Fish theme cake

I enjoyed making this ocean/fish theme birthday cake for my nephew Bryson. Happy 1st b-day bud! It took me two day's to bake the cake frost the two layers, make all the little pieces all by hand color the fondant each and every shade on this cake. I would say a total of 10 hours. I'm still new at this, one day I'll be able to say it only took me 4 hours. It's my fave moist chocolate fluff cake with milk chocolate frosting and Marshmallow (MM) fondant for the blue ocean and all the other sea urchins and fish

The sand is just ground up vanilla wafers. Yumm!

I always say if I was a fish I'd want to be a sting-ray. The swim like their flying and with such swag!

I love my blow fish

I would charge anywhere from $60-$80 for this cake. But it was my b-day present for Bry.

Animal Baby Shower theme

I had fun making this moist Chocolate cake with a animal theme for baby Mason's Shower. It's covered in MM Fondant, all the animals are made out of MM Fondant as well. I didn't have a monkey cookie cutter so that was free hand. I don't have the best free hand writting as you can see. Note to self buy letter prints and letter molds for future cakes. All in all that cake was a big hit at the shower.

I would charge anywhere from $40-50 for this cake.

Pictures below are taken by Meg at Jenny's baby shower.

MM Fondant and Gum paste flowers

This was for Ana-Julia's 1st Birthday party. I didn't have all the right tools for stacking the cake so with the travel to the birthday party the cake had a slight tilt. I was so embarrassed when it was put out for every one to see. But I must say not to shabby for my 3rd cake.




The flowers was all free hand, I didn't have the right cookie cutters for the vision I had so I cut eat and every layer for each flower. One thing I think I learned about gum paste is the coloring... you need alot of food safe coloring to get the color you want. I wanted them to be alot richer. But when I got to the party I say the flowers there were light so it fit right in.



Marta (Ana-Julia's Mom) said every one loved the cake, even if it was tilting to one side...lol! I hope to have more cakes to make in the future. This is a costly hobby but it sure is fun to learn!!!

Thanks Marta and Keone for supporting my cake making hobby!


I would chagre around $80-100 for this cake

rolling out MM Fondant

(Pictures coming soon)

Rolling out your MM Fondant

Ingredients:

Fondant Measuring Mat
Fondant rolling pin
Fondant flat smoother
Pizza cutter
Cornstarch

Helpful to know ahead of time:
Have your cake backed, cooled, and a light crumb coating of butter cream frosting (this helps make a smoother surface for your fondant) or any other frosting you'd like. Get all your tools ready, once you pick up the fondant it starts to stretch. Below is all other helpful directions, and personal notes. It really needs to sit about an hour or so to cool down completely from the melted marshmallows. It needs to be air tight so it will not dry out.


Directions:

Pre-shape your icing into approximately the shape of your cake. For a round cake, make a disk shape. For a rectangular make a log shape.

OK, here is a point of controversy about the next step. Some instructors tell you to only sprinkle cornstarch on your counter before you put the fondant icing down, sprinkle with more corn starch, and then roll fondant icing out to desired shape. Some teachers advise that you grease the counter, put the fondant icing down, and lightly grease the top of the fondant icing as need to prevent sticking.

I prefer the cornstarch myself, but during very dry conditions, I have been known to use the shortening method. The grease will help to hold in the moisture and keeps the fondant icing pliable. If necessary, add drops of water and knead it in thoroughly before proceeding. You will need to try out both ways in the future and decide what you like the most.

Most folks do not have a nonstick rolling pin, but if you do, now is the time to use it. If not, lightly rub cornstarch on the surface of the rolling pin and roll out to the desired size.

I like to roll my icing at least 1/8-inch thick. It’s thick enough for ease of handling and strength integrity. I wouldn’t go any thinner than 1/8-inch for the cake covering. When I’m making decorations with the fondant icing, I will sometimes roll it thinner. The MM Fondant icing is very forgiving and rarely tears but everything has it limits.

The technique that I use is to lightly coat the top of the MM fondant with cornstarch. Then gently roll the icing on the nonstick rolling pin like a piece of fabric. DO NOT FOLD! An edge will be hanging down. If you did the shortening method it will stick together if you roll it on the rolling pin. I usually just pick up my flexible rolling mat and flip the fondant onto the cake, this is a little harder the the cornstarch way.

Quickly place the fondant icing at one bottom edge of the cake and unroll the rolling pin, holding it about 2 inches over the cake. Your fondant icing will then “fall” into place. You should also have a bit of overhang over the edges.

You might need a little cornstarch at this stage, but only use it very sparingly if you have a dark colored icing. I very lightly sprinkle the cornstarch over the surface and use a buffing motion with my hand to move it around and to level the surface. This motion seals the fondant icing to the frosting, works out the bumps in the icing below the surface, and removes flaws from the joined areas in the cakes surface below. Please use a VERY gentle pressure to rub the surface of the icing. I often have a little pile of the cornstarch on the counter and dip my hands in it as needed.

Here is an important tip: Watch out for your fingernails as long nails can mark up your surface quickly and it is very difficult to smooth them back out.

When I first started using fondant I always seemed to have more fondant then cake. It would bunch up and curtain, and if I stretched it to far it would rip. Very frustrating! Just keep practicing. You can us a Styrofoam dummy cake, just cover it with plastic wrap make it as smooth as you can (so you can clean it off and use again). you can do alight frosting crumb coat or just do the fondant.

If you notice a bubble in the surface, take a thin sharp needle and poke a tiny hole, at an angle, in the bubble. If you poke straight down, you can almost always see the hole even after the most careful smoothing. The angled hole lets the air out of the bubble, and with a tiny bit of rubbing you can reseal the hole.

I keep a clean, soft pastry brush close by, to move the cornstarch around. Do this lightly or you can leave brush marks on the surface that are almost impossible to remove. A number of companies make fondant smoothers for around $10. I have one, and use it from time to time. For me, it is easier and quicker by hand. If you don’t handle the smoother correctly, you can damage the fondant’s finish.

Gently, with the side of your hand, push the fondant into the sides of the cake against the cake board.

To trim the excess fondant icing, you can use a sharp knife. I find that the easiest and neatest way is to use a Pizza Cutter. Hold it at a 45 degree angle from the cake board and the side of the cake. Go slow and follow the shape of the cake. If you hold the cutter at the correct angle, you will have an almost perfect bottom edge. Gently, with your finger tips, push any little leftovers in against the cake for the neatest appearance. If the edge isn’t as nice as you want, you can always add a fondant rope or pearls. Buttercream shells, stars, or flowers look wonderful also.

If your cake needs a bit of shaping, do it now. I used the outside edge of my hand to make the indents to define certain areas of the cake.

Well, you have finished the covering of your cake.

Many professional decorators feel that a fondant covered cake will hold the moisture in the cake for 3 to 5 days, depending on your atmosphere. I personally don’t want to go beyond 3 days. I like the cake to have a fresh taste.

Do not refrigerate your covered cake! When you take the cake out of the refrigerator, moisture will condense and destroy your beautiful surface. Your best option is to store the cake in a sealed bakery box. The cardboard sides of a box will keep the dust in the air off the cake, but allows the Fondant to breath.

Coloring MMF

(Pictures coming soon)

You can do the 1st step 2 ways the one I like it to lightly cover my smooth work surface with Crisco.

Or, you can sprinkle a bit of cornstarch on your counter to help prevent sticking (rub it in).

Either way you choose you want to give the fondant icing a little kneading to incorporate the Crisco coating. It will be pretty stiff when you try to knead it again, but it can be microwaved for 10 to 20 seconds, if necessary. Start off with 10 seconds (please be careful as items that have high sugar contents can get hot in the microwave very quickly). The fondant icing will soften right up and be perfect for rolling out and playing with. You want the temperature to be close to your body temperature.

If you find that the fondant braking apart into little crumbs it's to dry. I've found that if it's dry I just add a little water at a time till it's a little smoother. If it's to wet it's much harder to work with, in fact I've found it's impossible to work with. If that happens just add a little more powdered sugar and knead in.

Now is the best time to add your food coloring, Don’t use the water based food coloring it will not color as well, and the water in it will ruin your MM fondant. I prefer to store my fondant icing in its natural color of white. Some colors can change the consistency of the icing. If you do need to store colored fondant icing, wrap each color very well in plastic wrap or Saran Wrap. Colors like red and burgundy are notorious for “bleeding” into other colors and ruining them. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Bag everything in Ziploc bags.


Coloring your MM Fondant

Ingredient:
Food coloring (not water based)
Tooth picks
Food-grade plastic gloves


Directions:

Remember that food coloring can also stain your hands and nails. I have food-grade plastic gloves that I keep around.

With your tooth pick add your food coloring, a little at a time and knead it in. You can always go darker but it is difficult to go lighter. Red has a tendency to get darker as it sits and “ages”.

How to make Marshmallow Fondant

Marshmallow (MM) Fondant


Ingredient notes…

don’t go the cheaper route seeing that you can find all the, following if on sale at really cheap prices. C&H sugar is the best I’ve used, Kraft MM’s melt and work the best for fondant, and 100% Cresco shortening is the only one I will ever use again (reason it leaves the fondant tasting better than any generic brand will and if your baking a cake to start a business you don’t want yucky tasting fondant it will ruin the whole cake!)


Ingredients
2 lbs confectioner’s powdered sugar (C&H brand) a bowl with 2cups C&H for later use
16 lbs mini mm (Kraft’s brand)
1-2 cups Cresco shortening
2 Tbs water, also a bowl filled with water for later with a 1tsp measurer
Makes: About 2 pounds marshmallow fondant.

Helpful to know before hand ingredients

1 large smooth clean surface you’re not afraid to get dirty and sticky
1 large microwave safe mixing bowl
1 mixing spoon, I like a flat spoon (it scrapes better & all spoons will get sticky don’t worry)
A 1 cup measuring cup
A 1Tbs measuring spoon
A 1tsp measuring spoon
Sink and soap nearby to be used throughout this recipe
Be wearing a short sleeved shirt or roll up your sleeves
1 apron
Take off any jewelry you don’t want to be cleaning MM’s out of for the next year All other helpful notes below with direction

Directions

1: Roll up your sleeves (if you need to), put your apron on ,and take off any jewelry.

2: Before starting this whole thing clean your working surface. Get the bag(s) of powdered sugar open and ready for use. Place your bowl of water and its 1/8tsp measurer with in hands reach of your working space as well.


3: Using your large mixing bowl dump all your mini MM’s, and sprinkle 2 Tbs of water over top the MM’s. Now place in the microwave for ONLY 30 SEC at a time. Each 30 seconds take it out and mix it well.



MM note: You don’t want to over melt your MM’s or they will turn brown like at a camp fire, and it will ruin your smooth white color. I’ve found that I’ll put it through 3-4 times before all the MM’s are melted and fluffy smooth.



4: Take about 2 Tbs of your Cresco and rub all over your clean working space.



You may want to wash your hands before this next part.

5: Dump about 2 cups of the C&H over top the MM mix and grab your mixing spoon.

Scrap out all you can of this very sticky mixture on to your well greased working surface. It may still be warm so let it cool while you clean off your mixing spoon and grease it up a little. Now make sure every this is ready from step 2 once you start kneading it gets messy.

6: Smother your hands with Cresco and I mean all over on top, between fingers, where your rings use to, on your wrists.

Now dive in and knead those MM’s.



Can you see why you’re going to need that Cresco? If anyone is nearby they may even look at you like “What are you doing?”



Pour 1 cup of C&H over the MM’s at a time, your hands will be covered in melted yummy MM’s (yes even if you covered it in Cresco). Knead about 4-6 cups of C&H in the MM mix, then you clean off as much MM’s as you can before you wash your hands.



7: Keep applying Cresco to your work surface I’ve found that using the mixing spoon to help scrap up the stuck MM’s cleanse it up better for regreasing. Now you’ll see why I told you to place the Cresco in arms reach. You’ll be repeating this step a lot. Also keep applying it to your hands. Keep on kneading those MM’s and C&H powder.




8: Keep smother hands and work surface with Cresco. Now back to kneading add the C&H as needed

If it gets to dry just at 1tsp of water at a time. I like to use about 1lb or my C&H before adding any water, you want to use as little water as you can.

Water and C&H note: water goes along way with C&H so only use 1/8tsp, too much water and your fondant will be way to runny.

Now you’ll start to use less and less Cresco and it is now forming a firm ball. Keep kneading.

9: Keep kneading the rest of the C&H in to your fondant. If you can see that there is still some C&H small clumps that’s ok cause you’ll need to store this fondant in the fridge for a few hours and C&H will soak up the moister from the water you’ve been slowly adding.

10: Roll your fondant into a ball and give it a good light Cresco covering. Wrap it in saran wrap once and then 1 more time. Now place that wrapped up ball in a zip lock bag, push out as much air as you can. Place it in the fridge for later.

Wrapping notes: Why saran wrap it twice if you’re putting in a zip lock bag? Well air is not your friend at this stage. It can make your MM fondant to dry

Storage of MM Fondant notes: I’ve found you can store this kind of Fondant in the fridge for 2 weeks. If I know I’ll be making a cake or two in a week or so I’ll make small batches here and there depending on the size of cake. I’ll write the dates on the zip lock bags before placing them in the fridge, so I know which ones to use first.

My very 1st Fondant cake

Made with yummy chocolate cake with my special touch to make it moist instead of dry and flakey. The fondant was made out of Marshmallows and YUMMMY! buttercream frosting is holding that fonndant to the cake all around yummmy! I had fun making the Marshmallow fondant boy was it sticky!!!
I don't have cake brushes to smooth the snow flakes to the cake but hopefully soon!!!!

I would charge around $40-50 for this cake.