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Christmas Cake

post #1 of 6
12/11/08 at 11:05am
Thread Starter 







This is a cake that I made for the December meeting of my Mardi Gras Society. It is a white chocolate coconut truffle cake, very tasty. Gum paste poinsettias, covered in ivory fondant, gold luster dust on the piping.

This is my first attempt at gum paste poinsettias. I’ve done my share of roses, pulled flowers, callas and mums etc. I was fairly pleased with them but got a bit carried away with the petal size, which is why they are gianourmous.

My piping looks a little sloppy due to last minute repairs. Husband thought he was helping by trying to encase the cake in saran wrap for travel. (He didn’t know I had a giant plastic tub to use as a cover.) So while I was putting on my make-up to leave he was smudging hours of work. Add packaging cakes to the list of things he is no longer allowed to help me with (trimming my long hair is another one).

Side note, I used Satin Ice brand fondant. I’m not a big fan of fondant in the taste department and haven’t really met anyone else who is, most folks know fondant looks pretty but tastes yucky. However, everyone who had a piece of the cake absolutely raved about the fondant and wanted to know what I had done to make it taste so delicious. Feed back from 100 or so very finicky ladies: Satin Ice is worth the special order.
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post #2 of 6
12/11/08 at 5:44pm
WOW that looks beautiful
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post #3 of 6
12/19/08 at 9:41am
Lovely job! Have you tried playing with some luster and petal dusts to give more depth to your petals and leaves? I think with a little shading and a dip in some confectioners glaze for the leaves, they could look absolutely real.

Otherwise, gorgeous work! Just keep your husband AWAY from the cake from now on:lol:
Jenni
Pastry Chef Online
Pastry Methods and Techniques
We're all home cooks when we're cooking at home.
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post #4 of 6
12/19/08 at 11:33am
Thread Starter 
Thanks,

There is some gold luster dust on the center “bits” of the flower. I tinted them yellow with the intent to go over them in the gold. I’m using Sunflower brand luster dusts now. I ended up ordering them by mistake from Global Sugar Arts and found it to be a happy surprise. I like the screw top container and they just plain work better. I ordered some “colored” petal and luster dusts (as in not gold, silver or pearl) I was happy with the “holly” green but the “super red” was really more pink than a true red, so I skipped those two colors all together. Do you have any “color” suggestions for a really red luster or petal dust?

I mixed the gold with alcohol to cover the center bits. I have in the past “dry dusted” the edges of gum paste flowers and I like the effect. Which method would be best for the “body” of the petal? Or just the edges?

Now explain a confectioner’s glaze on the leaves. What and How?

And husband, bless his heart, he wants to help so badly and, like most men, can not grok when they are out of their field of expertise. Let’s just say this isn’t the first cake his “help” hasn’t helped. I’m contemplating installing a chip in his head that gives him a good jolt when he comes with in 3 feet of a cake.:look:
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post #5 of 6
12/19/08 at 11:50am
lol My husband "helps" by putting things away. Before I'm finished using them. Infuriating!

I think that, since you've started with the red base for the poinsettias, I would shade with some purples and maroons--no need to find a true red, since you're coloring over a red background. I always shade with a darker color towards the centers and on the very edges of the "petals." On the leaves, I'd use deep forest green, some chartreuse and just a touch of maroon to tie in to the petals.

Here's a link for the glaze: Confectioners Glaze - 78-8200 - Country Kitchen SweetArt I haven't used it in awhile, but there's thinner you can put in it to make it less glossy. Dip the leaves in a bowl of this at full strength for really shiny leaves, like holly. For more of a sheen, you'll have to thin it. I think the thinning rules are on the bottle.

Another thing you can do, very quickly and carefully, after using the petal/luster dust is to steam the petals. This sort of sets the dusts and gives a very slight sheen, as well. Very useful for the petals, which need to be velvety looking. I just put on the kettle and let her rip. Then, just really fast: in and out of the steam. Less than a second, really. It's a subtle, but very nice effect.

I'll have to look into the screw top containers--those little push off caps are infuriating. I've had cap rage before over those things!

Let me know how the chip experiment goes with your husband. I might be next in line:lol:
Jenni
Pastry Chef Online
Pastry Methods and Techniques
We're all home cooks when we're cooking at home.
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post #6 of 6
12/19/08 at 3:03pm
Lovely cake! Great job!
A house is not beautiful because of its walls, but because of its cakes
- Old Russian proverb
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