Wedding Desserts Part 1 - Cake

Tired. So tired.

I usually post once a week, but I have not been able to the last couple weeks because I have been busy planning and putting together the cake and cupcakes for my friend Joanne’s wedding.  This week was recuperation week, and I’ve finally rounded up enough energy to write a post. 

So, the plan is to break this up into 2 posts: the cake and the cupcakes.  First the cake…

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Hydrangea and Ivy Cake

My friend Joanne wanted hydrangeas and ivy on her wedding cake.  As we had planned on serving cupcakes, I made a small cake for her and her groom to cut into.  To see a post on the cake tasting process, go here. 

Vanilla and Chocolate cake

Vanilla cake recipe from here.

Chocolate cake recipe from here.

Baked separately in 8 inch pans.

Almond-Cocoa Filling

My friend Tina brought back a “Nutella” from Germany that is made of almonds rather than hazelnuts.  It is so tasty.  I used this as the filling for the cake.

Almond cocoa spread.

Buttercream frosting

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

4 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons milk

Directions

Add all ingredients into a large bowl and mix until smooth

Hydrangeas

1.       Roll out fondant and cut out hydrangeas using a flower cutter.

2.       Brush flowers with green petal dust.

3.       Thread a hooked wired through middle of the flower and fasten with royal icing.

4.       Hang upside down to dry.

Hydrangeas hanging to dry.

Ivy

1.       Add green gel colouring to fondant.

2.       Roll out fondant and cut out ivy using a cutter and embosser.

3.       Roll out edges with a ball tool.

4.       Thread wire into the ivy, and leave out to dry.

Tools (left to right): ball roller, cutter and embosser, wire.

Coloured fondant.

Rolled out fondant.

Cut and embossed ivy.

Rolling out edges with ball roller.

Threading wire into ivy.

Cake assembly

1.       Fasten chocolate cake layer onto cake board with a little bit of frosting.

2.       Spread filling onto cake.

3.       Put vanilla layer on top of filling.

4.       Add a crumb coat to the cake and freeze for 10 minutes.

5.       Add a thicker layer of frosting and smooth with a spatula dipped in water.

6.       Add hydrangea and ivy.

Filling.

Crumb coat.

Verdict: The bride and groom loved the cake, and the hydrangeas and ivy fit perfectly with the decor!  Upon cutting it, they opted not to smash the cake into each other’s faces.  They ended up eating it for 2 days after the wedding!

Cutting the cake.