How Can I Make These Birch Trees?

Decorating By lexi55033 Updated 1 Sep 2009 , 8:40pm by lexi55033

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lexi55033 Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 1:47pm
post #1 of 8

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions for me as far as making these birch trees out of fondant/gumpaste? I've never made birch trees before and this is a pretty important component to the cake for the couple. He is a graphic artist and designed the cake himself, which matches the invitations that he designed. I'm open to any and all ideas/instructions/tutorials/etc.

Thanks,
Angie
LL

7 replies
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cathie_shinnick Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 2:29pm
post #2 of 8

How about rolling them until you get the width you need and just rolling them tinner on one end. For the branches do the same just smaller then use gumpaste glut to put them together. If the back side is a little flat, it will be against the cake anyway.

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txnonnie Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 2:41pm
post #3 of 8

How about printing the picture. Cut out some trees and enlarge them to size for a pattern.

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jobueno Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 2:48pm
post #4 of 8

you could use a long lollipop stick layed on parchment. Melt some chocolate candy melts, pour into a piping bag and then cover the stick with chocolate. let it set and continue adding chocolate for branches to the thickness disired.

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scrumptiousbakeshop Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 5:06pm
post #5 of 8

I've never made birch trees, but I think the most important part is the color of the bark - kind of that silvery whitish color and then the brown markings...I think I would color the gumpaste that silvery color and then engrave it with the texture and when it is dry, handpaint with a tiny paintbrush! I would probably use some sort of wire as structure inside the trees. Good Luck!

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Texas_Rose Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 5:10pm
post #6 of 8

I would definitely use wire inside the gumpaste. Count the branches that you'll be making on one trunk and start out with that many straight wires, wrapped at the bottom with floral tape. Tape again near where the branches will split off, and then bend the wires out into the different branches. When you get to the ends of the branches, bend out single wires for the smaller branches and then cut off the excess. Then you can wrap the whole thing with floral tape and cover in gumpaste, or just cover in gumpaste...the tape will help the paste stick better.

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txnonnie Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 6:18pm
post #7 of 8

Email or PM the creator of the cake and ask for advice on how they made the trees.

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lexi55033 Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 8:40pm
post #8 of 8

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. They really help! At least I have a starting point now.

The cake that I posted the picture of is just the sketch the groom did for me (he's a graphic artist). It's not a cake that has been done before and is an original design. That is why I can't PM the original poster (me icon_lol.gif ) and ask how it was done. That must not have been clear from my original post. Sorry!

I think the wire structure idea is a good one. I think I'll try that covered in gumpaste, like suggested.

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