An overall success

The final result is gorgeous. I learned a lot from this cake... mostly what not to do. However, the end result was beautiful.

I had to redo the fondant, tearing it all off yesterday! I finished covering and decorating at about 9:45 this morning, and we had to leave at 10:00 to be at the church by 10:30. Once we arrived, after a scary, and somewhat slow 30 minute drive, we set up the cake and finished decorating it. We put baby's breath all around the bottom of each cake to "hide" the ugly spots that I missed at home.

My mother put all of the flowers together, and they looked absolutely stunning. My mom has some true talent with flowers.

The cake topper is the bride's and it was so adorable and unique, just like their cake. The Fleur de lis was a success, finally. It still looked like wrought iron, but it really fit with the topper.

Although I feel like I should never do a wedding cake again, I love the cake and think it's gorgeous.

 

Finalization

So, the template idea didn't work. Although it was a really good idea, and I ended up using the cut out Fleur de lis in another way, it didn't work as intended.

However, the 10" and 6" tiers are complete. I have to finish the 14" tier and then, chill... LOL

The Fleur de lis ended up being a bigger mess than I ever imagined. I made 2 different batches of black fondant, one was so dry I could have added a gallon of water and it wouldn't soften up. Th other was so greasy that when I squished it, grease oozed between my fingers. Blech. That was yet another flop.

I decided, enough was enough. I've wasted a lot of time and money this week trying to get the doggone Fleur de lis perfect. I should have done what I thought about from the beginning. Wilton's new Sugar Sheets! I bought a couple of them tonight and the Fleur de lis was cut out in a few minutes, and a nice little border shortly after that. I didn't get to be as extravagant and fancy as I wanted, but it isn't that bad.

I have decided. When I open my bakery, I am hiring someone to do wedding cakes. I never want to do this again. I'm a nervous wreck and I'm worried that the Bride and Groom won't like it. Stress... Not good.

Successes

Today has been a day of successes. First, I was able to successfully create black fondant. It is very black and it took a really long time. About half an hour of kneading to mix it all in. My hands are a lovely shade of red, and my fingernails are black.

I then created ivory in a very large quantity. It's a little darker than I wanted, but I do believe it will be fine.

I was also able to flip the "iffy" 14" cake onto the other 14" cake. That was a feat, but the cake went on almost exactly where it needed to be. It is lovely, level, and finished.

My next task today is to crumb coat both the 6" cake, which is finally completed, and the 14" cake. Then I will cover all three tiers in fondant.

Finally, if time allows, I will cut out the Fleur de lis from the black fondant. My wonderful boyfriend gave me an excellent idea. I used to scrapbook and although I still love it, I don't really have enough time anymore. Or room. So, I gave up everything, with a few remaining pieces. I bought some of those projector sheets to make see through cards and what not. He said I needed a template, and I realized I could cut one out of those sheets and I could then cut the Fleur de lis out with them instead of relying on paper that will move, bend, and curl.

I knew he was a smart one. I'll have to keep him.

Pictures will be posted soon of my first ever wedding cake.

Physical Setbacks

Today, I developed one of those headaches that saps all the strength out of a body. I left work and skipped my super fun French class because of it. I ate something, took some Tylenol, and I've been drinking water. But, none of it helped. The headache went away for a while, but it's now back and sapping more energy.

However, I have a cake to finish. Tonight, I baked my 6" cake. It is chilling. I am currently making fondant. I attempted making a chocolate fondant to make the black for the Fleur de lis, but it was so dry I couldn't add enough water back into it.

So, I decided I'd just dye it black and tell the Bride not to eat it. However, a little niggling thought crept in: try using just a spoonful of cocoa powder at a time. So, I did. The result is much better, although, the chocolate flavor is not there. That's fine. It's less food coloring.

It is still mixing, but I think it will turn out fine.

I have one more batch of pure white to make, then it's off to bed to rest my head. In the morning, I do not work. I will mix the ivory and hopefully cut out the black. I also have a very small cake pop order to fill. One dozen. I can handle that. The cake is already made and everything.

So, in the morning, I will begin assembling the layers and preparing them for fondant.

Surprises sometimes aren't so good.

I was very excited this evening. I finally got two of the cakes put together. The 10". They were lovely, the were level, they were - are perfect. I have now crumbcoated them and they await fondant. Very excited! I finally have a wonderful success. A very heavy, very thick, 2 layer 10" cake.

I also had the 6" topper ready for layer number 2. It is leveled and filled. However, the top layer was still chilling. Once it became fully chilled, I leveled it, only to find a not so wonderful surprise awaiting me. A very large air bubble had made a nest right smack in the middle of the adorable little cake. So, one more cake to make. Thankfully, it's a small one and it can be made in my little toaster oven. If I wake up early enough, I could even make it while I'm getting ready for work.

I will have to say that it's a good thing I know how to make cake pops. I wonder how many flavors I can create to use up the several pounds of white cake I have in the freezer now?

Successes... so Far

As of right now, all of my cakes are finished and ready to be leveled and stacked... Except two, they are still baking. One is nearly done, the other is going slow. It's the big one. The first big one is in the freezer firming up. It was starting to break down the middle, so I transferred it to a board and into the freezer it went so it would be firm for leveling and stacking.

The remainder of my cakes are lovely and nice. I am finally getting there.

I have been attempting the gorgeous and intricate fleur de lis design that was requested. However I tried, it would not work. It looked as if a child had tried to draw it in crayon. So, I contacted the Bride, and she OK'd a more simple fleur de lis design. I am very grateful. The design is the classic Fleur de lis and it can be cut out of fondant. I will also put a 3/4" and 1" black border around the bottom edge of the lower two cakes to make them a little more classy.

Now, the real work begins.

Finally

I now have one 10" cake complete. It is beautiful. It is level, and it's the right size. No more wasted cakes.

Thank you Jesus!

I now have the second 10" cake in the oven. Since it is now nearly 11 PM, I will wait until morning to make the other 4 cakes and the decorations.