goodnight Maisie.

ANight all.xx

Night Nanny 

I get such a kick out of hearing some of you say good night when it's 5 in the afternoon here. Not sure why, but i do.  And nightie, night!

Haha it's gone 11pm here.

Oh and welcome to the thread Howsweet  

That's one of the next things I want to try to Chasingmytail, the marshmallow fondant from Jessica's class looks really easy to do and the finished result looks like it has more stretch than SP.

This w-cake I'm making for Monday collection and its going in the brides car to top of Scotland.

Its 3 tier - middle tier double barrelled. How would you put it in a box?  My gut feeling is to separate each tier, just cant afford for it to double over - do you agree?  If I RI each layer is it just too risky?

Now if I do separate tiers.  the bottom tier is easy as it has a cakeboard to wedge up.  How do I store the 2nd & 3rd? I dont want to purchase anything its got to be home made.  Looking at the shop bought tiered boxes they have a base with a hole cut in - thats easy I can do this. But how to stop any movement in the 2nd & 3rd tiers?

Ok it arrives safely, who is going to assemble this cake? its a very expensive venue should they ask them to do it - is is ok it not RI each tier?

What do you think?

AChasingmytail, I would definitely not stack them for travelling long distance. Assuming your 2nd and 3rd tiers are on cake cards I would have them in separate cake boxes with some non-slip roll underneath the cakes so the tier cannot slide. The cake boxes too should have similar material to prevent sliding. Someone on this thread suggested using a bath mat. Make sure the bride knows that nothing in the car should be able to roll or fall onto the boxes as I guess the car will have plenty of "bridal" luggage in it. Lots of hills and bends in the highlands!!! I am always surprised at how many people think you can just put a cake on a car seat.

The cakes will be pre-dowelled so you could mark where they are to be positioned with a scribing tool. However, your client needs to check with the wedding organiser that someone is available to stack the cake. Personally I would use RI for securing the tiers. Maybe you could suggest having a phone call with whoever was going to that. An expensive venue should have someone available.

Is there additional decoration to be positioned at the venue?

I am soooo behind, you guys need to talk less!! hehe

So:

Maisie - I can't wait to see your cakes, I'm sure you did a great job as usual! Hope you are doing ok!!

Bashini -  Love the wedding cake, it's so classy!

Can't remember who's the bird cage was but I love the white on blue!

Siany - I can't take any more teasers for this Alice in Wonderland piece! Absolom is spot on, I can't wait to see it all assembled!

Chasing - with regards to transporting tiered cakes before assembly I buy a box larger than the tier and put a piece on non slip in the box under the cake, and then a piece of non slip in my car under the box. Lather, rinse, repeat as per number of tiers. However in your situation, boxing and transporting wouldn't be my problem, it's the end assembly that looks like the big issue. Would it be possible for you to centre dowel the cake and send it assembled? What is the cake made of?

So I am now off to bed because I start my training tomorrow! Woop! It's been an odd day today though, lunch for my mothers 60th turned into lunch and then we had drinks and discussions (as I'm pretty sure only my family can) up the tower by the bay and then I had to go to work for 3 hours but whilst there someone left and set the alarm so I set it off and ended up having to spend extra time there trying to get the company to reset the alarm! I suppose it's more exciting than nothing happening in my days! I also did 2 lots of cupcakes and a rainbow buttericed cake in my 'spare time' during the rest of the day... night night all!

AEvening all.

It's very late and I'm just getting to bed. Absolem is now finished, well last two bits to put on but that can't be done till he's in his final position. I am assembling the whole display tomorrow so I'll have pics when I get back from college.

Thanks for all you lovely comments on absolem, I'm really chuffed with him as he was my first attempt and only about my 7th ever model.

Maisie, good to see you my friend. Can't wait to see your daughters cake.

Nanny to colour RI black use sugarflair black extra. It'll work.

Natt good luck for tomorrow.

Tiddy hope your finger is better

Right too tired to try and remember any more so sorry for who I missed. Oh nanny yes I would also frill the edge of those petals with a tooth pick on the peony. It's fiddly but once you get the hang of it the effect is really good.

That's it now really lol night all

Hello guys, may I join in? Been reading this thread for some time and admiring all the cakes you've posted :) I myself live in Northern Ireland so it's good to find a place with others from the UK!

This cake was a nightmare start to finish! I make the Michele Foster's fondant, after trying the Tescos and Dr Oetker ones and hating them, and it has been wonderful until now. I loved the firmness of it, if you know what I mean, it didn't stretch too much when applying to the cake and there was minimal elephant skin. However, this last week I have made it twice and both times it was far too soft and near melty(!?) when on my cake and trying to smooth, and the elephant skin...oh my word!

I use the recipe that uses 3tbsp of gelatin and glycerin, and 6oz white chocolate, and nothing else is different this week apart from the slightly warmer weather, but even then it only reached around 20 degrees or so here, so I can't imagine that was the problem? Does anyone else find their sugarpaste going a lot softer in slightly warmer weather? I've only been decorating cakes since around October last year so haven't experienced sugarpaste in the warmer months!

Anyhow, thanks to the wonderful posts in this thread I have gone ahead and ordered Sugar Paste Direct fondant to see how I go with it, hopefully I get on much better :)

I managed to make the cake presentable enough for a photo! It was really just a practice cake to try out stacking a tiered cake and build some confidence with it. 

Goodnight Everyone!

AGood morning all!!! And welcome to the thread, howsweet and Linda. :)

Linda, your cake is gorgeous!!! I once made Michelle Fosters fondant and it was nice but it was too sweet for me. So I am using Covapaste. And if I need coloured sugar paste, then I use M&B.:)

Natt, thank you and congratulations on your new job!! :grin:

AMorning everyone

Welcome to the new members, hope you can do a better job at keeping up than me !!

Chasing sounds stressful hope you get a solution, let me know how you get on with the sugarpaste direct..

Yes I had thought about trying marshmallow fondant but knowing how long it takes me to complete a cake wondered if this is too much to consider at this stage !!

Morning all! 

Welcome to the thread Linda, your cake is beautiful. I was admiring the cake in your avatar the other day in gallery it's lovely.

AMorning Linda.

You're is excellent, cant believe you've only been doing this since Oct! Howsweet, morning to you too but you're probably in bed!

ASiany 'Absolem'!! thank you sooo much it was driving me nuts what his name is!!! ha ha ha

[rubbing eyes] someone else from NI?! Hi Linda! Loooove your cake, it kinda reminds me of coy carp for some reason - love it!

Nanny I am literally jittery waiting for these lace mats lol! I am terrified that all my practices will be brittle or too delicate but gotta try it!

Hopefully I can try and keep up again lol - slightly burned out from the new job but settling in now and finding time for cakes again! yay! making a piano player topper at the moment..... almost feel like buying a dolls house piano to save some of the trouble ha ha!

WAKE UP Howswet - come out and play!!! :D

A[@]linda46125[/@], I can make Michele Foster fondant in my sleep at this point...lol. Try the version that calls for 2 tbsp of the various ingredients. And I always, [B]always[/B] use the entire four pounds of powdered sugar, and then more for the final kneading stage. And if I need [B]more[/B] after it's rested awhile, well I'll knead some more in. Don't throw in the towel yet, try it my way and see what happens.

AOh, and don't use vanilla, just splash in a bit of almond extract instead.

Edited to add: I just noticed you add white chocolate. I don't do that, so my instructions might not work well for you...might screw it up completely.

AAz do you find it more economical making it yourself ratherr than buying ready made or do you find it's just worth the 'trouble' because it tastes better and works how you like it?

I find I have to use ready made just so I have the time to decorate but thats because of the day job.... though not a single brand I've tried is quite perfect....

The moment you said 4lb of sugar I immediately imagined EVERYTHING in my kitchen dusted with a light covering ha ha

edit - Az are you doing an all-nighter? Isn't it like 1am with you??

AIt is indeed...lol! Nah, some nights I'm just not tired yet, but I'm clocking out here soon, for sure. I just prefer to make everything I can, and yes, I love how MFF handles and behaves and tastes. Actually, it's a fairly clean process, you'd be surprised. I can make it thru a batch with only a slight mess on the counter afterwards. I turn the fondant out onto a cutting board, instead of my counter though, and that keeps nearly all of the ps from going anywhere it shouldn't.

Yep, thats for the ideas on packaging the cake tiers - had thought of the anti-ship mats (anyone know where they sell really cheap as wont see them again????) Luckily there isnt any bits to knock off but I will be making a very simple flower which she'll have to arrange someone to attach - agree the venue should be capable to do this.

Yes its dowelled. Base is fake, double barrelled chocolate fudge, top orange maderia all covered in chocolate ganache.  Think it'll be fine.  Good solid cakes. 

Want to make boxes now so done ready - so info  on cheap cheap antislip mats please.

AOops, cut myself off. Very economical as well. There's only one brand I'd give up my MFF for, and of course it's the [B]most[/B] expensive fondant as well, and rightly so. It's made from unicorn tears, by angels. Whatever the proper name, Massa Ticino, something like that. That, I would gladly give up making another batch of MFF for. But it's an expense I'm not willing to incur.

AThink The Range sell them and any pound shops you my have locally Chasing, I got a good one from b&q but it was £5, before my mum came round with one from a pound shop lol !!

A

Lol I love it! that would make a great cake topper...... (whirring cogs)

I must give MFF a try - I'm almost converted by your recommendation already!

Night night Az :)

@chasingmytail I got a big roll of rug anti-slip web from Ikea, I think I got it from their bargain bin so it was extra cheap but might be worth pricing against other options? I'm still snipping little squares off it and will be annoyed when it's all gone! I use it under cake boxes so they don't slip around in the boot, and inside boxes if the cake board doesnt touch the sides.

I would also use really cheap silicone at 2 for 99p from the £ shop and (using that gun cage thingy that you put the silicone tube in) pipe a tight zig-zag actually on the base of the cake box (do inside first, assemble the sides then turn over and do the bottom, leave that overnight and you have a non-slip box, one tube does dozens of boxes.

Chasingmytail I got an small roll of anti slip mat from Home Bargains for 59p, I have the ikea one grey mentioned under my rug that is a big roll for about £2 but most poundshops, B and M or quality save shops should have it cheap.

Good morning all!

Bashini, thank you! I'll keep the Covapaste in mind if the SPD doesn't work out, it would sure be nice to buy fondant that I'm happy with rather than have to make it!

Roxylee and Nannycook, thank you you're very kind! 

Crazy-gray! Yeah I'm from Lisburn (the city for life, bah!!!) Ohhh yeah I get it now, I thought it reminded me of something but couldn't put my finger on what, but you're right, Koi carp!

Hi AZCouture! Thank you for the tips! I'll be sure to try it that way, although I've bought some to try I'm not one to give up and let something get the better of me so no doubt I'll be making it again very soon! I probably don't use enough icing sugar going by what you've said so I'll try it and see! I'll try it with out the white chocolate, I was just adding that as I found it gave the fondant more strength. Thanks AZ!

Thanks all for the lovely welcome, I hope I haven't missed anyone :)

morning all..wowzers you lot have been busy!

Im still on the three minecraft cakes! lol

Welcome newbies 

Im going to get myself off to home bargains for some anti slip! Dont know why i didnt think of that before ..............on the subject of SP, i usually use covapaste and never had a problem until the birdcage , but im about to try culpitt, mainly as it was so cheap :)

Nanny I found this for you (and me) http://www.culpitt.com/ProjectFiles/PeoniHowTO.pdf

think that will help loads  mind you i seem to have missed so much youre probably done!