RUFFLED SKIRT & CROWN TOPPER

Continuation........

I would advise that when you are making a topper, make it ahead of time. You can make them weeks ahead. If something happens to the topper there would be enough time to troubleshoot, right?

PROJECT #2: CROWN TOPPER

My dear friend (Jannette) asked me to create a princess-like cake topper. SO, I went to my collection of cookie cutters and dig what I can use for this cake project.....tadaaaan!





daisy cutter



crown cutter

I will admit it.... DAISY cookie cutter is one of my favorite cutters because of its versatility. I can use it in many ways other than making DAISY COOKIES. But before I discuss the ruffled skirt using a daisy cookie cutter, I prepared the crown FIRST!

Get a fist-size fondant. Knead it a bit and put GUM ARABIC POWDER or GUM TRAGACANTH POWDER (see the picture below). You will only knead in 1/2 tsp of (any) powdered above-mentioned into the fondant. Roll out the fondant dough in 1/4 inch thick. By using a crown cookie cutter, press it against the fondant. You may also design the surface of the fondant (before pressing the cookie cutter) by using impression mat or textured sheet.

knead in gum arabic powder in order
for the fondant to harden like a "figurine"

cute crown cookie cutter





Place the crown on top of an elongated tube and set it aside. The following day, the crown is very hard and becomes breakable. Perfect for painting it with your desired color. You can use gold gel paste diluted in Vodka or any clear alcohol. Or simply dust it with luster dust or disco dust. Design the crown as you wish. BE CREATIVE! You can use dragees to decorate the crown or use a piping tip to put small holes on each edges of the crown.

let it rest until it becomes stable and hard as rock



I also made a circlar tag for the cake using a fluted 1 1/2 inch round cutter. Then I use a piping tip with a small round tip to decorate the edge. Let it dry like the crown.



PROJECT #3:   RUFFLED SKIRT

Using my daisy cutter, I cut pink rolled out fondant. The fondant should be rolled out very thin in order to create an illusion of a fabric for the skirt.

Use a 1 inch diameter round cutter (MAKINS' ROUND CUTTER SET) to make a hole in the center of the daisy.

I use my very reliable (also one of my favorite tools) mini palette knife to cut the daisy (see photo below)

my ever reliable palette knife

Using a ball tool (plastic ball tool will also work well), carefully roll it against the edges of the fondant daisy. On each petal, the movement should be half circular (up and down). LIGHTLY PRESSING BUT NOT TOO HARD.

I use piping gel to glue the fondant to the dummy styro cake. In that way, I can control the attachment and can possibly make movement and adjustment. VERY IMPORTANT: dab piping gel only on the inner edge of the daisy...that portion to be attached to the styro or cake. Avoid putting piping gel at the back of the petals!

dab a bit of piping gel at the back of the daisy.
Place the gel on the side touching the styro. Get IT?

Using a smaller ball tool, flip up some petal of the stretched out daisy. Do one daisy at a time because if you cut out to many fondant it will dry easily and the edge will tend to crack once you press the ball tool against the edges of the fondant as it dries out easily once expose to air.

I rolled into tiny circles a tissue/table napkin and place it in between flipped petals and let it set for 1 day. The following day, when I checked the skirt, they all dried up and I carefully remove the rolled tissues.

small ball tool helped me to positioned the tiny tissues in between

Want to check how it turned out? Here it is.....

skirt & crown

Have a great weekend everyone!