Garden Birthday Cake

This cake was made for a lady who obviously enjoys her garden.

It was to be given to her at a garden party with family and friends to celebrate her 70th birthday.

I really enjoyed making this cake because it is a scene in miniature.

I began by making the flowers pots, shrubs, bird table, table, chair, umbrella and lady.

They were made from fondant and sugar dough which is similar to fondant but sets very hard (even in the current heatwave!) and is ideal for modelling. Although it sets hard it is still soft enough to eat without breaking a tooth.

Once these were all made I put them aside to harden.

The cake itself was chocolate with chocolate butter cream filling and covered with marzipan and green fondant icing.

Once the cake was covered I cut the fondant away where the patio and flower beds would be.

I found some brilliant embossers that can be used to create great effect such as paving, bricks and wood.

I used these for the patio, steps and table and chair.

The only part of the cake that was not edible was the umbrella. Because the pole would have to support the top of the umbrella I did not want to make it in fondant, even with hardening agent.

The risk of it snapping under the weight was too great so I used floral wire which comes in different gauges.

I put four of these together and then covered them with brown floral tape which is a tape that sticks to itself and means it is possible to get a smooth finish.

The bird table was made with grey coloured fondant using various tools to get the right shapes and marks on it.

I used piping gel which I coloured blue to get the effect of water in the bird table.

My son watched me make the tiny birds. When I rolled out a pretty large piece of black fondant he suggested that I use this as a wing but it would have been such a big wing it would have turned him into a mutant.

The steps were made using light grey fondant. I did not add any hardening agent because the steps would not have to support anything.

I used my favourite new purchase to emboss a cobblestone effect on the side of the steps.

I was really pleased with how this cake turned out. It is perfect for a summer garden party in this glorious weather.