling tools

Once I have actually modeled the chocolate into something creative, I'll show you!