Triple Chocolate Fudge . . .

Well, last night was my last class for my level 2 Wilton cake decorating class. It has been great fun learning how to make flowers out of royal icing and the ladies in the class were enjoyable to talk with. The class was a great opportunity to have "me" time away from the house and be around "grown-ups", yeah! I did come home and practice the techniques I learned during class, and of course, Mackenzie wanted to help. I think over the next month or so I will teach Mackenzie what I have learned, as long as she wants to learn. She actually keeps asking if she can take a cake decorating class. I wish they did offer these same classes geared to a younger age level; there was actually an 8 yr. old boy in our class and he did a very nice job following along and making his flowers, and his final cake was great.



This is my blank canvas, pre-iced cake, for class. We will be learning the basket weave for our final project.



These are the various flowers I made out of royal icing and then two birds made from color flow. They can be added to the final cake.



Well, the cake in the course book was done in white buttercream icing and it looked very classy. It looked very elegant. My decorating or taste is one of a more casual, country feel. So I asked the teacher if I could do a brown basket. I originally thought I would just color the white buttercream brown. Well, as I was looking through my course 1 book, I found the recipe for the chocolate buttercream icing . . . YUM!! Then the wheels in my head started turning and I thought it would be neat to do a two toned basket like some of the Longerberger ones I have.



Well, I think it turned out pretty cool, especially for being the first-time. I have to admit, my hand is sore this morning. I don't think this is something I will do very often, but I do plan on using this technique again. I have to admit, it is hard to keep a sturdy hand and my hand started cramping before I was done, but it was well worth it.

I had all those flowers made . . . practice, practice, practice; but, then I only used a few. So now I have a ton of flowers for a later cake or cupcakes.



Of course, it didn't take long for us to cut into the cake. The kids greeted me at the door and wanted to see the "masterpiece" cake. My mother-in-law suggested waiting to cut the cake till my husband got home, but I figured he could see what was left as well as the pictures. The cake was very yummy . . . let's call it Death by Chocolate, as the cake is a triple chocolate fudge cake with chocolate buttercream icing.