3D 1
Long Journey
by Tamrha Richardson · submitted Aug 3, 2009 · 2009 contest
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Description
Once I saw LOng Journey... I wanted it to be my cake entry! I knew i was taking a chance with it, but I love a challenge!
In all, I think this took me about 3.5-4 days to make. I started with a double layer base of chocolate cake, 9" round. I also added a loaf sized pound cake to create the wave. I crumb coated the entire thing, after doing some sculpting, using a butter cream almond frosting I made from scratch. Delish!! I had to sculpt it down a bit more and re-do the crumb coating to get the shape I wanted.
Next I hand rolled tons of fondant ropes to create the ocean wave. In order to get it like the artist rendered it, I created swirls, and spirals starting from the curl of the wave outwards. This part took a while (and if I never hand roll fondant ropes again, its totally fine by me!)
I painted the fondant with a mixture of alcohol, lemon extract and paste coloring in order to try and achieve a watercolor look. I felt this was a better choice than to color the fondant itself, and I like how it turned out. And surprisingly I didn't do any shots. :)
The pirate ship is made from fondant that I also hand painted. The octopus is from gum paste. I loved making this part, although I was a bit afraid to make the sails! I was so relieved that they worked out as I hoped! They are fondant left to dry draped over my rolling pin, in order to get that air-filled curl. The braces are from gumpaste, and all of it is assembled with a stiff royal icing I whipped up.
The background was another part I was a bit nervous about... but it was perfect. Its constructed from a dried out layer on fondant, adormed with fondant swirls and royal icing details. All of it is hand painted the same way the wave was done. Using a few small lollipop sticks, it went right into the top of the cake, secured with a bit of royal icing. The chains to the anchor were a detail I just love. Just a few strips of thin fondant run over with a patterning tool gave it a 'chain' like' effect. Its secured in place with royal icing.
Keeping my 4 and 2.5 year old boys off this cake was hard! So when it came time to cut into it and enjoy... they did so happily! We even used our 'little Mermaid' plates... after all... it went with the theme!
In all, I think this took me about 3.5-4 days to make. I started with a double layer base of chocolate cake, 9" round. I also added a loaf sized pound cake to create the wave. I crumb coated the entire thing, after doing some sculpting, using a butter cream almond frosting I made from scratch. Delish!! I had to sculpt it down a bit more and re-do the crumb coating to get the shape I wanted.
Next I hand rolled tons of fondant ropes to create the ocean wave. In order to get it like the artist rendered it, I created swirls, and spirals starting from the curl of the wave outwards. This part took a while (and if I never hand roll fondant ropes again, its totally fine by me!)
I painted the fondant with a mixture of alcohol, lemon extract and paste coloring in order to try and achieve a watercolor look. I felt this was a better choice than to color the fondant itself, and I like how it turned out. And surprisingly I didn't do any shots. :)
The pirate ship is made from fondant that I also hand painted. The octopus is from gum paste. I loved making this part, although I was a bit afraid to make the sails! I was so relieved that they worked out as I hoped! They are fondant left to dry draped over my rolling pin, in order to get that air-filled curl. The braces are from gumpaste, and all of it is assembled with a stiff royal icing I whipped up.
The background was another part I was a bit nervous about... but it was perfect. Its constructed from a dried out layer on fondant, adormed with fondant swirls and royal icing details. All of it is hand painted the same way the wave was done. Using a few small lollipop sticks, it went right into the top of the cake, secured with a bit of royal icing. The chains to the anchor were a detail I just love. Just a few strips of thin fondant run over with a patterning tool gave it a 'chain' like' effect. Its secured in place with royal icing.
Keeping my 4 and 2.5 year old boys off this cake was hard! So when it came time to cut into it and enjoy... they did so happily! We even used our 'little Mermaid' plates... after all... it went with the theme!
Baker’s site: trinityscookiecauldron.com