Specialty Cakes: Grand Finale

Today was the pastry student's practical exam: One four-tiered wedding cake with decoration, and one anniversary cake with a bouquet of gumpaste flowers. Here is the wedding cake that Chef made as an example:

So, fondant, with more fondant roses and ribbons between the layers, and royal icing piped all over. We were allowed to pick our own design for the top tier, ribbon shapes, and colors, but everything else had to be like what's in the picture. This one is mine:


I was actually in a minority of students who chose to make their cakes white! But that's not too surprising, given how coloring your fondant makes it easier to cover any dark spots on your cake that are left after crumb icing it. Here is a feast of colorful cakes made by my classmates below...

Note especially:
1. The green cake with white roses. This girl did an amazing job keeping her fondant smooth and decorating her ribbons between layers, and the realistically-dark leaves look lovely against the minty background.
2. The pink and green cake with orange roses. Nobody thought it would end up looking nice, but I think it was the best in the class - and just look at that piping on the top tier!
3. Blue roses. Now, don't get me wrong - I HATE blue roses. They're unnatural abominations that will never befoul any cake of mine... or so I would have said until I saw this cake. It's a rare baker that can make blue roses look good, and this one did it. Incredible.
4. The last cake. I just love the multicolored roses on this one, and the tiny heart design on the top tier is soooo adorable!

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

Remember those gumpaste flowers and anniversary cakes I mentioned waaaay up at the top? Only one tier, but much harder - because a) gumpaste is a bear to work with, and b) writing in royal icing. A few of us got it pretty well, though:



The first one is mine. Unlike the wedding cakes, which were put on display in the hall, these were packed up to send to a homeless shelter. We were allowed to keep our flowers, though - so I drew in some new ones, so whoever gets my cake has something prettier than a big blank space at the side.



So that's cakes. See you later, when I start my Plated Desserts class!

I'm no professional...

Not even close. Hell, I scrape by with patience and swearing. Lots of swearing. BUT, the cake is done.

Here are the rest of the pictures!

Fondant is hard!

No, not physically. The marshmallow fondant I made the other day turned out quite pliable and nice... but I'm thinking that I rolled it too thin because lifting it from the counter proved to be problematic.

Still, I stuck with it and I have the first two thirds or so of my son's birthday cake finished.

I am very glad I baked the cakes last week. White cake with lemon! And I made the buttercream today. Just plain vanilla buttercream. I've discovered that lemon icing with lemon cake = too much lemon! Lemon is good and all, but this proves to be a lemon sensory overhaul!

So, anyway, I brought the cakes to the dining room table and held my breath as I carved it.   Little pieces, bit by bit, until it looked just right.

Then, to the kitchen.

Three hours later and I have something to show for my efforts, but it's by no means finished just yet.

Here are the progress pictures so far!

Just as a note: this is supposed to be the Lightning McQueen at the  very very end of the movie when he shows up with his racing mixed with Radiator Springs paint job. It's probably an easier design than his standard paint job but not too basic. I'm sure the kids will know who the cake is supposed to be :P