I've decided to start a new "feature" in my attempt to post a little more regularly. Every Wednesday I'll post a picture, either one from the past or one that I have just taken.This week's picture is of the birthday cake I made for myself last year. After watching way too many episodes of "Ace of Cakes," I figured the whole cake decorating thing couldn't be that hard. As you can see from the picture, I'm not exactly an artistic genius. First of all, there was WAY too much (lemon) filling in this cake, and it kept seeping out under the fondant. The bulge you can see on the left side is one of the layers sliding out of place.
The cake itself was pretty horrible. I got the recipe from somewhere on the internet, and it turned out oddly dense and tasteless. Making the fondant was easier than you would think, but I realized how important the shape of the cake underneath was!
My Dad, who went to culinary school, taught me how to make the top roses using a light bulb (you use it to make the petals paper-thin on the edges.) That was probably my favorite part of the whole process, and a technique I hope to use again.
My cake decorating days are not over, but since it is an involved process, the inspiration for a second go-round has yet to strike.
