Cake requested by a nice fren

I think I knew this fren when I was still schooling, maybe polytechnic time? Or waiting for 'O's results? I bet it was more than a decade and I seriously can't remember the details. Signs of aging. I remembered at that age, I feel that she looked like an Ah Lian and she tot that about me too. And we didn't really talk, until that fateful day. Ha~ Since then, we sometimes plan to wear same colour theme, or occasional catch - up after that, we sort of arrange same same clothing, went to take photo cards etc. That was the day... So long ago, when I was once young. 

Anyway, now we are both married and having our own lives. We seldom meet up but occasional what's app, FB or even buying me goodies when I was preg and craving to have what she eat and post on FB. I am so blessed to have a fren like her, seldom meet but lives in the heart.

So, her hubby bday is coming up and she want to have a fondant cake, with strawberry shortcake base. Considering the weather, the fondant and the cake, it is not suitable to do so. So with some advices from a nice fren, I decided to go along with her idea of using a cake board, same size as the cake, and prop it on top of the Strawberry Shortcake so that it doesn't come into contact with moist and have risk of melting. And it is my first attempt to have to use dowels/thick straws to support the cake board of fondant deco as if I am making a tier cake.

Overall, I am very pleased with the deco part, cake wise, need to find out from my fren. And I also use my human mould for the first time and it is not so easy to mould even though I used that. But still a fun and learning experience for me. =)

Vanilla Sponge ( given by a fren, so not sure where she got it)

6 yolks

130g Top Flour *I use Cake Flour

70g Oil

80g Milk
20g sugar

6 whites

130g Sugar

1) Using Chiffon method

Cream - I am using whipped cream

300g Whipping Cream

Sugar to taste

1) Beat whipping cream til stiff peak

2) Add sugar to taste


******Will update once I get more pics frm my GF and also her reviews on the cake*****

My 1st BIG project - Miffy

Why do I call this my 1st 'big' project though I have made many customized cakes and cupcakes before - reason cos it's the first time baking a close to 2kg Buttercream Cake on a 14" cake board! I top it up with another 14 chocolate cupcakes which everyone likes.

My niece is celebrating her 1st birthday, so my sis 'ordered' her cake thru me. A cake with the shape of number '1' and to be rabbit theme. Then her hubby says, oh Miffy Rabbit. So here I go, racking my head over Miffy. 

I goggle and see what I could find. Managed to find a short tutorial after browsing thru some links, but I have to get down to it, hands on and modify along the way. My 1st attempt - standing up. Didn't kinda like it cos the Miffy kept on 'falling' due to the heavy ears. 

My 2nd attempt, I made them sitting down, each holding an alphabets to form my niece's name. This time I like it better. I follow up with some little roses, pressie. And there it goes, after a few afternoon, I finally made all the toppers.

Then came the headache, the fondant doesn't dry up well. I use toothpicks, gum paste powder and cornflour too. Trying the best to add in little portion and hoping it dries up. Everyday, without fail, I would check on them, making sure it is getting 'drier' as the days goes. Luckily all went well.

So the big day came, baking and baking. Deco and creaming etc. Then actual morning came, deco with all the toppers and there u goes, the finale.. As for the recipe, I used my previous Chocolate Chiffon(x5) and Swiss Meringue Butterccream (x2) and it covers nicely a 14" cake and 14 cupcakes. 

My 1st Fondant Toppers

Seriously, I have been playing with the idea of fondant cakes, fondant cupcakes. And definitely, to learn to make 1 nice fondant cake for my son's and daughter's birthday. 

Why? Why must be a Fondamt cake? Oh, cos I can do a lot of small details on a Fondant cake. It is like playing with Play-Doh. It's that much of fun but I simply do not have that creativity. So, since my mum's birthday is round the corner, I decided to make some fondant cake toppers and also trial with 2 car designs for my boy's upcoming birthday.  

So, a Buttercream cake with fondant toppers? Or should it be fondant covered cake with lots of small details? I simply can't decide yet. So, presenting to you, my 1st attempt!

after an hour

 

after an hour and half

another 30mins

final product

 

My 2nd order from my sister and her friend

After my order from my friend, my sis was intrigued by the appearance of the Mysterion cupcakes and decided to order some with her friends to make up my minimum orders. So 6 icing image cupcakes and 2 fondant cupcakes, all for the Hello Kitty lovers!

Some were chocolate flavours and some strawberry flavour. Decided to do them up this time round with colorful sprinkles at the border of Hello Kitty Icing Cupcakes to complement the cute kitty. End result was sweet and simple. When you see them in the individual casing, they are so cute.

As for the fondant cupcakes, I colored some yellow fondant, used the white fondant and use chocolate rice for the whiskers, black icing for the eyes and sugar flowers to replace the ribbon.. Sweet, in my views la. Covered the top of cupcakes with a pastel yellow fondant, placed the kitty head on top. Simple combination.

First support from a old friend

my first attempt

my 2nd attempt

Icing image

all packed

An old secondary school friend sms me for a special request, asking for Southpark Character - Mysterion. Ermmmm.... initially asking if I can do in the form of Mooncake. Ok, how am I supposed to do that? I suggest in the form of cupcakes, or was it from him? I can't remember but I know we finally settle on 6xIcing Image cupcakes and 6xFondant cupcakes. 

So, it was my 1st attempt for cakes from a friend and this got me kinda stress even though I had baked many times. So to reduce the chances of failure, I settle for Betty Crocker Cake Mix topped with Hershey Coco powder for Choc flavour, ordered my icing from a Baking supplier. 

I got some Phoon Huat's White fondant from a friend, and over the past few days, frantically mixing the white with blue + red to form purple. To my dismay, no matter how, it still turn BLUE the next day, or should I say in a couple of hours. And finally becomes Green!! 

So finally, again I got some purple colour, add to the white fondant, it still turns BLUE! So my last resort, I turn to MMF even though I seriously hated the thought of getting messy but I got no choice. I added purple to home-made MMF, finally the PURPLE stays! Thank God!

I first attempt to make the fondant, I gave up. So so so ugly and I send to my friend, finally decided on just the 6 icing image cuppies since I can't churn them out. But after getting some advice and steps via Whatsapp from a helpful friend in MFWL, I managed to do it out and it was so much nicer. But then the finishes is very 'rough'. I did til 1am, left it overnight and guess what, my fondant melts BIG TIME. All of them slided down!! 

Guess fated to just have the icing cupcakes la, so there he goes.

Marshmallow Fondant Recipe (not my recipe, can just google and you get a lot of version)

200g mini marshmallow

Icing sugar

2Tbsp water

Colourings

1) Put marshmallow in microwavable bowl and added water

2) Heat up 15-20 seconds each time and stir after heating up. Continue until marshmallows melt

3) Add in icing sugar slowly and slowly fold with spatula, may add colourings at this time

4) I jus keep adding icing sugar til u can take out to knead, adding icing sugar as you knead

5) Once dough is elastic and smooth, you are done. Wrap in cling wrap and rest 24hours before use

My 1st Father's Day Cake

Yesterday was Father's Day, and I have been pondering for the past few weeks on what should I bake?? *scratch head* I was thinking of a devilish Chocolate Cake so I could submit to my friend's blog for the Aspiring Baker thingy but ended up didnt as could be too chocolately for Hubby. Or perhaps a Fondant Cake with shirt and tie but also ended up didnt. So I decided on a Chocolate Sponge top with Chocolate Ganache and decorated with Fondant Hearts, small tie for the deco.

Hubby and all says it was yummy and it really makes me feel the effort was all worth it. And I have made a mental note to beautifully decorate the rest of all my cakes. In a way to also practise practise for my piping, and decorating abilities..

As i combined a lot of recipes for this time round, I wont be posting any recipes link cos very messy. I use the Spongemix for the Choc Sponge, uses the ganache from another link etc. And since I had some time, I made the Oreo Butter cake again for my mum & sis again. =)