roll out red gumpaste (I always add quite a bit of tylose to make per 500g add 2 tsp so drys hard & quickly)


Dust the plastic mask with plenty of cornstarch

Lay rolled out gumpaste over the dusted mask & gently press into the contours

Cut around the edges using a very sharp blade, I also cut out the eyes but you can leave them in & paint black

Allow mask to dry on the plastic mask for a couple of days

Gently prize the giumpaste mask from the plastic one, gently from around the edges first…take your time it will release if it is dry

Using a thin brush & Americolour super black mixed with Vodka to paint on the web

I have just painted the black lines I didn’t add the white as in the mask

you’ll need roughly these dimensions for the body/head/arms & legs
Roll a cone shape for the body then ben a little to make him look like he has a belly

Sit the main body on the edge of the cake dummy (I’ve covered dummy in wax paper)
Then using small scissors snip at the modelling chocolate making small cuts, then using your finger gently press raised cuts back onto the body to give the impression of fur, do this to the entire body

To make the legs roll out modelling chocolate cut in the middle at an angle, squeeze the ends of the legs into feet & using a knife make 3 cuts & spread slightly to create toes

Place the cut diagonal of the legs under the body I place one over the edge & one straight out to give more character, I then use the rubber ended brush to press the seam where the legs meet the body to give better conection, you could use the end of a brush, then using scissors snip & press the modelling chocolate to create the fur effect leaving the base of the foot smooth

to make the head roll a ball of modelling chocolate then using a knife cut into ball about 1/3 the way up to create the mouth, then using a small flattened piece of black modelling chocolate insert this into the mouth attaching top & bottom, using a very thin sausage of blue cover where the seam of black & blue meet

using scissors snip & press the head

repeat the same rolled log & cut at angle for the arms but this time flatten the end & cut a hand, attach to body with the top of the angled cut to sit just under head, bring one of his hands up to his mouth & press gently to attach

to make the eyes use a ball tool to create an indent then roll 2 balls of white modelling chocolate (or you can use fondant) and attache into the indents, then add two smaller black dots a weird angles to finish eyes (cookie monster’s eyes are never straight)

to make the cookies roll small balls of pale tan modelling chocolate then flatten top with tiny balls of brown modelling chocolate & flatten & allow to set, put a couple in his hands, then break one & put broken bits into his mouth & on his hands

You will need a parrot tulip cutter & viener or similar (these ones are from www.sugardelites.com)
Sugarpaste with extra tylose (about1tsp per 250g – you want it to dry quick halve it if you have a couple of days)
This is coloured with Chefmaster – Tropical Fushia
edible glue & brush
That werid tool you never thought you would use on the other end of you veining tool
bowl, foil & tissue
Bling button for center

Cutout petals you will need 8 in total I do 3 at time and put what I am not working on under plastic
Vein each one!

then using your tool on an ever so slight angle press and drag outwards on the edge of the petal to thin, this leaves the petal ruffley and each petal ends up slightly different,

you can use a small ball tool but it doesn’t quite give you the same effect

Line a large bowl with foil so you have a slight curve in foil, place each petal in bowl overlapping slightly gluing each time in only the bottom 2cm fan around then tuck the last petal under the first, using tissue lift each petal & slightly curve in differnt direction to animate flower


roll a small ball of sugarpaste flattenslightly brush with a small ammount of glue & attach to bling buttom, then brush underside with glue & press into the center of your flower
Allow to dry aprox 24 hours ( I did mine in 20)
Finished flower on Cake , flower measure aprox 6”across

460g Caster Sugar in pot with 1/2 cup water
8 Egg whites
2 Lemons Zest
750g Butter Soft
1 dram bottle of LorAnn Cheesecake flavour oil

Whisk egg white to medium peak, whilst you are bring your sugar & water to the bol brush down the sides to prevent sugar crystals & bring to 115C/239F, pour hot sugar onto egg whites whilst still whisking….keep whisking until cool then add soft butt, lemon zest & Flavour oil, beat until smooth, it may split but keep beating, Italian Meringue Buttercream does this but it come right with a little more whisking :-)

Now you have a cream cheese Buttercream that is safe to use under Fondant as it based on Italian Meringue buttercream where the eggs are pasteurised & no cream cheese…They will not be able to tell the difference this stuff is so YUM …now team it with my recipe for Carrot cake & you’ll be unstoppable…and by unstoppable you’ll keep wanting to eat it yourself <3

Kiwi bakers this is where to buy the oil from http://kiwicakes.co.nz/kiwi/product_info.php?products_id=5974

Australian http://bakingpleasures.com.au/p479/lorann-cheese-cake-oil-flavour

US http://www.amazon.com/LorAnn-Oils-Cheesecake-Flavouring-dram/dp/B0000VLRII/ref=sr_1_3?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1362344677&sr=1-3&keywords=Cheesecake+Flavoring+Oil

UK http://www.thecakedecoratingcompany.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1972

Using a pencil trace around your pan on greaseproof or baking paper, then cut out shape and set aside

now cut 3-4 strips long enough to line the edges with atleast 2inch overlap at each join, will need to be high enough go above your pan with an inch spare to fold

fold one edge of the paper about 1 inch and crease well

using scissors cut in about 1/2 inch cuts into the crease

to look like this :-)

Spray your tin so paper sticks, I use Bakels Sprink but any cooking spray will work

place the first piece of greaseproof so the folded edge is into the courner of your pan the cuts allow it to smoothly fit

spray in between each addition of greaseproof so they stick together

spray again then add the shape you cut out earlier to the bottom of your tin & spray again

Done…now you’re ready to bake…YAY this will work for any shaped flat bottomed pan

Now if you’re going to ask how to line a Dolly varden or ball shape I cut long thin triangles overlapping to fit the shape spraying lightly between each addition

How to make the Lettering in my Donkey Cake

1. Make a suitable green coloured gumpaste, I used white with a small amount of satin Ice Green & Yellow added to it
2. Using any letter cutter, cut out your letter, smooth edges
3. roll a small pea of smae colour into a cone shape and using an umbrella tool poke into cone
4. make sure the cavity is wide & fairly deep

5. roll between your fingers just below the cavity to thin slightly
6. cut bottom at an angle so when 2 put together to form a v shape
7. press the v part flat
8. using edible glue attach behind the top of letter, On this letter I have shown you what it looks like with a double on it , or you can put a single on it like in my Donkey Cake

allow to dry fully

Ingredients:
4.5 cups Vegetable Oil ( I use Soya oil)
6 cups Raw sugar
12 Eggs
6 cups Flour
4 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Baking Soda
2 Tbsp Salt
2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 cup Walnuts roughly chopped
9 cups Carrots peeled & finely grated

Line your pans with baking paper & spray with cooking spray (I use Bakels Sprink)

Sift the Flour, Baking Powder, Baliong Soda, Salt & Cinnamon & set aside
In a mixer with paddle attachment (or by hand using whisk) beat the Oil, Sugar & eggs until creamy,
add the dry ingredients & mix until just combined. Fold through the carrot & Walnuts until well combined, split cake batter accross the 2 prepared 12” pans & Bake @ 180C for aproximately 1 hour test with skewer that it comes out smooth, cool on bench then wrap in clingfilm overnight in the fridge

Then use our cream cheese frosting recipe http://cakesdecor.com/Ciccio/blog/355

Now Ingredients:
Base
3.5 cups Walnuts (raw not the roasted salted)
3.5 cups Cashews (raw not the roasted salted)
2 cups Dates (ordinary dried no added sugar)
1 Tbsp Vanilla paste or extract (not essence)
6 Tbsp Coconut Oil (This is an oil that is very good for you)
24 Tbsp Cocoa
1Tbsp of the draind juice from the dates (further down you’ll see where this comes from)
Liquid Stevia to taste aprox 1/2tsp (Stevia is a natural sweetner you will find at health store)

Frosting
6 large Avocados (I use Hass)
8Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 cup Dates
16 Tbsp Cocoa
Liquid Stevia to taste aprox 1/4 -1/2 tsp

Method:
Soak your nuts in cold water overnight this removes the natural chemicals found on the nuts that stop them from germinating, they are then better for you also helps to soften
Soak both batches of dates in warm water overnight to soften
Drain all ingredients well rinse nuts under a little cold water
Place the walnuts into the food processor with 1 cup of the drained nuts and puree,
remove place in bowl then process the cashews with the remaining 1 cup dates
add the remaing ingredients for the base in with the pureed cashew mix and blend well, remove and mix into the walnut mix

grease a loose bottom cake pan with a little coconut oil then press mix into pan
FROSTING:
Now in a clean food processor add the avocado flesh, the drained soaked 1 cup dates and puree add the remaing ingredients & mix well
remove from processor and strain through a seive, I use a spatula to press it through (this just removes any little bits of date skin)

now spread over base
and chill for 2-3 hours slice with a hot knife, cake is best kept in the fridge this make a *’ wide by 4” high cake you can’t eat alot as it’s very rich but tastes yummy and with zero guilt YAY… I hope you enjoy

You’ll need : ball tool large & very small, 10cm long skewer, knife, small rose petal cutter or similar 2cm long, veining tool, light brown petal dust, brush, edible glue, white fat, styrofoam dummy fleshtone airbrushcolour (or Vodka mixed with ivory gel & tiniest dash red gel)
Gumpaste: Light Tan Light Redish brown small ammount of White & black

Take a large ball of gumpaste roll smooth, then into a cone shape, from the cone leave 3/5 of the cone as the body and mold the other 2/5 into a long neck , should end up body about 2” and neck 3” making figurine without head 5” high, brush a little edible glue onto your skewer and thread through neck into body then into styrofoam dummy leaving about 1/2” protuding from neck

Roll a log of the tan gumpaste to about 7” long and about 1/2” thick, cut this in the centre on a diagonal, at the opposite end of the cut, flatten and squeeze the ends to form feet, attach with a little edible glue leaving a gap at the back to allow room for the tail abot 1/8 ”, repeat this same step for the front leg and attach where the neck becomes the body

For the feet you will need 4 round disks of the reddish brown gumpaste each about 1/2” round & 1/4” thick, to get mine even I roll 1 ball flatten then cut into 4, roll each into ball flatten then using the veining tool score through the centre pressing down to half way through to indent attach each of these to the legs allow figuring to dry overnight at this point

to form the head roll a ball of gumpaste into a sausage to about 1.5” long and 3/4” thick using your finger squeeze & roll to narrow 2/3 of the way down, using a piping nozzle on the shorter end of the head mark a mouth, using then your fingers press indents for where you want the eyes to sit, starting just where it gets more narrow. Use a very small ball tool form 2 nostrils by pressing in then up a little. attach to the neck with a little edible glue. allow to dry overnight again.

roll a very small amount of gumpaste into a long thin tapering sausage about 1.25” long attach between the rear legs as a tail, then with the red/brown gumpaste roll a small cone flatten andmark with a vainer then attach with a little glue to the top of the tail
For the ears roll out a little tan gumpaste and cut 2 rose petal shapes about 3/4 long, press together the wide end, and attach to either side of the head
For the horns roll out a thin sausage about 1” long cut in half and attach to each a small ball of the red/brown gumpaste then attach between the ears, I like to bend them a little to give character

Using a light brown dusting powder & a soft brush, dust colour around where his hooves become his legs, his tummy, nose, in his ears, and where his eyes will be

For the eyes roll out 2 small balls of white gumpaste attach with a little glue, then take 2 balls of black gumpaste 1/3 the size of the white and flatten & add over the top of the white, then I like to add 2 very small balls of white gumpaste to bring the eyes to life
Then roll 2 crescent shaped sausages & attach of the top of the eyes for lids, then redust the lids a little.

To make the mane roll out a this sausage of the red/brown gumpaste, thin out one side using a large ball tool, you want it to end up about 1/4” wide at the base and about 1/2” thinned out, then using small scissors cut the hair as showen you want it to be fine, then attach from just after the ears down his back to about where his front legs start, then I manipulate the strands so they don’t sit straight as this give character you want some strands flopping to one side some the other

using a very fine brush (iuse a DAS 5/0 round taklon white) and the Fleshtone airbrush colour paint on your giraffe print remembering to make random oblong shapes that curve around each other, I leave most of his belly bare and only come down 1/2 down his legs adding a few very small dots of colour where I finish, also I only come a little way down his forhead, allow to dry won’t take more than an hour or so

I hope you enjoy this tutorial…Jo xx

I’m using 2 colours to paint
1. with the first is a mixture of 1tsp Vodka, 1/2 tsp Americolour Ivory gel colour & 1tsp Fleshtone Airbrush colour
2. Second is straight Fleshtone Airbrushcolour ( I use the Chefmaster brand but any is fine)

Starting with a light tan fondant cover cake, dowel ready if stacking note I have 3 extra small hole this is to prevent air bubbles forming under the fondant as this was done in very humid conditions, because I am stacking these will not been seen, allow fondant to dry a little I left overnight as it becomes easier to paint on

Now using a fine short brush ( I used a DAS 5/0 round taklon white) paint an outline of the print you are wanting in the pure Airbrush fleshtone colour, Giraffe print is random oblong shapes with some curving and some pointed with bare spaces running between, make sure you do some of these shapes half on the side of the cake going up over the edge to the top as this makes it more realistic

Once you have done the outlines, take a small flat brush ( I used a DAS 1/4” flat taklon white) and with the mixed colour paint from the outside edge into the centre using small circular strokes this gives it a mottles appearance more like fur

Finished painting allow to dry for about 15minutes then you are ready to stack etc

Ingredients:
460g Caster Sugar in pot with
1/2 cup water
8 Egg whites
2 Lemons Zest & Juice
700g Butter Softy
200g Cream Cheese

1. Whisk the Egg whites until soft peak
2. Bring the sugar & water to the boil until they reach 115C (239F) then slowly pour onto egg white whisking in beater
3. Pour entire amount of sugar onto Egg whites in steady stream
4. Keep whisking until mixture (Italian Meringue) is cool then add butter, cream cheese, Lemon zest & juice
5. Keep whisking it will start to look like it is split ignore this and keep whisking all will be fine, scrape down & keep whisking
6. All better know with beautiful thick Cream cheese Icing, this is based on Italian buttercream frosting so is safe out of fridge as the eggs have been pasturised & cooked with adding the boiling sugar, & is so yummy as it isn’t sickly sweet like the original

Finished Frosting spread over our Carrot cake, This is a large 12” wide by 5” high cake and this has plenty of frosting…Hope you enjoy

You’ll need and foam board, rolling pin, ball tool, gumpaste (small ammount of white and whatever colour you want the base of your tulip to be), edible glue (just a bit of tylose dissolved into water) 26 gauge wire & 1 20 gauge wire (both wrapped) Veiner (this one is from Way Beyond Cakes by Mayen etsy store) and a tulip petal cutter(this one is a large one from Sugar Delites)

make a small hook on your 20 gauge wire dip it in a little edible glue wipe off the excess on the back of your hand, take a large pea sized piece of white sugar paste insert the hooked end of the wire into the base of the gumpaste ball and roll base between your fingers to forn this shape using the veining tool impress 3 dents into the top and allow to dry overnight, then using green petal dust mixed with alcohol(I use Tequlia but thats only because we always have it in the house…Teehee… but most people use Vodka) paint it green and dip it into pollen powder this one in made by Sugarflair but you could use very fine semolina, I then like to paint the base of this with the same colour that I use on the stamens but you can leave it plain green, personal choice

For the Stamens I use 26 gauge wire with a small hook dip it in a little edible glue wipe off the excess on the back of your hand take a half pea sized piece of white gumpaste and roll it into a thin sausage tapered to a point, allow to dry overnight then paint with a small ammount of caramel or brown dust mixed into Vodka (or in my case Tequila) paint the whole stamen and allow to dry

Tape the 6 stamens around the pistil

Cheats way of wiring petals
roll out your gumpaste thinly so you can see the indent of the cell board, dip your 26 gauge wire into some edible glue, wipe excess off on your hand and place over the bit where you can see the indent, press lightly, then fold over your gumpaste and reroll out thinly so you can see the indent through the paste again, this is so much easier than threading wire through petals

place the cutter over the wire making sure it is centered press down on all edges, then I hold the cutter and lift the excess paste away, then carefully lift the petal and you will see the wire is perfectly in the center

Using my veiner (curtosy of Way Beyond Cakes by Mayen etsy store) I vein by placing each petal on a foam base and pressing both sides, I press the inside of the petal first and is will become less imprinted when you press the outside and you want the veins on the outside more, allow to dry overnight 2 days is best as they will be stronger, I use a apple tray as a former to dry as you want the top of the petals to curve over a little

This colour I have dusted with cherry pink dust paying extra care to dust the edges and base of each petal well on both sides

wrap each petal individually around the center, but tape the first 3 petal around then tape the second 3 so the centers of the new petal covers the gap between the first set of petals, skip forward a photo and you will see if I was just confusing then …hehe

Yay finished product, I would usually tape these with a paler green tape but I had run out so this would have to do :-)

Equipment: Gumpaste, white fat, veiner, foam pad for thinning, ball tool, Rose cutter (I use Jem large set -available Sugarcraft Hawkes Bay) rolling pin
Roll ball of gumpaste into ball then roll one side to form cone shape so it is 3/4 size of cutter you are using, allow to dry overnight

1.Roll out gumpaste very thin, cut out your petal, I’m using the Jem roller pad so I use my cutter upside down helps to keep edges very clean
2a. Rose petal veiner press petal between, don’t fret if you don’t have a veiner as 2b & 2c other options
2b. Roll skewer over petal to form impressions
2c. Use silk tool to making veining detail
3. Use ball tool half on the edge half on the foam and go right around the petal edge to this & slightly ruffle

1St layer: Using 1 petal dampen with edible glue and wrap around the bud allow to dry overnight

Layer 2: Using 2 petals (prepared as before) lay them opposite each other place glue on one side of the petal only half way up the petal, then wrap so the petals overlap ie: each petal has one edge over and one edge under the next petal

Layer 3: (sorry doing 2 colours but pretend it’s pink)
Now we need 3 petals, veined, thinned, but now we use plastic spoons to form petals, lightly dust spoons with cornstarch, lightly press the petal into the spoon and wrap the ends of each petal over the end of the spoon as shown, allow to dry 15 minutes, then arrange evenly on foam, brush glue over half petal as before, & wrap petals so they overlap tucking the last petal under the first, once wrapped add a little more glue to the outside flaps at the base of the petals, & curl petal edges down a little. allow to dry overnight

My Large rose former: Take a cup/mug/glass & using tin foil fold a piece in half, and using fist, press into cup creating a well about 1” -1.5”deep, wrap the remaining foil around cup to secure, I have fancy Cel formers but this works better.

Layer 4: Yay back to pink!! take what ever colour you are using and dilute the strength by half by adding white gumpaste to it, kneading it well, then repeat like layer 3 but this time using 5 petals, once glued place in the former we just learned how to make :-), allow to dry overnight

Layer 5: almost done :-), now dilute colour by adding twice the ammount of white gumpaste to your previously diluted colour, now it will be quite pale, & repeat the previous layer but using 7 petals this time, I also use a skewer to roll my edges a bit better on this layer, also adjust your former to have a well of only about 3/4” depth the first number 7 shows layer 4 dried in the new depth former compared to old depth, and guess what allow to dry overnight :-)

Yay we are finished your rose you can use them undusted as picture 1 & 2 show however to get a more realistic rose I usually dust them, also helps with fading in light dust lasts longer, with the pink rose I am just highlighting with a dusky pink dust, I always dust on a paper towel to keep my area clean & I also load my brush with dust then rub out some on towel the use what is left on my brush to dust edges & bring out veining this avoids big clumps of dust, the yellow rose I am dusting with a mixture of yellow diluted down with cornstarch, & an orange, with the orange I rub out alot of the dust on the towel the run brush over just the edges to highlight, with a little extra in the centre

Lightly steam and allow to dry again

Finished articles…YAY!!!!, this is the same technique I have used for my red roses, however I dust the red roses with Poinsettia red & highlight edges with purple. I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial & hope you share it with others
A quick note to set the steam wave rose over steam from jug about 20cm above vent this will bring out colour, be careful not to leave in steam or get to close as this will make your rose too shiny as it brings out the sugars in the gumpaste

printout template on a4 sized paper cutout template then come on over to my facebook page

Photo tutorial avaliable on my face book page https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.475960925760134.110032.409347182421509&type=1