White Cake will Raspberry Buttercream Filling covered with Vanilla

Marshmallow fondant and Sugar Crystal "bling" and a sugar paste Anenome flower.

This week was a lot of fun. This cake turned out exactly as I had sketched it out and as I saw it in my mind. As I mentioned last week, fondant can be a tricky medium but this week it went onto the cake with no troubles at all. This was also my first time making a sugar paste anenome flower (which is more complicated than I thought) and it turned out beautifully the very first time I tried. But it was the sugar crystals that took the cake over the top and gave it sparkle. It's hard to show you in photos just how much the crystals twinkled in the light on the cake table but the close up below will give you some idea.

During the summer months people often try to take advantage of the weather, hoping that it won't be too hot for an outdoor wedding but warm enough that no one will complain that it's cold outside. Unfortunately for their guest and for the cake, it's usually way too warm, even hot, for an outdoor wedding and reception. For the guests it can be very uncomfortable but for a cake it can be fatal. A cake with buttercream filling and covered in buttercream will begin to melt after just 15 minutes in 85 degree or higher weather. After a half hour this may cause the layers to slide and the cake to soften up allowing the supports to move, and sometimes even allow the cake to fall. Fondant will give you a little leeway but since most cakes are filled with some form of buttercream, the most solid of fillings, or even softer fillings and there is a crumbcoat of buttercream below the fondant, heat will still do damage after 30 minutes in the heat. Normally there is less of a chance of collapse due to the stability of the fondant but the fondant will soften up and the buttercream will melt and then cutting of the cake can be a messy process. So for those brides out there, keep this in mind and find an air conditioned venue for your reception or plan to keep the cake in a refridgerator till the very last minute before pictures and the cutting ceremony. No matter if you pick buttercream or fondant to cover your cake always remember that heat equal disaster for your wedding cake.

Fortunately, for this cake, the venue was air conditioned and the cake looked stunning. I was very proud to show it off and to proudly stand behind it as a cake artist.

This next week brings a cake I've been working on for over a month. It is a cake for the Cub Scouts Bridging Ceremony. This is where all the boys move up to the next level and get all of their awards and achievement badges for the end of the year. For the past month I've been working on all the little fondant pieces such as a canoe and a tent as well as a Pinewood Derby racing car and more. Can't wait to share it with you all next week!

Cat