Happy Sunday! With Valentine's Day just a few days away this Bridal Shower cake was a shoo-in for the Bride who loves Pink. I loved the fact that she's using mirrors on her table for the candles so I was able to use one of my surplus mirrors to display this cake! 


This 8 inch Strawberry cake was filled with fresh strawberries and vanilla buttercream. I bet it will be gorgeous when cut and set out on her pretty pink, red and white heart decorated plates. What I love about this cake is that while it has the rose on top and hearts on the sides it's actually quite the architectural cake. So it wasn't just this little fluffy piece of pink, it actually has shape and structure. I love that. 


It was, however, one of those cakes that takes tons of prep time. Days to make the petals for the huge rose and then dust it with pink luster dust and then more time to make the squares, which had to be totally dry and hard in order to put them onto the cake and then make the hearts and let them dry so they can be placed on the cake. But I have to say that I loved every step. It was fun to see how each piece came together on the finished cake. 


Ok, so the tricks to share. The squares are cut using a square cutting set. Most people would cut out the big square and then use a smaller cutter to cut the inside out. But, for me, it is easier to cut out the small square and then use a bigger cutter to cut out a more even outside shape. Then I let them dry exactly where I cut them so that they will not lose their shape. The braids were made by using an extruder to make the long snakes of soft fondant then they are braided together and put right onto the cake with a little brush of water to hold them in place. You do not want to wait till these are dry because you want to be able to form them around the cake. The stripes are also put on while still soft so they can be placed over the edge of the cake smoothly. With those I brushed the line of water first and then laid the stripe down on the line of water.


Next week I will be able to share with you more Valentine's Day goodies! A few different types of desserts along with tutorials on how to make them!

Cat