The Top 10 tips for cupcake decorating:
And I did promise you that I'd share the top 10 tips I learnt from the day so here goes!
Step 1 - If you're kneading a lot of fondant (over 500grams or 1 pound) use your shoulders and body weight to do this and stand over the fondant. As a shorty (155cms tall, petite is such a nicer term for it ;) ) I was given a stool and it helped enormously. It also helped me roll the fondant evenly.
Step 2 - French rolling pins are all very pretty but they're not ideal for rolling large amounts of fondant. A regular one where the body spins is best as it does most of the work for you. Press down the fondant into a square shape and then roll 6 times in one direction and then turn it 90 degrees and roll it another 6 times until you make a square. Keep doing this until the desired thickness is required.
Step 3 - To roll fondant ready for use, you want to knead it in order to get one surface (on the table) as smooth-the other surface can have lines. You will of course use the smooth surface on top. Use a shaker of cornflour to ensure that the fondant doesn't stick to the table. If it does, use a paring knife quickly and carefully under the fondant to undercut it.
Step 4 - To colour fondant, first pinch off a golf ball sized roll of fondant. Take a fingernail sized amount of colouring gel (they use Wilton gel) and wearing disposable gloves knead it into this ball. It will still be glossy with gel on the outside but you can store this colour ball and use it for later. Pinch off a small amount from the colour ball and knead it into a larger amount of white fondant. Knead it like dough (in circles) and then slice it in half-you can see that there are streaks throughout it. Then re-knead it and cut again and repeat until there are no more streaks inside.
Step 5 - Make coloured fondant 1-2 days days before you need to use it as it will fade or use it straight away. Purples are particularly susceptible to fading as are some pale pinks (which can turn white).
_The teapot on the right was made previously and has faded slightly whereas the one of the left was freshly shaped and slightly glossy
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Step 6 - Always work fondant in your hands if you are modelling so that it gets slightly warm. It is much easier to adhere it to other parts of fondant (eg. the teapot spout to the body) and it should be slightly glossy when it is ready.
_Making the pear shape: make use of the natural groove in your palms-the ball end will be in the centre of your palm while the thinner tapered end will be closer to your wrist.
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Step 7 - If you are modelling figures with fondant always start with a perfectly round ball with no cracks or lines. A very common modelling technique is the one we used for the rabbit which produces a teardrop. This is where fondant is rolled between the grooves of your palm back and forth to produce the teardrop shape.
Step 8 - Cover fondant when not in use as it dries very quickly. You can use vinyl tarp for this - it doesn't need to be anything special.
Step 9 - If you are decorating large quantities of cupcakes, the best way to measure fondant is to make a sausage shape, cut one slice off and weigh it and if it is correct, slice off pieces in the same size to avoid individual weighing.
Step 10 - Essential bits of equipment are: plastic ruler, a frilling tool (although some use a toothpick which is quite fiddly but would do the job), a small paring knife, a small offset palette knife, a vinyl sheet and a small rectangle of acrylic much like what overhead projector sheet, a sifter of cornflour, a pizza cutter and a small rolling pin.
Even though I thought I knew a bit about cupcake decorating, I found that I learnt a lot. It was also very inspirational and motivational and I came out out there wanting to buy paints, gold dust and more fondant to create even more cupcakes ( much to Mr NQN's dismay when he sees the bill for cake decorating supplies!).
Alice Falling Down The Rabbit Hole Cupcakes
And I did promise you some Alice in Wonderland Cupcakes didn't I? Here is a step by step tutorial for making the fabulous Alice falling down the rabbit hole cupcake.
Step 1 - Make the layers of the skirt. Using a chrysanthemum cutter cut two white discs and one blue disc. Using a frilling tool, frill the edges by rocking back and forth with the blunter end of the frilling tool. This can also be achieved using a toothpick.
Step 2 - Roll out a small sausage in a flesh coloured fondant (about 7 cms in length)
Step 3 - Pinch both ends to make feet. Cut in the centre. You have two legs! We were all absolutely floored by the adorable doll legs :)
Step 4 - Place a large black disc of fondant on top of an iced cupcake using a little water on a small paintbrush to fix it. Place frilled blue disc first using a small amount of water.
Step 5 - Add both white frilled discs and adhere with a little water.
Step 6 - Poke two holes quite deep with the frilling tool to insert the legs.
Step 7 - And pop the legs in! Paint the feet back to simulate shoes.
Oh Alice!
And eat eagerly knowing that you have 19 other cupcakes to devour :)
NQN attended the Alice in Wonderland Cupcake Class as a guest of Planet Cake.
Planet Cake
106 Beattie Street, Balmain, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9810 3843
www.planetcake.com.au