Celtic Design Cake (or others)

solovely

Hey folks,

Have been asked to decorate a cake for a friend's 30th. I'm still a beginner so something simple ideally. She loves Celtic designs and all things Irish (had a Celtic themed wedding and is big into Irish dancing), so wondering can you think of any way I can (easily) incorporate this into a cake design.

I have made a round chocolate biscuit cake, and hope to decorate using sugarpaste. I have green icing dye.

Any other suggestions too would be greatly appreciated, anything novel but easy that you've seen. The cake is supposed to be a joint cake between her and her one year old, but can't think of any ideas to incorporate a 30th and 1st birthday on the one cake"

Thanks

phormium

Celtic style stencils are very easily got, I know woodies and homebase have them. You could stencil a border around the cake or put a knot design on top.

solovely

Great thanks, I'll try Woodies.

So how do I get the stencil design onto the cake? Do I use to cut out the icing into that shape, or do I "colour" in the design onto the cake, and if so, how?

Sorry, as I said, I'm a bit new to this.

solovely

I just found this video online, going to try this if I can get the right stencil. Are these the type of stencils that Woodies/ Homebase do?

[HTML]http://video.about.com/baking/Stenciling-on-Fondant.htm[/HTML]

Thanks!!

phormium

I just use them the same way you would on a wall, buy a soft stencil brush too. Only trouble doing it on a cake is you cant stick the stencil to the cake so you have to hold it carefully, better if you can let the icing dry a bit first or you get dents from holding it. Then dab the brush in the colour, rub it off a bit on kitchen paper and either use a swirling motion all over the stencil or dab it through the bits. You could make panels of icing and then attach them, it would be much easier for the sides, if you just rolled out icing, stencilled the design and then stuck it on the cake. Practice first! Most important thing is not to have the brush too wet or the colour will leak under the sides of the design, you must aim for a barely damp brush and a kind of faded look to the design.

You can do it with coloured royal icing as well but that is a more complicated way of doing it.

Just saw your reply, you could try it that way, more difficult in my opinion, depends on your level of experience. The stencil sold in the diy shops are for walls etc, most are soft plastic like that one so are suitable for using with the cake.

solovely

Brilliant, thanks a million. Your way sounds great, and simpler too. Think I will do a panel on fondant around the edge like you suggested, less risky.

And do I just use the food colouring as it is? I have one of the really strong colourings from Kitchen Compliments.

phormium

If it is the thick paste ones just add few drops of water to blob of it on a plate, should be the consistency of wall paint, would be nearly worth looking for a video on stencilling a wall to see that technique. Make sure to rub the brush in a bit of kitchen paper before you apply it to the icing, should not be really wet, just damp.