Cake Sculpting Workshop

Yes, it was a most incredible weekend. I never thought I would have the opportunity to attend a workshop so close to home. Never thought I would be attending a workshop taught by the infamous Colette Peters either! But, there it was advertised in our local paper and only 20 minutes away! I was beyond excited if that could be possible.

I've worked with fondant a few times in the past but nothing as intricate, or detailed as I would have liked. So my goal was to takes notes and pick up as many techniques as I possibly could in the three-day workshop.

So first up was carving the cakes (for our purposes the cakes were foam cylinders or squares) and learning the importance of correct dowel placement. The key to a structurally sound cake is balanced and dowels.

I kept my focus on technique of the details rather than going for the crazy crooked cake structure. Using 4 cakes and three three sizes I carved a tapered cylinders and made a donut shape. I was amazed at the ease of attaching the fondant to these shapes when using a high quality, moist fondant. And even more amazed that all fondant doesn't need to taste nasty.

The details on the cake are in gum paste and royal icing. I tinted with powered food coloring for the intense black on the top tier then marbled a soft violet for the rounded donut. The detail on the leaves is from a press that made them look amazingly life-like. The bottom is painted for an antiqued look. The gum paste pearls are painted with pearl dust and lemon extract. The round/donut shape is quilted and detailed with simple hand tools. The ribbon around the hat is ribbed with a rolling pin. The beads on the hat are threaded onto floral wire as is the little daisy. The button detail on the ribbon is brush embrodery.

This was an amazing class thanks to a very talented instructor. The cake and experience will stay with me for many years to come.