635.3 (Edible leaves, flowers, stems)

So this post might not be about actual edible flowers, but it is about flowers piped with frosting, which is edible.

Royal Icing "Primroses"

The types of flowers I make most often are those made out of royal icing. The beauty of royal icing is that, like a well preserved book, the icing flower will last forever if stored properly. Royal icing flowers harden up and since they are made of only water, meringue powder, and powdered sugar, if kept in an airtight container in a cool place, they will last for years.

Royal Icing Violets, Roses, Lilies, and Daffodils

One batch of royal icing will make dozens of flowers. My Wilton instructor suggests making more flowers than you need for your project and simply store the rest for "quick cakes", and I'm apt to agree. Having a container of pre-made flowers in the cupboard is nice when you have to suddenly decorate cupcakes or need a "special" piece for a cake.

The down-side to royal icing flowers (if there is one) is that they are a little "crunchy" if not placed on buttercream long enough for them to soften. I personally like the crunch of royal icing, but not everyone does. Many royal icing flowers can be make with a stiff buttercream icing as well.

Petal technique on cupcake in buttercream icing

Petals made with a LARGE petal tip and a slightly stiff buttercream can cover a cupcake, giving it a very feminine appearance. Large "Wilton" roses can be piped onto a cupcake using the same petal tip, as seen at center bottom below:

Petal technique on cupcakes, including a buttercream rose.

I use a Wilton tip# 125 to cover cupcakes with petals, and a Wilton tip# 104 for my more "normal" sized roses and petaled flowers.

Piped flowers are only one type of floral technique I use on cakes and cupcakes. More types of flowers to come soon... perhaps even an ode to my favorite "floral" technique, the simple and under appreciated rosette.

641.86539 (Cake decoration)

Happy Wednesday!

It all began Summer 2012, when I took a Wilton cake decorating course at the Michael's Arts and Crafts near my home. There, I learned the decadent ways of cake and buttercream, learned to sculpt frosting into flowers, roll and press fondant, and wield a bag of royal icing with a supple dexterity... okay, maybe that's a bit of a stretch.

For my very first post, I decided to show the world where I started - in class! Having a day job as an educator and a librarian, I have quite a bit of love for learning just about anything, so knowing that I love cake like a fat kid loves...well...cake, I thought that a Wilton class was right up my alley.

Sculpted gumpaste flowers

Like everything that takes practice and determination, I spent a good part of my summer (approximately 8 weeks) feeding my "practice" to summer camp colleagues at Wednesday morning meetings (hence the "Happy Wednesday" cake above). They provided feedback on my cake/frosting combinations and saved me from having to either eat all the cake myself, or, god forbid, trash it.

Rosette swirl with buttercream

The goal of this blog is to simply write and post and get into the habit of actually documenting my habit because unlike my sewing habit and crafting habit, the products of a baking habit don't stick around - they get eaten. Talk about a "transient beauty"!

Final cake for Wilton II. Vanilla cake and frosting with royal icing flowers.

So here is to the "foundations" of my education -- the first products of my cake decorating classes -- the good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly (why I used this startling green, pink, orange, yellow, and violet color combination on this cake, I will never know). Blog posts from here on out will either be themed or educational, with a good smattering of library/education posts here and there. Posts will be here and there (as I'm working on my MLS - Masters of Library Science), but I continue to bake, so posts will continue to happen. Let's bake!

Basket weave piping technique on side of cake.