Hello, Hello!
Can you believe it? You're reading a post that is not about the Scarlet Pimpernel! :) I (Katherine) realize our content has been extremely biased lately.....sink me! Well, I'm here to "change the subject" for a little while and talk about.......CAKE!
So, this cake was "commissioned" by a friend of mine, whose daughter was turning 1! She asked me to make a six inch Deer/Fawn smash cake and even made the antlers for the top herself! I was a bit nervous as I'd never done a cake like this before, but also excited as the design was very cute! The front of the cake would have the deer's face and the top of the cake was going to be covered in different colors of rosettes. The color pallet chosen was a mix of brown, ivory, teal, and dark green. I have to say I was very impressed with all the work my friend put into designing the cake - it was a really nice color mix!
So....about the process! (I think I'll write the rest of this post in diary-like entries as I work on each step of making the cake! :)
Day 1
Dear Cupcake,
I'm stressed - VERY STRESSED!
I'm getting confused as to what color rosettes go where on the cake as my friend messaged me the design a while back and it's getting blurry....I think I need to message her again and make sure I have the design straight!
Later.....
Whew....ok, I think I've got it now! Now to run to the store to pick up extra food coloring that I probably will never need for this cake, but I'm scared of running out, even if this is only a little six inch cake and the amount I think I'll need would only be needed for 3 enormous wedding cakes, but I'm still scared so I'm going to buy it anyway and feel ridiculous when I come home with it!
Day 2
Dear Cupcake,
Today is Prep Day! This morning I'm going to bake my cake layers, and whip up my beautiful buttercream! Tomorrow/tomorrow night will be assembling and decorating time! (writing visibly becomes nervously wobbly) My brother, Sherlock's birthday party is tomorrow night, and I'm on frying his requested Sweet and Sour Chicken. Of course, we'll be cleaning up the house during the day to prepare for company, so I may be decorating by moonlight after everyone leaves. Hmm...well, if so, that's not so bad - then I can watch Hallmark movies on my laptop while I decorate alone to my heart's content!
Day 3
Dear Cupcake,
Tonight after Sherlock's party, 9-ish PM to be exact, I started assembling. I whipped up my buttercream in the mixer to get it all fluffy and workable again as it was cold from refrigeration. (I forgot to thaw it beforehand). Next, I colored some of the frosting light brown (I was using my friend's picture that she found of another deer cake as my guide for part of the design), and you wouldn't believe it, but it took a lot of time to get it to the right shade! I leveled the cake layers (yes, I'll admit I was overjoyed that I forgot to wrap the pans with my homemade baking strips to make them bake level, therefore having cake trimmings to snack on as I worked). After frosting and smoothing the cake (which took FOREVER! Note to self: GET A BENCH SCRAPER ASAP!), I made my deer eyelashes out of black fondant. This looked so simple in the tutorials I watched, but I think my problem was that I didn't have it stiff enough after I added my black coloring in. I should have probably "kneaded" in some more confectioners sugar and it hopefully would have made a difference - I'll have to try that next time...if there is a next time. But eventually I got the fondant to cooperate into the lashes I wanted. (They really made the cake come to life when you looked at the finished product later on.) As I worked on all the above, I watched Hallmark's "A December Bride" (which has When Calls The Heart's Jack in it - probably the best thing about that movie), "More The Merrier" (starring Jean Arthur, Charles Coburn, & Joel McCrea - one of my FAVORITE movies), and Hallmark's "Crown For Christmas" - which has - get this - Captain Wentworth from the 2007 Persuasion in it!). So at this point, I confess to say it was going on 3 AM. and I went to bed. I was rather discouraged at the cake smoothing job I did, and then the struggle with the fondant didn't exactly boost my confidence. But still I had the eyelashes done and as I'd never made fondant lashes before - it was still an accomplishment and a big part done.
Day 4
-THE DAY SHE'S COMING TO PICK UP THE CAKE-
Dear Cupcake,
After sleeping in till 9 AM, Grace woke me up and reminded me I had a cake to make.
Katherine (drowsy) - No, what cake? There's a cake?
Grace- Yes....you know, the cake you're making?
Down I went to the kitchen, and again pulled out my chilled buttercream and set to "re-fluff-if-fy-ing" it in the mixer. (Oh my mixer, how I love thee) I first had to do some "patching" on my cake as there were a few issues. Then I separated my buttercream into separate bowls and colored them ivory, teal, and dark green.
Now....rosette time! It's just funny how challenging it can be to pipe rosettes in a supposed "random" pattern over the top. It's like looking at someone else's graceful "messy" bun that looks oh, so easy, but when you try to recreate it in front of your mirror - disaster, frustration, and hair pulling ensues! But anyway, after I started and got a rhythm going, it went much easier. I kept calling Mamma and Grace to come look at the cake, asking them if the flowers and leaves, etc. looked evenly placed. Finally, after much debating/re-piping/re-frosting/hyperventilating....it was finished!
Here are the pictures taken at the birthday girl's party:
Ain't it cute??? (squeals with delight) I'm so happy it came out good - it was an answered prayer! :)
So, that's all, folks!
***Please leave me a comment below and tell me what you are baking/cooking in the kitchen these days? I'd love to hear all about your cooking adventures!***
Also, if you decide you want to create a deer cake, I'd be happy to share any of the videos I used as tutorials/inspiration.
Till Next Time....
Katherine <3
P.S. Just to let you all know, this week's Scarlet Pimpernel video/post will be on the late side again. We've been prepping for our friend's Cookie Contest & Exchange and have been quite busy all this week, so we apologize. We hope that things will settle down soon and we'l be posting our videos punctually again on Thursdays.
