I’m so excited! It actually worked. I used some techniques I only thought of in my brain and hadn’t actually tested (oh wait, that’s how it always is haha). I’ve never done anything of this kind before, but thanks to Lex who ordered this I’ve been able to try out this replica of Jack Daniels cake that was heaps of fun (and time consuming but hey, I enjoyed it, stress attacks and all.) to make.

Check it out!! (can you sense the happiness brimming?)

The neck should be longer, but I was following a different picture. Haha, don’t ask me, I don’t like alchohol. It’s too bitter, I feels.

For the cake, I used a dependable yummy chocolate cake recipe that freezes well and froze it. I don’t know why. Oh wait I do. ;) It was because I needed to carve it ;-) I cut it freestyle because I don’t know how stencils work! *fear*

For the bottom velvet box, I used a fudge recipe that I mashed up & dishevelled into alternating heights so that it could create the cloth feel. Unfortunately for me, the sides of the wooden box did not stay straight. The velvet cloth was….just red. Haha. Maybe if I gave it more folds, it’d look more realistic. And painted it with lustre dust. I’m also having trouble with cracking fondant! After rolling it out, it was so hard to transfer it to the fudge cake. Anyone know how to combat this problem?

NEXT TIME: I’m going to measure and cut the sides then dry them over 2 days so they’re firm and dried.

After disastrously covering the cake with fondant, I looked at its cracks and uneven points and got a stress attack. But never fear, the paint is coming on. BTW, gents & ladies who do this, how do you NOT get cracks and uneveness in covering a weird bottle shaped cake?

As you can see, the bottle is the same height all the way. I didn’t study the JD bottle closely enough because the neck actually gets thinner. Didn’t manage to capture that! :/

And next, my favourite part. The painting! I used brown, black and white to create highlights & shadows that enhanced the 3d feel. Man, I loved this! Used all my art class skills from ages ago. I loved doing it! Did it with G. If I can only perfect this technique I could create anything! My creative brain waves began waving a lot at this point. The possibilities! The opportunities! Endless. I began thinking of all the art and craft things and techniques I knew (of, not know how to) that I could incorporate into cakes. My brain raced, but you also have to focus, yaknow?

Yes, you thought of airbrushing didn’t you? I did! But then, I didn’t! Instead of buying a RM500+ airbrush I spent 1/40th+ of the cost splurging on paint brushes and edible paint to paint it myself. Gel based colouringbapparently works best. ? Donch ask moi yet! I used Wilton colours and some almond essence. You can use lemon juice too, anything clear. I used some liquid colouring too. Worked OK.

Okay as for ideas, my brains are working so fast I need to head to my nearest craft & art supply shop to see if I can steal any of their ideas over to the dark side, i mean, edible side ;-)

To show you the sides

And that’s that! And I should’ve waited longer for it to dry before painting the words. Thanks G for all the help!

NEXT TIME Let the cake dry for a day and a half before painting. Or find an alternative drying method. Anyone have any comments? A hair dryer…? PROBLEMS: cracking fondant when rolling, melting fondant after being set.

*happy sigh*

Gonna take my long overdue nap now. Toooodles.