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Showing posts with label Victorian cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Victorian cake. Show all posts

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Victorian Style Gilded Gumpaste Fruit


Victorian style Gilded Gumpaste Fruit

Supplies

Firm Gumpaste

Green Royal Icing in Piping Bag

Cornstarch

Red, Green, Orange and Brown Gel Colors

Gold, Silver, Champagne, Copper, Super Pearl luster dusts

Gum Glue

Assorted Plastic Fruit

PME cutter or Pizza cutter

Scissors

Wire cutters

Everclear

Brushes

32 gauge wire

28 gauge white covered wire

White floral tape


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Pine Boughs



Cut 32 gauge wire into 3-1/2” lengths.

 Place together 8 wires and wrap the middle with floral tape.

Spread the wires at the ends.



Insert each wired end into the tip of the piping bag and withdraw gently.

Set aside to dry.

When dry, fold the ends together and set aside.

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Grapes





Cut 28 gauge covered wire into 3” lengths.

Make a hook at the end of each wire.

Roll a ½” oblong ball of gumpaste.

Moisten the hook end of the wire with gum glue;

insert into the end of gumpaste grape and turn a quarter turn to secure.

Pinch and smooth the end of the grape to the wire.
Set aside to dry.


Twist together the grapes in groups of three.

Wrap 3-4 grape clusters together with white floral tape.

Paint grapes with Super Pearl mixed with everclear,

then brush ends with gold luster dust.
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Gilded Fruit


Color your gumpaste to match your fruit.

Orange for oranges, red for apples, green for pears, ect.










Liberally dust one side of plastic fruit with cornstarch.'

Roll out gumpaste on a well dusted board into a circle about 1/8” thickness.

Dust underside of gumpaste well with cornstarch.

Lay over one side of plastic fruit,
smoothing to fit over half.

Using your PME or Pizza Cutter, cut in a straight line on the half of fruit.


Lift gumpaste to make sure it isn't sticking and lay back on fruit to dry.

When dry, Mix your gold, silver and champagne luster dusts with everclear
and paint onto fruit.

Steam fruit to set in the color.

Attach to cake using white royal icing piped around the edge.

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Gilded Pinecone

Color Gumpaste brown, and roll into a 1” oblong ball.


Placing scissors at a 90 degree angle, snip V shaped using the very end of your scissor blades.

Repeat the process just under the first row,
alternating the cuts to create the pinecone seeds.

Continue the process until the cone is cut all way to the end.


Using a small spatula or knife,
make a vertical indention on the middle of each seed.

Set aside to dry.

Mix copper lusterdust with everclear, and lightly paint the pincone.

Steam to set in color.

Attach to cake using white royal icing.

 
For more flair and interest, add pearlized gumpaste green leaves, gumpaste pink roses, and pearlized gumpaste feathers to your guilded fruit groupings.


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Tutorial by Jacque Benson 2008-all rights reserved
Photography by Morgan Jackson 2008-all rights reserved
Tutorials and photos may not be reproduced in any form
without permission.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

A Victorian Christmas Cake




Recently, I was asked to participate in a special project for ICES ( International Cake Exploration Societe). The theme for this Day of Sharing was "Christmas Weddings" and I was ask to demonstrate for the group.


I have always loved the victorian styled Christmas with the soft laces and rich gilded accents and wanted to incorporate that theme into the cake's design. While working on the design to demonstrate for an ICES Day of Sharing, another request came to submit a cake and tutorial for the December newsletter. I was truly honored.


So design in hand, and all my cake tools packed, I traveled to Houston so my dear friend, Morgan Jackson, could professionally photograph the cake. Morgan was very accomodating as I literally took over her dining room, sugar and tools spread about as I began creating the cake. This was her first opportunity to see me decorate a cake; and we laughed and chatted as I worked throughout the night.


The next day was my turn to watch Morgan, a true artist, at work. She clicked and clicked away at the little monument erected on her dining room table. Although the photograher liked what she saw through the lens, she wistfully looked out the back door and sighed, "It would have photographed beautifully out in the sunlight."


To her surprise, I picked the cake up and headed out the back door into Morgan's green sanctuary . The sun was low in the sky, creating a warm glow on the cake, and the results were magical. The artist, now in her element, clicked away from every angle; and the results, as you can see, were just beautiful.
Kindred spirits and a collaborative effort always create the best things in life!
Thank you Morgan!


"God gave us our memories so that we might have roses in December." ~J M Barrie