Cake Decorating Flowers
by Laura Leydig Maxey
(Strunk, Kentucky)
Cake Decorating Flowers
Baking has always been a hobby. I decided to decorate cakes for my family when I was a teenager. As time has gone by I have learned about all of the options for baking and decorating. Now many years later, I get requests to make cakes from people I do not know.
My little hobby has turned into a great passion that I enjoy tremendously. My Inspiration
As a child, I concluded that my family was very large. It came to me at age 13 that I could bake my cousins wedding cake. That was when it started. One wedding after another. I was really enjoying my creative expressions and so were many others. Now almost 40 years later, family and friends are still enjoying my creations.
Cake Flavors
Once the decision is made that I will be making someone's special confection, the size and style is determined. Then the next important question is what flavors do they want. With this particular cake, I told the lucky couple they could have up to four cake flavors. Sometimes this can be overwhelming to the bride.
It was decided that the largest tier was going to be white with butter cream frosting between the layers. The second tier was chocolate with a chocolate butter cream. The third tier was red velvet with cream cheese frosting between the layers. I used a basic recipe for the cream cheese frosting consisting of:
8oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla flavor
I have decided this is the perfect recipe for my red velvet cake. So far no complaints about this one.
Cake Decorating Flowers
After the cake size is decided then we move on to the decoration. The bride to be wanted gum paste flowers. I had never put them on a wedding cake before. She started talking about all of these flowers she wanted. It was a major task for me but one that was a leaning experience as well. She also wanted teal color piping on each tier. Once delivered and set up we were all happy with the outcome.
Planning
One very important thing I learned early on is to make sure I have more supplies
than I need. When I first started making wedding cakes, I always found myself running to the grocery store for more supplies. I was either in need of more powdered sugar or flour. Now, I
always keep extra supplies on hand. This was one of those times when my extra supplies came in handy. I was busy playing with my grandchildren and left the chocolate cake in the oven too long. The layer was not usable. I had to make another batch. The children enjoyed it though. Thank goodness I planned ahead and bought extra supplies.
Cake Supports and Tips
For many years I used the small wooden dowel rods that can be purchased many places. I have since discovered the
jumbo plastic straws. They are much easier for me to work with. I measure them and cut them with a small pair of scissors. So easy. I have been lucky to find them in a local cake supply store and also on eBay. I also use support structures form Wilton.
More tips
Gum paste is something I just started working with about 2 years ago. As you can see on this design, there are many flowers made from it. This is actually the first wedding cake I made using gum paste flowers. I went shopping and got everything I needed to get started. Then YouTube became my best friend. I was glued to my computer for weeks learning to make these flowers.
The one thing I did not know about then was to spray them with edible spray. Now I
use pearl colored spray on the dry flowers. It makes them shine and come to life.
Something that helps me keep my piping and string work even is a
cake dividing mat. I can sit the tier on it and instantly see the dividing lines to create equal piping around the circumference.
The best and most used item in my cake decorating supplies is my
wrist support. My mom gave me one after I told her my wrist sometimes hurts after piping. It is truly my most used item. It slides on like a glove and a band wraps around my wrist.
Thank You for taking the time to read my entry.
Laura Maxey
