The joy of covering a cake!

This is how it all starts... I have tried different masking techniques and personally I prefer buttercream on the crumb of the cake, it is pleasant to eat and gives a smooth finish to the fondant or sugar paste. Smoothing the cake is a

bit tricky if you get air bubbles... however is it not impossible! With a pin in hand and loads of patience you are on your way to achieving a smooth, velvety, flawless cake~ that sounds so poetic!

You will get more and more confident as you practice and practice and practice... what do I tell the students? results are all about 80% trying!!!

Using your hands is OK, but not ideal as you get nervous and sweat and since sugar is hygroscopic (absorbs/loves moisture) the fondant gets overly soft and bumps and dents start to appear~ all of a sudden, your cake is not so flawless :) it is best to use two smoothers...

I usually trim off after I have smoothed quite a bit and then hold it with my hands for further trimming.... I feel like a taylor!

The truth is I love everything Wilton!! But I also have a excuse to be so obsessed with it -A really lovely lady who owns a cake shop in Rydalmere (Sweet Deliveries check it out!) gave me a small piece of advice, use the right equipment for the right job... you will save yourself time and tears! By the way I don't know her name ~ I should ask next time... She is very generous with her knowledge and is all for young women like me to embrace the love of cake making and decorating! Love free advice ;)

Truth be told once I am in the final decorating stages of the cake I am ready to give up... And I say... " I don't want to do a cake ever again!!!!" hahaha! as if I stick to that. The cake love returns once I have a specific decoration in mind and my imagination runs wild, I breath cake, sleep cake, dream cake until I get

to do another one!

There is always loads of washing to do... sticky equipment thanks to the icing sugar, very tired eyes and a grumpy wife for James. Thankfully he is very graceful and cooks me dinner during a "cake week" and is always very encouraging with his comments regarding all the details... also having worked as a Civil Engineer for a bit has been very helpful when it comes to assemble the tiers together! He is a gem! :)

So here it is! the final product... a cake inspired by Sally's favourite colour, red! she is gorgeous and girly but not too girly ;) ~ she is full of life and colour!

Happy 30th Sal!!! :)