2D Finalist
Dangerous
by Ginger Harvey · submitted Jul 16, 2011 · 2011 contest
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Description
As soon as I saw the information about the Threadcakes' contest on the Cake Wrecks Site, I knew I just had to enter. I could not decide which design to pick and then I saw Dangerous! I just loved the texture and depth that the design has and I was hoping I could recreate that feel in cake and fondant. Honestly, I got SO into the creating that, in the beginning, I kept forgetting to stop and take photos.
I started with the snake letters, except for "s", I had to wait to do that letter as it needed to be shaped with the tail down the side of the cake. I used a gum paste/ fondant mixture, colored with Moss Green paste and hand rolled it. I then used a decorating tip for the texture of the snake skin.
Next I baked the cake. A new recipe, banana cream cake with homemade chocolate buttercream. I covered a piece of cardboard with homemade marshmallow fondant tinted green (moss green and juniper green mixed).
Then came the leaves. Many, many, many leaves. So many that I lost count. They are hand cut and grooved fondant colored Juniper Green. I did not make the all at once, it was too monotonous and also I did not want them to get too dry because I really wanted to be able to mold them into the details of the snake. So, I took each letter at a time, studied the design and made the leaves that I thought I would need for that area. I used 3 different size leaves and really tried to follow the design with the placement of the leaves. I did leaves for 3 nights (3 kids at home so this is really my only time) and spend about 12 hours on the leaves alone.
The flowers and berries are fondant with black food coloring details.
The thing I really like about this design is what you don't see until you look really close...like those pesky butterflies and berries....at first glance I hardly noticed them, yet they add so much to the overall feel of the design.
The butterflies and bird are hand sculpted and painted gum paste. Throw in a couple fondant twigs held in place with toothpicks, some more leaves (I feel like I could have even added more, but had to cut myself off at some point), a final touch of white gel to highlight the snake, and there you have it.... DAN-GER-OUS!
Hope you like it. And, by the way, the new banana cream cake recipe was a hit, too!
I started with the snake letters, except for "s", I had to wait to do that letter as it needed to be shaped with the tail down the side of the cake. I used a gum paste/ fondant mixture, colored with Moss Green paste and hand rolled it. I then used a decorating tip for the texture of the snake skin.
Next I baked the cake. A new recipe, banana cream cake with homemade chocolate buttercream. I covered a piece of cardboard with homemade marshmallow fondant tinted green (moss green and juniper green mixed).
Then came the leaves. Many, many, many leaves. So many that I lost count. They are hand cut and grooved fondant colored Juniper Green. I did not make the all at once, it was too monotonous and also I did not want them to get too dry because I really wanted to be able to mold them into the details of the snake. So, I took each letter at a time, studied the design and made the leaves that I thought I would need for that area. I used 3 different size leaves and really tried to follow the design with the placement of the leaves. I did leaves for 3 nights (3 kids at home so this is really my only time) and spend about 12 hours on the leaves alone.
The flowers and berries are fondant with black food coloring details.
The thing I really like about this design is what you don't see until you look really close...like those pesky butterflies and berries....at first glance I hardly noticed them, yet they add so much to the overall feel of the design.
The butterflies and bird are hand sculpted and painted gum paste. Throw in a couple fondant twigs held in place with toothpicks, some more leaves (I feel like I could have even added more, but had to cut myself off at some point), a final touch of white gel to highlight the snake, and there you have it.... DAN-GER-OUS!
Hope you like it. And, by the way, the new banana cream cake recipe was a hit, too!
Baker’s site: www.happycakes.org