Let's try something different

I volunteered to make a cake for a friend's bridal shower.....I have made cakes before......I have decorated cakes before.......I made my own wedding cake and decorated it (three tiers!) But a few of my facebook friends had been using fondant to decorate their cakes and so I decided I wanted to try to do this type of cake decorating as well. I mean, how hard could it be.....you bake the cake, you ice the cake, you make the fondant and roll it out, cover the cake and vavooom you are done with a georgeouse cake...right??? NOT!!!

First thing I learned was that I should have started the project 3 days before the event instead of the night before the event!!! I always make my cakes (from scratch of course!) the night before I want to decorate them. After they have cooled I use a powdered suger glaze to cover the cake -- this seals in the moisture for a great tasting cake. It is messy but does the trick!!

I don't have a lot of counter space so when I do stuff like this it automatically moves to the dining room where I use my large table as a counter!!!

The next morning I make my butter cream frosting to frost the cake with. This is an absolute must even if you are using fondant! Fondant does not taste like frosting.....it just looks good!! So you don't want to serve a guest your beautiful cake with fondant only on it b/c your guest will most likely scrape the fondant off and eat just cake.....dry with no frosting!!!

Since I am using fondant I decide that I don't have to be perfect with the frosting.....just basically slap it on there and go!!!!

My table is still in relatively good condition at this point!!! But just wait, I still have to make that fondant!!!! I read the directions that I pulled from the internet ( great place to find answers to every question I might add!). Ummm, I should have read directions the night before.....oh well, it is too late now....keep moving!!!!

Kitchen after making the butter cream icing......things are looking bad at this point.....I have no room here to "knead" the fondant so again I have to move to the dining room table!!! The fondant is marshmellows - melted in the microwave with a 2lb bag of powdered sugar poured on top then DUMPED on the kneading surface...... I am so glad sweet hubby wasn't home during this process....he hates anything to be put on this table..........

The fondant after kneading for about 8 minutes!!!! What a workout for the arms!!!! What a MESS!!!!!! There is powdered sugar EVERYWHERE!!!!!! Will it come up off the table???? Will I ever have a normal floor again where it flittered down off the table??????? What was I thinking??????

Well, after several roll outs with several tears in the fondant.........I finally got a piece big enough to fit the top tier (6" round) and then made the little stripes!!!! WOW ----- I am on a roll.......uhhhh, I don't have any more fondant that I can use.....so I clean off the table and start another batch of fondant.........more marshmellows and powdered sugar, more kneading, more powdered sugar on the table and onto the floors........things aren't looking so good at this point.....not sure if I can get this cake actually finished before the shower......trying to think if there is a bakery close by that maybe I can just run to and pick up a cake........NO, dang it I can do this, I really can........I hope I can, OH MY GOSH....WHY DIDN'T I JUST ORDER A STUPID CAKE!!!!!!!

This is what kept me going.......sweet sonic.........sweet diet coke........(oh yea, I only lasted one month when I gave up my diet coke).......you can see the picture of what I was going for -- beautiful cake with ribbon bow on top......I mean it can't be that hard can it??????

This is what I ended up with after another hour of trying to make a bow out of fondant......where are my cookie cutters?????? I just found a large heart to cover up the top!!! Who needs a bow anyway....they are so overrated!!!! I mean a heart means love.......sweet eternal love.......

The final product finished with at least 2 hours to spare!!!!!! A little lopsided, a few flaws, but dang it .......I DID IT!!!!!! Now I just hope the darn thing taste good!!!!

After finishing the cake that I was so proud of I starting thinking.....how am I going to transport this monstracity?????? Sweet hubby to the rescue......he delivered me and cake safely to the shower. The shower itself was wonderful........sweet friend had an array of gifts to open, shower attenders had tons of yummy food to eat and lots of conversation, stories, and laughter and opportunities to get to know people better!!! Bride to be tried on her dress to show it to us......ahhhhh beautiful bride to be! And the cake tasted good after all the worry!!!!

The doctor has a greater understanding of why people pay big bucks to have cakes made for them......they want to keep their kitchens clean and their table free of powdered sugar and marshmellows!!!!! It only took about 30 minutes to scrub powdered sugar off the table and floor....not so bad!!! EWWWWWW, there is still a sticky film on the table.......scrub again......now said table is resting under a coat of orange oil to get it's gloss back........

Until next time the doctor is out..........going back for a slice of fondant covered cake......yummmy!