My friend Dayna's daughter's sweet sixteen birthday is today! Here is the cake I made for Jillyen.
The top tier is red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting covered in buttercream fondant. The bottom tier is chocolate cake covered in dark chocolate ganache covered in buttercream fondant with modeling chocolate decorations. The chevrons didn't turn out exactly how I wanted. I thought the cake would be taller so my chevrons were a little too big. I had to trim the tops off. Next time, a taller cake will be in order. It was a very long night last night. Sometimes I will make a cake and what I envision in my head and on paper turns out exactly how I want it to. This cake was just the opposite. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. I was standing in my kitchen last night kneading fondant and crying because I was so frustrated. I may have thrown a cake board or two and my husband may have rolled an eye or two.
I didn't take the cream cheese frosting out the fridge early enough to let it get soft so it started tearing the cake as I tried spreading it. I had to put the cream cheese frosting over the heater vent to warm it up faster because it was already 10 p.m. and I was exhausted. I threw the cakes in the freezer while I rolled out the modeling chocolate for the chevrons. I used the wax paper transfer method by Jessica Harris (her blog is amazing!) which was the only thing that actually worked beautifully! I cut some costs and time by buying fake flowers from JoAnn Fabrics. I made a "1" and a "6" out of gumpaste and covered them in gold disco dust for the topper. Sometimes, because I make so many cakes, I get overly picky and get a little OCD over the littlest details. I do want something to look perfect and when they don't go exactly the way I like, it is extremely frustrating.
Next time, I would find a template that is smaller for the chevrons and measure more accurately. I didn't start decorating until 8:30 last night because we got home from town only at 7:30.
I didn't go to bed until 1 a.m. and I woke up this morning with a migraine and I don't have time or the supplies to redo anything. What do you think? Does this look ok??? I hope Jillyen has the best 16th birthday!!
I didn't take the cream cheese frosting out the fridge early enough to let it get soft so it started tearing the cake as I tried spreading it. I had to put the cream cheese frosting over the heater vent to warm it up faster because it was already 10 p.m. and I was exhausted. I threw the cakes in the freezer while I rolled out the modeling chocolate for the chevrons. I used the wax paper transfer method by Jessica Harris (her blog is amazing!) which was the only thing that actually worked beautifully! I cut some costs and time by buying fake flowers from JoAnn Fabrics. I made a "1" and a "6" out of gumpaste and covered them in gold disco dust for the topper. Sometimes, because I make so many cakes, I get overly picky and get a little OCD over the littlest details. I do want something to look perfect and when they don't go exactly the way I like, it is extremely frustrating.
Next time, I would find a template that is smaller for the chevrons and measure more accurately. I didn't start decorating until 8:30 last night because we got home from town only at 7:30.
I didn't go to bed until 1 a.m. and I woke up this morning with a migraine and I don't have time or the supplies to redo anything. What do you think? Does this look ok??? I hope Jillyen has the best 16th birthday!!