First Experience with Royal Icing

January 4, 2008 by chrisnotesq

In my pevious post, I mentioned I don’t have time to ice the christmas cookies that I have baked before Christmas. I decided that since I have baked the cookies I might as well attempt to ice them still. Tried doing some simple piping with royal icing. To make it easier, I only stick to white color. Below are some photos including some attempts on piping faces:

Faces

Faces

Christmas Tree Cookies

Christmas Tree Cookies

Snowflake Cookies

Snowflake cookies

First Bakes for Christmas!

December 25, 2007 by chrisnotesq

Its my first time baking during this christmas season to give away to friends and colleagues. As i do not have any time for any trial run, i chose something not that complicated to bake which is light fruit cake. This is unlike the traditional dark fruit cake as i felt my friends and colleagues would probably prefer the light version.

Made 2 different types, some with rum and some without so that the kids can eat. However as i didn’t have time to soak the rum for longer time ( i only managed to soak for 1 day), the result was that the rum cannot be tasted :(

Spent quite a lot to buy cookie cutters for Christmas, had intended to give away christmas cookies to the kids but dun have enough time to do the icing so end up din give any away, wonder how am i going to finish so much cookies too??

Some pictures to share:

Christmas Tree Fruit Cake

Fruit Cake Loaf

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Cake Decorating Course

December 23, 2007 by chrisnotesq

Its been a busy past few weeks with work and family. In the midst of these, i attended the a cake decorating course part 1 which i have signed up months ago. It’s really a struggle bringing so much barang to and fro home and the venue especially in this rainy weather. Been tiring trying to prepare for the course also as I got bake and prepare buttercream of different texture from home.

This is my first cake, as you can see the skill not that good yet in piping and icing:

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This is my 2nd cake, learning to pipe a clown:

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This is my final cake for the course, learning how to pipe roses (most difficult part of the course) and practising other skills i learnt as well:

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Have also signed up for course 2, hopefully this time will not be so hectic, meanwhile look out for my post on what are my first bakes for christmas!

First Fondant Birthday Cake

November 12, 2007 by chrisnotesq

Its the celebration for my baby princess 1st birthday, its also the first time i am making a fondant cake. The weekend has been tiring, was out the whole saturday morning and afternoon and spent the evening baking a chocolate cake. Sunday morning was busy frosting followed by covering the cake with fondant and “decorating” it. Was looking forward to a nice attempt but turn out to be kinda challenging. As I didn’t manage to get the wilton rolled fondant, I used another brand and end up there are a number of cracks and because I didn’t cover the fondant well, part of the chocolate cake was exposed. Instead of decorating the cake according to my original plan, i have to do “patching work” instead.

After a tiring 2-3 hours, the result is :

1st Birthday Cake

First time with Gumpaste and Fondant

November 4, 2007 by chrisnotesq

Have been feeling stressed lately because my 2nd princess’s 1st birthday is drawing very near, in fact in about a week’s time. Till now have yet to find a nice cake i can order for her. Managed to find a very sweet looking one but that shop isn’t open on sunday for delivery. Finally i decided since i like to make cakes i shall attempt one my own??? I was told by many i am very daring especially i am not doing any trial run and i am really an amateur.

Yesterday i had my first experience with gum paste and fondant. It took me almost 3 hours from 8 – 11pm just to come out with some butterflies and flowers. Its so tiring but interesting to play with the gum paste!

Pink Butterflies

I used gum paste to make these butterflies, as i am not that skillful yet, these butterflies are without feelers. I made some white ones using fondant but they are too soft and the shape kinda deformed.

Flowers & Butterflies

Some of the flowers i made using gum paste except for the white “daisies” which are made made using fondant.

Bear with Muffler

Left some gum paste and decided to try something different, initially my elder princess exclaimed “snowman”…then as it takes shape, she can tell its a bear…hahaha…added a muffler for the bear to see how it looks. Does it look like one? Its my first attempt k? :)

Sure hope my wish to make a simple fondant cake for my 2nd princess will be successful.

Hello & Welcome !

October 28, 2007 by chrisnotesq

Have been wanting to set up a blog to record my baking attempts. Finally got down to it. Look out for upcoming posts soon!