Made with Love

I decided to take a cake decorating class in hopes of learning more about the construction of cakes as well as looking for an educational tax credit. So I convinced a friend of mine to join up to a Topsy turvey cake class at a local community college. For four weeks (one class per week) we learnt how to bake a cake, cut a cake on an angle, make butter cream and roll fondant. Nothing fancy, but the basics.

I posted some pictures each week of my proudly accomplished cakes. They may not have been perfect but I thought they were much better than the Duncan Hines cakes I was better known for.

My soon to be sister in law saw these said cakes and decided I was talented enough to make their wedding cake and I had six months to practice. Being the crazy fool I am, I somehow agreed to this. It must have been after the copious amounts of food and cocktails had. On my next visit to their house they presented me with a picture of what they were hoping the cake would look like. I was now thinking I should not have gone to Cuba and missed a class. It was elaborate four tiered cake with floral piping and black ribbon. It was a beautiful cake and with the hope in her eyes how could I say no.

I studied the picture and decided I could do three layers with the black ribbon and all was agreed. Until the net month when she decided she really wanted dots on the cake.

Being the procrastinator I am, I decided I didn't need a trial run on the cake that my talents ran deep (as well as my ego) and the first cake I made in six months would be the finale. Four days before the wedding I decided I should start this venture by making fondant. Yes, you can buy fondant at the Bulk Barn but I decided that since this was my first time I should earn what goes into it...and how hard could it be...it's technically icing. So I researched on line and decided the rolled fondant was the way to go. Found a recipe and off I went. Until I realized I would need to make a double batch and did not buy enough icing sugar to make the recipe. So off to the grocery store I went only to come home and realize we did not have glucose...but was quite proud of myself when I remembered you can substitute corn syrup for glucose. Research paid off. Also, during my research I discovered to only use clear products to make white fondant..while this makes sense, I am glad I did my homework.

After mixing all of the ingredients and putting my poor mixer through the clay like material I proudly produced 4lbs of fondant...half of what I would need...so off to the grocery store once again.

Day 2 I decided to make the butter cream and after two failed attempts I discovered my simple sugar was too hot and went and bought a candy thermometer and Wilton butter cream which I adapted to taste good.

Day 3 I started making the cakes.Not only did I agree to this venture I agreed to make three types of cake. Vanilla, Chocolate and lemon. Sounds easy, except the pans I bought were 3" high and apparently required a double batch of batter to fill it...found this out after it was all cooked....soo off to the grocery store I went to buy more eggs, butter and sugar to make another cake. Luckily the "trial" run of the vanilla worked out and tasted good....and my work was not disappointed at my failure as there is nothing like cake for breakfast.

I did finish baking all of the cakes that night at 11pm as the 3" cakes take about two hours to bake each! This does not also include the hour it took to clean the kitchen and the flour I had from one end to the other as I had the dropseys on this day. When you are dealing with the amount of ingredients it takes to make three 3" cakes..it is not a good day to have the dropseys!

Day 4 I butter creamed the cakes, rolled out the fondant and put on the ribbon. I was so proud of my accomplishment and tried to decide whether or not I could make dots. In theory they sound easy...one dot of royal icing around the cake....no problem...except when you have never piped a single thing in your life.

Day 5 the piping begins. (Also the day of the wedding) I get up at 6am to start making the icing and the dots..and after eating as many mistakes as dots I finished the cake by 8am in time to get ready and head up to the wedding which was an hour away on the hottest day we had this summer. I decided to assemble all of the layers for transport and have my husband st in the backseat to hold the cake while the AC blasted all the way to keep the cake cool and protected. The cake made it without incident and the bride was happy I gave her her dots...so all ended well.

Things I have learnt:
1. Buy fondant as well as other easily prepared pieces else it will take 5lbs of butter and 5 dozen eggs to make these cakes...not including mistakes
2. Start small..do not make the first adventure a wedding cake..no one needs this kind of stress
3. Do not throw a rehearsal dinner for 30 people the day before the wedding when you are not finished the cake

4. In the end, when it is made with love, the look on your brother and (now) sister in laws face was priceless and worth the effort, time and 12 trips to the grocery store.