Cake Drum, Board or Card, that is the Question!

What do you use and when? This is one of the most frequently asked questions in our showroom.

Cake drum is the thickest at 13 mm, covered in foil and comes in many shapes, including hexagonal, heart and oblong, sizes from 6" to 20" and colours such as silver, gold, black, pink, blue and purple.
These are perfect for heavy fruit cakes or as a base for a wedding or special celebration cake.
As a guide you would normally have a cake drum two inches larger than the cake, 8" cake, 10" drum, however if you are icing the drum, as you probably would with a Wedding cake it's advisable to opt for three or even four inches bigger, 10" base cake, 13"/14" cake drum this an important consideration as most cake stands at the venue or to hire are at least 14" and will help to enhance the overall appearance.

Cake boards are 3 mm thick and made from very strong board in order to take the weight of heavy cakes including those to be stacked as in the case of multi tiered Wedding cakes. Being more cost effective they are frequently used in the making of novelty and celebration cakes. Also available in different shapes, sizes and designs, they are a great way to set off your creation.

Cake cards at 2 mm thick are ideal for multi tiered stacked cakes where the boards need to be hidden from view, using the same size board as your cake they are for gateaux, sponges, and light weight cakes. Available with hygienic silver foil covering in round and square, sizes from 3" to 12".

Polycoated cards are the thinnest at 1.5 mm and have a non stick coating so will not allow the moisture from your cake to leach through. Available in 6" to 12" round and 6" to 10" square they are ideal for gateaux and light sponges. Also used for tiered cakes like the cards but not as heavy duty, so small light weight cakes only.

Gold and Silver foil is also available if you would like to reuse tired or damaged boards to reduce waste and keep your costs to a minimum.

I hope you found this information useful and that it has help you make an informed decision with regards to which one and when!

Baby Shower Cakes

Baby Shower Cakes are becoming increasingly popular, the term shower assumed to mean to shower the mother to be with gifts, such as , nappies, bottles, clothes, blankets and toys.
Traditionally for the first child and women only, they are hosted by a friend rather than a family member as it is considered rude to request gifts for our own families, however they are increasingly arranged by the baby's grandmother.
I remember when I had my first child twenty eight years ago, it was considered unlucky to celebrate or to have anything baby orientated in the house before it's safe arrival. The cot, pram and all the other paraphernalia were kept out of sight, usually at the baby's grand parents and would miraculously appear on the new families return from hospital with your new bundle of joy!
Now everything is prepared and celebrated up to a month before baby's arrival with some mothers choosing "it's a girl" or "It's a boy"  when the gender is known in advance, to adorn their cakes.

How times have changed!
 

If your organising a Baby Shower, and the gender is a surprise, why not try this easy cake below, it's covered in neutral yellow sugar paste with pastel pink , blue and green polka dots with some baby building blocks and edible ribbon, also made from thinly rolled sugar paste?

Mix And Match Side Design Cake

A set of side design cutters have been used to create this dramatic cake, with metallic gold modelling paste and Midnight black "Roll n Cover" sugar paste, set off by a black cake drum.

Gold modelling paste is a great product, after cutting into small pieces it's best warmed in the hand before working a piece at a time to make it pliable. It's then ready to roll out nice and thin on a surface greased with a small amount of petal base, this makes it easy to release and prevents it from drying out. Lightly grease the cutters before cutting out your shapes, this 8" round, 5" deep cake needed 20 pieces. After covering your cake with Midnight black sugar paste you can attach your decoration with edible sugar glue, making sure you line them up straight and put one directly above the other. Ruffle flowers are made from three different sized circle cutters after preparing the gold paste the same way, you fold the circles into ruffles and glue together before drying in some formers to hold there shape. They can be added to the cake when they are dry.

How To Use Side Design Embossers To Decorate Your Cake

This tutorial shows you how to effortlessly use embossers to add detail and dramatic effects to the sides of your cakes.

Brickwork is great for a boys "Knight's Castle" cake or you may have a resident builder in your midst, you might want to copy a house or a building, this is an accurate, fast and effective way to achieve life like bricks that look amazing.

Quilting looks fab on vintage cakes and makes great looking covers on bed cakes, or bedding on a crib for a Christening cake.

Diamond side design is most effective with added details such as piped dots, sugar balls, blossoms, or stars added to the centre of each cross. Alternate tiers of a Wedding cake picked out with such detail is really eye catching as are Anniversary cakes with silver or gold hearts added!

Why not give it a go, you'll be amazed how simple and effective it is! Embossing is even better on "Roll n Cover" sugar paste!

How To Make Edible Sugar Blossoms

In this tutorial you can see how easy it is to make edible sugar blossoms using a set of cutters, a non stick rolling pin, a foam flower pad and some odd bits of sugar paste.
They look great in different colours, sizes and with contrasting centres.
It's a really easy way to add some colour and some extra detailing to enhance a pretty and feminine cake.

A foam pad is a must for a cake decorator, it's handy for drying cut out pieces as the air can circulate and speed up the process.
My blossom cutters are always in use, they are great for filler flowers in sprays and space fillers on cakes to help bring a theme together and add a splash of colour.
Delicate centres can be added with a piping bag filled with royal icing using a small plain nozzle.

How To Create A Wood Effect With Sugar Paste

This tutorial shows you how to use a wood grain impression mat to give maximum effect on sugar paste/fondant icing.
Adding some colour helps bring out the grain and any added detailing for that WOW factor.
Why not give it a go, it's surprisingly simple?

Teddy brown "Roll n Cover" sugar paste is a great base for a natural wood effect and is very easy to use. It takes on detailing well and remains pliable for longer so you have more time to create your masterpiece.
Dark brown paste food colour mixed with rejuvenating spirit, painted on with a brush is how the detailing is enhanced. Changing a wood effect in to a WOW effect.

How To Use A Silicone Lace Boarder Mould

This tutorial shows you how to use a silicone lace boarder mould using a mixture of modelling and sugar paste/fondant icing.
It's very easy to use and can be added to the sides, base or top of your cakes to give a vintage effect result.
The lace can be made in any colour or have colour or lustre added to it to achieve many different looks all with the same mould.  

White "Roll n Cover" sugar paste has been used mixed with left over flower or modelling paste to a ratio of 50:50, this ensures detail definition and enables you to bend and move the lace around your cake without it cracking or breaking.
Non stick knives are very useful with any silicone moulds as they will not sharp enough to cut or cause any damage, they are also great for trimming off excess sugar paste from the base of your cake without damaging your cake board or drum.

Edible Sugar Plaques For Cakes

This video shows you how to make and decorate edible sugar plaques for the top of celebration cakes using sugar paste/fondant icing and edible pens.
It's very simple, can save lots of time and if piping is not your thing, it enables you to personalise your cake by adding an inscription, age and name, without all the fuss of mixing icing or cutting out lettering.
Children have great fun drawing and writing on these for that special someone.

I've used white "Roll n Cover" sugar paste mixed with Gum Tragacanth for the hardening agent and a variety of edible food pens in the making of this tutorial.

How To Make Shapes On Wires

This tutorial shows you how to use flower and modelling paste to make Snowflakes, Stars and Hearts on wires for adding height and the WOW factor to your cakes!
It's surprisingly easy, all you need is some shaped cutters, metallic wires, edible glue and glitter and some flower or modelling paste.

I've used metallic Gold and Silver modelling paste to make the hearts and stars in this video as well as White flower paste for the snowflakes.
The Glitters used are Hologram White, Hologram Gold and Hologram Silver these are non edible, non toxic, which is fine to use on these decorations as they are on wires and it is always advisable not to eat them because of the health and safety issue.
They look fabulous all glittery and sparkly adding a touch of glamour to any celebration cake!
The Snowflakes are great for Frozen cakes to give that frosty, Icy effect.

Edible Teddy Bear Step by Step Tutorial

Watch and follow this tutorial to make your own edible sugar paste/fondant teddy.
Perfect as a celebration cake topper, ideal for a birthday, Naming Day or baby's Christening.
Dress it up by adding a party or top hat or some flowers to the head or a tie or bow tie to the neck.

Our own, very popular "Roll n Cover" Teddy Brown sugar paste is used in this video as it is easy to use, pliable, great for covering cakes and model making too!
Try a different colour, baby pink or baby blue teddies are great on Christening and Naming Cakes.

Click here to see our range of "Roll n Cover" sugar paste, available in many colours, white and ivory.

Easy Edible Rose Tutorial, No Tools Needed

All you need is some left over sugar paste for these easy to make beautiful edible roses, no tools or equipment necessary, just hands and this easy to follow guide.
Perfect for the top of cup cakes, celebration cakes, deserts or cascading down your very own home made wedding cake.
Give it a go, it couldn't be simpler!

Our very own Hot Pink "Roll n Cover" sugar paste is used in the making of this video, it's pliable, easy to use, doesn't crack and is perfect for cake covering and modelling!

Click here to see the full range our superb, and very popular "Roll n Cover" sugar paste.

How to make a Minion cake

Watch our easy step by step guide to make your very own Minion cake, just in time for the new Minions film. The perfect show stopper for your birthday celebration.

Our own "Roll n Cover " sugar paste/roll out fondant is used in the making of this video as it is very pliable and easy to use, just knead and roll out on to icing sugar and place over your cake.
Available in the perfect colours; Sunshine yellow for the Minion, Ocean blue for the Dungarees and Midnight black for boots, gloves, buttons, head band, smile and spiky hair.

Click here to see the rest of our Roll n Cover range of sugar paste.