The Beginning

Inspired by photos, videos and my new found love of cooking I set out to create my first decorated cake. 


I share my birthday with my Aunt and decided that for her present I would attempt to make the fanciest, craziest cake to share with her on our special day.


I was keen to make everything from first principles - the cakes, the fondant, the decorations, the lot! However, as the big day approached the amount of work that would be required became quite daunting (preparing for my first year of university at the same time didn't help, either!). Convinced by my mother that the decorating was the important part, I cheated and bought nine supermarket cakes: 3 x chocolate mud, 3 x white chocolate mud and 3 x caramel mud cakes.


I made my own fondant following this recipe, creating pink, blue and purple fondant for each level of the cake. My mother, grandmother and I spent an afternoon creating colourful butterflies (my Aunt's favourite) with both my fondant and some supermarket bought fondant. I'm embarrassed to admit the supermarket butterflies worked much better..


A couple of days before the big party I was set up with turning table, cake board, dowel rods (thick skewers), spatulas and all the tools I'd need for my Topsy Turvy Butterfly Cake.


Following a tutorial I found online by janellscakes (youtube) I began the process:


Using my home made buttercream underneath we covered each layer and once chilled began to build..

As the top tier was added securely the cake immediately began to collapse on itself (note the creases in the bottom layer!), quickly adding dowel rods to the top layer the top two tiers were saved from collapse but the entire cake began to tilt. A lot.

Rushing to get the camera before the whole thing ended up in a pile on the floor we snapped a couple of shots to show that yes, we made it this far. 

The decorating began and the tilting continued. As I decorated my delightful mother held the cake upright.

Until we had a genius idea of a make-shift cake stand, and.. voilà we have cake!

And the real decorating could begin

After many hours into the night we created the finished product:

The cake was a hit, collapsed layers and all. While it isn't the perfect picture I had been imagining I was quite pleased with my first attempt. Both birthday girls couldn't have been happier :)