GIFT / GARDEN CAKE

My customer wanted a birthday cake for her mother's 65th birthday. Her mom likes a lot of things, especially gifts, gardening, Bruce Springsteen, and the colors red, orange, and purple. 
(Note to self! She is not a pink girl.)

So the first thought was to make a gift cake, square, with a simple ribbon, bow, and tails. But I wanted to add something garden-related. I decided to add a garden trowel and garden gloves, and make the trowel a gift, with a small bow and name tag. I thought that if I added a rose or two to the cake "gift," as well as some roses on the cake board, I could make the ideas work.

It was easy enough to put in some of the mother's favorite colors. (Too bad I couldn't work in a Bruce Springsteen reference! And believe me, I tried to think of something!)

So I needed:

1. Cake that looks like a gift

2. Garden trowel

3. Garden gloves

4. Name tag 

5. Large bow for cake, small bow for trowel

6. A cool cake drum 

7. Roses...

Here are the steps that I took to put this project together. 

COVER CAKE DRUM

I covered the cake drum with this gray fondant, used a long dowel to make the grooves while the fondant was still soft; after it dried, I dusted the "lines" with dark purple dust.

GLUE RIBBON ONTO DRIED CAKE BOARD

ADD CAKE 

 ADD RIBBONS (FONDANT)

ADD TAILS (FONDANT)

ADD BOW (GUM PASTE / MADE NIGHT BEFORE)

ADD ORANGE ROSEBUD TO CAKE 

ADD TROWEL AND GIFT CARD (BOTH GUM PASTE)

ADD GARDENING GLOVES (GUM PASTE)

Using my hand as a pattern, I cut out a pattern then used the pattern to cut the gum paste. After the gum paste was dry, I painted small red roses with dark centers, added gold trim, and a little stem. I glued black fondant strips around the wrists with edible gum glue.

ADD PIPING 
(but I should have done this step in the step right after I added the ribbon)

ADD ROSES AND "DIRT" (crumbled brownies)

Let me know if you have any questions. Email me at CakesoftheHamptons@aol.com. I'll be happy to help you!