Wilt

I initially intended to make a 3D cake based on the design "Bunnies" using fondant. I've only ever worked with fondant once before, when I entered the Threadcakes 2009 contest, and that store-bought stuff was terrible, so I attempted to make my own. I found a recipe using marshmallows, vanilla, butter, and a whole lotta' sugar, and it was very sticky, messy, and iffy, but somehow it turned into a workable sort of sugar dough.

The next day, I baked some lemon cake (Duncan Hines boxed mix - if it ain't broke, don't fix it!) and tried to sculpt some fondant while that was in the oven. I carefully portioned out 16 little bunny-sized pieces but quickly found that my home-made fondant was not cooperative... at all. After three depressing melty-looking bunnies/bears/piles of fondant, I panicked and pulled a 180. Rolled and kneaded all the fondant back together, consulted youtube, ignored the advice to use buttercream, and somewhat successfully covered my round two layer cake (strawberries and home-made whipped frosting in the middle.) Ahh, a blank canvas for what was now going to be a 2D entry!

I picked "Wilt" because it is a lovely watercolor and it seemed like a good choice for painting with food coloring gels (Wilton) - I've never tried this before, but I was inspired by some past year's entries. I diluted the gels with white wine (no vodka on hand, unfortunately) and used a toothpick to make a rough outline. Didn't take too many in-progress pics, but it was definitely all edible, I promise! Six hours ish total, crisis averted, one dimension dropped, hope y'all like it!

Special thanks for my "consultant" Marcella, and Marcella and Adam for being such good models (paid models! paid in cake.) Mmmmmmm delicious cake!