More Cake Design Ideas for Valentine's Day

This whimsical cake was designed by Laurel Torres, Laurels Cake Cottage.

Laurel's valentine cake is a colorful and fun cake that everyone is sure to enjoy! Laurel has been decorating cakes for family, friends, and lucky customers for over 15 years. She is a Wilton Method Cake Decorating Instructor who has developed her love of sugar art into a business.

Shopping Bag Cake designed by Iva.

So pretty in pink, this Victoria's Secrets shopping bag cake, made by Iva, is just the perfect girlie gift for birthdays, Mother's Day, and Valentine's Day!

Chocolate "Clay" Recipe

This cake was designed by Stephanie, member NYC Cake Decorators Meetup.

It's still time to make chocolate roses and leaves for your decadent Valentine's Day cakes and cupcakes. Chocolate "clay" is pliable like soft clay. This sweet recipe is courtesy of the N.Y. State Chapter of the International Cake Exploration Societe (I.C.E.S.):

Dark Modeling Chocolate

1 lb. of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
5oz* (213g) light corn syrup

Cut the chocolate finely and place it in a bowl over simmering water. Stir to melt the chocolate evenly. Remove the chocolate from the water when 3/4 melted and stir until all the pieces have melted. Stir in corn syrup with a rubber spatula. Continue to stir until the chocolate starts to leave the sides of the bowl, then stir up to 60 seconds. Place the chocolate mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and wrap flat. Refrigerate or rest in a cool dry place for 24 hours to age. Once aged, cut the chocolate plastic into smaller pieced and knead with hands to soften.

*When measuring corn syrup, measure by volume in a liquid measuring cup. If measuring by weight, then multiply the number of ounces by 1.5 to get the actual weight of heavy liquids, such as corn syrup, molasses, and glucose.

Tiered Cake Construction Demo

Isa demonstrated how to construct a tiered cake properly and gave tips and hints to eager members on January 25, 2009. This was the first Meetup we were able to tape thanks to the graciousness of Lynn and her husband.

Wedding Library Bridal Show at Park Palace Hotel

(l-r) Annette, Chef Ruth Drennan, Shameeka

Members Shameeka and Annette were lucky enough to assist Chef Ruth Drennan, Ruth Drennan Cakes, at the Wedding Library Bridal Show at the Park Palace Hotel on January 24th. It was a delicious experience! Chef Ruth had samples of her "melt in your mouth" red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and the New York Palace Hotel was a sumptuous backdrop for the wedding venue. Ruth Drennan Cakes will be featured in an upcoming issue of "The Knot" bridal magazine.

Fondant -To Eat or Not to Eat?

Cake designed and decorated by Linda

Fondant is a versatile sugar icing that has been all the rage in America for the last decade. Fondant covered cakes have been popular in Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand for many years. Cake decorators can cover cakes and make ribbons, bows, flowers, sculpture, and many more effects from this sweet confection. Notwithstanding, every cake decorator has heard horror stories of folks picking off the fondant or worse spitting it out, because of the bad taste. The American consumer has become more sophisticated and demands a cake that tastes as good as it looks--icing included. What is a cake designer to do?

Ready-made fondant is tricky. In a recent poll at cakecentral, Wilton ready-made fondant was rated the worst tasting of all ready-made fondant bar none. Even so, it still has its uses: Decorators often catch the sales at Michael's Craft Store and use this fondant for their cake dummies (displays).

Why have your customers feeling like they are washing their mouths out with soap when there are good brands of ready-made on the market? Choco-pan is a delicious fondant to work with, and many an avid cake designer swears by massa grischuna fondant. Satin-ice, for some, also has a nice marshmallow flavor and Supercooks fondant received an honorable mention.

It ultimately may be less costly to make your fondant. For those purists, there are plenty of recipes for homemade fondant. One of the most popular is marshmallow fondant (MMF).

CupCake Bouquets: A Sweet Ending to the Day

Cupcake Bouquet designed and decorated by Grace

If you are still stumped about your Valentine's Day gifting, why not bake and decorate a cupcake bouquet? NYC Cake Decorator Grace designed and decorated this beautiful rose cupcake bouquet. Grace has been baking for over 25 years but only discovered the joys of cake decorating approximately five years ago--and quickly got hooked! Grace has found cake decorating to be a fun and challenging artistic outlet and never tires of learning new techniques.

Want more creative designs? Get inspired at Carrie's Creative Cupcakes and A Cupcake Company. There is also a neat cupcake decorating video produced by CIA.

Traveling with Chef Penny, Sugar-Couture

Chef Penny (left) and Sharrella (right)

Members got a chance to travel to Paris, Mexico, Hollywood, and Tokyo with the suitcase cakes we made in Chef Penny's class last Sunday. Iced and chilled rectangular cakes were brought to the class (no problem since we had an earlier dusting of snow and the weather was quite cold and windy). Chef Penny shared her secrets for covering our cakes smoothly with fondant, and then demonstrated how to embellish the cakes with a chocolate fondant handle, "leather pads", "gold" buckle and locks. Rice paper "sticker" ports of call were the finishing touch. Chef Penny's favorite brand of fondant is neutral massa grischuna, and she prefers this brand for its elasticity and pleasant taste. She teaches culinary arts at Sarah Lawrence College. Members had a blast at the workshop and we all agree that this was one sweet journey we would love to travel again.

Iva is a beginner cake decorator and this suitcase cake is only her sixth cake!

Create a Whimsical Topsy Turvy Cake with Isa!

If you ever wanted to create your own fabulous topsy-turvy cake, you have two chances to learn how to make this fun and whimsical cake with Isa (Isabel Sanchez-Yanez).

On Sunday, February 22, 2009, Isa will conduct a workshop hosted by the NYC Cake Decorators Meetup and on Saturday, April 18, 2009, Isa will hold the workshop at Dutchess County Cake Decorators Meetup. Please contact Dina and Lisa, respectively, for info about the class and registration.

February 2009 Cake of The Month

Ok, February's feature is not a cake but heart-shaped springerle cookies beautifully decorated by member Melania Cammisa. These delicate cookies are perfect for a Valentine's Day gift, Victorian tea party, or bridal shower.


Springerle are white, anise-flavored cookies made from a simple egg-flour-sugar dough. After the cookie dough is made, a design is pressed into the dough with a springerle rolling pin or mold and then the cookies are baked. For centuries, springerle have been the traditional Christmas cookie in Bavaria, Austria, and Switzerland, and some of the earliest molds found date from the 4th century. Springerle can also be creatively used as decorations on cakes.

Melania collects springerle cookie molds and has a real joy baking, decorating, and gifting the cookies.

Isa's 9 Petal Gumpaste Rose Tutorial

Isabel (Isa) is a Wilton Method Instructor, the lead instructor of the NYC Cake Decorators, and also entertains at children's parties. She creates lovely gumpaste flowers and is happy to share her secret for making beautiful gumpaste roses. Enjoy!!

Materials needed:
a plastic board
sponge
rolling pin,
vegetable shortening
cornstarch
ball tool
round cookie cutter
paint brush
floral wire
gumpaste
water

Make the center of the rose at least one day in advance.

For the center of the rose you can use rice crispy treats or gumpaste.

Spread some shortening on your mat, sprinkle cornstarch.

Roll out your gumpaste 1/16" thick - that is the thickness of a dime.

The size of the petal is 1/4 inch more than the size of the center of the rose.

Make 9 round cut-outs with the round cookie cutter. As you work each petal, keep the remaining petals covered with a plastic covering to keep the gumpaste from drying out.

Work petal by petal. Using your ball tool, thin the edge of the petal.

Make a soft ruffle.

Roll your ball tool over the edge of the petal to the right and to the left to make a "v" shape.

Take a damp brush and dampen over half of the petal.

Paste the damp part of the petal over the center of the rose and make a cone shape.

Add the other two petals facing each other.

Fix the petals by opening them.

Add the next three petals 1/4 inch down from the first ones. Paste them as you are making a triangle.

Fix Them.

Add the last three petals 1/4 inch down from the second row of petals. Paste them as you are making a triangle.

Fix Them!

This is the completed rose. Enjoy!

Isabel Sanchez-Yanez

Sayings for your Valentine's Cake

Cake designed by Dina, Sugar Designs NYC

Stumped at what to say on your Valentine's Day Cakes? Here are some neat little quips:

Sealed With A Kiss
Together Forever
Will You Be Mine?
You're My Cup of Tea
You're My Honey
You're Purr-fect
Purr-fect Together
With Love, All Things Grow
Mad About You
You are Music to My Heart
My Heart's Desire
Two Hearts are Better Than One

Rice Crispy Treat Recipe

Rice Crispy Treat Sculpture designed by Isabel Sanchez , Lead Instructor, NYC Cake Decorators

Rice Crispy Treat sculpture is a wonderful technique to add to any sugar artist's repertoire. Isabel, Lead Instructor, has hand molded cartoon characters, wine bottles, and cars from rice crispy treats. Here is her fool proof recipe.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of butter or margarine
10 oz. bag of marshmallows
6 cups of rice crispy cereal

Using a conventional oven, melt the butter or margarine in a double boiler. Stir in marshmallows until soft. Add the rice crispy cereal and stir until all the cereal is covered with the marshmallow mixture.

Prepare two pieces of plastic wrap over your work surface. Drop the mixture onto the plastic wrap and cover tightly. Use additional plastic wrap if necessary.

To learn how to sculpt your own figures from rice crispy treats, contact Isabel or the NYC Cake Decorators Meetup for details. Happy Crafting!

Great Stuff for Your Cake Displays and Cookie Bouquets!

Trying to save money on your cake displays? Why not think "out of the cake box" and make your own cake dummies? Great Stuff is an expandable urethane foam available in hardware stores. It is lightweight, does not contain fiberglass, and is great for molding cake dummies in shaped or character pans.
1. Prepare the pan by spraying thoroughly with vegetable cooking spray.
2. Cut a piece of cardboard the size of the pan.
3. In a well-ventilated area, fill the pan about 1/3 fill of the foam.
4. Place cardboard cut-out on top of the foam in the pan and press down firmly.
5. Put a couple of books on top of the cardboard to compress the expanding foam and to minimize air bubbles.
6. Let dry 1 hour and release from the pan. Let air dry overnight, then decorate!

Great Stuff is also great as a filler for clay pots when making Cookie Bouquets. Place pebbles or sand in the bottom of the pot and fill with the foam and air dry overnight. Cookie Sticks can be placed directly into the hardened foam.

January 2009 Cake of The Month

Aldana loves baking pastries, but her true passion is decorating cakes. Aldana has taken all of Chef Toba Garret's classes at the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC (ICE), and her advanced piping techniques are beautifully showcased in the Victorian cake shown above, which is inspired from one of Chef Toba's designs.