Most of my work is inspired by fashion, or at least design outside the culinary world. Yet people always ask me to make a cake that looks like their purse. Why do you want to eat your purse! This blog can be a learning tool for you and an outlet of self expression for me:) No more purse cakes! Enjoy!

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Doir, Hermes, Marchesa!!


I have to begin this post with some exciting news.  My zipper cake was featured in Grace Ormonde!  And it got a full page (see above).....so exciting.  Okay enough bragging;)

Recently I was asked by my friends at Sashay events to create a cake for a photo shoot.  Naturally, I went straight to my fashion archives to find the perfect inspiration!  But this cake ended up with a few different inspirations.  I couldn't decide on just one.

My first ideas came from the house of Christian Dior.....




As you can tell, I am feeling the gold and white!  I have always loved Dior, not only for the designs....but also for the shows.  Here is one of my favorites.  All of the dresses were inspired my flowers!  



That couldn't be more awesome!  Seriously, cake inspiration for days.  Here is another look that I love.  


So I am thinking white with a gold pop....something simple and textured with a dramatic statement.  I have also had this Hermes bag in my collection of pictures for a while now.....


Simple and all about the texture.  I have done texture like this many times and I keep going back to it because it's so chic.  Then, I found this Marchesa look....


White and gold it is!!  I want to make a simple and clean looking cake with texture and a dramatic hand made gold statement.  I started with this tool from Fat Daddio....



First, I rolled out some gumpaste...



Next I cut out some circles and placed in the mold...


Then stamp...






Perfect....kind of.  See the mold will distort the circle a bit, so you have to re cut the design after you stamp....



I did graduated sizes and staked them....


Good....but not enough.  I also added some textured pieces cut with an iris cutter and some using this little diamond cutter from Country Kitchen....


Here is the whole band put together....


Now I cut the whole thing in half to create a band to go along the bottom tier....

Yeeeessss!!!
Now for the gold!  I use this product from Albert Uster....



You can find this at www.nicholaslodge.com. I mix a bit with a little vodka (you can use lemon extract or even lemon juice if you cannot use alcohol).


Now there's a statement!  It came out great.  I also made this little broach from the same cutter....


And here she is.....drumroll please!!!




Yay!!  Okay speaking of the Hermes bag.....here is a link to my friend Elisa Stauss' class on Craftsy, where you can learn to make your own bag!  Click the picture and it will take you to the class.




And you can learn more about fondant textures in my class Fashion Inspired Fondant!  Here is the link to the class for a discount!!!....




One more thing.  At the top, the is a button labeled "Craftsy Classes!!"....I have added discounted links for my classes and my friends classes. Enjoy!

That's all for now.  You can subscribe by entering your email at the top right!

Bye!