I was lucky enough to be asked to make the cake to celebrate the 90th birthday of my friend’s grandmother. When the G-Star was asked what cake she would like for her birthday, the answer was for the same as the wedding cake. The decoration had to be different so instead of piping roses on the outside as I did for the wedding cake, I used two techniques I had been wanting to use on this scale for a while – ombre and the petal technique. The result is this Peach Ombre Petal Cake… red velvet of course.
The inside was the same as the wedding cake, being a red velvet cake layered with a raspberry version of the creamy vanilla frosting. I also actually used more raspberries in the filling than usual which was a good move as M said that it cut through the sweetness which meant you could eat more cake!
Obviously I used swiss meringue buttercream for the outside and I tinted it using Americolor Peach gel food colouring. Using this cake as inspiration, I was also aiming for seven petals up the side. I made one and a half batches of SMB which ended up being waaaaaaay too much, and I could have gotten away with just one batch as the leftovers are in my freezer awaiting another use. As I was aiming for seven petals with four different colours, and I am pedantic, I weighed the SMB and divided it by seven. Then I multipled by the number of petals I wanted for each colour (being, from darkest to lightest, 2 – 3 – 1 – 1) and split the SMB accordingly.
Then I tinted the SMB with the peach food colouring until I was happy with each shade. To test out the combination, I placed a small amount of each shade on a plate in the order and ratio they would appear on the cake to ensure I was happy with them.
The SMB was then loaded into the piping bags fitted with a #12 tip.
Once again, my obsessive nature came out to figure out a way to make sure that all of the petals would be even. So I channelled MacGyver and using a ruler, toothpicks and some sticky tape I measure the height of the cake and then placed tooth picks at even intervals so I would have seven stripes.
I then held the contraption against the crumb coat of the cake and turned it whilst gently pressing it in to draw the lines. The same was done for the top and this helped ensure that when the petals were made, they would curve around the top of the cake correctly.
Now onto how to actually make the petals. It is really simple, but very time consuming (it took me over four hours to pipe this 12″ x 4″ cake but that was with a start over and dealing with the SMB that had started to split – which you can read about how to fix in my SMB post).
Starting with the side, pipe a vertical series of dots up the side of the cake and then take a small offset spatula and gently press it a little way into the dot to give a crisp petal edge. Then drag the spatula to create the petal. You will then pipe your next series of dots so they overlap with the previous, and then continue this around the cake.
If you are using multiple colours for your petals, it is important to clean your spatula between each one otherwise you could end up with the darker colour on the light icing or vice versa and it won’t look as good.
For the top I started doing this in wedge shaped sections, but in the end I found it easier to do each coloured ring. Drawing the lines on top of the cake helped dramatically as it helped me curve the petals around the cake rather than dragging them straight.
You will also start on the outside with the same colour that was at the top of your side so they join (otherwise it might look a little funny with the darker colour).
Once you have piped all the way around the sides, and all over the top, to finish you just pipe the dots as normal, but do not drag them. Try to smooth them a little bit if necessary, but this will be the back of the cake so it will be hidden. If you can make them into petals without damaging the first one, by all means do so.
Another tip from the super coach, when you are starting the top, make sure you start it from the same place as you did the side so that all of your finishing dots/petals line up together. It wasn’t until I piped a bunch of petals already that I realised this.
When I dropped the cake off, a little bit of bling was added which looked fantastic.
Photo Credit: M. Power
Photo Credit: M. Power
I really enjoyed using this decorating technique and it definitely won’t be the last time I use it either. Maybe next time I will leave it all white or maybe even a rainbow.
Awesome! well done Cath, you’re amazing
Thanks Meg.. I try 😛
Oh my gosh, your MacGyver comment made me laugh, but this is just gorgeous. I am pinning.
Thank you for visiting. I really loved how it turned out and glad you have pinned it. Take care.
Very nice! Impressive!
I would love for you to share and link up at my weekly TGIF Link Party if you haven’t already this week. The party is open every Thursday night and closes Wednesday’s at midnight. http://apeekintomyparadise.blogspot.com/. AND starting Wednesday June 4th I will be hosting a Wordless Wednesday link party. Hope you will join us!
Have a wonderful week!
Hugs, Cathy
Thanks for stopping by again Cathy. I will definitely be linking up to your party for sure.
Wow, what a beautiful cake! It must have taken a lot of time to decorate it but the time looks like it was well worth it. 🙂
Stopping by from Watch Out Martha. Pinned. Have a great week!
It certainly took A LOT longer than expected, but more than happy with the result. Thanks for visiting and have a great week as well 🙂
Absolutely fantastic looking cake!
It looks like a work of art!
Thanks Winnie. I couldn’t stop staring at it when it was done, I certainly thought it was a work of art.
Wow, that is stunning! You must be very patient! Thanks for sharing your tips and this excellent tutorial.
If you have a minute to spare I’d be so thrilled if you could like this great post to my weekly Say G’Day linky party which is on now. This would be a great addition!
Best wishes for a wonderful week,
Natasha in Oz
Patience is usually not one of my virtues but I managed to get some from somewhere on that day. Thank you for the invite, I will certainly come along. Have a great week 🙂
I just popped back to say thanks so much for sharing your tutorial at the Say G’day Saturday linky party.
This week’s linky party has just started so I hope you can stop by and say g’day!
Best wishes for a great weekend,
Natasha in Oz
This cake looks amazing! I’d love for you to bring it to Tuesday’s Table – http://zentmrs.blogspot.com/2013/06/tuesdays-table-for-june-4-2013-and.html
Thank you for the invitation (and for visiting), I will definitely stop by.
What an amazing and beautiful cake. Red Velvet too, my favorite.
http://handmadewarratahstree.blogspot.com.au
I am glad you liked it Tracy. Thank you for stopping by.
Wow – this is so amazingly beautiful!
Thanks for visiting Natasha. I was amazingly happy with how it turned out.
Such a beautiful cake! I love your step by step photos. Pinning this for sure!
What a BEAUTIFUL cake!!! I love the the frosting colors, they are lovely, and your decorating is just perfect! Beautiful cake!
oh my! that is an amazing looking cake 🙂 i bet it tasted wonderful!
I love your method of tracing the lines before doing the piping! Beautiful cake 🙂
Thanks Dru. I didn’t do it straight away, but it certainly helped once they were there as the first few rows were a little wavy without the guide. I appreciate you stopping by, have a great week.
What a gorgeous cake! I bet it is so good! I have a new weekly link party which is live now and I would love if you stop by and link up this wonderful post! Hope to see you there! http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com/ Hugs, Maria
Thanks Maria Elena, I was very proud of the end result. I have just headed over to your latest party and linked up my Fruit Tingle Macarons so thank you very much for the invitation.
Wow! this is stunning! and the tutorial is fab, I’m definitely trying this!!
stopping by from the chicken chick blog hop 🙂
The results are stunning so you definitely should give it a go Shel and I would love to hear how yours turns out. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Wow your cake looks AMAZING! I am sure it must have tasted great too 🙂
Thank you Annie, I was very happy with how it turned out (not bad for my first attempt at the petal technique). Unfortunately I didn’t get a slice of the cake but I was told that it was absolutely delicious, especially with the extra raspberries. Thanks for stopping by!