2D Finalist
Sounds Of The Ocean
by Leanne Massey · submitted Jul 28, 2011 · 2011 contest
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Description
I first discovered Threadcakes, as many others seem to, from Cake Wrecks and I was in awe of some of the beautiful, intricate (and most importantly edible) designs that people had recreated. I missed last years end date by about a week so I was fully intent on entering this years competition.
After weeks of scouring the gallery I finally decided on 'Sounds of the Ocean' by Alex Solis as it just took my breath away. At first glance you see the beautiful blues and the fish that jump out, but as I found as soon as you start really looking in detail there is A LOT of tiny features on there.
I decided straight away that I wanted to try my hardest to get as much of this detail on the cake but i'm sorry to say some of it was just beyond my skill. The only regret I have is not being able to live up to the awesomeness of the tshirt design!
I began the process by baking a rich devils food sheet cake and shaping it into an S. I then covered the cake with chocolate fudge ganache and left it to firm up. I tried my best to get the base board to match the colour of the tshirt design and I think I got it pretty accurate.
Once the cake was set I covered it in a layer of light blue fondant and set about the modelling of the shell. Each of the scales of the shell was hand crafted and layered on individually then I painted the whole thing with a mix of ice blue lustre dust and vodka.
Then came the outlining, and what a lot of outlining it ended up being. I found that every subsequent piece I made for the cake just didn't look right if it hadn't been outlined.
Each piece of the cake was made only using the tools shown in my pictures, so as you can tell it took quite a while! In total I think I spent five days, noon till six pm just on the fondant modelling!
The final step was to attach all the pieces to the cake and take some pictures... oh and of course the eating!
I really hope I've done Alex Solis proud with my take on his wonderful design and hopefully my fiancee won't kill my for my days of terrible singing while I crafted, if I offer him cake....
After weeks of scouring the gallery I finally decided on 'Sounds of the Ocean' by Alex Solis as it just took my breath away. At first glance you see the beautiful blues and the fish that jump out, but as I found as soon as you start really looking in detail there is A LOT of tiny features on there.
I decided straight away that I wanted to try my hardest to get as much of this detail on the cake but i'm sorry to say some of it was just beyond my skill. The only regret I have is not being able to live up to the awesomeness of the tshirt design!
I began the process by baking a rich devils food sheet cake and shaping it into an S. I then covered the cake with chocolate fudge ganache and left it to firm up. I tried my best to get the base board to match the colour of the tshirt design and I think I got it pretty accurate.
Once the cake was set I covered it in a layer of light blue fondant and set about the modelling of the shell. Each of the scales of the shell was hand crafted and layered on individually then I painted the whole thing with a mix of ice blue lustre dust and vodka.
Then came the outlining, and what a lot of outlining it ended up being. I found that every subsequent piece I made for the cake just didn't look right if it hadn't been outlined.
Each piece of the cake was made only using the tools shown in my pictures, so as you can tell it took quite a while! In total I think I spent five days, noon till six pm just on the fondant modelling!
The final step was to attach all the pieces to the cake and take some pictures... oh and of course the eating!
I really hope I've done Alex Solis proud with my take on his wonderful design and hopefully my fiancee won't kill my for my days of terrible singing while I crafted, if I offer him cake....
Baker’s site: www.victorioussponge.co.uk