CLASSIC PIANO TUTORIAL

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CLASSIC PIANO TUTORIAL
By ANA REMÍGIO

This was my first attempt at making an elevated piano. I’m sure there may be alternative methods for doing these steps but this was the way that worked for me.

1 – First of all, you need to do the structure to hold the cake. I used two cake boards, a round one for the base ( big and strong enough for the entire cake to sit on), and a rectangular ( thinner) one to cut the piano shape (that will be base for the piano) and the piano bench.
Draw the shape of the piano onto the board and using an Xacto knife cut out the base. Do the same for the bench. Using the piano shaped board as a template, outline the board onto a piece of cardboard. This will be needed to cut the cake and to do the piano top.
To elevate the piano (on legs) you will need a dowel rod a bit larger than the size of the dowel rod that you will use for the bench legs, a hammer and some nails. You cut the dowel in 3 legs for the piano and in 4 for the bench. Than you ask your husband to build it for you…(that was what I did).

2 – Now you are ready to start the cake. I began by the base. First of all I did the legs. I covered them with white fondant and then tried to give them a more vintage/romantic look, just wrapped around the legs some curly stripes (I like using them). Used a bit of water to glue them.

3 – The next step was the floor…I wanted something to go with the vintage/romantic look… so I choose a wooden floor. I cut some strips and glued them to the cake board to look like a real wooden floor that I wanted. I could have darken, to look more real, but I wanted something light, so I left it with the natural color.

4 – Now for the real cake. Bake two sheet cakes that will be large enough for your template. You will need two cakes, approximately 2 inches tall each. Using your template cut the cakes out and don´t forget to cut the area for the keyboard.
Place the cake onto the cake board with filling between the two layers and cover it all with a light coat of butter cream. (I´m sorry but I don´t have photos from this part, but is something basic).

5 – For the fun part… I started by the piano bench. I did it with cake to…and covered it with fondant.

6 – Using fondant, make the keys for the keyboard, and let them dry.

7 – Cover the all piano with white fondant. After that try to smooth as much as you can, to finish with all that imperfections and give it a more perfect look.

8 . On this point I made the top of the piano. Now you have the template you did on the beginning, you just have to cut another cake board or cardboard with the piano shape, but shorter, you only need to cover the top not the keyboard.
I covered the cake board (a really thin one) with a little water and white fondant and allow it to harden.

9 – Next step was to place the keyboard. Just swab a little water and place it, as simple as that…For the sides of the keyboard, I did two thick strips and wrapped them like in the photo, to go with the legs of the piano.

10 – Next I placed the flowers (that I did the day before, to dry before using them).

11 – Now for the top of the piano. To hold the top open you have to use a dowel or a lollipop stick (I used this, because is already white, you don´t have to cover it with fondant). On the tip of the lollipop stick you have to put a bit of fondant and glue it so that the top of the piano stand firm, or you can do a small wall in the top (cake board) so that the stick fit´s. I tried the first, but it didn´t worked for me. So I did the second, and worked just fine.

12 – Before attaching to the piano, decorate the top as you fancy…Than use some water or royal icing, I prefer water because it´s so clean, to attach the top to the piano.

ÉT VOILÁ…

All decorations on the piano are made of fondant.

Hope you enjoy this tutorial, as it´s my first, your feedback will be greatly appreciated!!