Cakes & Sugarcraft - Issues August 2022 by PerpustakaanIIM.Majalah

CREATE I BAKE I DECORATE UK's No.1 Cake Decorating Magazine

JULY/AUGUST 2022

All you need to make your own cakes

Summer

BEST FOR

Birthdays

RECIPES

Get creative with the many beautiful birthday cakes!

Lemon curd ice cream • Lilac-vanilla cupcakes • Raspberry ripple roll • And lots more...

Bohemian styles, dried flowers and stencilling

simple

Wedding

sugar work

LOVE TOP TIPS for cake makers Brand new step-by-step tutorials

WIN

£225 of prizes Th ep er

fec t

tt y f it for a pre

ess! c n i pr

Contemporary techniques and mediums with a splash of colour TM

ISSN 2754-6039

AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD CAKE DECORATING AND SUGARCRAFT SUPPLIERS TRADE ENQUIRIES ARE WELCOME – PLEASE CALL +44(0) 330 223 3113

It’s the busiest time of year for cake makers, there’s no denying it. With events being circled on the calendar left, right and centre, it can be easy to feel uninspired by the influx of weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and baby showers. So it’s nice to have a selection of new ideas to help get your creative juices flowing again after a mental block. When planning a wedding, it’s often advised to choose classic details to guarantee your photographs stand the test of time. But we firmly believe that your wedding should be whatever you want it to be! Be it timeless or trendy, minimalist or extravagant. If you’re looking for a little elegance, Elena Wilkinson’s eyecatching orange sugar flower arrangement would be perfect to adorn on a simple white cake. On the other hand, if you fancy something stylish with a modern twist, the threetiered heart cake on page 70 will be sure to get the guests talking. Not only would this centrepiece fit any colour scheme, but it also includes a variety of techniques and textures for you to try your hand at.

In this issue, you’ll also discover a bunch of the hottest trends for the season, including bright colours, summerinspired cakes, sweet sugar work and stencilling, and pretty macaron and modelling decorations. There are a whopping 12 step-by-step tutorials for bakers and cake artists of all skill levels.

Seen the trending number cakes and ever wondered how to make one? Follow the guide on page 24 to make a delicious and beautiful pink birthday cake with meringue and butterfly decorations. Or, have a go at modelling your own sugar characters, from a sleeping baby to a pretty princess. Experiment with isomalt to create homemade lollipops and gems that look great embellished on cakes. Learn how to use moulds, embossers, wafer and rice paper sheets to add movement and depth. It’s so easy when you know how! Plus, learn how to make your own lemon curd ice cream, pink macarons, raspberry Arctic roll and lilac-flavoured cupcakes, all of which are perfect for serving up at summer parties or enjoying after dinner.

Whatever your style or occasion, whether you’re looking to learn new skills and techniques, or you simply want to enjoy the articles over a cup of tea and biscuits, there’s an abundance of inspiration for everyone in this summer issue.

Connect with us @sugarcraftmag If you’d like to keep up with the latest cake trends then subscribing is easy. To have Cakes & Sugarcraft magazine delivered directly to your door P&P free (UK only), simply visit squires-shop.com or call +44 (0)330 223 4466 to order your subscription.

Cakes & Sugarcraft is published bimonthly by Squires Kitchen Publishing, a division of Squires Kitchen Limited. The Packhouse, Blackmoor Estate, Blackmoor, Liss, Hampshire, GU33 6BP, UK.

Tel: +44 (0)330 223 4466 Email: enquiries@cakesandsugarcraft.com Website: cakesandsugarcraft.com

© Squires Kitchen Publishing 2022 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part prohibited without permission. Neither the Author nor Publisher can be held responsible for opinions, errors or omissions and cannot accept liability for injury, damage or loss to persons/property, however it may arise, as a result of acting upon guidelines and information printed in Cakes & Sugarcraft magazine.

CAKES & SUGARCRAFT TEAM Publisher ................................... Squires Kitchen Publishing Editor ......................................................... Stephanie Roker Creative Director ............................................... Sarah Ryan Photography ................................................ Alister Thorpe

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE Heidi Moore Holmon

Viktorija Siskova

Christina Georgiou

Lauren Grace Smy

Sarah Hunter

Karen Taylor

Ekaterina Metcalf

Vicky Teather

Trudy Mitchell

Elena Wilkinson

FEATURES

Printed in the UK by Pensord Distributed by Select Publisher Services, 62 Wimborne

Cakes Made With Love Cover reveal and details about Pamela McCaffrey’s upcoming book!

A Piece Of Cake Advice Consultant Lauren Grace Smy’s top tips for coping with the busy wedding season

Road, Bournemouth, BH3 7AR All wallpapers supplied by wallpaperdirect.com Cover cake by Vicky Teather

SPECIAL NOTE For health and hygiene reasons, we have not recommended the use of raw egg white as a sticking agent in the past, advocating instead the use of gum or sugar glue. The Food Standards Agency recommends using only pasteurised egg in any food

RECIPES

that will not be cooked (or only lightly cooked). If you decide to use fresh egg white always use eggs bearing the Lion mark, which guarantees that they have been produced to the highest

Raspberry Ripple Arctic Roll This gluten-free recipe is dangerously easy to make at home

Lilac-Vanilla Cupcakes These realistic piped lilac flowers are perfectly flavoured

Lemon Curd Ripple Lemon curd swirled into creamy lemon ice cream, ideal for summertime

standards of food safety. All Lion Quality eggs come from British hens vaccinated against salmonella, are fully traceable and have a ‘best before’ date on the shell as a guarantee of freshness. See egginfo.co.uk for further advice and information. For health and hygiene reasons, removal of all jewellery, nail varnish and false nails of any kind is recommended when preparing edibles. Oven temperatures provided are based on conventional ovens. For fan-assisted ovens, reduce the temperature by around 20˚C.

FREE PRIZE DRAWS

GIVEAWAYS

For each prize draw, visit cakesandsugarcraft.com/cake-chat and enter your name and address into the box on the relevant product feature by midnight GMT on Wednesday 31st August 2022. There will be a prize draw on Thursday 1st September

Product Giveaways Your chance to win some of the latest products

2022, unless otherwise stated. Please note that offers are open to the UK only, we can accept only one entry per person and per household, and no cash alternative can be substituted for any prize. Winners will be notified of the results within 28 days of the prize draw by email. The winners’ contact information shall be passed on to the relevant third parties, if necessary. A list of all winners will be available from Cakes & Sugarcraft magazine upon request.

Visit cakesandsugarcraft.com to see Cakes & Sugarcraft’s recommended list of basic edibles and equipment for cake decorating, as well as many more features, competitions and free tutorials.

ISSUE 170 JULY/AUGUST 2022

PROJECTS 6

Stunning Stencilling by Trudy Mitchell Recreate this delicate ombre buttercream cake with flecks of silver leaf and dried flowers

Live Like A Princess by Vicky Teather Pull out all the stops for a birthday or celebration with this personalised fairy-tale cake

You’re Number One by Viktorija Siskova Make a delicious pink birthday biscuit cake

Over The Moon by Christina Georgiou A sweet cake suitable for all kinds of baby-related celebrations

Summertime Sweetness by Sarah Hunter Inspired by summer’s warm sunshine, golden flowers and thirst-quenching lemonade

Koalaty Treats by Heidi Moore Holmon Create an adorable ice cream van cake topper with a cute koala

Full Steam Ahead by Karen Taylor The perfect treat for anyone who loves travel

Love Story by Ekaterina Metcalf Modern version of a wedding cake with a splash of colour

Orange Crush by Elena Wilkinson The latest in the Rainbow Sugar Flower series

REGULARS 12

Favourite Finds Top notch baking and cake decorating products

Cake Chat The latest news from the world of cake

Slice Of Your News A few of our favourite reader stories and pictures

Recommended Reads Our pick of the latest cake and baking books

Contacts A selection of top cake decorating suppliers

Next Issue A sneak peek of what’s coming up in the September/October 2022 issue!

Cakes & Sugarcraft is available to enjoy on your smartphone, PC, iPad and Android™ tablet, see page 91 for more info

Stunning Stencilling EDIBLES

EQUIPMENT

Round, filled sponge cake, 18cm (7") deep: 15cm (6") wide

Round cake board, 3mm (1/8"): 15cm (6") Round cake drum: 23cm (9")

Buttercream: 2.25kg (4lb 153/8oz)

Round acrylic disc: 30.5cm (12")

SK Fairtrade Sugarpaste: 150g (51/4oz) Bridal White

Cake smoother

SK Sugar Florist Paste (SFP): 50g (13/4oz) Cream

Half-width floral tape: white

SK Professional Instant Mix Royal Icing: 25g (7/8oz) White Clear alcohol, i.e., vodka or gin SK Edible Silver Leaf, Book of 5 Sheets SK Essentials Edible Glue

Floral wire: 22-gauge white

Cake Pin Every Day' Pin Set: 1 small CelBud: 2cm (3/4") SK Multi Flower Cutter Set 1, Round Petal/ Leaf: 2.5cm (1"), 3.5cm (13/8") and 4cm (11/2") SK-GI Silicone Rose - Tea Veiner: Large Petal

White vegetable fat

Amelie’s Kitchen Stencil: Fern

SK Pastelz Paste Food Colour: Pink Colour Mill Oil Based Food Colouring: Concrete Grey

MAKING THE BUTTERCREAM When mixing up your buttercream, don’t worry about it not being white. Buttercream is naturally quite creamy in colour, and the dried flowers for this cake are a similar shade so they work well with the pale cream of the buttercream. That being said, if you prefer, you can create a whiter buttercream by adding a tiny dot of purple food colouring (paste or gel) to tone down the yellow pigment. Mix well and add it in very tiny amounts or you will end up with a grey/purple shade. You can also use an edible food colour whitener to help this, if necessary.

Dried flowers and grasses Turntable Non-stick rolling pins: small and large SK Modelling Tool: Medium Ball SK High-Quality Paintbrushes: nos. 4 and 8 Palette knife LissieLou Metal Side Scraper: Size 0 Plastic side scraper Non-stick board Food-grade foam pad Dimple foam drying tray Small bowls: 4 Cocktail stick Polystyrene dummy 1.5cm (1/2") width satin ribbon: 90cm (351/2") white Non-toxic glue stick

COVERING THE DRUM Roll out 150g (51/4oz) of Bridal White sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness. Brush the 23cm (9") drum with a little cooled, boiled water and lay the sugarpaste centrally over the top.

Smooth over the paste with a cake smoother and trim away any excess from around the edges with a sharp knife.

Use a non-toxic glue stick to fix the 1.5cm (1/2") white ribbon around the edge of the drum. Set aside to firm for 24 hours.

COVERING THE CAKE Attach the cake centrally to the cake board, securing in place with a little buttercream. Place the 30.5cm (12") acrylic disc underneath the board and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.

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Once chilled, begin to crumb coat the side of the cake with a thin layer

cakesandsugarcraft.com

Try your hand at recreating this delicate ombre buttercream cake with flecks of silver leaf. The leafy stencil is simple to do and the delicate arrangement of pretty flowers and grasses help to highlight the bohemian aesthetic.

by Trudy Mitchell

of buttercream. Smooth over the cake with a metal side scraper to create an even surface. Repeat for the top of the cake, smoothing it over with a palette knife. This layer does not need to be very thick; it is fine if some of the cake shows through the buttercream, as it’s only there to seal the cake so the top coat is clean and crumbfree. Transfer the cake to the fridge to firm up for 15–30 minutes.

TOP TIP Remember not to place the buttercream scrapings from the crumb coat back into your remaining buttercream. Ensure you have a separate bowl to decant the crumbfilled buttercream into.

Set four small bowls out in front of you. Take the remaining buttercream and place approximately one third in one bowl, then divide the remainder between the other three (the larger amount will be left uncoloured).

3 A

Mix a little Pink pastel paste food colour into the three bowls with the lesser amount of buttercream. You want to create three different shades of pink, so vary the colours from very light to a pale pink (A). You can do this with any colour and, if you would like a darker ombre, then divide into five or six shades to give a more gradual ombre effect.

To eliminate as many of the air bubbles incorporated when mixing the buttercream, smooth and press the buttercream gently against the sides of the bowl when mixing in the food colour. This gentle mixing encourages the bubbles out and means you will have less issues when smoothing it on the cake. Repeat with the uncoloured bowl too, smoothing and pressing to get rid of those bubbles.

5 B

Using the palette knife, apply the darkest colour of pink buttercream to the bottom quarter of the cake. Smooth the buttercream on the cake quite firmly to eliminate any further bubbles and in quite a thick layer. The edge does not need to be neat – we are going to merge the

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JULY/AUGUST 2022

shades together before smoothing over, but try to keep within the rough quarter of the height of the cake. Repeat the method from step 6 to apply the next colour in the same way, this time to the second quarter. Repeat again to apply the very pale pink layer of buttercream, before finishing the last quarter at the top of the cake with the uncoloured buttercream. Ensure you have a fairly thick layer of each shade of buttercream on the side of the cake, as you will be doing a few passes at smoothing it out.

Take a clean palette knife and, where each of the four shades meet around the side of the cake, gently smooth over the buttercream along the joins to combine them slightly. Repeat with all of the joins, wiping the knife clean in between. This will give you a much smoother transition of colour up the cake, rather than four distinct stripes of colour.

Place the cake on a turntable and, starting at the back of the cake, press the tall metal side scraper firmly against the buttercream and pull around the side of the cake whilst moving the turntable in the opposite direction until you return to where you started (B). Scrape off the buttercream from the smoother and make another one or two passes around the side of the cake until you have a nice smooth finish.

At this point, you need to ice the top of the cake with a thick layer of the remaining uncoloured buttercream. Use your palette knife and turntable to smooth the top and create a nice flat surface.

For the final one or two passes on the side of the cake, it’s a good idea to warm up the metal scraper by pouring over some slightly cooled, boiled water. Dry it with some kitchen paper, place the scraper at the back of the cake and pull around the side in one smooth motion. Repeat again if you need to, then place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes. These final passes around the side of the cake with leave a small ridge of buttercream around the top edge.

cakesandsugarcraft.com

PROJECT

Once chilled, remove the cake from the fridge and hold a sharp knife flat to the top of the cake. Gently scrape around the top edge to remove the buttercream lip until you have a sharp edge finish.

At this point, you can either continue with the decoration by applying some edible silver leaf and the stencil, or you can leave the cake for a few hours or overnight before finishing. The buttercream will crust up overnight but will still need to be popped in the freezer before applying the stencil to ensure the buttercream coating is nice and firm.

TOP TIP Make sure you cover the bowls of buttercream when you aren’t using them to prevent them from crusting over.

Once the buttercream coating on the cake is firm, remove from the freezer and gently position the Fern stencil against the cake in the area you would like to cover. Apply a small amount of buttercream over the stencil using the palette knife (D). Smooth out the buttercream over the stencil with the knife, before running the plastic side scraper over and across the stencilled area to remove the excess buttercream (E).

Carefully peel back the stencil to reveal the pattern. Wash the stencil in warm soapy water, dry and repeat step 4 to continue applying the stencil decoration to the cake. You need to work quite fast with this as the cake can come up to room temperature very quickly depending on the temperature in your kitchen, so you may need to pop the cake back in the freezer to firm up in between stencilling.

Once you are happy with the stencilling design, leave the cake to set at room temperature for 12–24 hours.

DECORATING THE CAKE TOP TIP

Once the buttercream has set, place the cake back on the turntable in front of you. Using a little clear alcohol and the no. 4 paintbrush, lightly paint small areas over the side of the cake to give a tacky surface where you want the silver leaf to be placed.

Take a sheet of silver leaf and use a dry no. 8 paintbrush to lift and apply small pieces to the tacky areas on the cake. You can also add larger pieces of silver leaf to the cake by lightly pressing the sheet directly onto the tacky areas (C). You can do this in several smaller areas over the cake, in a cascade or just in just one larger area to stencil over. Once you’ve applied all the silver leaf you want, place the cake in the freezer for 10–15 minutes to firm up the buttercream coating.

I chose to dot the stencilled areas around the cake, close to and over some of the silver leaf. You can, however, completely cover the sides of the cake with the stencil or have only one or two areas covered, it’s entirely up to you.

Take the remaining plain buttercream and mix in a little Concrete Grey food colouring to achieve a pale grey shade. The buttercream needs to be nice and smooth, so remove any air bubbles with your palette knife to leave you with a creamy texture.

cakesandsugarcraft.com

MAKING THE REFLEXED ROSE

Colour the Cream SFP a very pale pink shade using a little Pink pastel

paste food colour. Knead until smooth, using some white vegetable fat if necessary.

TOP TIP I use a Cream SFP base when I want a duskier pink shade, rather than a baby pink-coloured paste that comes when using a White SFP base. You can always add a little brown or ivory colouring if you only have White SFP, as this will help create a much softer, slightly rustic pink.

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Take a piece of 22-gauge white floral wire and push it all the way through the ready-made hole of the 2cm (3/4") CelBud until it sits centrally in the middle of the wire.

Gather the wire ends together underneath the cone at the pointed end and twist it around tightly to secure it in place. Continue twisting down the length of the wires until you reach the end.

Roll out the pale pink SFP to a thickness of approximately 2mm (1/16") and cut out nine rose petals using the 2.5cm (1") cutter from the Multi Flower Cutter Set 1. Also cut out three petals using the 3.5cm (13/8") cutter from the set. Cover all the petals to prevent them from drying out.

Place six of the 2.5cm (1") petals on the foam pad and, one at a time, smooth and soften the edges of each petal with the medium ball tool.

Paint one of the petals entirely with edible glue and place it halfway up the cone centre, wrapping one side inwards and the other over the top to form a tightly curled centre.

Apply a little glue to just the bottom third of the remaining petals. Take one petal and place it centrally over the join of the first, then tuck a second into the open edge and wrap them around the cone to form a tight spiral, securing the edges against the cone (F, G). Use a little more glue to secure, if needed.

7 I

Apply a little edible glue to the bottom third of each petal. Attach the first petal against the bud so it sits approximately 5mm (1/4") higher than the inner petals. Press one side of the petal against the cone and tuck the second petal inside the open edge. Press together to secure.

5 H

ball tool around the edges of each to soften and curl slightly.

Tuck the third and final petal inside the open edge of the second petal. Press around to secure in place on the centre, using a little more glue if necessary. Leave the outer edge of each petal slightly curling open, rather than wrapping around completely as before (H). Using your fingertips, gently curl the very top edges of the three petals over and set to one side.

Place the three 3.5cm (13/8") petals on the foam pad and run the medium ball tool over the edges to curl slightly.

One at a time, transfer the petals to the Large Petal Rose - Tea veiner and press down firmly to texture, before returning them to the foam pad and laying them right side down.

Hold a cocktail stick at an angle on one side of a petal and use your fingertip to gently curl the petal edge backwards over the stick to create a slight roll (I). Repeat to curl the other side of the petal. You should end up with a gentle point at the top of the petal.

For the second layer, paint the bottom of the remaining three petals with glue. Place the first petal over a join from the base layer, tuck the next petal into the first and the final petal into the second, and wrap around the cone to form a tight spiral against the cone.

Place the final three 2.5cm (1") petals on the foam pad and run the medium

Repeat step 15 to curl the edges of the remaining petals. Turn each petal over and cup the centres lightly with the medium ball tool.

Paint the bottom third of each petal with a little glue. Take the

TOP TIP Your local florists may be able to help with the dried grasses and flowers. Alternatively, there are numerous places online to purchase dried flowers.

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cakesandsugarcraft.com

PROJECT

first petal and place it over a join on the previous layer, ensuring it sits 5mm (1/4") above the previous petal set. Press the petal against the left side and base of the centre to adhere. Tuck a second petal slightly under the open edge of the first and then repeat to attach the third petal, wrapping them around and securing at the base. Using your fingers, gently squeeze the point at the top of each petal and pull it away slightly from the centre to give a more open look (J).

The reflexed rose has its base petals pulled out and sitting at right angles to the tight bud, so these final two layers need to replicate this, leaving the central bud high above the bent back reflexed petals. Roll out the remaining pale pink SFP and cut out six petals using the 4cm (11/2") cutter. Repeat steps 13–16 with three of the petals, also using the cocktail stick to curl the sides at the base a little. With your fingers, encourage the rolled sides of each petal to curl a little more (K), then leave on a dimple foam drying tray until they just hold their shape.

Paint the bottom half of each of the three petals with a little glue. Place the bottom of the first petal against the base of the cone, wrapping it tightly around the base but encouraging the curled edges to sit away from the centre. Repeat for the other two petals, wrapping them evenly spaced around the base of bud and encouraging the petals to sit at right

cakesandsugarcraft.com

angles to the bud (L). Leave the rose to dry for 20 minutes. Repeat steps 19–20 to curl and attach the remaining three petals. Make sure to leave the petals on the dimple foam drying tray until they hold their shape and position each petal over a join in the previous layer, encouraging the rolled edges to sit proud of the central bud (M).

ADDING THE DRIED FLOWERS AND GRASSES

FINISHING TOUCHES

You can use any variety of dried flowers and grasses on the cake.

This project uses bleached ruskus, cream bunny’s tails, a painted pale pink palm, a white peacock feather, pampas grass and pink delphinium flowers (N).

To assemble, gather all your dried blooms and sugar rose and start to

play about with arranging them together in a bunch. To do this, place the stems in the small Cake Pin and move them around until you are happy with the arrangement. I wanted the flowers arranged against the side of the cake, so found it easier to push the Cake Pin into the side of a polystyrene dummy. This leaves both of your hands free and enables the stems to be added, removed and rearranged without worrying about damaging the iced cake. Once you’re happy with how it looks, trim the stems to they are all level at the base of the cake.

Warm up a sharp knife and carefully run it around the base of the cake to release it from the acrylic disc. Once released, spread a small amount of royal icing over the centre of the covered drum and place the cake on top, measuring to ensure it sits evenly on the drum. If there are any areas of buttercream that have been damaged, carefully run the hot knife around the base of the cake to smooth the buttercream down.

N Remove the arrangement and the Cake Pin from the dummy, line it up in position on the side of the cake and push it carefully into the cake to secure. You can’t really see the Cake Pin since it’s clear in colour, but you can use a flower to cover the pin completely if you want to.

To finish, if you are choosing to use a cake topper, now is the time to insert it down into the centre of the cake.

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Favourite Finds PRODUCT PICKS AND GIVEAWAYS n each issue we handpick our favourites from the latest baking and cake decorating must-haves to help with your sugarcraft projects. To be in with a chance of winning them, visit cakesandsugarcraft.com and go to the Cake Chat page.

Over

£225 of give

aways!

Orange Is The New Black SK Modelling Cocoform is a versatile modelling chocolate made from pure Belgian chocolate. Suitable for any sugarcraft or cake decorating project, Cocoform is perfect for making delicious chocolate flowers, figures, ribbons and lots more. Even though it sets firm, your Cocoform creations will always stay soft enough to eat. It’s even fully intermixable with other mediums, such as sugarpaste and marzipan. The Orange Cocoform is suitable for occasions throughout the year. It would make for a sweet summer treat, act as a bright autumnal cake covering, it can be used to model some festive figures and can also create a bunch of lush spring flowers. The possibilities are endless. The smooth orange flavour really shines through as well, so if you’re a fan of the legendary chocolate and orange pairing, then this Cocoform is for you.

The Gold Standard Want to keep your finger on the pulse of the latest sugarcraft trends? One trend you have to try this year is working with metallic shades. Add a high shine look to all your chocolates with the easy-to-use SK COCOL Metallic Paint Set. The multi-functional colours included in the set are Silver, Gold, Copper, Rose Gold and Silver-Rose Gold. To use, simply heat them gently in a microwave to melt. Incredibly versatile, these colours are an effortless way of transforming your hand-crafted chocolates into pieces of edible art. For a contemporary look, airbrush or flick the metallic paints over your chocolate work to add a subtle shine and metallic accent. Fancy something more dramatic? Go all out and transform your plain moulded chocolates into extravagant showstoppers by painting the colours into the moulds before filling. You could even write a personalised message directly onto your chocolates, whatever the occasion.

We have five 150g packs of SK Orange Cocoform, worth £6.99 each, to give away!

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We have five SK Metallic COCOL Paint Sets, worth £9.99 each, to give away!

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Think Outside The Box Store all your baking essentials like flour, icing sugar, baking soda, spices and more in OXO’s award-winning POP containers. Featuring a modular design that enables each container to be stacked together and a signature push-button airtight seal, the collection is made to keep everyday staples close at hand. With curved corners for smooth dispensing, handy fill lines and durable, BPA-free construction, OXO’s POP Containers will make baking much more organised and will keep all your ingredients fresh. Use them anywhere you need, the options are endless. The OXO 5 Piece POP Container Set includes a variety of different sized containers: a slim rectangular mini container, two small square short containers, one short rectangular container and one small square tall container.

We have one OXO 5 Piece POP Container Set, worth £55, to give away!

Pretty In Pink With a vintage corn design around its body, Tala’s Dusty Pink Stoneware Mixing Bowl is perfect to add a pop of colour to your baking collection. Produced in Portugal and made from highquality, durable material means this mixing bowl is an essential for all your baking and cooking activities. Plus, it will last you a lifetime! To sit alongside the sweet mixing bowl is the Tala Originals Icing Sugar Storage Tin, featuring an embossed Tala logo and a distinguished pattern for an elegant and traditional look. Keep your icing sugar fresh and your cupboards more organised than ever with this new (pretty and pink) storage tin.

Sugar Sweet Whether you’re hosting the family BBQ and want to pull out all the stops for an after feast sweet treat, or if you’re polishing your skills ahead of the new season of The Great British Bake Off, you can get to grips with the many different kinds of sugars with the help of Whitworths Sugar. Perfect for experimenting all kinds of sugarcraft, from fondants to ganache, now is your chance to try your hand at creating your very own masterpiece. The Whitworths Vegan Experimental Bundle contains one bag of each of the following: 1kg (2lb 3¼oz) caster sugar, 1kg (2lb 3¼oz) golden caster, 1kg (2lb 3¼oz) icing sugar, 500g (1lb 1¾oz) light soft brown, 500g (1lb 1¾oz) dark soft brown, one 500g (1lb 1¾oz) dark muscovado, 500g (1lb 1¾oz) fondant icing sugar and 500g (1lb 1¾oz) Demerara.

We have three Whitworths Vegan Sugar Bundles, worth £9.25 each, to give away!

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We have two Tala Baking Bundles, worth £30 each, to give away!

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Live Like A Princess Pull out all the stops for a birthday or celebration with this personalised fairytale cake, featuring a pretty princess and her castle.

EDIBLES

EQUIPMENT

Round, vanilla sponge cakes, 12.5cm (5") deep: 17.5cm (7") and 12.5cm (5")

Round cake cards: 12.5cm (5") and 17.5cm (7")

Vanilla buttercream: 1kg (2lb 31/4oz)

Round cake drum: 25.5cm (10")

SK Fairtrade Sugarpaste: 750g (1lb 101/4oz) Iced Mint and 1.68kg (3lb 111/4oz) Lullaby Blue

Baking parchment

SK Professional Instant Mix Royal Icing: 40g (11/2oz) White

Circle cutters: 3.5cm (13/8") and 9cm (31/2") Sharp knife

White vegetable fat

Square cutters: 1cm (3/8") and 1.5cm (1/2")

SK Sugar Florist Paste (SFP): 120g (41/4oz) Opaque White

Modelling tools: dresden and small ball

SK Neonz Paste Food Colours: Blue, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red and Yellow

PME Heart Plunger Cutter, Set of 3: 1cm (3/8")

SK HD Sugar Modelling Paste: 35g (11/4oz) Beige, <1g (<1/16oz) Black, 6g (1/4oz) Brown, 40g (11/2oz) Pink and 650g (1lb 7oz) White Rainbow Dust Double-Sided Edible Food Pens: Black, Royal Blue and Sky Blue

Cut the 17.5cm (7") cake into three equal layers using a leveller. Stack and fill the layers on the corresponding cake card using the buttercream and a jam filling of your choice.

Cerart Modelling Tool: K2220

Use a palette knife to crumb coat the cake in buttercream. Spread the buttercream on with the knife, then use a cake scraper to scrape all around the side and top to even out the surface.

SK High-Quality Paintbrushes: nos. 00, 2, 3, 4 and 6

Craft knife

Wooden skewer

Repeat steps 2–3 with the 12.5cm (5") cake and card. Refrigerate both cakes for around four hours.

FMM Cloud Cutters, Set of 5: nos. 2 and 5 Just Cutters Cloud Cutter: 3cm (11/8")

SK Pastelz Dust Food Colour: Pink

Cocktail sticks: 5

Clear alcohol, i.e., vodka or gin

PME Modelling Tool: Thick Scriber Needle

SK Designer Metallic Lustre Dust: Light Gold

1cm (3/8") double-sided tape: 1m (1yd 33/8")

SK Essential Edible Glue

Spread 1tbsp of buttercream centrally onto the 17.5cm (7") and 12.5cm (5") cake cards.

Wheel cutter

Non-stick rolling pin

CMC: 3/4tsp

COVERING THE CAKE AND DRUM

1.5cm (1/2") width satin ribbon: 80cm (311/2") mint

Brush a thin layer of cooled, boiled water over the surface of the 17.5cm (7") crumb-coated cake using a pastry brush. Next, roll out 900g (2lb) of Lullaby Blue sugarpaste to a 4mm (3/16") thickness. Gently lift the paste and place it centrally over the cake. Use your hands to smooth the paste around the side of the cake, before finishing with a cake smoother to achieve a smooth surface. Trim away the excess paste from around the edge with a sharp knife.

Repeat step 5 to cover the 12.5cm (5") cake, this time using 750g (1lb 101/2oz) of Lullaby Blue sugarpaste.

6 7

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Brush cooled, boiled water over the surface of the 25.5cm (10") cake

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by Vicky Teather

drum. Roll out 400g (14oz) of Iced Mint sugarpaste to a 5mm (1/4") thickness. Gently lift and place the sugarpaste onto the drum and use a cake smoother to smooth the surface. Use a sharp knife to trim away the excess sugarpaste and wrap up any leftover paste for later. Set aside the cakes and covered drum for 24 hours until firm.

the baking parchment for support. Ensure the bottom of the strip is flush with the base of the cake (B). Repeat steps 2–5 to attach a 42cm x 7.5cm (161/2" x 3") strip around the 12.5cm (5") cake.

MAKING THE RAINBOW Secure the 17.5cm (7") cake centrally to the back of the covered drum with half the royal icing. Insert three evenly spaced dowels towards the back of the cake. Use an edible ink pen to mark where they exit the cake, remove, cut to height and reinsert into their original holes. Spread the remaining royal icing around the dowelled areas and place the 12.5cm (5") cake on top. Gently press down to bond.

TOP TIP You can use SK Bellissimo Flexi Smoothers to get a sharper finish to your covered cake.

MAKING THE HILLS

Mix some Green neon paste food colour into 12g (3/8oz) of Opaque White SFP to achieve a green shade.

Mix some Blue neon paste food colour into 15g (1/2oz) of Opaque White SFP to achieve a bright blue.

Roll out the strengthened Iced Mint modelling paste to a thickness of 2mm (1/16") and cut into a 59cm x 7.5cm (231/4" x 3") strip. Wrap up the offcuts to use later.

Lightly grease a strip of baking parchment with white vegetable fat and lay the strip of paste upside down on the greased paper.

Use the wheel cutter to straighten the bottom edge of the paste so it is in line with the base of the paper. Then cut away the top to reveal the hills and mountains (A).

Using a no. 6 paintbrush, apply a little edible glue to the back of the strip and lift to the 17.5cm (7") cake, using

cakes & sugarcraft

Mix some Yellow neon paste food colour into 15g (1/2oz) of Opaque White SFP to achieve a bright yellow.

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Mix some Orange neon paste food colour into 20g (3/4oz) of Opaque White SFP to achieve a strong orange.

Knead 1/2tsp of CMC into the remaining Iced Mint sugarpaste. Wrap up and set aside for two hours.

You will need to make six different colours for the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. To start, mix a little Red neon paste food colour into 23g (7/8oz) of Opaque White SFP to achieve a bold red shade.

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To finish, mix a little Purple neon paste food colour into 10g (1/4oz) of Opaque White SFP to achieve a purple shade.

To make the rainbow, add a little white vegetable fat around the base of the 3.5cm (13/8") circle cutter.

Roll each colour into a 1cm (3/8") wide sausage. One at a time, wrap the sausages around the circle cutter, using a little edible glue to bond each colour to the next (C).

Carefully remove the cutter from the sausages and cut the base of the rainbow to create a straight edge. Leave the rainbow to set for at least 24 hours before assembly. Individually wrap up the offcuts for later.

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PROJECT

MAKING THE CASTLE Colour 100g (31/2oz) of White modelling paste with a little Pink neon paste food colour to create a bright pink. You’ll be using this later for the princess, so make sure you wrap up and keep any offcuts as you work.

Roll out the bright pink paste to a 1cm (3/8") thickness and cut a straight edge along one side of the paste. Press the 1.5cm (1/2") square cutter into the straight edge twice to create the battlements (D). Ensure the battlements are 7cm (23/4") wide and 7.5cm (3") tall.

Paint a little edible glue over the back of the paste and attach to the front of the 12.5cm (5") cake, making sure the battlements are pointing upwards.

Combine 10g (1/4oz) of White modelling paste with 15g (1/2oz) of Pink modelling paste to achieve a darker pink.

Roll the darker pink paste into a short sausage and flatten one side. Cut a straight edge along the flattened base of the paste and cut away a square from the middle of the edge using the 1.5cm (1/2") square cutter. Trim the rounded end of the shape, so that the tower is 3cm (11/8") tall. Use your fingers to neaten the cuts (E). Keep your offcuts wrapped up for later.

Attach to top of the battlements with a little edible glue, slotting it in place over the middle battlement.

Use the dresden tool to gently mark a brick pattern over the battlements. Mark this pattern over a few areas to add texture.

For the side towers, colour 260g (91/4oz) of White modelling paste with some Pink neon paste food colour to create a very light pink. You’ll be using this for the princess, so keep and wrap up the leftover paste as you work.

Roll 70g (21/2oz) of the light pink paste into a 12cm (5") long sausage and cut it equally in half. Use the dresden tool to mark a brick pattern on the two towers.

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Use edible glue to attach the towers to the cake on either side of the battlements (F).

Roll out 110g (37/8oz) of the remaining light pink paste to a 1cm (3/8") thickness and cut out a 9cm x 5cm (31/2" x 2") rectangle. Use the 1cm (3/8") square cutter to cut out three squares along one long side.

Mark a brick pattern over the paste using the dresden tool. Paint a little glue along the bottom edge of the shape and attach to the cake in a slight curve in front of the tall battlements (G).

Colour 45g (15/8oz) of White modelling paste a purple shade using Purple neon paste food colour. Split into two 10g (1/4oz) balls and a 25g (7/8oz) ball.

Roll the 25g (7/8oz) purple ball into a teardrop shape. Flatten the back of the teardrop and use your fingers to thin the edge of the shape, leaving the bulk of the paste in the middle to create a curve (H).

G Trim away the wide base of the paste to create a flat edge. Paint a little glue over the flat edge and attach to the very top of the castle.

Roll the two 10g (1/4oz) balls into cones, trim the wider ends so they’re flat, and then attach to the top of the side towers using a little glue.

Thinly roll out the leftover purple paste and cut out five windows and a door using a craft knife. You can make these as small or as big as you want, in whatever shape you like. Glue in place on the castle in whatever positions you like.

Combine 2.5g (1/16oz) of Yellow SFP with 2.5g (1/16oz) of Orange SFP to create a warm yellow.

Thinly roll out the warm yellow SFP mixture and cut out a heart using the 1cm (3/8") Heart cutter. Glue in place centrally on the door.

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Thinly roll out the remaining warm yellow SFP and cut out two 3.5cm x 1cm (13/8" x 3/8") rectangles. Keep your offcuts. Cut away a triangle centrally from one narrow end of each rectangle to make the flags. Glue in place above the purple roof of both side towers.

end together to make it look bunched up. Repeat for the other rectangle. Glue the pleats on either side of the banner, with the non-pleated end hanging down (L).

TOP TIP

Use the dresden tool to shape the flags into a wavy shape (I). This will add movement to the flags.

Roll some of the remaining warm yellow SFP into five tapered sausages and glue in place above the top of the windows. Attach a small ball at the top of each window.

Use an online font website to create lettering examples to copy for the inscription.

To finish the door, roll two tiny balls into tapered sausages. Roll one end of each sausage into a short spiral. Glue in place above the door with the spirals in the centre. Add a small ball in front of the spirals to finish.

MAKING THE BANNER Roll out 15g (1/2oz) of Opaque White SFP thinly and cut out a 9cm x 2.5cm (31/2" x 1") rectangle.

MAKING THE BIRDS Take two 2.5g (1/16oz) balls of the blue SFP left over from making the rainbow. Roll each into a long teardrop and bend the pointed ends upwards to create a curved shape (M). Lightly flatten the paste with your fingers.

Take two small balls of the blue SFP and roll into a teardrop. Flatten between your fingers and glue one wing to the side of each body (N).

Take a small amount of leftover warm yellow paste and roll into two cones. Glue in place on the front of the birds for the beak.

Dampen the no. 2 paintbrush with a little cooled, boiled water and press the tip of the brush against the Black edible ink pen to transfer the ink. Write the name of the recipient centrally on the rectangle of paste. I used the font ‘Jack Simba’ to create a guide for the lettering (J).

Fold the very ends of the rectangle in half and then bend backwards to create a pleat in the paste (K).

MAKING THE PRINCESS

Press the point of the K2220 tool into the wide end of each bird to create the eyes (O). To finish, glue the birds on either side of the banner where the pleats are.

Body And Dress Glue the banner in place on front of the 17.5cm (7") cake at the top. At this point, you can draw on some small hearts over the banner in the spaces around the name.

Roll out 10g (1/4oz) of Opaque White SFP thinly and cut out two 4cm x 2.5cm (11/2" x 1") rectangles. Trim the shorter edge of both rectangles to create one shorter side. Pleat one of the shorter ends as in step 3 and pinch the pleated

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Knead a large pinch of CMC into 80g (23/4oz) of the light pink modelling paste you made earlier for making the castle. Shape the treated light pink paste into a 5.5cm (21/4") tall cone and pinch around the wide base to create a sharp edge (P). This will be the skirt portion of the dress.

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Combine 25g (7/8oz) of White modelling paste with the 25g (7/8oz)

of Pink modelling paste to create a dark pink shade. Thinly roll out the paste and use the 9cm (31/2") circle cutter to cut out a disc. Keep your offcuts! Paint a little glue on one side of the circle and wrap it around the height of the cone (Q). Use a craft knife to trim and neaten the top of the circle where it meets the tip of the cone so they are level with each other.

Roll out 6g (1/4oz) of the bright pink modelling paste you made earlier for the castle into a tapered sausage that is long enough to wrap around the edges of the dark pink paste.

Using a little edible glue, attach the sausage to the edge of the dark pink skirt. Start on one side at the top of the skirt and work your way around the back and up to the other side. Trim away any excess from the top if needed.

Use the dresden tool to draw some creases running from the top of the light pink skirt towards the bottom, about halfway down.

Knead the remaining CMC into 30g (1oz) of Beige modelling paste. Roll 12g (3/8oz) of the treated Beige paste into a short sausage shape and flatten lightly. Keep the remaining treated paste wrapped up for later.

Press the shaft of the small ball tool into the top edge of the sausage twice to create the neck and shoulders (R).

Use your fingers to roll and shape the small mound of paste to elongate the neck (S). Leave at the extended length as it will be trimmed later. Trim away the opposite end of the sausage, about 2cm (3/4") below the shoulders.

Roll out 10g (1/4oz) of the light pink paste into a long strip and cut to a 2.5cm (1") wide rectangle that is long enough to wrap around the body.

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PROJECT

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Glue the light pink strip around the body, just below the shoulders (T). Tuck the excess paste neatly underneath the body.

Paint a little glue on the base of the body and secure on top of the

skirt. Thinly roll out the leftover warm yellow paste from earlier and cut out a heart using the 1cm (3/8") Heart cutter. Glue the heart centrally over the join between the body and skirt.

Press your fingertip into the paste above and on either side of the nose to create a light indent. Use your fingers to smooth the edges of the indent to make a smooth transition from the rest of the face to the indents (W).

Press the wide end of the dresden tool into the lower edge of the indents, above and on either side of the nose. Rock the tool from side to side and upwards to widen and open the eye sockets (X).

Paint a little glue inside the indents and fill the eye sockets with two small balls of White modelling paste. Use your fingers to smooth and fit the paste into the socket so that it sits flush with the rest of the face.

6 U

Arms And Hands Take 3.5g (1/8oz) of the dark pink modelling paste from making the princess's body and dress and split it equally in half. Roll out each piece into 3.5cm (13/8") long sausages.

Glue each sausage in place on either side of the body, positioned next to the shoulders and pointing downwards.

To create the hands, roll out two small balls of Beige modelling paste and flatten slightly. Attach the hands to the bottom of the arms using a little edible glue (U).

3 V

Roll out a long thin sausage from 5g (<1/4oz) of the dark pink modelling paste and secure around the top edge of the dress and sleeves using edible glue.

Head And Face Shape 18g (5/8oz) of the treated Beige modelling paste into a wide teardrop. Press lightly on one side to create a flat surface.

1 W

Take a pinch of untreated Beige paste and roll into a short capsule shape for the nose. Horizontally glue the nose to the flat side of the face, around 1cm (3/8") above the pointed chin.

Use the K2220 tool to draw a smiling mouth underneath the nose. At either end of the smile, press the tool into the paste to create the dimples (V).

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Roll two extremely small balls of Black modelling paste into tapered sausages. Use the no. 2 paintbrush to paint a thin line of glue around the upper edge of each eye.

Wipe the glue off the brush to leave the brush tacky. Use the tacky brush to pick up and place the thin sausages over the eyes for the eyelids, using the brush to adjust the position (Y).

Roll two extremely small, very fine cones and glue to each eye on the outer edge to create the eyelashes.

Dampen the no. 00 paintbrush with a little cooled, boiled water. Touch the tip of the paintbrush to the Sky Blue edible ink pen. Draw a semicircle in the upper, inner edge of each eye. Touch the same paintbrush to the Royal Blue edible ink pen and draw a line around the edge of the lighter blue circle. Use the Royal Blue ink to add shading to the upper third of the irises (Z).

Touch the no. 00 paintbrush to the Black edible ink pen and draw a pupil inside each iris.

Glue a tiny ball of White modelling paste to the upper, outer side of each iris for the highlights. Dust the cheeks with a little pastel Pink dust colour and the no. 4 paintbrush.

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PROJECT

Trim the neck of the model so that it is 1cm (3/8") long. Place the head above the neck and gauge the height of the neck, trimming it to size if necessary. Gently push a wooden skewer down into the neck and through the body of the model. Trim the skewer to the appropriate height.

Paint a little glue around the top of the neck and skewer and attach the head. Leave the model to set overnight.

Hair And Crown Colour 35g (11/4oz) of White modelling paste with a combination of Orange and Yellow neon paste food colours to create a warm yellow shade.

For the eyebrows, roll two tiny balls of the warm yellow paste into long cone shapes. Glue in place above the eyes, ensuring the tapered ends are facing outwards.

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Shape between 3g – 5g (<1/8 – <1/4oz) of the warm yellow paste into a dome and glue to the back of the head to fix the flattened edge.

Roll out 20g (3/4oz) of the warm yellow paste so the width of the paste will wrap around and cover the sides and back of the head. The length should be around 9cm – 10cm (31/2" – 4").

Press the dresden tool into the paste at the top of the hair to create a parting (AB). This also helps to hide the cut in the paste!

Paint a little glue around the head where the hair will sit. Wrap the hair around the head and pinch the excess paste together neatly at the top (AA). Use a pair of scissors to trim away the excess paste, before smoothing out and neatening the cut with your fingers.

TOP TIP Models can be made in advance and stored until use. Store the model in a cardboard cake box until needed.

Roll out the remaining warm yellow paste to a 1mm – 2mm (<1/16" 1 – /16") thickness and cut out a 5cm x 1.5cm (2" x 1/2") rectangle. Keep the offcuts for later. Use the craft knife to cut away triangles all along one 5cm (2") length to make the crown design.

Paint a little glue along the two narrow ends of the rectangle and lightly press them together to create the crown (AC). Once secured, glue the crown to the top of the head.

Mix a little clear alcohol with some Light Gold dust to form a paint and use the no. 3 paintbrush to colour the entire crown gold.

Trim the train of the dress with a sharp knife to fit against the side

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of the cake. Glue the princess in position on the drum to the left of the cake.

MAKING THE CLOUDS Thinly roll out 50g (13/4oz) of White modelling paste and cut out as many clouds as you want using a combination of the no. 2, no. 5 and 3cm (11/8") Cloud cutters.

One at a time, glue the clouds around the sides of both cakes.

MAKING THE TREES Colour 110g (37/8oz) of White modelling paste with some Green neon paste food colour.

Take two 7g (1/4oz) balls of the green paste and roll them into cones for the trees. Also roll two small balls of Brown modelling paste into small cylinders for the trunks.

Glue the cylinders to the top of the 12.5cm (5") wide cake on either side of the castle and standing up.

MAKING THE FLOWERS Take five small balls of White modelling paste and glue them together in a circle. Roll out a small ball of the leftover warm yellow paste and attach to the centre using a little glue. Repeat to make more flowers of varying sizes using 10g (1/4oz) of White modelling paste.

Press a cocktail stick into the centre of each cylinder and down into the cake, making sure some of the stick is still protruding out from the top of each cylinder. Paint a little glue on top of the cylinders and gently push the green cones down onto the protruding cocktail sticks to adhere.

For the cluster of three trees at the bottom of the cake, shape a 30g (1oz) ball, a 15g (1/2oz) ball and a 10g (1/4oz) ball of the green paste into cones. Also roll three small cylinders from the Brown modelling paste.

Press the thick scriber needle into the drum three times to create three holes close together in a group. Push a cocktail stick into each hole.

Glue a small ball of White modelling paste to the back of five flowers. Paint some glue over each of the balls and attach two flowers to the drum and the others top of the base tier, so that the flowers are on their sides rather than lying flat. Attach the remaining flowers around the sides of the cake using a little glue.

Split the green paste you set aside earlier into four balls. Roll each into a cone and flatten between your fingers. Add a short line to the middle of each leaf with the dresden tool to make the central vein. Finish by gluing the leaves in place behind the two flowers on the drum, two leaves per flower.

TOP TIP Use a blossom flower cutter to create quicker and easier flowers.

Paint a little glue over the length of the three cocktail sticks. One at a time, thread the brown cylinders down onto the sticks and attach the green cones on top.

ATTACHING THE RAINBOW Set aside a marble-sized ball of the green paste for later. Using the remaining green paste and Brown modelling paste, roll out a few more small cones and cylinders and attach a few more trees around the side of the cake. As they will be smaller, you won’t need to use cocktail sticks.

Once the rainbow is set, take two 15g (1/2oz) balls of Lullaby Blue

sugarpaste and roll them into short sausages.

Glue the sausages to the back bottom edge of the rainbow –

these will act as supports for holding the rainbow up on the cake.

TOP TIP You can replace the cocktail sticks with dry spaghetti, if you prefer.

Apply a little glue to the base of each sausage and attach on top of the cake, holding the rainbow in place until it’s secure.

Attach the 1.5cm (1/2") mint ribbon to the edge of the drum using the double-sided tape.

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AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD CAKE DECORATING AND SUGARCRAFT SUPPLIERS TRADE ENQUIRIES ARE WELCOME – PLEASE CALL +44(0) 330 223 3113

You’re Number One Seen the trending number cakes and ever wondered how to make one? Follow this step-by-step guide on how to make a delicious and beautiful pink birthday cake fit for any princess's party. There is no doubt this number cake will be the number one cake for your little princess and amongst your guests. EDIBLES

WHITE CHOCOLATE VANILLA

EQUIPMENT

CHEESECAKE FILLING

MACARON SHELLS Almond Paste

SK Belgian Couverture Chocolate: 450g (1lb) White Chocolate

Fine, dry almond flour: 195g (63/4oz)

Whipping cream 36% fat: 330g (115/8oz)

Silicone macaron baking mats: 3 Aluminium, heavy-duty baking trays: 3 Templates: page 86

Silver Spoon Royal Icing Sugar: 150g (51/4oz)

Liquid glucose: 26g ( /8oz), optional

Parchment paper

Mascarpone cheese: 510g (1lb 21/8oz)

Piping bags: 6 large

Fresh egg whites: 62g (21/8oz), at room temperature

Vanilla bean paste: 12g (3/8oz)

Wilton Round Piping Tips: nos. 12 and 2A

SK Paste Food Colour: Pink

STRAWBERRY CONFITURE

Wilton Open Star Piping Tips: nos. 8B and 1M

Strawberry puree: 200g (7oz)

Italian Meringue

Caster sugar: 30g (1oz)

Fresh egg whites: 62g (21/8oz), at room temperature 1

SK Essentials Pure Albumen: 2g ( /16oz)

Fruit pectin NH: 4g (<1/4oz) Citric acid crystals: 1.2g (1/8tsp)

PME JEM Round Piping Tip: no. 3R Fine sieve Mixing bowls: 2 large and 2 small Cocktail stick

Silver Spoon caster sugar: 170g (6oz)

DECORATION

Ceramic bowls or containers: 3

Still water: 42g (11/2oz)

SK Meringue Mix: 250g (83/4oz) Vanilla

Airtight container

SK Paste Food Colours: Pink and Yellow

Foldback clips

SK Edible Wafer Paper (White)

Cling film

Silver Spoon Caster Sugar: 96g (33/8oz)

Rainbow Dust Double-Sided Edible Food Pen: Black

Silicone spatulas

Raw wild forest honey: 50g (13/4oz)

SK Pastelz Dust Food Colour: Pink

Unsalted butter with 82.5% fat: 65g (21/4oz)

SK Designer Metallic Lustre Dusts: Classic Gold and Gold Sparkles

Superior grade wheat flour, plain white: 240g (81/2oz)

Clear alcohol, i.e. vodka or gin

Electric mixer

SK HD Sugar Modelling Paste: 150g (51/4oz) White

CND Digital Candy Thermometer

Bicarbonate of soda: 0.6g (<1/16tsp) White vinegar: 10g (1/4oz)

SK Essentials Edible Glue

Salt: a pinch

Pink pearl sugar sprinkles: small and medium

HONEY DOUGH BISCUIT CAKE Egg: 1 large

Mini marshmallows: 20

Stainless steel ball whisks: 3 Saucepans: 2 small and 3 large Stand mixer

Eventek Non-Conduct Digital LCD Infrared Thermometer CND Multi-Mount Oven Thermometer SK High-Quality Paintbrushes: nos. 4, 6 and 8 Hand blender

The Italian macaron shells recipe makes a batch of approximately 60 shells, equating to 30 sandwiched macarons.

Non-stick rolling pins: small and large Round pastry cutter: 5.5cm (21/4") Acrylic cakesicle stick

The cheesecake filling and confiture are enough for the biscuit cake and for 8–10 sandwiched macarons.

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@viktoris_sweet_and_small

by Viktorija Siskova

PREPARING TO MAKE THE MACARONS

Place the macaron mats on individual

baking trays. If your mats don’t have

piping guides, you can trace the circle template onto pieces of parchment paper and lay one underneath each mat.

Italian Meringue Add the water and caster sugar into a small saucepan and carefully mix the ingredients together with a teaspoon. Attach a digital candy thermometer to the saucepan (it should be touching the bottom of the pot) and then place the saucepan on the hob. Don’t turn the heat on yet!

TOP TIP You can use laminated Teflon sheets if you don’t have silicone macaron mats.

B Cut off the tip of a piping bag and drop in a no. 12 piping nozzle. Twist the end of the bag with the nozzle and push it down into the tip itself – this will form a dead end and keep the batter from oozing out when you fill the bag (A).

TOP TIP You can use a foldback paper clip to attach a digital candy thermometer to your saucepan.

Place the bag nozzle-first into a tall cup, then fold the wide end of the bag over the rim and set aside. This will make it easy to fill the bag later.

MAKING THE MACARON SHELLS

Almond Paste Sieve the almond flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl and discard any large pieces of almond remaining in the sieve. Make sure you have the exact amount of each ingredient.

Add the fresh egg whites into your sugar and almond mixture, along with a little Pink paste food colour. Take a silicone spatula and start mixing all the ingredients together – it may seem dry at first but keep mixing and eventually everything will come together. You want to end up with a pink paste, so add the food colour gradually and use sparingly until you get the desired shade (B). Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside.

2 D

Add the fresh egg whites into the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the albumen (egg white) powder and gently mix with a fork or a small whisk. There will be some clumps but they will dissolve later.

Turn the hob on a medium temperature and allow the watersugar mixture to simmer. By the time it reaches 110˚C (230˚F), turn on your stand mixer to a medium speed.

Watch your egg whites and your sugar syrup closely. You only want the egg whites to get foamy; there should not be any liquid left. And don’t take them to soft peaks! Your sugar syrup is only going to get to 118˚C (244.4˚F). If your egg whites are ready before your sugar syrup, just turn the mixer down low or turn it off completely.

Once your sugar syrup reaches 118˚C (244.4˚F), remove the digital candy thermometer, start your stand mixer if you stopped it, and slowly pour the sugar syrup into the foamy egg whites. As soon as all the sugar syrup is added, set your timer to five minutes and keep the same speed. Make sure it is cool in your kitchen! The meringue should cool down to 28˚C – 32˚C (82.4˚F – 89.6˚F) within this set time – use your non-contact thermometer

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PROJECT

to check the temperature. Your meringue should be stiff but elastic; the tip should be slightly falling down (C). Add half of the Italian meringue into the bowl with your almond paste. Gently fold it in until both parts are well combined and you don’t see any white streaks.

Add the rest of your meringue and start gently folding in circular motions without lifting the spatula. Scrape the batter from the bottom up from time to time, making sure all the batter gets folded well. Do not deflate the batter! It should end up being fluffy, voluminous and should slowly fall down the spatula (D).

Depending on your climate and humidity, the drying time may vary. Leave this batch to rest for 12–15 minutes at least. Gently touch the top of the shells and, if they do not stick to your finger, they are ready to be baked. If they are still sticky, leave the shells to dry for an extra five minutes.

Once the oven temperature is 150˚C (300˚F/Gas Mark 2), quickly and carefully remove the thermometer from the oven and place the tray on the middle rack. Set the timer for 18 minutes.

Whist the first batch is baking, take the same piping bag of batter and repeat steps 3–5 to pipe the shells onto the second tray. Leave the shells to dry until the batter does not stick to your finger.

Piping The Shells

Pour all the batter gently into the piping bag you prepared earlier.

Preheat the oven to 150˚C (300˚F/ Gas Mark 2). Place the oven thermometer on the middle rack closer to the back of the oven and leave it in there for 15–25 minutes. Keep an eye on the thermometer; the temperature inside your oven should be 150˚C (300˚F/Gas Mark 2).

Take the first baking tray and, using the guides, pipe circles onto the first prepared mat. Holding the bag vertically, gently squeeze the batter out until it fills the circle, then release the pressure and lift the bag up with a quick circular motion. Move to the next circle and repeat for the rest of the tray (E). Make sure to apply equal pressure on all sides of the bag so it dispenses the same amount of batter at the same time.

Once you have piped your first batch, bang the tray down four to six times on your worktop laid with a kitchen towel. If you can see air bubbles, pop them with a cocktail stick. Leave the rest of the batter in the piping bag. Twist the end of the bag to lock the batter and place it in a cup with the nozzle upwards, then set it aside in a cool place.

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By the time your first batch is baked, the second batch should be ready for baking. If you touch the side of a cooked shell and it does not wiggle, the macarons have baked well and are ready. Remove the tray from the oven and let the shells cool completely before attempting to remove them from the mat. The shells should come off easily, but you can bend the mat away from the shell to help them come off easier.

Making sure the oven is at 150˚C (300˚F/Gas Mark 2), repeat step 6 to bake the second batch. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the shells to cool completely. Remove the cooled shells from the mat and set aside.

If you are using smaller trays then you’ll have some batter left. Take the final tray and repeat steps 3–5 to pipe the rest of your batter in circles onto a third mat. Repeat step 6 and bake the last batch of circle shells. Once baked, remove the tray from the oven and allow the shells to cool completely, before removing from the mat and setting them aside.

Match up all the respective shells (F) and place them in an airtight container until your filling is ready.

TOP TIP You will only need 6–10 macarons as decoration for this project. The spare shells you will end up baking can be filled with any desired filling and enjoyed by themselves!

MAKING THE MERINGUES

MAKING THE CROWN AND STAR WAND

Preheat your oven to 70˚C (158˚F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the circle template underneath it. With this, it’s best to secure the paper onto the tray using foldback clips.

Knead a little Pink paste food colour

into 150g (51/4oz) of White modelling

paste until pliable and the colour is well combined. Gradually add a little more food colour to the modelling paste if

Cut off the tip of two piping bags and drop the no. 1M and no. 8B nozzles into the individual bags. Twist and form a dead end for each bag, then place it nozzle-first into separate cups and set aside.

needed until you reach your desired pink

Mix up the meringue according to the instructions on the packet. Beat in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment at a medium-high speed for 5–6 minutes until it's fluffy, glossy and holds a stiff peak.

Divide the meringue into two equal parts – leave one part plain white and spoon this into the piping bag fitted with the no. 8B nozzle. For the other part of meringue, take a cocktail stick and add a little Pink paste food colour. Gently mix the colour into the meringue until there are no streaks of colour. Spoon this into the piping bag fitted with the no. 1M nozzle (G).

Take the baking tray and, using the circle guides, pipe some pink rosettes using the no. 1M nozzle (H). Next, some pipe white meringue kisses onto the tray using the no. 8B nozzle (I).

Bake the meringues for 11/2 hours. Once baked, remove the tray from the oven and allow the meringues to cool completely before carefully peeling them off the paper.

shade.

MAKING THE BUTTERFLIES Trace the butterfly template onto a piece of parchment paper or A4 paper and cut it out.

Place the template on top of the wafer paper sheet and, using an edible ink pen, trace around the butterfly shape. You will need 8–10 butterflies to decorate your cake (J). Once traced, use scissors to gently cut out your butterflies.

TOP TIP Take a piece of paper towel and place one butterfly on top. Use a no. 6 paintbrush to dab some Pink pastel dust food colour over the entire butterfly (K). Repeat for all butterflies.

Use a no. 8 paintbrush and a little Gold Sparkles dust to add some sheen to each of the butterflies (L).

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If you see that your modelling paste is drying out, add some coconut oil and knead the paste for a few minutes. You will then have a more pliable and elastic paste that will not crack.

Mix equal parts of Classic Gold and Gold Sparkles dusts with a little clear alcohol to make a paint. You’ll be using this throughout the project so keep any leftover paint until finished.

Trace the crown template onto a piece of paper and cut it out. Roll out your pink modelling paste to a 4mm (3/16") thickness and use the template and a craft knife to cut out a crown (P). Carefully trim and tidy up any edges that are jagged. Use the craft knife and cut out diamond shapes from the centre of each pointed top part of the crown. Keep all your offcuts!

TOP TIP If you would rather not use alcohol to make the paint, you can use the same amount of lemon juice or vinegar instead.

TOP TIP Liquid is the enemy of a stable meringue, so be sure not to use too much paste food colour. Too much liquid will break your meringue. Less is more!

To match the paste colour to your macaron shells, it is necessary to neutralise the colour. To do this, add a tiny amount of Yellow paste food colour to the pink modelling paste (N) and knead until completely mixed through. At this point, you will see that the colour of your paste is getting a softer shade. Add a tiny bit more Yellow paste to neutralise the colour further and match to the colour of your shells (O).

Take a no. 4 paintbrush and go along the entire edge of one butterfly with the paint to add a golden trim. Paint a line vertically down the centre of the butterfly and fold it gently (M). Set aside to dry. Repeat with the remaining butterflies.

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TOP TIP If you have one, you can use a medium Periwinkle Leaf cutter to evenly cut out the diamond shapes for the crown.

To set the shape, wrap the crown around a 5.5cm (21/4") round pastry cutter. Dip the clean no. 4 paintbrush into edible glue and wipe off the excess. Paint some glue over the two ends and secure together (Q).

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Once secure, gently open up the top part of the crown by bending the tips backwards slightly (R). Set the crown aside to dry overnight.

Once dry, paint a little edible glue over the very tip of each crown section and attach a medium-sized pink sugar pearl to each point (S).

Glue some small pearl beads around the perimeter of the base of the crown (T). Leave to dry for at least one hour.

Using the same gold paint that was used for the butterflies, paint the top edges of the crown and inside the diamond shapes (U). Also take some Gold Sparkles dust and brush over the entire crown to add a pretty sheen.

the template to the pink paste and cut out a star using the craft knife. Paint a little edible glue over one end of an acrylic cakesicle stick and secure the pink star on top (V). Leave to dry overnight.

Apply a little golden paint along the top edges of the star. To finish, brush some Gold Sparkles dust over the entire star to add a sheen.

MAKING THE BISCUIT DOUGH Using the template, draw the

number ‘1’ shape onto a sheet of

parchment paper or A4 paper and cut it out. You can use whatever shape you

For the wand, roll out all your pink modelling paste offcuts to a 4mm (3/16") thickness. Trace the star template onto a piece of paper and cut out. Transfer

To make dough, add the sugar, salt, egg and honey to a large saucepan and mix the ingredients together until well combined. The hob should still be off at this point. Next, add the butter (cut into cubes) and place the pan on the hob. Turn on a low heat and, stirring constantly, whisk until the butter fully melts. Make sure the mixture is not boiling! Once melted, remove the pan from the hob.

In a small bowl (or ramekin), combine the white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda – the mixture will get foamy. Pour this into the saucepan and mix well. Allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature.

would like, but keep in mind the size and amount of cookie dough needed, respectively.

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Prepare three sheets of parchment paper for the dough and set them aside. Preheat your oven to 170˚C (338˚F/ Gas Mark 3).

Once the mixture has cooled down, add half of the sifted flour to the pan and mix with a whisk. Next, add the other

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PROJECT

half of the flour and start kneading the dough by hand (W). It will stick your hands at first but quickly knead into a ball. This dough is very elastic and easy to work with. Wrap the dough in cling film (or transfer to a separate bowl sprinkled with some flour) and leave in the fridge for at least two hours or overnight. If you are in a rush, you can work with the dough straight away.

Once set, sprinkle some flour on a rolling pin and onto the parchment sheets you prepared earlier. Now take a piece of the dough, place it on the paper and roll it out to a 2mm – 4mm (1/16" – 3/16") thickness. Lay the number template on top of the dough and cut around the shape using a sharp knife. Keep all your offcuts! To finish, remove the template and prick over the dough with a fork so it doesn't swell during baking.

Repeat step 7 another two times to make three cut-out numbers in total.

Lay the baking paper and each number ‘1’ on top of separate baking trays and bake for 10–15 minutes until they turn a nice golden colour. Once baked, set aside to completely cool down and remove any excess flour with a pastry brush (X).

spoon it into a piping bag. There is no need to fit the bag with the nozzle as the tip of the piping bag can just be cut instead. Refrigerate if needed. You can store it for up to two weeks in a fridge.

If you have leftover dough, don't let it go to waste. Using a plunger cutter of any shape and size, cut out and bake some extra cookies to decorate your cake with. Bake until golden brown and then set aside for later.

MAKING THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

Microwave white chocolate for

30 seconds in a heatproof bowl,

then take it out and give the chocolate a stir. Place the bowl back in the

MAKING THE STRAWBERRY CONFITURE

Mix the pectin NH and caster sugar

microwave and repeat the process for another 30 seconds at a time until the chocolate has completely melted. Pour the cream into a saucepan and add the liquid glucose syrup and vanilla bean paste. Heat the cream on a medium heat until it reaches 80˚C – 85˚C (176˚F – 185˚F). Pour it over the melted chocolate and leave it for 30 seconds before stirring with a silicone spatula. Use a hand blender and pulse a few times until well combined.

together in a small bowl. Heat the strawberry puree in a saucepan on a medium heat until it

reaches 35˚C – 40˚C (95˚F – 104˚F), but not higher than 45˚C (113˚F). Whisking constantly, gradually drizzle the sugar and pectin mixture into the pan and bring the puree to boil. Simmer for 30 seconds to activate the pectin, stirring constantly. Take the pan off the heat and add the citric acid crystals. Mix well and then pour into a separate bowl. Leave the confiture to cool down completely at room temperature or in the fridge.

Once the mixture has cooled down, it will have set and formed a stable gel-like consistency. Using a silicone spatula, mash up the confiture (Y) and

Pour your ganache into a large heatproof bowl, cover with cling film and leave to set in the fridge for a few hours.

TOP TIP You can use any fruit or berry puree to make your confiture – it will go well with this cheesecake ganache recipe.

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Once the ganache has half set (Z), place mascarpone cheese in a large mixing bowl and start beating with an electric mixer on a medium speed. Add the ganache into the cream cheese one spoon at a time, beating until both parts are well combined. Keep beating until you have mixed in all the ganache (AA).

Split the filling between two new piping bags: one bag fitted with a no. 3R nozzle (to fill the cake) and the other bag fitted with the clean no. 2A nozzle (to fill the macarons).

PIPING THE MACARON FILLING

Gather together the bags of strawberry confiture and cheesecake

Repeat step 1 two more times. You should end up with three layers of

filling. Also collect the 12–20 macaron

biscuit with the cheesecake filling and

shells you’ll be using to decorate your

confiture in between. The top layer of

cake, match them up and place them on

biscuit should only have the cheesecake

a silicone mat or a sheet of parchment

filling piped on top. Place the cake into

paper – one half with the flat side facing

the fridge for at least two hours to let

down and the other half with the flat side

the filling harden or leave in the fridge

facing up.

overnight before serving.

Take one macaron half and pipe the cheesecake filling in a circle around the perimeter of the macaron’s flat side. Next, pipe a little confiture into the empty centre of the circle (AB) before sticking the second half of the shell on top to sandwich them together. Repeat this technique to sandwich all the shells together. Leave the macarons in the fridge in an airtight container to soak up the filling for at least two hours and to chill before decorating the cake.

When you are ready to decorate the cake, gather all your other decorations: the pink meringue rosettes, white meringue kisses, mini marshmallows, pink macarons, wafer butterflies, crown and star wand. Sit the cake directly in front of you and begin decorating as desired using the filled macarons (AD). I only used six but you can use all 8–10 if you want.

Once you have stuck the macarons to the cake, use the rest of your decorations to fill in the gaps, attaching them in the following order: macarons, pink rosettes, white meringue kisses, wafer butterflies and mini marshmallows.

5 ASSEMBLING THE CAKE AC Gather together your number ‘1’ biscuits and place one centrally on a serving platter. Pipe dotted rows of cheesecake filling over the entire biscuit area to cover the first layer, starting around the perimeter and working your way into the centre. Next, pipe some strawberry confiture in between the small gaps of filling (AC). Place the second star biscuit layer centrally on top and gently press down to adhere.

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To finish, add the crown and a star wand around the cake. You can gently lay them on top of the cake or sit them beside the cake as an additional decoration. This biscuit cake is pretty much fool-proof as the decorating possibilities are endless! The cake should be consumed within 72 hours.

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Over The  Moon

This sweet cake is suitable for all kinds of celebrations, from a baby shower or Christening to a babymoon or first birthday.

by Christina Georgiou

EDIBLES

SK Fairtrade Sugarpaste: 2.05kg (4lb 83/8oz) Bridal White SK Professional Dust Food Colours: Bluegrass and Rose Round, filled sponge cake, 15cm (6") deep: 18cm (7") wide Vanilla buttercream: 450g (1lb) SK Professional Paste Food Colour: Bluegrass SK Designer Metallic Lustre Dust: Antique Gold Clear alcohol, i.e., vodka or gin SK Paste Food Colours: Black, Brown, Pink, Purple and Yellow

COVERING THE BASE DRUM

it’s completely covered. Make sure the

Sugarflair Spectral Paste Colour: Chocolate

Place a 18cm (7") drum in the centre of the 28cm (11") base drum, being mindful that the cake will be slightly larger. Doing this will help you to avoid adding the clouds in the cake area.

EQUIPMENT

SK HD Sugar Modelling Paste: 305g (103/4oz) Beige and 65g (21/4oz) White

Round cake drums: 12.5cm (5"), 18cm (7") and 28cm (11") Non-stick rolling pin Non-stick board SK High-Quality Paintbrushes: nos. 00, 2, 4 and 10 Palette knife Smoother

Weigh out 200g (7oz) of Bridal White sugarpaste and begin to roll balls of all different sizes for the clouds. Position them sporadically around the outer edge of the 28cm (11") drum (A). Remove the 18cm (7") drum from the middle. Roll out 300g (101/2oz) of Bridal White sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness on a surface dusted with cornflour.

Belissimo Flexi Smoothers: Medium Dowels: 3 FMM Modelling Tool: Knife & Scriber

the clouds on the 12.5cm (5") drum until

Use a pastry brush to cover the surface of the 28cm (11") drum with a little cooled, boiled water.

clouds are coming off the edges of the drum to look more abstract. Brush over the surface of the clouds with a little cooled, boiled water. Roll out 150g (51/4oz) of Bridal White sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness and attach centrally on top of the damp clouds, making sure to tuck the excess sugarpaste around and underneath the clouds and drum slightly to keep everything together.

Gently run your fingers over the groves and mounds to emphasise the shapes of the clouds.

Using a no. 10 paintbrush, brush a little Bluegrass dust in the grooves of the clouds where there would be shadows.

Craft knife Floral wire: 26-gauge white Star cutters: 2.5cm (1") and 3.5cm (13/8") Water brush pen Wooden skewer PME Modelling Tool: Quilting Silicone sculpting tool Modelling tool: small ball

Carefully lay the sugarpaste centrally over the top and down around the sides of the drum so it covers the clouds. Trim away the excess paste from around the base and lightly run your fingers around the groves of the clouds to emphasise the shapes. Set aside to firm overnight.

Mini clipper scissors Cocktail stick

MAKING THE CLOUD TOPPER

Take 600g (1lb 51/4oz) of Bridal White sugarpaste and roll out balls

of different sizes for the clouds. Position

COVERING THE CAKE Secure the cake centrally to the 18cm (7") drum using a little buttercream.

Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the top and side of the cake using a palette knife to crumb coat it. Once crumb-coated, refrigerate for 15 minutes before covering.

Knead a little Bluegrass paste food colour into 800g (1lb 12oz) of Bridal White sugarpaste to make a pale teal shade.

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Roll out 800g (1lb 12oz) of the pale teal sugarpaste to a 4mm (3/16") thickness and lay it centrally over the top of the cake. Smooth the paste over the top and side of the cake using your hands and a smoother, then trim away any excess from around the base.

While the paste is still soft, hold the rounded Flexi Smoother on top of the cake and the rectangular Flexi Smoother against the side. Applying medium pressure, run the smoothers around the top edge of the cake until a crisp line appears. Continue working around the top of the cake until you are happy with the finish.

Secure the lettering cloud to the the side of the cake in the middle using some white vegetable fat. Touch up any areas of the gold paint, if necessary (B).

MOON AND STARS TOPPER

Mix a little Yellow paste food colour into 270g (91/2oz) of Beige modelling

paste to create a butter-like yellow shade.

Roll 250g (83/4oz) of the pale yellow

modelling paste into a roughly 3

30cm (11 /4") long sausage with tapered ends. Bend into a half moon shape on

Use a little buttercream to secure the cake centrally to the covered 28cm (11") drum, within the empty area inside the cloud perimeter.

Insert three dowels into the centre of your cake. Mark level with the top of the cake, remove and trim to size, before reinserting back into their original holes. Cover the dowelled area with some buttercream and place the 12.5cm (5") drum centrally on top.

your worktop and leave to rest for a few hours (C). Using the rest of the pale yellow paste, roll out to a 3mm (1/8") thickness and cut out one 2.5cm (1") star and one 3.5cm (13/8") star using the respective cutters.

Burn the end of a 3cm (11/8") long piece of 26-gauge white floral wire and carefully push the end into one of the points of the small star until the wire reaches the middle.

CREATING THE LETTERING Roll out 40g (11/2oz) of White modelling paste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness on your non-stick board.

Using a no. 2 paintbrush, mix up a gold paint using some Antique Gold dust and a little clear alcohol.

Write out your calligraphy message over the paste using the gold paint – I wrote “Oh Baby” but you can write whatever you like. When brushing downwards, remember to use the side of the paintbrush and push down to create a thicker line. When you are going in an upwards motion, use the tip of your brush gently for a thinner line.

Using a craft knife, cut out a cloud around your writing and neaten all the edges with the knife tool and your fingers.

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Mix up some more gold paint using clear alcohol and Antique Gold dust. Paint the entire moon and each star using the no. 10 paintbrush. Once finished, leave to set for a few hours until firm.

Push a skewer vertically up into the thick base of the moon, making sure you keep the moon’s shape, and insert it into the sugarpaste clouds on top of the cake. You will need to trim the skewer to size so it doesn’t protrude out the top of the moon.

Dip your no. 4 paintbrush in edible glue and wipe off the excess. Glue the larger star to the side of the clouds on top of the cake, standing it up over one of the grooves next to the moon.

Push the wire of the hanging star into the top pointed end of the moon so it hangs down (D, E).

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MAKING THE BABY’S LEGS Roll out 3.5g (1/8oz) of the purple paste into a smooth ball. Place your little finger in the centre of the ball and roll back and forth, elongating the paste until it’s around 3.5cm (13/8") in length. Make sure one end is slightly thicker and larger than the other (G).

MAKING THE BABY’S HEAD

Tap the base of the smaller end on your non-stick board to flatten the bottom of the foot (H).

Place the foot in between your finger and thumb and gently pinch out where the toe would be (I). Repeat steps 1–3 to create a second foot.

TOP TIP When creating legs and arms, it’s a good idea to create the left and right side at the same time. It just means you can match them together at each stage, making sure you end up with two identical arms or legs.

MAKING THE BABY’S ARMS

1 MAKING THE BABY’S BODY

Roll out 3.5g (1/8oz) of the purple paste into a smooth ball. Run the flat

part of your little finger along the centre to elongate the arm until it reaches 4cm (11/2"), ensuring one end is slightly more

Mix some Purple paste food colour and a touch of Pink paste food colour into 25g (7/8oz) of White modelling paste. You’ll be using this purple paste to make a number of baby parts, so make sure you keep it wrapped up as you work to stop it from drying out.

Roll out 15g (1/2oz) of the purple paste into a smooth ball. Place your index finger on one side of the ball and roll back and forth, elongating to create a torso and a round belly.

Run a stitching tool centrally up the length of the body to create a baby grow (F).

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tapered than the other. Gently pinch the bulbous end of the arm to flatten and create the hand. Repeat steps 1–2 to create a second hand (J).

Lightly pinch and thin out the paste at the very top of the arms and legs. Wet the ends with a little cooled, boiled water and rub your finger over the joining areas until the paste becomes tacky.

One at a time, attach the limbs to the body. When doing this, use a water brush pen to paint a small amount of water over the crease and use the tip of a silicone sculpting tool blend the paste joins together.

JULY/AUGUST 2022

paste food colours into 25g (7/8oz)

of Beige modelling paste until you get your desired skin tone.

2 2

Mix a little Chocolate and Brown

Roll 24g (<7/8oz) of your skin tone paste into a ball. Keep the

remaining paste wrapped up to prevent it from drying out. Pinch the base of the ball slightly to create the chin. Next, use the side of your little finger to create an indentation across the face, approximately one third of the way up from the chin (K). The bigger side of the dip is the forehead. For this, pinch the side to create an egg-shaped head (L).

Take a small piece of the skin tone paste you set aside earlier and roll it into a ball. Press it down on the board to create a perfect circle. Cut through the middle with a craft knife to give you two equal semicircles (M).

Paint a little water over the groove on the head and attach the semicircles inside the dip of the face on either side, making sure the eyes are much lower than the middle of the face (N). Press down on the paste gently to adhere, before running a small amount of water over the creases and blending the joins together using the tip of the silicone sculpting tool (O).

For the nose, take a tiny pinch of the leftover skin tone paste and roll into a ball. Secure in place underneath and in between the eyes using a little water. When attaching, press your finger lightly into the base of the nose to form a sloped tip (P).

Create the mouth by pushing the scriber tool into the face underneath the nose, circling and pulling the tool downwards to open the mouth (Q). Use the silicone sculpting tool the shape the paste underneath the mouth to create a lip (R, S).

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Sugarpaste Image taken from Bellissimo Wedding Cakes

Discover the secret to flawless cake covering

Squires Kitchen ready-to-roll Sugarpaste is the professionals' choice for a highly polished, soft and silky finish. Roll out for a flawless covering for cakes of all shapes and sizes, use with cutters to decorate biscuits and cupcakes or make simple sugar models such as roses and bows.

Gluten-free, dairy-free and suitable for vegetarians 26 designer colours Made with cane sugar grown by smallholder farmers Freeze/thaw stable Fairtrade certified

AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD CAKE DECORATING AND SUGARCRAFT SUPPLIERS

Using a no. 00 paintbrush, mix a little Brown paste food colour with some clear alcohol to form a paint. Paint along the eyelid and delicately add some eyelashes (T).

Using a no. 10 paintbrush, lightly blush the cheeks, jaw and hairline with a little Rose dust (U). You want to match the skin tone as closely as possible, so make sure you use the correct dust colour. For example, for a white skin tone you should use peachy or pale pink colours. For brown skin tones use dark pinks, and for black skin tones use red dusts.

TOP TIP To create a very cute baby face, all features should be squashed to the bottom of the face with a huge forehead.

For the ears, roll two small balls from the leftover skin tone paste and flatten slightly into short teardrop shapes. Push the scriber tool into the head on both sides, between the tops of the eyes and the base of the nose (V).

ears is the part you insert (W). Repeat to attach the second ear to the other side of the head. Push a small ball tool into the centre of the round ears, angling it towards the head, to create the ear shape (X).

To finish, use the leftover brown paint you made earlier to paint on the eyebrows.

MAKING THE BABY’S HAIR Using a little water, insert the ears into each hole on the side of the head. Make sure the pointed end of the

Mix a little Black and Brown paste food colours into 10g (1/4oz) of Beige

1 W

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modelling paste to make a dark brown shade. Roll the dark brown paste into a ball, flatten in the palm of your hand and roll it out slightly with a rolling pin. Paint a little cooled, boiled water or edible glue over the back and top of the head. Starting from the neckline, wrap the brown paste up and around the back of the ears until you reach the top of the head. Use the clipper scissors to cut away the excess paste from around the top of the head (Y).

For the strands of hair, take the offcuts of brown paste and roll out a few small balls into tapered sausages and flatten slightly. Attach the strands one at a time to the hairline using a little water. Use the knife tool to mark some lines and a parting across the hair to add texture.

Cakeee Box only offers premium products that will make your creations pop! You eat with your eyes, so the packaging and presentation has to be the best. We stock the basics for all occasions. From sprinkles and sugarpaste to cake boxes and stands. From edible food colours and prints to chocolate melts and accessories. • Food Colours •

• Sprinkles •

Photo by Shayna Douglas on Unsplash

FINISHING TOUCHES Push a cocktail stick centrally down the top of the body. Secure the head on top of the exposed cocktail stick until it sits flush with the body, using a little water to adhere.

Position the assembled baby on the inner curve of the moon so it looks like the baby is lying down. Carefully adjust the head and limbs to your preferred position, if needed. Use some water to secure the baby in place.

• Icings •

Photo by Deva Williamson on Unsplash

• Boxes & Boards •

DISCOUNT CODE: sugarpaste10 We're a wholesaler for all baking needs and do trade accounts for specific items. We also compare our prices daily to get you the best offers. Contact us to learn more! Phone: 01452 526950 I Email: sales@cakeeebox.com cakesandsugarcraft.com

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__sweetness__ SUMMERTIME

This cake is inspired by summer’s warm sunshine, golden flowers and thirst-quenching lemonade. The pretty isomalt lollipops with edible pressed flowers and candied lemons really make this cake stand out as a summer celebration piece.

EDIBLES

EQUIPMENT

Lemons: 2

Round cake drum: 25.5cm (10") 3

Sugar: 250g (8 /4oz)

Round single thick cake card: 10cm (4")

Water: 250ml (81/2fl oz)

Cake dowels: 3

Round, filled sponge cake, 20.5cm (8")

Turntable

deep: 15cm (6") wide

Tall metal side scraper

Round, filled sponge cake, 15cm (6")

Palette knives: large and small

deep: 10cm (4") wide

SK-GI Silicone Mould: Blossom 1

Plain buttercream: 2kg (4lb 61/2oz) SK Professional Paste Food Colours: Marigold (Tangerine) and Daffodil Yellow SK Designer Edible Effect Paint: Gold SK Ready Tempered Isomalt: 125g (43/8oz) Colourless Scrumptious Sugar Pearls: 4mm (3/16")

Silicone lollipop mould: 5-cavity Bamboo skewers or lollipop sticks Heavy bottom saucepan with pouring

MAKING THE CANDIED LEMONS Thinly slice two lemons. In a wide saucepan, add the water and sugar and then bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and reduce to a simmer.

Add the lemon slices so they have space to float on the surface of the sugar water and allow to simmer for approximately 20 minutes, turning the lemons over halfway through.

Once the lemons are translucent, remove them one at a time with a fork and place them onto a baking tray lined with some parchment paper. Allow the lemons to dry overnight or in an oven at 50˚C (120˚F/Gas Mark Very Low) for one hour. Store the dry candied lemons in an airtight container until you are ready to use them.

spout Latex or rubber gloves

TOP TIP

Baking paper

Gold

Silicone spatula

Gold dragées: 2mm (1/16") and 1cm (3/8")

Silicone mat

Edible dried, pressed viola flowers:

Baking tray

yellow and orange

SK High-Quality Paintbrush: no. 4

Make your candied lemons ahead of time, up to a few days in advance, and store them in an airtight container until needed.

Cocktail sticks

MAKING THE ISOMALT LOLLIPOPS AND BLOSSOM DECORATIONS Before making your isomalt lollipops and decorations, you will need to prepare your workspace. Do this by laying out everything you will need on the surface, making sure you are close to your stove top. You will be working with

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by Sarah Hunter

the hot isomalt, which easily burns so you don’t want to leave this on the stove any longer than you need to. Gather the heavy bottom saucepan with a pouring spout, the Colourless isomalt, a silicone heat-proof spatula, a silicone lollipop mould, the Blossom 1 mould, lollipop sticks or bamboo skewers, the edible viola flowers, dry candied lemons and the 2mm (1/16") gold dragées.

Start preparing your lollipop moulds by placing the lollipop sticks or bamboo skewers into the base of the mould.

2 B

On the stove, heat the isomalt granules in the saucepan until they are fully melted and translucent (A, B). Once the isomalt has bubbled up and fully melted, turn off the heat and wait for any bubbles to subside. Do not stir the isomalt as this will introduce more air bubbles!

Move the saucepan over to the lollipop mould and carefully pour the melted isomalt into the cavities of the mould, making sure you only fill them halfway.

decorations and set aside until ready to assemble on the cake. Repeat steps 6–7 to make and demould some more individual blossom decorations. Make as many as the remaining melted isomalt will allow you to make. Also pour some leftover melted isomalt in circles on a silicone mat and attach an edible viola flower and some 2mm (1/16") gold dragées (E).

TOP TIP

C While the isomalt is still fluid, place the decorations you wish to use into the moulds. For example, in one mould you could add a small lemon slice, and in another you could add half a lemon slice and a pressed edible flower. In the remaining moulds, add some edible pressed flowers. Once the decorations have been added to each mould, fill the second half of the moulds with more melted isomalt. Finish by sprinkling some of the 2mm (1/16") gold dragées over the top of each lollipop (C).

Isomalt clouds over when exposed to humidity, so don't put it in the fridge with your cake. Instead, wait until the last minute to attach the decorations.

Paint a little Daffodil Yellow paste food colour into the middle of the Blossom 1 mould using a cocktail stick. Pour some of the remaining melted isomalt into the mould until full and sprinkle a few 2mm (1/16") gold dragées into the centre of the blossom (D).

Allow the lollipops and the individual blossom decoration to set for at least 20 minutes. Once hardened, carefully demould the

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COVERING THE CAKES Secure the 15cm (6") wide tier centrally to the 25.5cm (10") cake drum using a little buttercream.

Place the cake on a turntable and begin to cover with buttercream. Use a large palette knife to crumb coat the

TOP TIP Prepare your cakes with a crumb coat of buttercream before adding your final layer. The crumb coat is a thin layer of buttercream that keeps any loose crumbs stuck to your cake and stops them from getting into your final layer of buttercream.

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PROJECT

cake with plain buttercream. Once crumbcoated, place the cake in the fridge for at least 15 minutes until it’s hardened. Once set, remove and crumb coat the cake again in another layer of buttercream. Once finished, refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is hard. Secure the 10cm (4") wide tier centrally to the cake card of the same size using a little buttercream. Now repeat step 2 to crumb coat the 10cm (4") wide cake with layers of plain buttercream.

While the cakes are chilling, transfer a few tablespoons of plain buttercream into two separate bowls. Set the remaining plain buttercream aside. Colour one bowl of buttercream a pale yellow shade using a little Daffodil Yellow paste food colour. Colour the other bowl a soft orange shade using a small amount of Marigold (Tangerine) paste food colour. Apply the food colours with a toothpick – you only need to add a tiny amount, as you can always add more if needed but you can’t take colour away.

Smooth the excess buttercream from the top down the sides of the cake, and cover the sides in a liberal rough coating of plain buttercream.

Hold the side scraper at a 45˚ angle to the cake and turn the turntable so that you are lightly smoothing down the buttercream onto the cake as you work.

Fill any holes on the cake with a little extra buttercream using your palette knife and repeat step 4 with your side scraper until you are happy with the smooth finish. Place the cake back in the fridge to harden.

TOP TIER Once set, carefully transfer the 10cm (4") wide crumb-coated cake to your turntable.

Use the large palette knife to add a thick layer of the remaining plain softened buttercream to the top of the cake. Smooth it over the top of the cake using back and forth motions while turning the turntable to create a flat surface.

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BOTTOM TIER This tier has an ombre and wave effect on the buttercream. To do this, you will need to apply your buttercream in three parts using the palette knife. Start by setting the 15cm (6") wide cake on the turntable, before spreading a thick layer of the remaining plain buttercream over the top of the cake. Don’t forget to bring the excess buttercream down the side of the cake as you work.

TOP TIP I like to use a Swiss meringue buttercream as it is silky and smooth, but you can use any kind you like. Just make sure it is soft enough that you can spread it easily onto the cake. You can do this by giving it short blasts in the microwave but be careful not to melt it!

H Add a rough coat of plain buttercream to the top two thirds of the side of your cake.

On the bottom third of the cake, apply a rough line of the yellow buttercream you mixed up earlier. At the base of the cake, add some of the soft orange buttercream you previously made. Do not worry at this point if the colours look messy as it will look blended once you’ve finished.

Repeat steps 4–5 from the ‘Covering The Cake: Top Tier’ to smooth down the buttercream and fill in any gaps on the cake (F, G). Don’t place your cake back in the fridge (H).

TOP TIP Isomalt can be dangerous as it gets extremely hot, so make sure to wear rubber/latex gloves and long sleeves when handling to prevent burns.

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PROJECT

Take the corner of your scraper and angle it so only the bottom corner is in contact with the cake. Making ever so slight up and down motions, work your way up the cake while turning the turntable at the same time (I). This will create a wavelike effect in your buttercream. Continue making the waves around the cake until you reach the top (J). Once finished, refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is set hard.

STACKING THE CAKES Insert three evenly distributed dowels into the top of the 15cm (6") wide cake. Mark the points at which the dowels exit the cake, remove and trim them to size. Reinsert the dowels back into their original holes and spread some buttercream over the dowelled area.

Place the 10cm (4") cake centrally on top of the bottom tier. Chill the stacked cake in the fridge for a few hours until set.

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DECORATING THE CAKE

To finish, push the isomalt lollipops down into the top of the cake so they are poking out (N). Your cake will now be looking beautiful and sun-kissed, ready for your celebration!

To decorate the cake, start by colouring the marked wave effect on the buttercream using a no. 4 paintbrush and some Gold edible metallic paint (K). Carefully paint the wave all the way around the cake.

Gather together all your decorations, including any loose leftover edible flowers, 4mm (3/16") sugar pearls and 1cm (3/8") dragées. Begin attaching them to the cake wherever you like; the choice of design is entirely up to you. You can use as many or as few decorations as you like. I secured the isomalt blossom decorations around the side of each cake and added the candied lemons at the base of each tier to balance out the design. To attach the smaller decorations, gently press them into the cake until adhered (L, M). For the larger decorations, you may need to use a dab of remaining buttercream to attach them to the side of the cake.

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NEW BOOK

Follow Pamela's step-by-step tutorials and make your own showstopping centrepieces and sugar flowers, ideal for any and every occasion!

Published August 2022

cakes MADE WITH

LOVE 16 page 46

stunning celebration cakes for all sugarcraft skill levels

cakes & sugarcraft

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mela a P

M cC a f r ey

aving trained in costume and design at Central Saint Martins University of the Arts, Pamela has always been involved in art and creativity in one form or another, from drawing and painting through to fashion and interior design. Like many, her first decorated cakes were for family celebrations for her son and late husband. After that, however, it was many years before she made a return to cake decorating with a birthday cake for a friend, which soon led to cakes for work colleagues and beyond. After posting some of her cakes online she began to get more and more requests. Despite being a completely self-taught cake designer she was soon asked by Fair Cake in London if she would be interested in teaching there, which she did as a guest tutor for five years. Pamela began contributing cake project to Cakes & Sugarcraft magazine in 2017 and has since become a firm favourite of its readers. Pamela's projects explore a mixture of mediums and textures, and her work is known for its clean look and bold use of colour. And by popular demand for her

Learn how to make beautifully styled cakes and sugar flower arrangements!

gorgeous centrepieces, she has since written her debut book, Cakes Made With Love. If you’re in search of some beautiful cake decorations, look no further. Pamela shares a collection of single and multitiered projects adorned with stunning sugar flowers, perfect for all occasions and events. Each of the 16 projects have a detailed supply list and clear images that match the steps to the instructions. There’s also an abundance of top tips scattered throughout the book, in case you need a little advice. Whether you’re a beginner sugarcrafter or an experienced cake maker looking to develop your skills, the step-by-step tutorials with handy tips and techniques will help you create your own modern celebration cakes at home. Check out some of her other work on her Facebook page, @PamelaMcCaffreyCakes, or head over to the Squires Kitchen webshop to view a bunch of Pamela's previously published sugarcraft and cake decoration tutorials.

For more information on Pamela's debut book, Cakes Made With Love, contact the team at Cakes & Sugarcraft magazine: enquiries@cakesandsugarcraft.com

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Koalaty Treats Follow along to create an adorable caravan cake topper, complete with a miniature koala eating an ice cream. Now that’s what we call a koalaty treat! EDIBLES

EQUIPMENT

Round, filled sponge cake covered in sugarpaste with a sharp edge finish, 15cm (6") deep: 15cm (6") wide

Craft knife

SK Sugar Florist Paste (SFP): 50g (13/4oz) Black and 350g (121/4oz) White

SK High-Quality Paintbrushes: nos. 2 and 4

AmeriColor Soft Gel Paste Food Colouring: Taupe

Smoother

Squires Kitchen Paste Food Colours: Beige, Black, Brown, Cream and Turquoise

Long blade Modelling tools: dresden and small ball Cocktail sticks: 2 Pins: 3 Non-stick rolling pin Non-stick mat Food-grade foam pad

PME Piping Gel SK Designer Metallic Lustre Dust: Light Gold

Templates: page 87 Sugarpaste extruder tool

Clear alcohol, i.e., vodka or gin

Extruder discs: 2mm (1/16") and 3mm (1/8") holes

Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats/Squares: 150g (51/4oz)

Silicone embossing mat: waffle

Rainbow Dust Double-Sided Edible Food Pen: Black

Crummb Store Rolling Pin: Narrow Groove Circle cutters: 6mm (1/4"), 1.1cm (7/16"), 1.2cm (1/2") and 3.1cm (11/4")

MAKING THE CARAVAN SIDES Mix 50g (13/4oz) of White SFP with some Brown paste food colour to achieve a chocolate brown shade. Also mix a little Turquoise paste food colour with 150g (51/4oz) of White SFP to achieve a mint shade.

Trace the lower half of the caravan template onto a piece of paper and cut it out. Roll out the mint SFP to a 4mm (3/16") thickness and cut out the caravan using the template (A). Keep and wrap up all your offcuts for later use.

Take the caravan template and cut around the dripping section. Roll out the brown SFP to a 1mm (<1/16") thickness and cut out the dripping chocolate shape using the template (B).

Cake boards: 5mm (1/4") and 1.2cm (1/2") Wilton Multiple Opening Decorating Tip: no. 233 Square cutter: 4.5cm (13/4") Scalloped square cutter: 8cm (31/8")

Transfer the drip shape to a foam pad and use a small ball tool to soften the blunt edges. Set aside to harden slightly.

Once hardened, paint a little cooled, boiled water over the back of the

5 A

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Heidi Moore Holmon from De la Crème Creative Studio

chocolate drip using the no. 4 paintbrush and attach to the straight edge of the mint-coloured caravan piece (C).

Secure the upper and lower caravan pieces together so they join up evenly (E). Set aside to dry.

Trace and cut out the upper half of the caravan template. Mix a little Cream paste food colour into 50g (13/4oz) of White SFP to give you an ivory shade.

Roll out the ivory SFP to a 4mm (3/16") thickness using the Narrow Groove rolling pin. Lay the template over the textured SFP and cut out the top of the caravan (D).

Using the templates as a guide, cut out the window sections from the ivory and mint caravan pieces using a 4.5cm (13/4") square cutter. Make sure you cut out the windows as precisely as possible, as they need to line up when you attach the pieces together.

Apply some piping gel to the two facing edges of the mint and ivory caravan pieces using a no. 2 paintbrush.

Repeat steps 2–7 using the remaining SFP colours to make the other side of the caravan, making sure to reverse the templates to create a mirror image. Repeat step 9 to secure the two pieces together. Wrap up any offcuts for later.

Combine 50g (13/4oz) of White SFP with some Beige paste food colour to achieve a light caramel colour. You want it to resemble the colour of an ice cream cone. You will be using this paste throughout the project, so make sure you keep and wrap up any trimmings you have.

Push the light caramel SFP through an extruder fitted with a 2mm (1/16") hole, creating two lengths that are slightly longer than the width of the caravan, about 11cm (43/8"). Use a little

cooled, boiled water to attach one strip along the back of the caravan, directly above the dripping chocolate. Secure the other strip either side of the window above the chocolate, trimming it to size. Push the light caramel SFP through the extruder fitted with a 3mm (1/8") hole to give you two lengths that are slightly longer than the perimeter of the caravan. Attach the strips to the edge of each caravan piece to act as an outline, securing in place with some water and trimming to size. Using the template as a guide, hide the join at the wheel position (F).

MAKING THE ICE CREAM SHELF Roll out the remaining light caramel SFP to a 4mm (3/16") thickness and cut out a 5.2cm x 8mm (21/16" x 5/16") rectangle.

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PROJECT

Lay the rectangle flat and cut into a wide T- shaped shelf by removing two small squares from the corners with a sharp knife. Allow to dry slightly, then slot into the window opening and securing in place using some cooled, boiled water (G). Allow to dry completely.

MAKING THE CARAVAN CARVING

To carve the body of the caravan, mould 150g (51/4oz) of Rice Krispy

Treats into a 5cm x 8cm x 11cm (2" x 31/8" x 43/8") block. Once firm, trim to size with a sharp knife using the caravan template as

MAKING THE WHEELS

a guide (J). When doing this, make the four straight cuts first and then round the corners

Roll out 10g ( /4oz) of Black SFP to a 6mm (1/4") thickness and lightly indent the centre using a 1.2cm (1/2") circle cutter. Centre a 3.1cm (11/4") circle cutter around the indent on the paste and cut out a wheel. Smooth and soften the blunt edges with your fingers. Repeat to make a second wheel.

Roll an 8mm (5/16") ball of Black SFP

and gently flatten on a hard surface to create a slightly domed hub cap. Repeat to make a second hub cap. Mix some clear alcohol with a little Light Gold lustre dust to form a paint. Coat the two hub caps with the gold paint using a clean paintbrush.

Attach a hub cap to the recessed centre of a wheel using a little piping gel. Repeat to assemble the second wheel (H). Allow to dry completely.

For the small front wheel, repeat step 1 using a 1.1cm (7/16") circle cutter to indent the Black SFP and mark the surface for the hub cap with a 6mm (1/4") circle cutter. Paint the marked circle gold using the leftover light gold paint (I).

Strengthen the wheel by inserting a toothpick, cut to 1.1cm (7/16"), vertically through the middle. Once dry, this will allow the front wheel to take the weight of the caravan. Set aside.

to match the template using small cuts.

MAKING THE BASE SUPPORT

Trace the caravan base template onto a piece of paper and cut it out. Lay the template over a 5mm (1/4") thick cake board and cut out the base shape.

Roll out the remaining mint SFP to a 1mm (<1/16") thickness and place the template on top. Cut around the outline of the base, at least 2cm (3/4") away from the edge of the template to give you some excess. Keep your offcuts.

Paint a little piping gel over the top and sides of the board base shape, before attaching the paste on top. Use your fingers to adhere and smooth down the sides. You can also use a smoother to create sharp edges. Trim the paste away from the bottom edge for a clean finish.

Roll out a rectangle of White SFP to a height of 1.2cm (1/2") and leave to dry. Make sure the length of the rectangle is no longer than the width between where the two large wheels will be positioned (K).

TOP TIPS When making the two wheels, it’s a good idea to make a spare at this size just in case of breakages. The Wilton no. 2A and no. 10 piping nozzles can also be used to cut out the small front wheel.

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TOP TIP If you don’t have a cake board, you can use a 4mm (3/16") foam core board instead.

the caravan to stand upright, but don’t glue it into place as this will be where the front wheel sits. You can use any food-safe item for this, as long as it’s the correct height! With the caravan standing upright, use a little piping get to attach a large wheel to each side. Use the template as a guide for the positioning (P). Allow to dry.

8 Once the SFP rectangle has hardened, attach the support to the underside of the mint caravan base. Position it at the front of the caravan in between where two large wheels will sit.

MAKING THE ICE CREAMS

ASSEMBLING THE CARAVAN

Roll out a thick piece of the leftover mint SFP to a 5cm x 32cm (2" x 121/2")

panel. Wrap the paste around the outside perimeter of the caravan, securing in place with a little piping gel (L).

Roll out a cone shape from 10g (1/4oz) of the light caramel SFP and trim

away the tip to create a 3.2cm (11/4") long cone.

Roll out 10g (1/4oz) of light caramel SFP to a 4mm (3/16") thickness and

use a waffle embossing mat to texture the paste.

Cover front side of caravan (where the window will go) with a thin layer of Black SFP, buffing over it with a smoother until any uneven areas are flattened.

Use piping gel to attach the back caravan panel first (the one without the shelf), before turning it over and attaching front panel (the one with the shelf).

Use a smoother to force the mint SFP around the body of the caravan into position, so that it is level with the side panels for a seamless finish (M).

Align the base support over the underside of the caravan, positioning the support directly in front of where the wheels will go. Let the curve of the dripping chocolate guide you. Mark the outer edge and remove the support. Now carefully trim away the still-fresh mint SFP to create a recessed area (N).

Attach the support piece to the exposed Rice Krispies Treats using a little piping gel (O).

6 7

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Use a small 1.2cm (1/2") high temporary support piece to allow

cakes & sugarcraft

Cut out a 7.5cm x 3.5cm (3" x 13/8") panel from the paste, big enough to wrap around the cone. Secure the textured paste to the SFP cone using a little water if needed and trim away any excess. Cut out a 7cm x 1cm (23/4" x 3/8") narrow rectangle from the textured SFP that is long enough to wrap around the wide end of the cone. Attach the narrow border to the very top of the cone (Q). Starting with an 8cm (31/8") long teardrop shape of White SFP, spiral the paste on top of itself. Start with the thick end until the pointed tip forms the perfect ice scream swirl.

While it is still soft to the touch, attach the wide end of the swirl to the cone with a little water (R).

Leave to firm up slightly before securing on top of the assembled caravan using some piping gel, positioning the ice cream so it is laying on its side.

Create a set of three miniature ice cream cones. To do this, texture a small cone of light caramel SFP with the

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waffle embossing mat and cut away a 9mm (3/8") section from the middle. Roll a small ball of White SFP into an oval, about 8mm x 4mm (5/16" x 3/16") in size. Secure on top of the cone with piping gel. To finish, shape a small swirled tip of White SFP and attach on top of the white oval (S).

MAKING THE STRIPED AWNING Take 5g (<1/4oz) of the mint SFP and 5g (<1/4oz) of White SFP and roll each piece out into a cylinder.

Run a rolling pin over one end of each cylinder to flatten it, making sure to keep the other end thick. For the other end, press a smoother against the side to flatten into a straight line. They should now look like narrow wedges.

Cut both wedges into three 1cm (3/8") sections, before using one of the edges of the 8cm (31/8") scalloped cutter to round off the thick bottom edge of each piece (T).

Before you secure them to the cake, arrange the wedges in an alternating colour pattern in front of you. For the two outer edge pieces, angle the narrow ends inwards slightly to help create the illusion of the awning.

Attach each awning piece to the top edge of the caravan above the window using a little water. Allow the tan trim around the side of the caravan to remain visible.

Attach two of the miniature ice creams you made earlier to the shelf of the window, but save one for the koala to hold.

ADDING THE FINISHING TOUCHES

Roll out a tapered cone shape from the remaining light caramel SFP and

trim away the wide top to create a 1cm x 2cm (3/8" x 3/4") cone. Gently roll the cone over the waffle embossing mat to texture

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PROJECT

R S

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the paste, making sure you don’t warp the shape. Cut the cone in half lengthways to give you two textured sides, and secure them around the side of the cake using a

act as the stick, and secure in place using a little piping gel. Repeat to make a few more ice lollies from both the remaining chocolate SFP and White SFP.

little piping gel. Repeat to make another cone, cut in half and secure the pieces to the cake. Roll a small ball of White SFP into an oval shape and attach on top of one of the cones on the cake with some piping gel. Shape a small swirled tip of White SFP and attach on top of the white oval. Repeat to attach the ice cream to each cone on the cake.

Use an extruder fitted with a 2mm (1/16") hole to create one long rope from the White SFP and a long rope from the light caramel SFP. Allow the ropes to dry slightly, before cutting into small 1.3cm (1/2") long sprinkle pieces. Once dry, attach a few of the sprinkles to the dripping chocolate on the caravan panels using some water. Secure the remaining sprinkles in the gaps around the side of the cake.

Roll a small ball of the leftover chocolate-coloured SFP and roll into an ice lolly shape and run a dresden tool along the length twice to mark two shallow lines. Position the lolly at one end of a light caramel sprinkle on the cake to

Attach the small wheel you made earlier under the base where the temporary support piece was using some piping gel.

For the caravan hitch, roll a pinch of White SFP into a dome. Also roll out a slightly larger pinch of White SFP into a ball. Attach the ball on top of the top of the dome using some water. Mix some clear alcohol with Light Gold lustre dust to form a paint and paint all over the hitch. Use a little water to attach the hitch on top of the base support at the end (U). Carefully lift and position the caravan on top of the cake.

MAKING THE KOALA Colour 25g (7/8oz) of White SFP a grey shade using a little Taupe food colour. For the head, roll 18g (5/8oz) of the grey SFP into a slightly flattened dome shape. Also roll 1g (<1/16oz) of the grey SFP into a teardrop for the body, and roll out four sausages for the limbs using the leftover grey SFP.

For the ears, roll out two large peasized balls of grey SFP and flatten slightly. Take two smaller balls of White SFP and flatten. Use a craft knife to cut a dome shape from each grey piece and a smaller dome from the white pieces. Cut a shallow curve inwards at the flat base of each piece. Secure the white pieces on top

2 TOP TIP You can choose how many ice lollies and ice creams you want to make and decorate the side of the cake with.

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of the grey ears along the bottom edge using water (V). Create a fuzzy texture all over the koala pieces by pushing and twisting a no. 233 piping nozzle into the fresh SFP. A pin and/or a dresden tool can be used to add further texture to the ears and edges.

Push a cocktail stick centrally into the wide end of the head, about halfway up. Next, push the body up the stick (tapered-end first) until it sits flush with the head. On either side of the head, attach the ears using a little piping gel.

Roll two tiny balls of Black SFP for the eyes and attach in the middle on either side of the head using some water.

For the muzzle, roll a small ball of White SFP into an oval and flatten. Once slightly dry, draw on a little smile at one end using a black edible pen.

Roll a small ball of Black SFP into a teardrop and flatten slightly for the nose. Use some water to glue the nose to the top of the muzzle, just above the smile. To finish, use a pin to fluff out the muzzle (W).

Use a little water to attach the arms on either side of the body, having them pointing outwards. Also secure the legs to the top of the cake so they are hanging over the edge. Press the cocktail stick of the koala into the top edge of the cake by the legs to secure in place. To finish, take the third miniature ice cream and secure it in the koala’s hands using a little water.

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EDIBLES

This gluten-free Arctic roll is dangerously easy to make at home and so incredibly satisfying to eat.

Sponge Caster sugar: 100g (31/2oz) Eggs: 4 large Vanilla extract: 1tsp Gluten-free self-raising ﬂour: 100g (31/2oz) Xanthan gum: 1/4tsp Handful of fresh raspberries A few fresh mint leaves (optional)

Filling Raspberry ripple ice cream: 500g (1lb 13/4oz) Icing sugar, for dusting Raspberry jam: 200g (7oz)

GlutenFREE!

EQUIPMENT Swiss roll tin: 35cm x 25cm (133/4" x 10") Baking parchment Cling ﬁlm Mixing bowl Electric hand whisk Silicone spatula

Vegetarian: to make dairy-free, simply use dairy-free ice cream Serves 10 Preheat your oven to 200˚C (400˚F/ Gas Mark 6). Grease a Swiss roll tin and line it with non-stick baking parchment, making sure the parchment ﬁts well as you’ll need the full shape of the tin.

Remove your ice cream from the freezer and, on a large sheet of cling film that’s larger than your Swiss roll tin, form a long sausage shape that is roughly 3.5cm (13/8") in diameter. Roll it up tightly in the cling film and then place it in the freezer to firm up again.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your sugar and eggs until light and a little frothy. It should only take a few minutes – an electric hand whisk works well for this. Add the vanilla extract and brieﬂy whisk in.

Sift in your ﬂour and xanthan gum, then carefully fold this into your mixture using a silicone spatula until fully combined.

Raspberry Ripple Arctic Roll Pour the mixture into your tin and spread it right to the edges. Try your best to get it nice and level so it will bake more evenly in the oven. Bake for about nine minutes; the sponge should have come away a little bit from the sides of the tin and be slightly risen.

Lightly dust another piece of baking parchment with icing sugar. Remove the sponge from the oven and very carefully invert it onto the prepared baking parchment. Carefully peel off the parchment that was lining the tin.

While the sponge is still warm and with a long side closest to you, roll it up with the parchment inside it as you roll. Leave to cool completely while rolled up. You can put something heavy against it to ensure it stays fairly tight and doesn’t unroll itself.

Once completely cooled, carefully unroll your sponge and remove

the parchment. Spread your jam all over the inside of the unrolled sponge, then remove your ice cream from the freezer. Remove the cling film and place the ice cream along the long side of your sponge, about 2cm (3/4") in, and carefully roll the sponge up around the ice cream. Re-wrap in cling film and place back in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up. To serve, remove from the freezer and allow to sit for about five minutes, then dust with sifted icing sugar before slicing and serving with fresh raspberries and a few mint leaves, if you like.

How to Bake Anything GlutenFree by Becky Excell, Quadrille. Photo credit: Hannah Rose Hughes

Lilac-Vanilla CUPCAKES

EDIBLES Vanilla Cupcakes Unsalted butter: 57g (2oz), at room temperature Granulated sugar: 200g (7oz) Eggs: 2 large, at room temperature All-purpose flour: 180g (61/4oz) Cornflour: 48g (13/4oz) Baking powder: 11/2tsp Bicarbonate of soda: 1/2tsp Salt: 1/2tsp Full-fat sour cream: 90g (31/8oz) Vegetable oil: 60ml (2fl oz) Pure vanilla extract: 1tbsp (15ml) Whole milk: 160ml (51/2fl oz), at room temperature

Whipped Vanilla Buttercream Butter: 300g (101/2oz) Icing sugar: 480g – 600g (1lb 1oz – 1lb 5oz) Whole milk: 45ml – 75 ml (11/2fl oz – 21/2fl oz) Pure vanilla extract: 2tsp (10ml) Gel food colouring: pink and purple

EQUIPMENT Cupcake tray: 12-hole Cupcake cases: 12 Stand mixer Mixing bowl Measuring jug Ice cream scoop Bowls: 2 Silicone spatula Piping bag Wilton Flower Piping Tip: no. 2D

Makes 12 cupcakes

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Since Amy shared the first iteration of these piped lilac cupcakes on her blog several years ago, it has been one of her most popular recipes!

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The key to achieving realistic piped lilacs is to use two different colours of buttercream in one piping bag. Using two colours adds depth to the flowers and mimics the look of fresh lilacs. Amy’s favourite colour combinations to use for the buttercream lilacs are pink and purple, as well as purple and blue.

MAKING THE CUPCAKES Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F/ Gas Mark 4). Line a cupcake tray with cupcake cases.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar on a medium speed until smooth, about one minute. Add the eggs and mix until they are incorporated.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornflour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Set the flour mixture aside.

In a large measuring jug, combine the sour cream, oil, vanilla and milk.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. With the stand mixer running on a low speed, slowly add the sour cream mixture to the bowl. Mix until the ingredients are combined, for about one minute.

Use a standard ice cream scoop to fill each cupcake case three quarters full. Bake the cupcakes for 14–16 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centres comes out clean.

Reprinted with permission from Blooms and Baking by Amy Ho, Page Street Publishing Co., 2020. Photo credit: Amy Ho.

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In the clean bowl of the stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on a high speed until it is light and fluffy, for about one minute.

Reduce the mixer’s speed to low. Add the icing sugar, 120g (41/4oz) at a time, and mix until it is fully incorporated.

Add the milk and vanilla to the bowl. Increase the mixer’s speed to high and beat the buttercream for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Divide the buttercream evenly between two small bowls. Add 2–3 drops of pink gel food colouring to the first bowl of buttercream and 2–3 drops of the purple gel food colouring to the second bowl of buttercream. Stir the colours into the buttercream until fully blended.

PIPING THE FLOWERS

Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them, about 45–60 minutes.

MAKING THE BUTTERCREAM

Cut off the tip of a piping bag and insert the no. 2D nozzle.

With a silicone spatula, transfer the pink buttercream to one side of the piping bag and transfer the purple buttercream to the other side; this will allow the buttercream lilacs to have two tones.

Pipe dollops of buttercream lilac flowers on each cupcake until the top of the cupcakes are fully covered.

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Full Steam Ahead Not only is this tiered cake impressive to look at, but it would also be the perfect treat for celebrating anyone who loves trains and travel. You can even change the colour palette to tailor this cake towards individuals to add a more personal touch.

EDIBLES

EQUIPMENT

COVERING THE CAKES

Round, filled sponge cakes, 12.5cm (5") deep: 10cm (4") and 15cm (6") wide

Cake leveller

SK Fairtrade Sugarpaste: 670g (1 75/8oz) Cosmic Blue, 340g (12oz) Palm Green and 340g (12oz) Tuxedo Black

Round cake cards: 10cm (4") and 15cm (6")

SK Sugar Florist Paste: 100g (3 /2oz) Black and 150g (51/4oz) White

Round cake drum: 23cm (9")

Round cake dummy: 15cm (6") Cake board: 25cm (10”) Plastic dowels: 4

SK Paste Food Colour: Dark Green

Craft knife

SK Designer Metallic Lustre Dust: Antique Gold

JEM Strip Cutters: nos. 2. and 3

SK Essentials Edible Glue

PME Impression Mat: Wood Bark Design

Ganache: 300g (101/2oz)

Floral wire: 26-gauge white

SK Professional Instant Mix Royal Icing: 30g (1oz) White

Non-toxic glue stick

White vegetable fat

FMM Impression Mat: Cobblestone & Wall

1.5cm (1/2") wide satin ribbon: 75cm (291/2") dark green SK High-Quality Paintbrushes: nos. 4 and 8 PME Writer Piping Nozzle: no. 2 Templates: page 87 Spacers: 1cm (3/8") Circle cutters: 5mm (1/4"), 1cm (3/8"), 1.5cm (1/2") and 2cm (3/4") Zee Chik Designs Silicone Icing Mould: Wheels & Tyres Modelling tool: small ball PME Scribing Needle

Secure the 10cm (4") and 15cm (6") cakes centrally to the corresponding cake cards using a little ganache.

Using a palette knife, spread a thin layer of ganache over the surface of both cakes to crumb coat them. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Once the ganache has set, remove the cakes from the fridge and apply a second layer of ganache over the cakes. Use a side scraper around the cakes to ensure a smooth, even coverage and sharp edges. Chill the cakes in the fridge for 45 minutes before covering.

Mix a little Dark Green paste food colour into 340g (12oz) of Palm Green sugarpaste. You’ll be using this darker green paste throughout the project, so make sure you keep and wrap up all your offcuts.

On a non-stick board, roll out 230g (81/4oz) of the dark green sugarpaste to a thickness of 3mm (1/8") and cut four strips of paste, measuring approximately 4cm x 14cm (11/2" x 51/2"). Set the strips to one side and cover with cling film to prevent them from drying out. Reserve and wrap up the leftover sugarpaste as this will be used later for the top tier and train.

Roll out 230g (81/4oz) of Cosmic Blue sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness. Press the Wood Bark embossing mat down firmly all over the paste to texture with the design.

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by Karen Taylor

Repeat step 5 to cut four strips of the textured Cosmic Blue paste.

Take 230g (81/4oz) of Tuxedo Black sugarpaste and repeat steps 6–7 to texture and cut out four strips. This time, use the Cobblestone embossing mat to texture the paste.

Using a pastry brush, dampen the 15cm (6") cake with a little cooled, boiled water. One at a time, start attaching the strips of paste around the cake vertically, with one end of the strips sitting flush with the base of the cake. Make sure you attach the strips in the same order and pattern. Gently smooth over the strips and trim away the excess paste from around the top edge with a sharp knife so it sits flush with the top of the cake.

Roll out 100g (31/2oz) of Cosmic Blue sugarpaste to a thickness of 3mm (1/8") and place on top of the 10cm (4") cake (A).

Lay a sheet of parchment paper over the rolled Cosmic Blue paste and then set a spare cake board on top of the paper.

11 C

Carefully flip the cake over so the blue paste is at the bottom (B). Use a sharp knife to trim away the excess sugarpaste from around the edge of the cake (C).

Leave the cake upside down. Roll out 120g (41/4oz) of Cosmic Blue sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness and cut into a 4cm (11/2") wide strip.

Wrap the blue strip around the bottom of the cake, resting on the parchment covered board (D). This will mean that when you flip the cake back to its original position, the strip will be positioned at the top. Trim the paste and smooth over the join at the back (E).

14 D

Roll out the remaining dark green sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness. Cut a 9cm (31/2") wide strip of paste and wrap this around the cake, making sure it sits against the edge of the blue paste (F). Trim the join at the back

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PROJECT

and smooth over to hide it. Trim away the excess paste from around the top of the cake (G). Keep and wrap up the offcuts for later use.

Carefully flip the cake back over so it’s the right way up, and smooth the edge around the top to blend the top and sides (H).

COVERING THE DRUM

Place the strips on a piece of kitchen paper and dust using a no. 8 paintbrush and a liberal amount of Antique Gold lustre dust.

Dip a no. 4 paintbrush into edible glue and wipe off the excess. Paint the back of each strip with a little glue and attach one strip around the top edge of the 15cm (6") cake and the second where the green and blue sugarpaste joins together on the 10cm (4") cake.

Roll out 340g (12oz) of Tuxedo Black sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness. Brush the cake drum with a little cooled, boiled water and lay the sugarpaste centrally on top.

Use the Cobblestone embosser to texture the paste all over. Trim away the excess paste from around the edge of the drum using a palette knife. Set aside to dry for 24 hours.

Attach the 1.5cm (1/2") wide dark green ribbon to the edge of the drum using a non-toxic glue stick, being careful not to come in contact with the paste. Secure the ribbon to the drum so the join is at the back.

DECORATING THE CAKES Attach the 15cm (6") cake centrally to the covered drum using a little ganache or royal icing to secure.

Insert four dowels within a 6cm (23/8") circle in the top of the cake, spacing them evenly. Mark and remove the dowels, trim them to size and reinsert into their original holes. Spread some royal icing over the dowelled area and attach the 10cm (4") cake centrally on top.

Rub a small amount of white vegetable fat over the non-stick board and roll out 40g (11/2oz) of White SFP thinly into a long strip. Cut two 7mm (1/4") wide strips using the no. 3 strip cutter: one long enough to fit around the circumference of the top tier and the other strip longer enough to fit around the circumference of the bottom tier.

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Repeat steps 3–4 to make nine more strips. This time, use 20g (3/4oz) of White SFP to cut out nine 5mm (1/4") wide strips and finish by brushing with some Antique Gold dust. Use a no. 2 piping nozzle to make light circular indents along the length of each short strip, marking them around 1cm (3/8") apart. One at a time, glue the strips vertically around the 10cm (4") cake, 4cm (11/2") apart from each other.

Rub a small amount of white fat over the non-stick board and roll out 40g (11/2oz) of White SFP thinly.

Trace the train and carriage templates over a piece of parchment or A4 paper and cut them out. Place the templates over the White SFP and cut out the train and three carriages. Lay the pieces down on some kitchen paper and dust liberally with Antique Gold lustre dust.

Wrap some cling film around a 15cm (6") dummy and, once secure, rub the cling film with a little white vegetable fat. Position the train and carriages around the dummy, making sure they are pressed flat against the side of the dummy. The natural stickiness of the white fat means the train segments will secure themselves to the dummy. Leave to dry for around four hours.

Remove the dry train segments from the dummy and lay down on your worktop. Roll out 10g (1/4oz) of White SFP to a thickness of 3mm (1/8"). Cut out eight 6mm (1/4") squares of paste and

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glue two on the back of the train and each carriage – these will act as supports when securing to the cake. Thinly roll out a piece of White SFP and cut a 4mm (3/16") wide strip, approximately 6cm (23/8") long. Cut it equally into three pieces and dust each one liberally with some Antique Gold lustre dust.

Take the 2D train and brush the white squares of paste on the back with a little glue. Attach one of the 2cm (3/4") gold strips to the bottom at the rear of the train. Glue the train to the base of the 15cm (6") cake.

Repeat step 14 to attach each of the carriages behind the train. Ensure the carriages are flush against the gold strips of the train segment in front.

MAKING THE 3D TRAIN Trace the 3D train templates over a piece of parchment or A4 paper and cut them out.

Roll out 60g (21/8oz) of Black SFP to a thickness of 3mm (1/8"). Cut out the base of the train using the appropriate template. Keep your offcuts.

Take a 15g (1/2oz) ball of the dark green paste and flatten and thin around the edges to make a domed circle shape. Glue the dome to the front of the dark green cylinder from step 5 and lightly press a 5mm (1/4") circle cutter in the centre to emboss.

Take 28g (1oz) of the remaining dark green sugarpaste and roll it out to a thickness of 6mm (1/4"). Glue to the black roof piece and smooth each of the sides to soften the sharp edges.

Roll out 60g (21/8oz) of Cosmic Blue sugarpaste to a thickness of 3mm (1/8") and texture all over with the Wood Bark embosser mat.

Turn the embossed paste over and lay flat on your worktop. Paint a little glue over the black front train segment you made earlier and place on the embossed blue paste. Cut around the front train piece with a sharp knife, making sure you cut out the window hole as well (L).

Take the two black side pieces for the train and brush both with edible glue. Position each piece onto the embossed blue paste and cut around the sides, this time leaving 2mm (1/16") of

blue paste on the long side which has the wider section next to the window. Again, remember to cut out the window (M). Mix a tiny amount of Black SFP with edible glue to make a thick paste, and paint this along the bottom of each side piece and on the end of the front piece. Apply a little glue along the exposed blue sugarpaste on the two side pieces. Position the front piece on the line of the thick black base piece (N). Holding the front in place, gently attach one side to the front segment (O). Once secure, attach the second side.

To finish, glue the green cylinder to the lower front of the train and attach the roof on top (P). Set aside to dry for an hour.

To make the small wheels, roll out 15g (1/2oz) of Black SFP to a thickness of 3mm (1/8") and cut out six discs using a 1.5cm (1/2") circle cutter. Next, roll the remaining paste thinner and cut out six 5mm (1/4") discs using the respective circle cutter.

Attach the small discs centrally to each large circle using edible glue (Q). Use a scriber tool to make six evenly spaced marks around the circumference of each wheel (R).

Roll the remaining paste thinly on the non-stick board and cut out the front, two sides and the roof of the 3D train using the templates (I). Set all the pieces to one side to dry for 24 hours.

Roll out the leftover Black SFP thinly on the board and cut a 6cm x 13cm (23/8" x 51/8") rectangle. Wrap this around a cylindrical object, approximately 3.5cm (13/8") in diameter – I used a miniature bottle (J). Set aside to dry with the other train pieces for around four hours.

Roll out 50g (13/4oz) of the remaining dark green sugarpaste from earlier to a 3mm (1/8") thickness. Cut a 6cm x 13cm (23/8" x 51/8") rectangle and wrap this around the dried black cylinder (K). Secure in place with a little edible glue if needed.

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Out of the leftover rolled paste, cut out a 1.5cm (1/2") circle and gently emboss the centre with a 5mm (1/4") circle cutter. Glue this centrally to the front cylinder of the train.

Place the hardened 3D train on spacers to lift it up off the worktop by 1cm (3/8"). Now attach the wheels to the front section of the train using edible glue, three on each side.

To make the larger wheels, roll 20g (3/4oz) of Black SFP to a thickness of 3mm (1/8"). Roughly cut out a square from the rolled SFP, slightly bigger than the smallest wheel segment of the Wheels & Tyres mould. Gently press the piece into the smallest wheel mould to emboss, remove and then cut around the wheel design (S, T).

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Repeat step 17 to make three more wheels. Glue two large wheels to each side of the train at the back, behind the smaller front wheels.

Roll out 10g (1/4oz) of White SFP over a non-stick board that has a little white vegetable fat rubbed on it. Turn the rolled SFP over and cut out four 1cm (3/8") circles of paste using the appropriate cutter.

Out of the same rolled SFP, cut out a disc using the 2cm (3/4") circle cutter and then cut out the centre of the disc using a 1.5mm (1/16") circle cutter. This will leave you with a circular windowpane.

Using the remaining rolled White SFP, cut out two 2cm (3/4") squares. Next, cut out a 1.3mm (1/16") square from the centre of each piece. This will leave you with the windowpanes for the sides.

Generously brush the two square windowpanes, circular windowpane and four discs with Antique Gold dust. Glue the four gold discs to the centre of each of the larger wheels. Also secure the windowpanes to the respective windows using a little edible glue.

Roll out the leftover White SFP into a long thin length. Cut two 10cm x 5mm (4" x 1/4") strips of paste using the no. 2 strip cutter.

Place the strips onto a piece of kitchen paper and brush with a generous amount of Antique Gold dust.

Use a no. 2 piping nozzle to lightly mark circle indents along the length of each strip, around 1cm (3/8") apart. To finish, glue the strips around the dark green front of the train, positioning one closer to the front and the other

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towards the back so there is a gap in between them. For the chimney, roll 5g (<1/4 oz) of Black SFP into a short thick sausage. Pinch one end of the sausage slightly to make it slightly wider and flat. This will be the chimney neck.

Roll 6g (1/4 oz) of Black SFP into a short thick sausage and cut in half (U). Press the large end of a small ball tool into the uncut ends of each piece to make a shallow hole (V). Gently pinch the flat bottom of each piece to widen slightly (W).

Glue the wider flat ends of the two halves of paste together. Paint a little glue on one end of the chimney spout and then secure to the end of the chimney neck (X). Finish by attaching the chimney to the dark green front of the train in between the two gold strips.

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The No. 1 Choice for over 30 years

SUGAR FLORIST PASTE

MAKING THE STEAM CLOUDS

For realistic sugar petals and leaves

Take around 60g (21/8oz) of White

SFP and split it into pieces of various sizes, though no bigger than 10g (1/4oz) each. Shape the pieces into rough ovals and balls, then leave to dry slightly for 15 minutes. Take a cup or mug and push a piece of parchment paper into in so that it goes up the sides. Pop one piece of paste into the bottom of the cup (Y) and microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and check the size of it. If it hasn’t increased much in size, place it back in the microwave again and heat for another 10 seconds. This process is trial and error depending on your microwave. Once you’re happy with the size, remove and set the steam to one side to cool down. Repeat with all the other pieces of paste.

Can be rolled paper-thin and gives a perfectly smooth finish

Take the remaining clouds and cut them open (in half) with a sharp knife (Z). Apply a little glue on the uncut back of each cloud and attach them to the 15cm (6") cake above and around the decorative train and carriages. When securing them to the cake, arrange them from largest to smallest so they get smaller as they get further away.

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Flowers by Naomi Yamamoto, taken from Sugar Flowers the Signature Collection.

Cut a 10cm (4") piece of 26-gauge white floral wire. Take three of the clouds and use a scriber tool to make holes to thread the wire through. One at a time, thread the clouds down through the wire and push the remaining exposed wire into the centre of the chimney.

The ideal consistency for use with intricate moulds and cutters Comes in a resealable foil pouch and can be frozen

Available in 26 colours Available from all good cake decorating and sugarcraft shops, please call +44(0) 330 223 3113 to find your nearest stockist. Trade enquiries are welcome. Made in Great Britain.

Love t! tha

WOW!

Sweet

Cake Chat

Cool

Illustration: Natalie Bull

Hello

Yay

If you have a collaboration or story to share or details of an event you would like us to mention, please email enquiries@cakesandsugarcraft.com Brittany Walker

Curtain Call

Kelly Jane was incredibly impressed with the pieces that were contributed, saying the artists had gone above and beyond and created some amazing artworks. Her own piece was a bust of the original Rum Tum Tugger (played by John Partridge) in Cats the Musical. The bust was made from modelling chocolate and corn silk was used for the fur. Brittany Walker's Little Shop of Horrors gravity-defying piece had such fantastic textures. Iva Roháčová and Jo Roberts both did bas relief pieces, which were stunning and used embossed work and modelling to create a beautiful 3D effect. Ruchika Bhargava's detailing in her piece was mind-blowing and the colours are exceptional. View the pieces from the collaboration on their Facebook page, @curtaincallcollaboration. Although the collaboration has no plans for a second edition, Kelly Jane has many more collaborations in the pipeline, such as 'A Night at the Pictures' movie collaboration, 'There's Something Big in Being Small' miniatures collab, as well as an enchanted forest collaboration and a murderous mascots collab.

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Victoria Allinson

55 artists from 34 countries across the globe took part in the collaboration and pieces were made to commemorate some amazing shows, from Hamilton and Hello Dolly to Cats and Kabuki theatre. Some pieces paid homage to famous people within the theatre community and others created memories of personal times in theatre. Most pieces paid tribute to particular shows.

Ruchika Bhargava

The 27th March 2022 marked International Theatre Day and Kelly Jane wanted to celebrate the arts after the past few years have been particularly hard on the industry thanks to covid.

Cristina Arevalo

Iva Rochacova

Jo Roberts

Kelly Jane

Curtain Call – A Celebration of Stage and Theatre is an international collaboration hosted by Kelly Jane of D’licious Cakes in association with The Cake Collective. This is Kelly Jane’s second hosted collaboration.

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New Book Cover Reveal!

Happy Birthday

The Cake Initiative’s amazing community currently sits at 350 bakers, which have gifted over 230 cakes so far to young people in need. They work with large charities such as Barnardo's and Make a Wish UK, through to small local charities, food banks and schools. In return, they offer a number of discounts through its reward partners, such as Squires Kitchen, as well as running internal competitions. The Cake Initiative is always looking to add to its team, so to find out more, you can visit www.cake-initiative.org.uk.

Natasha Cawte, T-Cakes

Do you love the front cover of this brand new book? Are you’re in search of some beautiful cake decorations? Then look no further! In her first ever book, contemporary cake designer and regular Cakes & Sugarcraft contributor Pamela McCaffrey shares a collection of single and multi-tiered celebration cakes adorned with stunning sugar flowers, perfect for all occasions and events throughout the year. Pamela’s new book, Cakes Made With Love, will feature some favourite tutorials from the magazine over the years, as well a bunch of new, unseen projects! Her projects explore a mixture of mediums and textures, and her work is known for its clean look and bold use of colour. Pamela’s debut guide will become a staple on your kitchen shelf, without a doubt. The countdown to release has already begun, so watch this space for more updates!

Sarah Crane, Pink Fairy Bakes

The Cake Initiative believes that every child deserves a birthday cake. The Cake Initiative is a nationwide team of volunteer bakers that provide cakes and bakes to children living in poverty across the UK. Their bakers lovingly create birthday treats to gift safely in public places. The central admin team co-ordinates all arrangements, so that the bakers can concentrate on the important parts – the making and gifting.

A SLICE OF YOUR NEWS I am a hobby baker who mainly makes cakes for my children. I have been trying to perfect my fondant work and figure modelling, so I created this underwater-themed cake using polystyrene dummies for practice. I got inspiration for the animals from a TV show my daughter watches. Everything is handmade and

was a lot of fun!

I make cakes for friends and family, and this naked sponge cake was made for a 70th birthday. I kept the cake simple, decorating it with lemon-flavoured buttercream and edible gold leaf, and finished with a few fresh flowers on top.

Sophie Tinsley Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Lily McPhee Salisbury, Wiltshire

painted, and I used piping gel on the tentacles to give them a shine. I really enjoy making bright, colourful cakes, so this

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Alicia Ewin Photography

A PIECE OF CAKE ADVICE! As we hit the summer months, wedding cake makers will be finding themselves super busy and possibly overwhelmed. Owner of The Honey Bee Wedding Cake Company and Lauren Grace Consulting, our regular adviser Lauren Grace Smy lists her top tips for coping with the crazy wedding season...

KEEP YOUR DIARY UP TO DATE AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE

I use Google calendar (any that syncs through your devices and is backed up online is great) so I can see at a glance what space I have available. This saves having to always have a paper diary on hand and makes it less likely that you will overbook.

CONFIRM ALL ORDERS IN SINGLE DOCUMENTS

If you rely on Facebook or Instagram messages, there’s a big risk these can get lost along with the agreed cake details. Transfer everything over to email and create an order form with all the details, confirmed by the customer. This gives a clear reference point when making the cake, with no need to scroll through messages working out what you’re doing.

Look to the next few months and see what you can prepare in advance

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Look to the next few months and see what you can prepare in advance. Sugar flowers keep for a long time if stored correctly, so it may be worth making a start on these before the season gets too busy.

ORDER SUPPLIES WELL IN ADVANCE

At the start of each month, check through upcoming orders for all the necessary supplies and order them all together. Not only will you save on postage fees, your admin time will also be reduced if you take a day to do this.

Take half an hour each day to sit down and reply to urgent emails

“

KEEP ASIDE TIME FOR RUNNING THE BUSINESS

New enquiries will come in during this time and you need to be responsive to not lose these orders. Take half an hour each day to sit down and reply to urgent emails – this also gives your feet a rest! It’s also important to maintain social media presence, deal with website issues, update finances and so on. Mondays are usually good days to manage these tasks.

PLAN OUT THE WEEK AHEAD

Sit down with a weekly planner before the week starts. Work backwards from delivery day and write down your tasks. Cover boards and make decorations at the start of the week. Make ganache the day before you need it. Remember to add in time for business admin.

SET AN AUTORESPONDER WITH REALISTIC RESPONSE TIMES

Use these to tell customers you’re busy working on cakes (this also adds to your desirability) and will reply within a certain time period. Good customers will be patient and understand that you can’t respond immediately – if they don’t, you’re best without them! However, don’t leave them waiting too long, as you want them to feel valued and not ignored.

AKP Branding Stories

PLAN AHEAD AND PREPARE

TIME BLOCK EACH DAY

What will you do when? What hours do you have available to you, working around childcare, a day job, activities? Plan out the day so that you can be sure your weekly plan is realistic. Can you really fill, ganache and cover six tiers in one day before the school run? Make the most of all the time you have – for example, make buttercream while the cakes are cooling.

KEEP TO-DO LISTS

THINK ABOUT INVESTING IN A VA

Consider using software such as Trello if you like working digitally, or good old fashioned paper and pen if not! There are so many things to keep on top of and things pop into your head when it’s not a convenient time to action it. By writing it down, you don’t have to dedicate headspace to remembering to do it.

A virtual assistant can take some of the pressure off by managing a few of the tasks that take up your time outside of the kitchen. This leaves you with more time to make more cakes, or possibly just get some sleep!

Check out Lauren’s website for lots of free and low cost resources: laurengraceconsulting.co.uk/resources

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Love Story This tiered centrepiece is a modern version of a wedding cake with a splash of colour. It employs a number of contemporary techniques and mediums, and is inspired by a bright and joyful colour palette.

EDIBLES

EQUIPMENT

PREPARING THE CAKES

Round, filled sponge cake, 20.5cm (8") deep: 20.5cm (8") wide

Card cards: 20.5cm (8") and 2 x 12.5cm (5")

Round, filled sponge cake, 10cm (4") deep: 12.5cm (5") wide

Barbeque skewer

Round, filled sponge cake, 5cm (2") deep: 12.5cm (5") wide

Caking It Up Mesh Stencil: Marigold

Polystyrene heart: 10cm x 10cm (4" x 4")

SK High-Quality Paintbrush: no. 10

Place the cakes centrally on the corresponding cake cards, securing them in place with a little ganache. Using a palette knife, apply a crumb coat of ganache to the top and sides of each cake. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Bellissimo Flexi Smoothers: Small

Ganache: 1kg (2lb 31/4oz) SK Fairtrade Sugarpaste: 1.5kg (3lb 5oz) Bridal White

Smoother Scraper

SK Pastelz Paste Food Colour: Pink

Spatula

SK Paste Food Colour: Pink

Craft knife

SK Professional Paste Food Colour: Lilac

Cocktail stick

Colour Mill Next Generation Oil Based Food Colouring: Rose

Non-stick rolling pins: small and large

Glutinous rice paper: 50 sheets

Silicone border mould

PME Piping Gel

Dowels: 6

One at a time, apply a second coat of ganache to the three cakes and refrigerate for a further 30 minutes before covering.

TOP TIP If you don’t want to make the top two cake tiers, polystyrene dummies of the same size can be used instead.

Embossing rolling pin: floral pattern

Cornflour

MAKING THE POM-POM RUFFLES You will be adding the rice paper ruffles to the 10cm (4") deep cake. To start, roll out 300g (101/2oz) of Bridal White sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness and cut out a 12.5cm (5") disc using a sharp knife. Keep all your offcuts!

Paint a little clear piping gel over the top of the cake and place the sugarpaste disc centrally on top, trimming away the excess from around the edge if necessary.

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For the side, roll out the Bridal White offcuts to a 3mm (1/8") thickness,

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With so much scope for customisation, you can replace the paste food colours with shades that meet your own personal taste, colour scheme, or even those that will reflect the season in which you'll be celebrating!

Ekaterina Metcalf, from Ekat’s Couture Cakes

@ekats

Repeat steps 6–7 to make two more folded squares (F). Gather the three folded squares you’ve made and attach them together at the pinched ends using some piping gel. It should end up looking like half a pom-pom (G).

cake, making sure it sits flush with the base. Use a knife to trim the overlapping ends so that they join neatly, and carefully trim away the excess from the top and bottom of the cake (J). Leave the cake to dry overnight. Keep and wrap up the remaining deep pink paste for later.

Repeat steps 6–8 to create 31 half pom-poms in total.

TOP TIP Apply a thin layer of clear piping gel over the side of the 10cm (4") deep tier and begin attaching the pompoms to the cake. Hold the cake in place with a smoother as you attach the pompoms (H). This doesn't need to be neat, as you'll be bunching them up close to one another to give a ruffled effect. Make sure you set aside one half pom-pom for later.

TOP TIP Rice paper sheets, also called oblate discs for making candy, can be found in Chinese or Asian supermarkets.

To get a different effect when texturing the sugarpaste, you could use a silicone impression mat with a design of your choice.

MAKING THE HEART TOPPER Mix 2tbsp of piping gel with a drop of Rose food colour, stirring with a spatula to blend the colour into a rosy pink shade (K).

Colour 200g (7oz) of Bridal White sugarpaste with a little Pink paste food colour to achieve a light candy pink shade.

2 making sure it is long and tall enough to fit around the circumference of the cake. Paint some piping gel over the side of the cake, roll up the sheet of sugarpaste and wrap it around the cake, making sure it sits flush with the base (A). Use a knife to trim the overlapping ends so that they join neatly, then carefully trim away the excess from the top and bottom of the cake. Leave the cake to dry overnight. Run a pair of small Flexi Smoothers around the top edge of the cake to create a flawless, sharp finish (B).

Cut your rice paper sheets into 5cm (2") squares. You want to end up with at least 93 squares.

Using a no. 10 paintbrush, apply a dash of clear piping gel to the middle of a rice paper square and fold it in half (C, D). Don’t worry about being too neat when folding.

Apply a little more piping gel centrally to the folded base of the rice paper sheet and fold it in half again to create small square (E).

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MAKING THE EMBOSSED DESIGN Mix a combination of Rose and Lilac paste food colours into 200g (7oz) of Bridal White sugarpaste to create a deep pink shade. Keep and wrap up any offcuts as you work so you can use it later.

For the top of the 5cm (2") deep cake, roll out the deep pink paste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness. Roll the floralembossed rolling pin over the surface of the paste to texture (I) and then cut out a 12.5cm (5") disc.

Paint some clear piping gel over the top of the cake and lay the pink disc centrally on top. Trim away the excess paste from around the edge, if necessary.

For the side, roll the leftover deep pink sugarpaste out to a 3mm (1/8") thick rectangle that is wide and long enough to wrap around the circumference of the 5cm (2") deep cake. Paint a little piping gel over the side of the cake and then wrap the embossed paste around the

Roll out the candy pink sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness using a large non-stick rolling pin. Try to end up with a rectangular shape of paste.

Lay the Marigold stencil over the surface of the rolled out paste at one end. Using a spatula, spread some of the rosy pink piping gel from top to bottom at one end of the stencil (L).

Holding the scraper at an angle, spread the piping gel evenly over the stencil to create a smooth finish and remove any excess so you are left with a very thin layer of coloured gel (M).

Carefully remove the stencil from the sugarpaste, ensuring that no

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TOP TIP If your sugarpaste dries too fast, add 1tbsp of glucose syrup per 1kg (2lb 31/4oz) of paste and mix well.

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piping gel gets underneath the stencil and spoils the clean design (N). Repeat steps 4–6 to create the same pattern next to the first stencilled area on the paste (O). Leave the paste to dry for 30 minutes or until it is not sticky when touched.

TOP TIP

Apply a little clear piping gel to one side of the polystyrene heart using a no. 10 paintbrush. Place the sugarpaste over the jellied area and slightly stretch the paste around the sides to cover and secure in place (Q).

If you are in a humid climate the paste might take an extra 30 minutes to dry, so keep that in mind when working!

Insert a cocktail stick halfway into the pointed end of the polystyrene heart.

Gently place the polystyrene heart over the stencilled sugarpaste sheet, making sure it’s in the middle of the paste and not close to the edge. Use a craft knife

to cut around the shape, allowing for a 1.5cm (1/2") gap away from the outline of the heart (P). Repeat to cut out a second piece from the remaining stencilled area. You will be using one piece for each side of the heart. Make sure to keep and wrap up any offcuts that doesn’t have the stencil marking, as you will use this paste later.

Repeat step 10 to cover the opposite side of the polystyrene heart with the remaining stencilled piece (R). When attaching this piece, stretch the paste slightly to ensure the two halves meet. Remove any excess sugarpaste using the craft knife and smooth over the joins with your hands to secure (S). Set aside to firm up.

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Roughly roll out the leftover candy pink sugarpaste into a sausage shape. Lay the paste over the silicone border mould and run a small rolling pin over the surface of the paste to completely fill each crevice of the mould. Once flattened into the border, run a sharp knife horizontally along the surface of the mould to remove the excess paste. Gently bend the mould backwards to release the border strip (T).

Paint some piping gel over the joins of the polystyrene heart and attach the trim border along the edge (U). Trim away any excess paste if the ends overlap.

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TOP TIP It is best not to use a knife that is too sharp when trimming the paste away from your mould, as this can actually cut the mould itself.

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3mm (1/8") thickness to reveal the marbled texture (X).

MAKING THE MARBLING

To cover the top of the 20.5cm (8") cake, roll out the marbled sugarpaste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness and cut out a 20.5cm (8") disc. Keep your offcuts! Paint some piping gel over the top of the cake and attach the marbled disc, trimming away any excess if necessary.

Apply a little piping gel to the centre of the heart along the top edge and secure the half pom-pom you set aside earlier (V).

Colour 800g (1lb 12oz) of Bridal White sugarpaste with some Pink pastel paste food colour to achieve a baby pink shade.

Gather together your leftover deep pink sugarpaste mixture and Bridal White sugarpaste. Tear these sugarpaste offcuts into smaller pieces and roughly mix them with the baby pink paste you made in step 1. Do not knead the sugarpaste (W) – you just want to make sure the pieces are adhered to each other.

Roll the sugarpaste mixture into a slight sausage shape, twist the sausage along its length and then fold the ends over. Roll out the paste to a

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For the side, roll out the remaining marbled paste to a 3mm (1/8") thickness, making sure it is long and tall enough to fit around the circumference of the cake. Paint a little piping gel over the side of the cake and wrap the paste around until secure, making sure it sits flush with the base. Use a knife to trim the overlapping ends so they join neatly, then carefully trim the excess from the top and bottom of the cake. Leave the cake to dry overnight.

Run the Flexi Smoothers around the top of the cake to create a sharp edge finish.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE Push three cake dowels centrally into the 20.5cm (8") marbled tier, ensuring they are evenly spaced apart. Mark the dowels level with the top of the cake, remove and trim them to size, then reinsert them in the cake. Spread a little ganache or royal icing over the dowelled area and attach the 10cm (4") ruffled tier on top.

Repeat step 1 to dowel the 10cm (4") ruffled tier and attach the 5cm (2") embossed tier on top.

Finish by inserting the heart centrally into the top tier so it stands upright (Y).

TOP TIP Use a silicone border mould in the design of your own preference.

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Lemon Curd Ripple When lemon is mixed with butter and egg yolks to create a classic lemon curd, it’s downright irresistible. This lemon curd is swirled into creamy lemon ice cream, making it quite possibly the most perfect lemony ice cream out there.



EDIBLES

To make the lemon curd, begin by beating the egg yolks, granulated sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice together in a small bowl until combined. Cut the butter into four chunks and set them aside.

Lemon Curd Egg yolks: 6 large Granulated sugar: 150g (51/4oz) Freshly squeezed lemon juice: 120ml (4fl oz)

Heavy cream: 360ml (121/8fl oz)

Pour the egg yolk mixture into a medium saucepan and cook it over a low heat. After about five minutes, gently add the chunks of butter and continue to stir until they have melted and the curd has thickened slightly, about another seven minutes. You will want to whisk the curd constantly so that the eggs do not ‘cook’. Remove the curd from heat and immediately strain. This will remove any small parts of the egg that might have cooked.

EQUIPMENT

Salted butter: 114g (7/16oz), softened Heavy cream: 2tbsp (30ml)

Ice Cream Sweetened condensed milk: 414ml (14fl oz) Pure vanilla extract: 2tsp (10ml) Pure lemon extract: 1tbsp (15ml) Half-and-half: 120ml (4fl oz)

Bowls Saucepan Whisk Cling film Stand or hand mixer Baking dish: 20cm x 20 cm (8" x 8")

This recipe makes roughly 12–14 standard scoops

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Add the heavy cream to the warm curd and whisk until it is completely incorporated, for about 10 seconds. Pour the curd into a medium-sized bowl and cover it with a layer of cling film. You will want the plastic to touch the top of the curd, so that as it cools it doesn't form a ‘skin’ on top. Place the curd in the refrigerator to cool completely.

With a stand or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, between 60–90 seconds.

Fold the sweetened condensed milk mixture into the cream that has been whipped. This is your ice cream base. You will want this to be as smooth as possible and lump-free. Pour this into an 20cm x 20 cm (8" x 8") baking dish.

Remove the lemon curd from the refrigerator and drop large tablespoons of the curd over the top of the ice cream base, using all of it up. Take a butter knife or fork and swirl the curd into the base, ensuring that it is well dispersed throughout the ice cream.

Freeze the ice cream uncovered for 3–5 hours, or overnight, until it is firm. Cover any leftovers with aluminium foil or cling film and store them in the freezer for up to three weeks.

VARIATION In a medium-sized bowl, make the ice cream by whisking together the sweetened condensed milk, pure vanilla extract, pure lemon extract and half-and-half until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

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For extra lemony goodness, add an extra 1tbsp (15ml) of pure lemon extract to the ice cream base before swirling in the lemon curd. Continue making the recipe as instructed.

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Reprinted with permission from Easy No-Churn Ice Cream by Heather Templeton, Page Street Publishing Co., 2022. Photo credit: Heather Templeton.

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Orange Crush EDIBLES SK Sugar Flower Paste (SPF): 200g (7oz) Daffodil (Yellow), 10g (1/4oz) Nasturtium (Peach), 20g (3/4oz) Pale Green and 50g (13/4oz) Soft Peach SK Professional Dust Food Colours: Daffodil (Yellow), Edelweiss (White), Holly/Ivy (Dark Green), Leaf Green, Nasturtium (Peach), Rose, Thrift and Vine SK Professional Paste Food Colour: Edelweiss (White)

Looking for a summery centrepiece for a wedding or celebration? The latest in Elena’s Rainbow Sugar Flower Series features a bright and bold arrangement of orange lilies and carnations. LILIES Stamens and Pistils Cut four lengths of 30-gauge white floral wire evenly into thirds to give you 12 pieces.

SK Essentials Edible Glue SK Quality Food Colour (QFC) Dust: Pink

EQUIPMENT

Take a tiny piece of Nasturtium (Peach) SFP and push the end of a cut wire through it. Roll the ball between your finger and thumb to work it along the wire length until it covers about 6cm (23/8") of the wire. It is easier to work the SFP up the wire, from the bottom to the top. Try to make the bottom part of the stamens slightly thicker than the tip (A).

Floral wires: 22-, 24-, 26- and 30-gauge white Wire cutters SK High-Quality Paintbrushes: nos. 1, 2 and 10 Half-width floral tape: Nile green and brown Templates: page 87

Place the stamen on the flat side of the non-stick board and roll over it with your fingers, gently pressing the stamen against the board to achieve a very thin stamen that is smooth and neat.

Cutting wheel Grooved, non-stick board with holes Non-stick rolling pin Food-grade foam pad

For the pollen, pinch and remove the SFP from the very top of the wire. Using a pinch of fresh Nasturtium (Peach) SFP, secure it to the end of the wire and gently press between your finger and thumb to flatten slightly into a tiny oval. The pollen part should be slightly thicker than the stamen itself. Carefully bend the wire into a slight curve to add some movement (B).

Repeat steps 2–4 to make another 11 identical stamens. There will be six stamens used for each lily. Leave them to dry for an hour.

Dilute a little Thrift dust with some cooled, boiled water to create a paint. Take the no. 1 paintbrush and draw a short vertical line on each pollen (C).

Dip the no. 2 paintbrush into edible glue and wipe off the excess. Apply

SK Modelling Tools: Large Ball and Veining Modelling tool: dresden

CelStick: 3mm (1/8")

SK-GI Silicone Veiner Amaryllis: Narrow Orchard Products Calyx Cutter: 1.9cm (3/4") Posy pick: large

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by Elena Wilkinson

a little glue to the opposite side of each pollen and dip it into some pure Daffodil (Yellow) dust. Shake off the excess and set the stamens aside.

Cut a length of 30-gauge white wire into two individual pieces, about 10cm (4") long each.

Repeat steps 2–3 to make a pistil, this time making the pistil 1cm (3/8") longer than the stamens, working the SFP approximately 7cm (23/4") along the wire. Repeat to create a second pistil.

9 E

Touch the tip of each pistil with some Edelweiss (White) paste food colour using the no. 1 paintbrush.

Take six stamens and one pistil and secure them together in a bunch using half-width Nile green floral tape. When doing this, you will want to tape the uncovered part of the wires towards the bottom. To start, tape the stamens together first, making sure all the curved ends point upwards. Tape the pistil underneath the stamens to finish. Repeat to assemble the remaining stamens and pistil for the second lily flower.

Place the petal between the two halves of the Amaryllis veiner and press together firmly to texture (E). Remove the petal from the veiner and lay it flat on the non-stick board.

Position the very tip of the small CelStick straight on the edge of the petal. Pressing gently, roll the stick backwards and forwards to achieve a frilled edge. Keep going all way around the petal until completely frilled (F).

TOP TIP For convenience, you can use the end of a paintbrush to frill the edges of the petals.

11 F

Petals Trace the two lily petal templates onto a piece of paper and cut them out individually. Also cut a 26-gauge white wire into three equal pieces.

Roll out a marble-sized ball of Daffodil (Yellow) SFP over a groove on the non-stick board. Place the no. 1 lily petal template over the paste, with the groove running up the centre, and cut out a petal using a cutting wheel.

Dip the end of a cut wire into edible glue and wipe off the excess. Push the glued end into the central ridge at the back of the petal. When you have pushed the wire halfway up the petal length, gently press all the way along the ridge with your fingers to secure (D).

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On a foam pad, use a large ball tool to soften the edges of the petal.

Drag the dresden tool inwards from the edges of the petal to curve them slightly towards the centre (G).

Curve the petal backwards using your fingers so the curved ends are facing up, and then place it over a thick rolling pin or familiar curved surface. Leave the petal to firm up but not dry completely.

Repeat steps 2–8 to make another two identical lily petals using the remaining cut wires.

When the petals are firm enough to hold their shape, it is time to dust them. Dip the no. 10 paintbrush into the Nasturtium (Peach) dust and shake off the excess. Dust the colour over a wired petal, working from the tip downwards. Try not to touch the edges – leave about 2mm (1/16") uncoloured from both sides of the petal. Apply a few layers of dust colour (H). Repeat with the other wired petals.

Dip the no. 10 paintbrush into the Rose dust colour and shake off the excess. Apply a layer of Rose dust on top of the Nasturtium (Peach) dust layer to achieve a deeper shade. Repeat with the other wired petals.

Once all the petals are dusted, place them under some cling film

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or in an airtight tray to prevent them from drying out completely.

CARNATIONS Inner Petals

Repeat steps 2–12 to make and dust three more petals, this time using the no. 2 lily petal template.

When all your six petals are prepared, it is time to assemble them around the stamens and pistil. To do this, take very small piece of Pale Green SFP and roll it into a cone shape about 1.5cm (1/2") long and 1cm (3/8") wide.

Take one stamens and pistil bunch and push the wired stem down through the centre of the wide end of the cone until it slightly covers the base of the petals. Wet your fingers and gently secure the cone around the petals, making sure to stretch and smooth the SFP down the stem a little.

Take the first wider no. 1 petal and attach it to the soft cone by threading the wire down through the centre and positioning the petal flush against the side of the cone. Make sure the bottom of the petal coincides with the bottom of the cone. Secure the wire to the main stem using some Nile green tape.

Cut a 22-gauge white floral wire into three equal pieces and make a closed hook at one end of each wire.

Push the hooked end of a wire into the centre of a small 1.5cm (1/2") ball of Soft Peach SFP. Work the ball between your finger and thumb to create a long narrow shape down the wire. You want to end up with a 2.5cm (1") long and 4mm (3/16") wide shape (I). Repeat to make another two flower centres. Set each aside to dry overnight.

Very thinly roll out a small piece of Soft Peach SFP over a groove on the non-stick board. Using the template, cut out a petal with the ridge running through the centre of the SFP. Keep your offcuts.

Using the broad end of the dresden tool, pull the SFP outwards to make the round top edge of the petal serrated (J). Leave the sides of the petal as they are.

TOP TIP To add a more natural, textured look to the edges, I recommend using the very pointed tip of a petal cutter. Place the narrow tip of the cutter on the edge of the petal and cut out tiny V-shapes without any gaps in between, leaving the sides of the petals straight.

One at a time, tape three narrow no. 2 petals behind the first petal layer following the same technique as in step 16. Position them in between the gaps to make the flower look more natural.

Repeat steps 14–19 to assemble the second lily flower using the remaining components.

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Attach the remaining two no. 1 petals around the rest of the cone in the same way as step 16, so you end up with a triangle of petals. Press the base of the petals gently around the bottom of the cone.

To finish, touch the very ends of the petals with a little Rose dust. Apply a mixture of Leaf Green, Edelweiss (White) and Vine dust food colours to the back of the flower, working from the bottom upwards to about halfway. Apply some Leaf Green dust to the bottom of the flower.

Trace the carnation petal template onto a piece of paper and cut out.

Place a veining tool over the surface of the petal and roll back and forth continuously to texture (K). Make sure no flat area has been left untextured.

Pinch both sides of the petal’s pointed end towards the middle to create a sail shape (L). Set the petal aside and cover with cling film to prevent it from drying out.

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Repeat steps 4–7 to make and texture between 24–36 in total. You will need 8–12 petals for each flower centre. Keep the finished petals covered as your work.

Paint a little edible glue on one of the flower centres you prepared earlier. Wrap one of the textured petals around the centre, squeezing the very tip of the petal so that it looks tight enough. The tip of the flower centre should not be visible.

Continue attaching more petals (between 8–12 in total) around the previous ones until you end up with a wide centre, about 2cm – 2.5cm (3/4" – 1") in diameter, depending on how open you want your flower to be (M).

Repeat steps 9–10 to assemble the other two flower centres using the remaining petals. You can vary the number of petals used for each flower so they don’t look too uniform.

11 O

Outer Petals

Cut six 30-gauge wires into four equal pieces, giving you 24 cut wires.

Roll out a marble-sized ball of Soft Peach SFP thinly over a groove on the non-stick board. Using the same carnation template, cut out a petal with the ridge running through the centre. Keep your offcuts.

2 P

Dip the very end of a cut wire into edible glue, wipe off the excess and push it into the ridge about halfway up the length of the petal (N). Gently pinch the ridge to help adhere the petal to the wire.

Repeat steps 5–7 from ‘Carnations: Inner Petals’ to texture and shape the petal.

4 Q

Repeat steps 2–4 to make and texture between 15–21 outer petals in total. You will use 5–7 petals for each flower. Keep the finished petals covered as your work.

Take one flower centre and attach an outer petal over the inner petals using Nile green floral tape (O). Make

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sure you position the flower level with the base of the inner layer and tape over the wire directly beneath the petal. Continue attaching more petals around the flower centre, approximately 5–7 petals in total. You will end up attaching two layers of outer petals around the centre, just make sure the petals are positioned in between the gaps of the previous layer to look more natural. Once the outer petals are secure, tape all the wires together with Nile green floral tape to create a thick stem. Now use your fingers to curve the top edges of each outer petal backwards.

Repeat steps 6–7 to attach the remaining petals to the other two flowers. You can vary the number of petals used for each flower, so they don’t look too uniform.

Calyxes Roll a marble-sized piece of Pale Green SFP into a cone shape, 2cm (3/4") long and 1.5cm (1/2") wide.

Press the large ball tool into the wider end of the cone to create a shallow concave shape (P). Lightly pinch the edges flat.

Using the pointed end of the dresden tool, divide the top of the concaved circle into 5–6 sections (Q). Next, pinch each section into slight points (R).

Place the calyx on the foam pad and make the pointed sections slightly longer. To do this, run the large ball tool over the centre of each calyx section and out towards the edges. Make sure you don’t flatten the body of the calyx.

Push the main stem of a flower down through the middle of the wide end of the calyx until it sits flush with the base of the flower. Secure the calyx around the flower, using a little glue if needed.

Repeat steps 1–5 to attach a calyx to the other two carnation flowers.

To finish, roll out a pea-sized ball of Pale Green SFP thinly on the non-

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stick board and cut out a calyx shape using the 1.9cm (3/4") Calyx cutter. On the foam pad, use the small end of the large ball tool to soften and stretch the individual calyx sections (S). Paint a tiny amount of glue over the very bottom of one of the concaved calyxes secured to the main flowers. Push the flower stem down through the centre of the small calyx piece, threading it up to the base of the larger calyx and secure in place. Leave the pointed ends of the small calyx sticking out.

it over itself and twist again to give you a protruding twig (T, U). Leave the bottom end open.

Take one of the cut wires and begin covering it with brown tape, working from the top to the bottom. As you work your way down the wire, attach up to seven twigs to the main stem, positioning them at different heights (V).

Repeat steps 2–3 to create the second branch with the other cut wire. Once finished, bend each twig in a few points to give them a natural look.

Roll out a thin carrot shape, about 1cm (3/8") long, from some Pale Green SFP. Place it on the non-stick board and press down on it with your finger to flatten into a little leaf.

TOP TIP You can add a frost-like effect to your twigs by applying a little edible glue to the sticks and sprinkling on some caster sugar. Just remember to shake off the excess.

Apply a little glue to one side of the leaf and attach it to main stem, 2cm (3/4") down from the bottom of the flower.

Repeat steps 7–10 to attach a small calyx and leaf to the other two carnations.

Brush the three carnation flowers with a touch of Pink and Nasturtium (Peach) dusts. To enhance the petal edges, apply a little Rose dust colour. I like to touch a few of the petals with a mixture of Edelweiss (White) and Vine dust.

Cover the entire surface of each calyx and the small leaves with some Leaf Green dust. Also apply a little Holly/Ivy (Dark Green) dust to the bottom part of the calyxes and the flower stems to add depth. To enhance further, lightly touch the very base of the calyxes and underneath the small leaves with some Thrift dust.

ASSEMBLY To start, tape the two lilies together with half-width Nile green tape. To achieve a more natural look, position the lilies at different heights.

Take the three carnation flowers and position them around the lilies. When you are happy with their placement, secure them to main stem of the lilies with half-width Nile green tape. Once secure, continue taping all way down the stem to the bottom of the wire.

Finish the arrangement by adding the twigs, taping them to the main stem and positioned around the flowers in different directions.

Cut the main wire of your arrangement to fit into the large posy pick and secure with some leftover SFP or royal icing. Push the pick into your preferred position on the cake.

4 TWIGS Cut a 22-gauge white wire in half. Also cut some half-width brown floral tape into numerous small pieces, measuring 1cm – 2cm (3/8" – 3/4") long. Make at least 14 tape twigs in total.

One at a time, twist each cut piece of tape into a tight short stick, fold

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TOP TIP Use smaller posy picks to attach the flowers to the cake if you're having trouble.

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RECOMMENDED READS If you’re looking for inspiration or would like to expand your repertoire, we’ve handpicked the best of the latest cake decorating and baking books to whet your appetite. To be in with a chance of winning the giveaways, visit cakesandsugarcraft.com and go to the Cake Chat page.

Bread Ahead

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Matthew Jones, Hardie Grant, £26 (Hardback) The beguiling baking guide, Bread Ahead, promises you one thing: to transform you, regardless of your experience (or lack of), into an expert home baker. Pick and choose from over 90 fool-proof recipes, both sweet and savoury, and discover how to achieve a professional finish on your favourite bakes, all from the comfort of your own home. It’s important to note that this baking bible isn’t just about bread. Yes, there is an entire chapter dedicated to baking great bread, but

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there are also sections on pastries and tarts, doughnuts and fillings, cakes, cookies and brownies. There’s even a Christmas chapter, so you’ll always be prepared over the holidays! Whatever your skill level, Bread Ahead is sure to be your go-to title for good, classic baking.

Baking Science Dikla Levy Frances, Page Street Publishing Co., £17.99 (Paperback)

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Cakes Made With Love Pamela McCaffrey, Squires Kitchen Publishing, £40 (Hardback) If you’re in search of some beautiful cake

Do you suffer from sunken cakes or dry bakes? Do you

decorations, look no further! In her debut book,

struggle to understand where you go wrong, despite following a

contemporary cake designer Pamela McCaffrey

recipe? Well, this scientific manual offers you the answers to all your

shares a collection of single and multi-tiered

questions and will steer you on the right track to baking perfection.

projects adorned with stunning sugar flowers,

Understanding the science behind baking is vital if you want to

perfect for all occasions and events.

become a better baker. In this cookbook, Dikla breaks down the

A completely self-taught cake designer, Pamela

molecular structures of common ingredients and explores how they

opens with a list of equipment and edibles that

behave in different environments, as well as techniques to control their reactions with one another.

every sugarcrafter should have in their arsenal,

Dive deep into the 50 step-by-step recipes for both sweet and savoury goods, varying from simple classics

all of which will help you with the 16 celebration

to more challenging creations. You can read this book in its entirety or scour the pages to find information

cakes detailed in the book, as well as for any

about a specific technique or ingredient, it’s completely up to you. But by removing the mystery from

cake projects going forward. She also provides

common baking blunders, you’ll be able to take your bakes to the next level in no time at all.

comprehensive instructions for assembling and covering cakes of different sizes and shapes. Each of the 16 celebration cakes have a detailed

Easy No-Churn Ice Cream

supply list and clear images that match the steps

Heather Templeton, Page Street Publishing Co., £17.99 (Paperback)

track as you work. There’s also an abundance of

Love ice cream but have no ice cream maker? Not a problem. Baking blogger Heather’s latest book teaches you how to achieve your own homemade ice cream without the need for a machine.

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page 84

to the instructions, which will help keep you on top tips scattered throughout the book, ripe for the taking if you need a little advice. Pamela’s sleek signature style is clearly reflected throughout the pages and, whether you’re a beginner sugarcrafter or an experienced cake

Throughout the pages you’ll learn how to create flavours using the

maker looking to develop your skills, the step-by-

no-churn method. From vanilla and chocolate staples to more quirky

step tutorials with handy tips and techniques will

pairings, like using aromatic teas and carnival funfairs as inspiration.

help you create your own modern showstoppers.

With creamy textures as authentic as the store-bought equivalents,

One thing is for certain, Cakes Made With Love

the only thing you need to do is mix the ingredients, pour into a loaf tin and freeze. It’s

will become a staple that any cake decorator

as simple as that. Heather’s impressive list of frozen sweets and easy substitutions for

and sugar artist would love to have on their

making any recipe vegan or gluten-free are sure to revolutionise your ice cream game.

bookshelf.

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YOU'RE NUMBER ONE

Templates are at actual size

by Viktorija Siskova

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TEMPLATES

ORANGE CRUSH by Elena Wilkinson

Caravan

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3D Base

FULL STEAM AHEAD

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by Karen Taylor 3D Roof

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Cakes & Sugarcraft - Issues August 2022

Articles inside

Lemon Curd Ripple Lemon curd swirled into creamy lemon ice cream, ideal for summertime

Orange Crush by Elena Wilkinson The latest in

Recommended Reads Our pick of the latest cake and baking books

A Piece Of Cake Advice Consultant Lauren

Raspberry Ripple Arctic Roll This gluten-free recipe

Cakes Made With Love Cover reveal and details about Pamela McCaffrey’s upcoming book!

Slice Of Your News A few of our favourite reader stories and pictures

You’re Number One by Viktorija Siskova Make a

Lilac-Vanilla Cupcakes These realistic piped lilac flowers are perfectly flavoured

Over The Moon by Christina Georgiou A sweet

Summertime Sweetness by Sarah Hunter

Stunning Stencilling by Trudy Mitchell Recreate