Thursday, October 30, 2014

Simply Perfect Party Cakes for Kids - by Zoe Clark

The saying goes: "never judge a book by it's cover" - but please just take a look at THIS cover and tell me you don't just want to sit down with a cup of tea and enjoy each and every page inside? And that's exactly what I did!


Zoe's fresh, clean style comes through on each and every page.  Her attention to detail from making tiny toys, to cute surfboard cupcake toppers, to camouflage cake batter (one of my favourites!) is impeccable. Even the table of contents has different font styles coordinating with the cake design!  

Inside you'll find there's a design for every occasion and for every age group, Zoe has covered all the bases. Need a cake for a baby shower? - no problem.  A fancy sweet table spread for a little girl's 1st birthday? Zoe has it covered.  Ideas for that adventurous boy? It's all inside!  Zoe has covered it all from cakes to cookies to cupcakes to mini cakes.  All coordinated, all styled, all perfect for any party.

Not only will you find numerous contemporary cake designs - 12 to be exact - you also get simple easy to follow step-by-step instructions with pictures on how to achieve all of those designs.  Including coordinating cupcake and cookie ideas which lend perfectly for a stylized sweet table scape. Don't have the tools? No problem, there's a resource guide inside.  Can't find that cookie cutter shape? Not to worry, templates for everything are included in the back.  Need that perfect recipe for a carved cake? It can be found inside.

Simply Perfect Party Cakes for Kids is, well, simply perfect! I would happily place it along side many of my "must have" cake decorating books as not only does it contain inspiration & great ideas, but techniques and easy to follow steps & recipes which make a good book into a great one!

Thank you Zoe for allowing me to have a sneak peek into your fanciful world of cake!

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Modern Mother's Day Cake



Make Mom something special - something she will remember.  This modern Mother's Day cake features a sophisticated houndstooth pattern created with my new houndstooth cutter set from my Flourishes line.  It's adorned with fabulous sugarpaste poppies - also made with my new life-sized poppy cutters.

Want to know how it was done?  Here is a quick tutorial for you to learn & share! Enjoy


All supplies for this project can be found at our store www.flourconfections.com 
You will need:
Variety of Petal Dusts: Red Velvet, Red Rose & Poppy
Gum Glue & Glue Bottle
Fondant covered cake

For centres, use #9 ball of black CC gum paste & 20g wire - create a hook on the wire, dip in glue & wipe off excess, secure ball of paste to wire by inserting hooked end into paste 

Pinch a star like pattern on top of ball of paste using tweezers.  Apply glue to pinched areas and dip into a mixture of gelatine and red velvet dust to create pollen centre.

Tape bundles of stamens around the dried centre - it's easier to control smaller bundles at a time rather than the entire amount.  When all taped, trim off excess at base to avoid build up and tape to completely encase stamens and wire.

Roll out a sausage of Red CC gumpaste and place along grooves of the groove board.  Roll out until it's thin, then flip over and cut out petals ensuring that the groove is 1/2 - 2/3 up the centre of the petal. You will need 4-6 petals per flower depending upon the variety of poppy you are creating. 

Using 24g white wire, dip wire in glue, wipe off excess and insert into petal 1/3 of the way in. Thin edges on foam pad with a ball tool.

Place wired petal on one side of corn husk veiner, place other side on top and sandwich together, pressing firmly to get impression.  Remove from veiner, place on foam pad and go over edges with ball tool to ruffle.  Place petals in flower former to dry.

Using floral tape, tape dried petals tightly around centres.  Adjust petals as you go to create the look you want.

Using petal dusts - colour petals front & back paying attention to highlights and shadows.  Steam flower to set colours when done colouring.

Left: dusted & steamed completed flower.  Right: un-dusted flower


Modern Mother's Day Cake