Pineapple Cake Topper

If you're a homebody like me, coming back from holiday is always a bittersweet occasion. 

I love the familiarity of home, but it also means back to work, back to housework, and back to a list of things to do that were put away in the to-be-done-after-the-holiday file. 

Oh, boy. 

I need another holiday already!

 Some of those those tasks, though, are more pleasurable than others (the most daunting on the list is a trip to home affairs to find a long-overdue document). So, let's continue wrapping up some of the loose ends from Sabrina's pineapple-themed party. 

You might've thought I'd make an actual pineapple cake, but no - it was a pretty pink creation, with "confetti" and a gold pineapple topper - inspired by the birthday invitation. 

The topper is made from CMC / tylose paste. The underlying layer is white, with an embossed gold-lustered layer placed on top of that. 

1. cut the pineapple out of white CMC paste. 

2. use the “cling-wrap on top method” to do this - it gives the cutout more rounded edges (4).

3. place a long cocktail stick through the base of the pineapple. 

4. see... rounded edges 😉

5. roll out and emboss some light yellow CMC paste, and cut out another pineapple. 

6. luster this with gold powder. 

7. use small square or diamond shaped cutters to cut up the pineapple. Free-hand cut the leaves. 

8. re-assemble the pieces on the base pineapple. 

9. use CMC glue to stick them in place. 

10. add a few flowers to complete the topper. Leave to dry completely before using on a cake. 

In case you missed it on Instagram, here's a quick video on how to make the mini frangipanis... 

Happy decorating!

xxM

Stencilled Pineapple Cookies

And we're back!

Our holiday felt like endless days of sun and sea.
And then suddenly it was all over!

We came straight back into piles of washing, no electricity (load shedding), and today... no water (a burst pipe.) Aargh!
Reality bites back!

So, let's rather think back to the happy days before we even left on holiday - and talk pineapple party...

I promised more pineapple cookies. And here they are, including a quick video - in case you missed it on IG or Facebook. 

I really enjoyed making these. The stencilling worked out well - much to my relief!

It was so much easier than piping a pineapple pattern, and a quick and easy way to incorporate gold into the design. (There had to be gold in the design!)

The girls loved the decorated cookies at the party - choosing them first out of all the treats. 

Pineapple power!

Happy decorating. 😊

xxM 

Confetti Cookies

March didn't start out well. I caught this damn virus from my damn darling kids. And all energy and motivation fled in the face of it.
But thankfully it wasn't the kind of virus that was here to stay, and I picked myself up and got cracking with party prep. Yes, March means my "little" girl is a year older and we have cakes and cookies to bake.

So Sweet! Divine 9. 

This year's theme... can you guess?

Ok, I'll tell you. It's "Party like a Pineapple".

Its choice was prompted by the fact that we leave for an island holiday the day after the party (happy dance!)

How exactly a pineapple parties, though, I'm not sure.
But, as I said on Instagram, I love this advice for a young girl:

(...that, and it helps to have a thick skin and a few don't mess with me spikes 😉)

So, all said - I'm really enjoying this theme.

Here's how to make the confetti cookies background:

Or, perhaps a video explains it better...

More pine-9-apple cookies coming soon!

Happy decorating!

xxM

Forest Friends Cupcakes

 You know I need my woodlands creatures fix - at least once a year. So while I was planning on teaching standard swirls and flowers for the "Basic Buttercream" cupcake class, I somehow got sidetracked by these guys. But the classes were better off for it!

It started with the fawn, top right, inspired by Christina's Cupcakes. Soon followed by fox and hedgehog. Then it dawned on me that with Easter coming, we might as well bring some bunnies to the picnic.

Bunny fluff and hedgehog spines are piped with the Ateco grass nozzle - tip 133. 

The fox is piped with a small closed star nozzle - an Ateco 28. 

Before adding the fur and spines, though, it helps to have an idea of where not to pipe. 

To demarcate the foxes muzzle, use a round cutter to indent crescents into the buttercream:

And to outline the hedgehog's facial area, use a heart cutter.  

Ears, eyes, noses, etc are made from a fondant / modelling chocolate  CMC paste blend. 

And that was that. Basic buttercream and sugar paste techniques sorted. We actually did pipe swirls and flowers, too - but the stars of the show were definitely the furry forest friends!

Happy decorating!

xxM