Simple Lacey "SugarVeil" Cake

SugarVeil can be a little tricky to use, depending on the humidity conditions and other factors. For this cake, I was making SugarVeil lace for a wedding cake in the blue silicone molds. To speed up the setting time, you can place the filled mold into a 100 degree oven, or an oven with only the light on until it is set enough to peel out of the mold. The last time I made the lace, I just used the white SugarVeil. This time I added purple color to it as the bride wanted lavender lace on white fondant. Perhaps adding the color made a difference or it could have been more humid, but this time it took almost 2 hours for each mold to set. The last time I made the lace, it took only about half as long. Once you figure out how long you actually need to let it set, the process becomes quite easy, and the end result is quite lovely.

Cupcakes...

Did I ever say how much I dislike doing cupcakes...especially for weddings? If you don't know by now, I really don't like doing cupcakes, especially when I'm working on a large catering order, and the bride wants cupcakes instead of a cake. Cupcakes rank right up there with sheet cakes in my book. They actually cost about the same as a nice cake, but...

• You need to do them the day of the wedding so they will be fresh
• They take allot of time
• They need to be placed on a special cupcake stand to look pretty
• They can be messy to eat

From now on, when I have a large catering order and the bride wants cupcakes, I'm sending them to my friend Shelly, who enjoys decorating cupcakes.

So last Saturday, I was still working on the cupcakes when we should've been leaving for the catering job. They turned out pretty, yes, but they were a pain in the ...  These cupcakes were four different flavors...fudge marble with Bavarian Creme filling, Swiss chocolate with coconut pecan filling, vanilla with raspberry mousse, and carrot. They all had cream cheese frosting. Some were decorated with fondant flowers, while others were decorated with air-brushed fondant and edible lace made from Sugarveil. I decorated an 8 inch round to place on top of the cupcake stand for the bride and groom to cut for pictures.

Simple Dessert Garnishes

I will be teaching some simple cake decorating techniques to the students in Sand Creek's catering classes next week. The teacher also asked me if I could teach some simple garnishes, as they will need to know that for an upcoming competition. So these are the ones I will be teaching them. 

Very simple, yet very effective and pretty on a plate. Everything on this plate is edible, including the small lace doily...it is made from SugarVeil, using my new lace mat (subject of another blog post coming soon). So, my class outline will include a cake demo and drawing (someone in the class will take the cake I decorate home), teaching the students 2 simple borders, and teach them these simple dessert garnishes. They will then ice a cupcake, put one of the borders around the cupcake and make one of the garnishes to decorate the top of their cupcake.

 Maraschino cherry flower on SugarVeil doily

 Strawberry fan

 Citrus butterflies and lemon peel rose

Sugar coated grapes