Beautiful Lace

Mindy Shay played with a new lace mold.

Hi, my name is Missy and I have a cake blog where I tell all about my experiences in baking and decorating cakes. Missyscakesandaprons.blogspot.com I was asked to test out a product and I picked the Lace - Double Flower Center Mold. I had never used a lace mold before and I was very excited to try it out.

I’m sorry about the glare, I like to do my fondant work on my cutting board and the flash made a terrible glare!

First I dusted my mold with a little powdered sugar. Then I took a mixture of chocolate fondant mixed with modeling chocolate and rolled a log and “smooshed” it into the mold. I put too much fondant into the mold and had to “cut” some of it out. It was too hot in my kitchen to be using modeling chocolate so the impressions did not turn out as well as I would have liked.

Be sure to put powdered sugar on your board to prevent sticking. Doesn’t it look great with this dark brown? It tasted yummy too!

I made a small cake for church so that I could test these molds out.

The best part is how easily it molded onto the round curve of the cake and was very quick and easy to make. Wouldn’t this also look great as wings on a bat or bird? Just make the middle part a bird or something and you have a double use for this mold!

Next I tried out just straight fondant, I used green so you could see the fondant in the mold. I tried rolling the fondant onto the mold, but that didn’t work out very well.

(Yes, I know that my apron looks like a hospital gown here, but I promise that I am not crazy!)

Next I used an angled spatula cut excess fondant out.

It was very easy to just place the lace onto the buttercream, if my cake had been covered in fondant, I would have used either water or vanilla extract to adhere the fondant.

I tried a different approach on my third lace mold. I tried using even less fondant.

First I took the fondant and flattened it out in the basic shape of the mold in my hands.

Then I “smooshed” the fondant into all the crevices of the mold.

I then took my roller and rolled the fondant smoothly into the mold.

I used my spatula to take away any extra fondant.

The fondant peels out of the mold very easily.

I then trimmed off any extra fondant again after removing it from the mold. I centered the lace where I wanted it to go and pressed it gently onto the cake. This lace turned out the best. I had used less fondant on this one and I was able to get every detail to show. I LOVE this mold.

You can also make impressions onto fondant to cover the cake. I rolled my fondant out onto the board.

I then gently pressed the mold onto the fondant. Do not use your roller, it distorted the image.

My picture of the good impression did not turn out, but you can see what a pretty design it makes here.

This mold would be great for any kind of fancy cake, and it is big enough to use on big cakes or as the entire design on a small cake.

Product Used:

Lace - Double 5 Flower Center

A Beautiful Cameo

Rebecca Stewart created a beautiful bell cake using a cameo mold.

The setting and “Sisters” cameo were molded from gumpaste and allowed to dry. After drying the setting was dusted with Inca Gold. The cameo was flooded with Black Magic petal dust in an Everclear suspension. I used my airbrush to blow a stream of air to aid in drying. After drying, the cameo was lightly buffed with a soft towel to remove a little more color from the raised surfaces. It was then dusted with Super Pearl (I used my large, fluffy brush that is only used for Super Pearl, and did not add any dust to the brush).

The two pieces were attached with a thin layer of gumpaste and gum glue and steamed.

The bell shaped cake was covered in flesh toned fondant. A choker ribbon was cut from fondant and dusted with Black Magic petal dust. (I just covered a pan for this project.)

Rebecca is a full time school library director with a passion for cake decorating. She has been decorating seriously for the last 5 years, when she discovered gumpaste and fondant, and as a hobbyist for over 30 years. She has albums of her cakes on both Flickr and Facebook.

Products Used:

Cameo-Sisters mold

Cameo Setting #1 mold

Sandy's Anniversary!

Sandy Swart created a beautiful anniversary cake using the square medallion mold.

This weekend was our 29th wedding anniversary. Just hubby and me and we’re tired of cake. LOL Here’s a token anniversary cake for DH using left over calla lilies from two wedding cakes this past month, two 6” layers baked with leftover batter, and cornflower blue buttercream leftover from the beer cooler cake done this past weekend. I have wedding cake coming up with drapes (that I haven’t done in a long time so decided to play around. Made fondant drape with moiré texture to wrap around base of cake. Make a butterfly bow and instead of a knot I used Melissa’s square medallion mold and just molded a corner of it in fondant. Painted it with luster dust/everclear and used it for the bow knot. I really like the way that part came out. Just goes to show, you have to think smaller instead of always using the entire mold.

Sandy

Products Used:

Square Medallion

Buckled Purse

Rhonda Christensen created a beautiful purse cake using the studded oval buckle mold and the 5-petals blossom mold.

I knew that I had a purse cake coming up soon, so I chose this studded circle buckle mold to do this cake for a 13 year old. The mold is so easy to use. Just put the gumpaste in and use a very sharp knife to even it out, unmold and let dry. I used some silver luster dust to paint the buckle.

I then used the 5 Petal mold to add more girlyness to the cake. These are so quick and easy to do.

Rhonda Christensen

Web Site

Sugar Teachers Blog

Rhonda's Rants Ravings and Cravings

Products Used:

Buckle - Studded Oval

5 Petal Blossom

Similar Products:

5 Flower Press

Buckle - Mini Studded Buckles

Buckle - Round Beveled

Buckle - Heart

Buckle - Jeweled Tri Loop

Buckle - Round Jeweled

Buckle - SM Rounded

Buckle - SM Squared

Buckle - Square

Buckle - Studded Circle

Buckle - Studded Rectangle

Buckle - Studded Square

Beautiful Butterflies!

Jessica Montoya created some beautiful cupcakes using butterfly wing molds.

I used white chocolate which I quickly melted in the microwave. I filled the mold with the melted chocolate and tapped the mold on a flat surface to remove any air bubbles and I cleaned away any excess chocolate with a small spatula. I placed the mold in the refrigerator for about two minutes to set. Once the chocolate was firm I removed the wings from the mold with great ease. I then dusted the wings with pink and green pearl dust to bring out the beautiful details. I attached the wings to the cupcakes using icing and then created the body of the butterflies with the same white icing which I then dusted with pink pearl dust.

Jessica

Products Used:

Butterfly - Regular Wings

Similar Products:

Butterfly - Monarch Wings

Butterfly - Slim Wings

Frog Loop Closure

Georganne Bell created a fashionable cake using the frog loop closures mold.

Frog loop closures are usually made of a small cord looped and tied around itself and are fastened on clothing items to take them from simple to sensational. I made my own frog loop closure out of fondant and fixed it on my mandarin collar cake for that same striking look as its rayon counter part. (And the best part is that all I had to do was squish fondant into a mold---no tricky tying necessary!) It's practically perfect for my upcoming move to the Orient.

I have a few helpful hints for using this mold. First, when putting the fondant into the mold, roll the fondant into a thin rope. I'm talking thin as a lollipop stick. Then carefully lay it inside the mold. This helps to get fondant everywhere you need it, and keeps it from getting everywhere else.

And for the record, it is easiest to put the two pieces together BEFORE you try to put them on your cake. Trust me on this one.

Georganne

Products Used:

Frog Loop Closures

2010 Christmas in July! Saturday and Sunday Only...

‎It is time for the annual Christmas in July sale at Decorate the Cake.  This once a year sale offers discounts on all items.  This year we are happy to announce that there is NO COUPON CODE required!  Yippee!!  All items are updated in the store with a sale price that is reflective of the discount. 

So you ask, what are the discounts? 

40% off all molds, texture mats and package bows
35% off all petal and leaf veiners
25% off cutters, DVDs, sugar bottles and venuance pearls
10% off clearance 

Happy Shopping!
Melissa

P.S.  We've added a "share" button - at the end of each post (past or future) you will be able to share via facebook, email, twitter and others! 

Fishy Fishy - Take Two

Glenda Stockwell created an asian themed cake using the koi fish mold.

I loved this mold the moment Melissa showed it to me!

To create the koi I used fondant mixed with tylose. I firmly pressed the fondant into the mold and smoothed over the back with the palm of my hand. The mold then went into the freezer for about 15-20 minutes -- one I forgot about and it was in for a good hour with no damage done. I then let the fish sit and dry for a few days - this step wasn't necessary but I was busy so they had to wait. I used the all-mighty google image search to look for koi coloring and then using everclear and petal dust I painted the designs on my koi. Then I used a pearl sheen airbrush color and lightly airbrushed each --- this didn't show up that great in the pics but I liked the look in person.

I marbled the fondant for the cake and board --didn't look as marbled on the cake as it was on the board. Then stenciled an asian symbol that should read "peace" according to the stencil manufacturer but according to my friend it is not peace and he's not sure what symbol it is. Bamboo looking fondant pieces form the border. The bamboo was dusted with browns and greens.

For the top of the cake I create a water lily looking flower. I didn't have cutters or veiner so I just kinda winged it.

I hope you enjoy using this mold and make sure to share your pics!

Glenda

Products Used:

Koi Fish molxd

Timeless Classic Look

Check out the project that Katherine Dungan created using a brooch mold.

I chose this mold to work with as I had an upcoming birthday of some one who wanted a classic style cake.

It gave a very nice broach about 1 1/2" long. I wanted one that looked like a pearl set in gold. To accomplish this I put just enough white fondant/gumpaste mix to fill the center cavity. The next step was to brush it with a little glue. Taking a yellow fondant/gumpaste mix is finished filling the mold. I used the yellow so that when I painted it with gold dust, if I missed any spots, it would not be as obvious as it would if it were white.

The cake was a white 10" hex cake. The reason for the hex cake was to allow the broach to stand out. The topper was fresh flowers and I added small pleated drapes on the corners. I love how the mold turned out but wish I had used different flowers.

I think the broach added the timeless classic look I wanted.

Thank you so much for letting me part of the DTC product testing group.

Sincerely,
Katherine Dungan

Products Used:

Brooch - Diamond Pearl Center

Ballerina Beauty

Check out the project that Leslie Schweitzer created using the 5-petal blossom veiner.

I decided to use both sugar as well as gumpaste with my mold.

For the sugar:

I tried two ways to make the sugar flowers....venuance pearls and isomalt. I found the venuance pearls to lack clarity, they became cloudy upon completion. The isomalt turned out beautifully clear! After preparing the isomalt according to directions, I poured it onto the mold as accurately as I could (some does spill over, that's ok because I have a baking mat underneath). Then, I pressed the opposing side of the mold on to create the two-sided effect that is so outstanding with this mold.

I did not have to be perfect with the amount of isomalt, whatever spilled out and over was easily broken off when firm.

In less than 5 minutes, I had a perfectly beautiful, multi-dimensional bloom.

For the gumpaste:

I simply colored the gumpaste pink and pressed it into the two sides of the mold. When slightly firm (less than 5 minutes), I left it to completely dry on crumpled aluminum foil. When totally firm, I painted it lightly with a pink airbrush paint.

I hope you like this mold as much as I adored using it!

Products Used

5 Petal Blossom

Floral Applique

Check out the project that Kristine Fox created using the Applique - 10 PT Floral lace mold.

I used the lace applique mold on a fondant covered cake. I lightly dusted each "flower" with silver platinum dust, and then lightly sprayed the whole cake with Lucks Pearl Shimmer airbrush color. The fondant ribbon along the bottom completes the cake.

Visit Kristine's wesbite: Confections of a Housewife

Products Used:

10 PT Floral lace applique

Fishy Fishy

Check out the project that Leslie Schweitzer created using the koi fish mold as well as the 5-petal blossom veiner.

This is my test for the koi fish mold.
I first made one out of poured sugar, but thought it lacked the "weight" necessary on the top of a cake, so I went with fondant.
I took 2 colors of fondant (green and yellow) and braided them together, never fully incorporating the two colors.
Then I pressed the "tie-dyed" fondant into the mold, going over the flat top with a rolling pin to achieve definitive markings on the fish (scales, gills, etc.)
I popped the mold into the freezer for 20 minutes to ensure a solid fishy :o)
The cake is then covered in a sea blue fondant, and a ribbon made of the same fondant as the fish, details the bottom edge.
As I am always one for flash, I painted the entire cake in pearl luster dust to achieve a shiny, wet look.
Extra bling came from the blue, green and silver dragees for the eyes and decorating the ribbon border.
I (again) used my fantastic 2-piece flower veiner for some isomalt flower details around the koi, to give an underwater feel.

I hope you like this, fun to make!
Leslie S.

Products Used:

Koi Fish Mold

5 Petal Blossom

It's a Garden Party!

Check out the project that Kim Bierbaum created using the 5-petal blossom veiner.

Attached are pictures of a cake using the five blossom veiner mold. The flowers are 50/50 gumpaste and fondant, but I also tried with chocolate clay, and they came out great too. I cut the fondant with a five petal cutter, put them in the mold and peeled them off. It was that easy - didn't have to put them in the freezer or anything. I let them dry on a flower former and added piped centers, dusted with luster dust. I had a little trouble getting them off the mold with the chocolate clay, so I stuck them in the freezer for a couple of minutes and they came right off. I had a great time with this mold, and made way more flowers than I needed just because it was fun to play with.

Thanks - Kim

Product Used:

5 Petal Blossom

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Check out the project that Melissa Capyk completed with our mirror mold.


Hi! My name is Melissa Capyk and I am the owner of Wild Cake in southern Ontario.

For my first project, I chose to work with the absolutely gorgeous Hand Mirror mold!

To remove your piece from this mold requires patience! It is a very large mold, so go slow! I pulled the mold away from the sugar bit by bit all the way around the frame, and released the handle as well (that's the easy part!) The section that is actually the "mirror" is a little trickier, as it is sort of suctioned to the mold. Gently but firmly pull at the mold from different angles... eventually you will get a spot to let go, then you can ease the rest of it off!

I first casted it in white candy melts. First attempt resulted in 3 pieces. I was a little too aggressive trying to get the middle section to release. 2nd attempt worked like a charm though! The detail is really pretty on this mold; I dusted the mirror section with silver luster dust, and then the frame in a pearl ivory color to hi-light the details and make it look like old ivory.

Then, I tried clear isomalt. Brought the isomalt up to 335 degrees F nice and gradually so it stayed clear. I did get a little bit of bubbling from the mold, but that is likely due to the fact that it is brand new, and hasn't had a chance to off-gas (I only had it out of the package a few hours before I started to play!!) I popped the mold into the fridge for a few minutes to make sure it set well (no more than about 10 minutes though, or the sugar will start to get sticky!)

For this version, I also experimented with some silver leaf I had purchased a while ago. VERY touchy stuff! That's a whole other tutorial which is better explained by people who have done it frequently, but I will say you must hold your breath while using this stuff; even a slight puff of air will send it flying! I very slightly dampened the area I wanted the leaf to stick to and applied it, then buffed it with a large soft makeup brush. If you get any stick to any part of the frame; stop and remove it immediately as it will start to stick very quickly. (you can scrape it off though!)

Then I used the ivory dust again on the frame; this time it was a much more subtle effect.

Next I painted the jewels in the frame very quickly with a combination of turquoise dust and confectioner's glaze.

After that, I added some green around the edge of the mirror & on the handle for some additional interest. This was a little too much on the translucent frame, but I suspect would have worked well if I had painted the frame a solid colour.

I also experimented with gumpaste, but I had some issues with it moving in the mold and making a double impression. The issue may have been my gumpaste, so I have made a fresh batch and will experiment with that soon! Because this is such a large mold, there is the opportunity for it to stretch as you roll out the gumpaste into the mold. I believe my gumpaste was a bit too stiff, so I was having to roll it too hard.

Thank you Mel for the chance to play with this mold!

Melissa Capyk
http://www.wildcakes.ca/

Products Used:
Jeweled Hand Mirror

Floating Collar

Check out the project that Glenda Stockwell completed with our braided trim lace mold and a shamrock veiner.

The cake is small 6" square covered in ivory fondant on the cake and board..  The cake is place off-set to give more space on the front two edges to give room for the pressed design on the board as well as the two samrocks on the front corner. 

The lace mold for the braided trim was used with fondant mixed with tylose to create the square piece that is suspended above the cake.  The collar was made a week in advance and allowed to dry hard.  A full week was not needed to dry but I was too scared to get started.  The same mold was also used for the lace piece on the top edge of the cake. 

On the cake board itself the silicone insert was used to press the design onto the fondant covered board.  To avoid stretching the piece I carefully laid it in place then used a fondant smoother to evenly press on the length of the insert.

I also added a simple rope border then painted the design of the lace piece with some gold luster dust mixed with everclear.  Very nerve wracking when painting the suspended collar!

The shamrocks were made using light green colored gumpaste that was then dusted with ECGs green bean colored petal dust. 

Products used:

Braided Lace Trim

Shamrock Leaf Veiner