I must have searched every site on the web to get ideas for this Ariel Little Mermaid Cake. This was my first attempt at a cake. Cute and Yummy! You can do this!
Items used:
Wilton cake pans, round...6 inch and 9 inch (these pans rock! that's slang for they are really good and make cake baking much easier.)
parchment paper (to line your pans and to roll out fondant)
Wilton pre-made fondant, white, 1 1/2 boxes (why make it? It's already made for you!)
Wilton wire cake slicer thingy (I promise this is not an ad for Wilton....Just go to Walmart or Michaels....they'll probably have it.)
A good icing knife (gotta have one....makes all the difference.)
Gel food coloring (only use a tiny drop...and I mean tiny!)
Any "fake" props from your local pet store (has to look like icing or you lose the effect)
A cake topper (I used a disney little mermaid music box so my wee one would have a keepsake)
Rolling pin (or anything that resembles one. I used a large wooden dowel like you would use to make a curtain rod.)
any type of cookie cutters ( I used Fox Run Craftsmen cutters, various kinds)
and.... A firm dense cake recipe.....like this one!
White Wedding cake
1 box white cake mix
1 cup flour, all purpose
1 cup sugar
Items used:
Wilton cake pans, round...6 inch and 9 inch (these pans rock! that's slang for they are really good and make cake baking much easier.)
parchment paper (to line your pans and to roll out fondant)
Wilton pre-made fondant, white, 1 1/2 boxes (why make it? It's already made for you!)
Wilton wire cake slicer thingy (I promise this is not an ad for Wilton....Just go to Walmart or Michaels....they'll probably have it.)
A good icing knife (gotta have one....makes all the difference.)
Gel food coloring (only use a tiny drop...and I mean tiny!)
Any "fake" props from your local pet store (has to look like icing or you lose the effect)
A cake topper (I used a disney little mermaid music box so my wee one would have a keepsake)
Rolling pin (or anything that resembles one. I used a large wooden dowel like you would use to make a curtain rod.)
any type of cookie cutters ( I used Fox Run Craftsmen cutters, various kinds)
and.... A firm dense cake recipe.....like this one!
White Wedding cake
1 box white cake mix
1 cup flour, all purpose
1 cup sugar
tsp. salt
1 & 1/3 cups water
2 tsp. veggie oil
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
a dash of almond flavoring
a dash of vanilla flavoring
preheat to 325
combine all dry ingredients, then add the rest of the ingredients and beat until nice and smooth.
Helpful Hint....always get your eggs and any cold ingredients out of the fridge for a while and bring closer to room temp.
You will babysit this cake until you can stick something in it and it comes out clean. I use kabob sticks.....use whatever! Fork it if you want to.
I made 2- 9 inch layers, and two 6 inch layers. stacked them after icing them and inserted kabob sticks to stabalize. I off centered my cakes so I could put on the "fake" coral (blue in photo...on left side).
cool and then ice using the following recipe:
a very thin layer of Buttercream Icing:
you can half this recipe, and it keeps in the fridge for a few weeks.
2/3 cup water
4 tablespoons powdered meringue
1 & 1/4 cups solid white shortening
11 & 1/2 cups confections sugar
3/4 teapsoon salt
a dash of vanilla
butter flavoring if you have it......
beat water and meringue powder until peaks form, add some of the sugar, salt and flavorings and beat until smooth. altenately add shortening and sugar until all isused. beat till smooth.
where I messed up....I put too much icing on the cakes for my buttercream layer...make it very thin...otherwise it may make your fondant shift....I used the rest of the icing for my cupcakes....it makes a ton so you can half the recipe. put a dab of icing down before your first layer so it will not fall of the platter....like it would.................just do it! Peace of mind...
Fondant:
The night before I made this...I got out a handful of fondant...and separated it, and colored....use this to make your seaweed, your leaves, stars, fish etc. let the fondant dry overnight. to stick it on the finshed cake, you can either use a bit of icing or you can very lightly dampen the back of the decoration and stick it on. Water is like glue with this stuff. Use a little shortening on your hands during the "play-doh" process so you don't stick. Always roll out your fondant with powdered sugar underneath and on top of the fondant. I colored my fondant with a tiny amount of gel food coloring. I did solid on the small cake and a marbled effect on the bottom. You can make it look marbled by not kneading the color as much as you did for the solid cake. Fondant the two cakes separately, then assemble. When rolling out...roll it thin, like 1/8th of an inch and make sure it is rolled large enough to cover the cake. Cut off any excess with a knife. Do not put fondant in the fridge! Condensation is not your friend. Any shiny spots should be dusted with powdered sugar to get that dull fondant look. With Fondant...the norm is dull...but do what you like! Fondant will tear....be careful when lifting. I used a cookie sheet to transfer it on top of the cake...much safer. when you lay it on, you can just start smoothing it down, it is very workable like play-doh...correct mistakes by dampening your finger...smoothing out, and dusting with the sugar. I did not put the music box on top until I was ready to "unveil" the cake....I was afraid the weight would make it shift. You will experiment with the decorations...I used leaf cookie cutters, a knife, and imagination to twist and turn the decorations. If the fondant dries out, put a dab of shortening on your hands and rework it like play-doh. If you use any fake items, mix in some icing or fondant to make them look like you made them. Fondant is not as hard to do as everyone says it is...just cover any mistakes with your decorations.
Store finished cake on counter uncovered.
You can soooo make this. Go do it!
1 & 1/3 cups water
2 tsp. veggie oil
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
a dash of almond flavoring
a dash of vanilla flavoring
preheat to 325
combine all dry ingredients, then add the rest of the ingredients and beat until nice and smooth.
Helpful Hint....always get your eggs and any cold ingredients out of the fridge for a while and bring closer to room temp.
You will babysit this cake until you can stick something in it and it comes out clean. I use kabob sticks.....use whatever! Fork it if you want to.
I made 2- 9 inch layers, and two 6 inch layers. stacked them after icing them and inserted kabob sticks to stabalize. I off centered my cakes so I could put on the "fake" coral (blue in photo...on left side).
cool and then ice using the following recipe:
a very thin layer of Buttercream Icing:
you can half this recipe, and it keeps in the fridge for a few weeks.
2/3 cup water
4 tablespoons powdered meringue
1 & 1/4 cups solid white shortening
11 & 1/2 cups confections sugar
3/4 teapsoon salt
a dash of vanilla
butter flavoring if you have it......
beat water and meringue powder until peaks form, add some of the sugar, salt and flavorings and beat until smooth. altenately add shortening and sugar until all isused. beat till smooth.
where I messed up....I put too much icing on the cakes for my buttercream layer...make it very thin...otherwise it may make your fondant shift....I used the rest of the icing for my cupcakes....it makes a ton so you can half the recipe. put a dab of icing down before your first layer so it will not fall of the platter....like it would.................just do it! Peace of mind...
Fondant:
The night before I made this...I got out a handful of fondant...and separated it, and colored....use this to make your seaweed, your leaves, stars, fish etc. let the fondant dry overnight. to stick it on the finshed cake, you can either use a bit of icing or you can very lightly dampen the back of the decoration and stick it on. Water is like glue with this stuff. Use a little shortening on your hands during the "play-doh" process so you don't stick. Always roll out your fondant with powdered sugar underneath and on top of the fondant. I colored my fondant with a tiny amount of gel food coloring. I did solid on the small cake and a marbled effect on the bottom. You can make it look marbled by not kneading the color as much as you did for the solid cake. Fondant the two cakes separately, then assemble. When rolling out...roll it thin, like 1/8th of an inch and make sure it is rolled large enough to cover the cake. Cut off any excess with a knife. Do not put fondant in the fridge! Condensation is not your friend. Any shiny spots should be dusted with powdered sugar to get that dull fondant look. With Fondant...the norm is dull...but do what you like! Fondant will tear....be careful when lifting. I used a cookie sheet to transfer it on top of the cake...much safer. when you lay it on, you can just start smoothing it down, it is very workable like play-doh...correct mistakes by dampening your finger...smoothing out, and dusting with the sugar. I did not put the music box on top until I was ready to "unveil" the cake....I was afraid the weight would make it shift. You will experiment with the decorations...I used leaf cookie cutters, a knife, and imagination to twist and turn the decorations. If the fondant dries out, put a dab of shortening on your hands and rework it like play-doh. If you use any fake items, mix in some icing or fondant to make them look like you made them. Fondant is not as hard to do as everyone says it is...just cover any mistakes with your decorations.
Store finished cake on counter uncovered.
You can soooo make this. Go do it!
1 comment:
Love, love, love the new blog! Soooo cute & such great ideas! :) Can't wait to see more
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