Decorations made from pastry fondant: easier than you think!

Peculiarities

There are many options for both the base and impregnation of the cake. Biscuit, shortcrust pastry, honey cake - choose what you like best. As for the filling, it is better to use light options - soufflé, yogurt, cream, since there may simply be no room left for a rich buttercream at the end of the banquet.
For cakes, choose a base that is easy to cut - sponge cake, cake, well-soaked shortbread dough. The wafer layer or meringue inevitably becomes deformed and crumbles during the portioning process.

The benefits of cooking at home

Of course, you can order a ready-made cake, but if you decide to make it yourself, you will be able to:

demonstrate your talents;
choose the best and freshest products;
get absolute confidence that the cake contains only safe substances;
save a lot of money on your wedding budget without losing the taste of the dessert.

A good solution for beginners is a thin layer of chopped fruits or berries. Apples that quickly darken or other cut fruits that lose their attractive appearance in the air are poured with jelly.

You can use unusual options. For example, instead of one large cake, place identical cakes or cupcakes on a multi-tiered stand. In this case, the delicacy does not need to be cut, and each guest will receive the same piece.

It's easy to create a cake from candies or cheese wheels. In this case, you won’t even have to go near the stove. If you have experience in making pies, cream cake can be replaced with tall loaves, pies or kulebyaki, which fit perfectly into a village wedding or rustic style.

Decorating houses

Decorating a wedding cake at home is not difficult at all. There are several options for decorating with your own hands, depending on the skills of the housewife:

Decorating with chocolate. From melted white or bitter delicacy you can make almost any figure, fill the entire surface, create unusual patterns, lace, butterflies and hearts. In addition, you can make a congratulatory inscription or write the names of the newlyweds.

Decoration with fruits and berries is a classic of the genre. Sweet strawberries, juicy mangoes, pineapple, aromatic berries - what could be more appetizing? You can decorate the space between the tiers, the surface, and the sides of the product with your own hands. Fruit goes well with chocolate and whipped cream.

Mastic today is most often used when decorating a cake for a wedding or anniversary at home. You can make anything from it with your own hands - figures of young people, bows, flowers, voluminous hearts, rings, folds and frills. In addition, you can use marzipan or shokomastic.

Decorating with cream yourself is easy to do at home. If you have a pastry syringe with several different attachments, you can create a festive and bright decor. The cream can be tinted in delicate colors and flavored. But snow-white (for example, made from cream) is an excellent solution for wedding baking.

A wedding anniversary cake at home is also decorated in a special way. A congratulatory inscription, the names of the spouses, the number of years lived together - all this can be reflected in a confectionery product for a feast on the occasion of the holiday. Even if the anniversary is not celebrated so magnificently, a beautiful dessert will be very appropriate. Handmade decors with a humorous twist are also popular.

Size and weight

Before you start cooking, you should calculate how many servings you will need. This depends on the number of guests, as well as on their taste preferences, because someone eats a spoonful of dessert “for the sake of decency,” while others ask for more. One serving is approximately 150 g.

It is also better to calculate the weight before starting cooking, because the shape of your product depends on it:

If the cake is heavier than 3 kg, then it is better to make it multi-tiered. This way the structure will be stable and will definitely not fall apart during transportation;
If the weight of the wedding cake exceeds 5 kg, then a third tier is required;
The maximum number of tiers that can be prepared at home is five. If you try to make the cake taller, it will turn out unstable;
Each subsequent tier should be made lighter than the previous one by 2-3 kg;
The bottom base should be the largest and heaviest. Other intricate options are possible, but their implementation requires extensive pastry experience.

We calculate the weight of the cake depending on the number of guests

It is very important that each guest gets at least a small piece of dessert. Therefore, you need to think in advance about how many kilograms of cake you need to prepare.

When calculating the weight of a wedding cake, you need to consider the following factors:

number of guests: adults and children;
will the cake be distributed after the end of the celebration as a gift to each guest;
is there a need to leave dessert for the second day of the celebration;
duration of the feast;
calorie content of main dishes.

To calculate the weight of the cake, you need to allocate 150-200 g for one adult, about 120 g for a child. This is a basic indicator.

If you plan to distribute the cake or leave it for the second day, then the base weight must be multiplied by 1.5.

When the feast is short or the main courses are low-calorie, then guests can attack dessert especially zealously, so it is best to add about 20% to the base weight.

What will you need?

To make your own wedding cake, you will need the following tools:

molds for cakes of different sizes, while the sponge cake feels better in a detachable tray, and the cupcake in a silicone one;
blender or mixer (it is difficult to prepare such a quantity of product with a hand whisk);
baking paper;
sieve;
several deep bowls for mixing ingredients;
beaker;
well sharpened knife;
shoulder blade;
rolling pin;
cutting board;
saucepan for making syrup;
for jewelry - a syringe or a bag with attachments.

Decorations

The decor of the wedding cake does not limit your imagination: coconut flakes, icing, marzipan, fondant. You can draw on the cake as if on a canvas, mold figures, install the next tier, which will differ in shape from the previous one.

In addition to edible decoration, there are artificial flowers, figures made of plastic or other material, ribbons and much more.
It’s absolutely not necessary to stop at just one thing, but you shouldn’t forget about moderation either. Often, neat creamy lace looks much more elegant than a complex, heterogeneous and multi-colored composition.

Glaze

The glaze is prepared simply from powdered sugar, butter and vegetable oils , milk, vanilla and a drop of blue food coloring to neutralize the yellowness.

If you wish, you can add a dye of a different color, then the glaze will not be pure white, but any other shade that you wish.
If you do not spare the pigment, the glaze will acquire a rich dark color.
Usually the entire surface is filled with glaze, but you can also create all kinds of designs with inscriptions from it.

Colored chocolate

If you love chocolate, but want a bright, unusual shade, then food coloring will come to the rescue again.

Add them to regular white chocolate, previously melted in a water bath. The resulting mixture is poured over the top of the cake as a whole, like icing, or patterns are drawn and inscriptions are made.

Mastic

Mastic allows you to create a wide variety of figures - young people, rings, doves. Flowers sculpted from mastic look very delicate and elegant. Just create the desired shape, remembering how you sculpted from plasticine or polymer clay as a child. Doubt you have the necessary artistic talent? The mastic also looks good if it is applied in a continuous layer.

This delicious delicacy is prepared simply - from sugar, proteins and gelatin.
You can also add marshmallows melted in the microwave. This mastic looks more impressive, but is more difficult to shape.

Figures

A very cute decoration that will appeal to both children and adults. The figurines can be either classic in the form of the bride and groom, small white birds, hearts, angels, or completely unique, reflecting the hobbies and interests of the newlyweds or the theme of the celebration - a bicycle, a camping tent, a piano.

You can place one large piece in the center or make a whole composition of smaller ones. Chocolate, mastic, cream, and marzipan are used as materials for making figurines.

If there is no time for jewelry work, use ready-made artificial figurines. But if you chose the latter option - one large ready-made plastic figure or several small ones, do not forget to remove them before you start cutting the cake.

Step-by-step instructions on how to make wedding cake toppers

To decorate a wedding cake, you can make traditional or original decor.

The most popular wedding figurines are, of course, the bride and groom. You can make them from polymer clay and foam, but it’s much more interesting to make edible decorations.

To make figurines you will need:

mastic (white, black, beige or pink, brown, red);
scissors;
knife;
stacks.

Manufacturing process:

Prepare a template - an image of people (men and women), it will be useful so that the figures are proportional. Each new part should be matched in size to the template.
Using beige or pink mastic, make a head that looks like an egg. Stick on a small nose, ears, and press the eyes with the stacks. Stick on red lips, make the eyes themselves from white and black mastic. Warm water must be used to bond the parts together.
Make a semblance of a wedding dress from white mastic. In order not to waste a lot of material, under clothes you can use a base of ground cookies rolled into a sausage with honey.
Make hands from beige mastic and hair from brown, using stacks.
Gather the bride.
Make the groom in the same way, using black mastic for the suit and hair.

The second most popular wedding cake decoration is wedding rings. They are very easy to make from yellow mastic. Red caramel hearts and sugar roses will also look great.

Wedding cake toppers can turn even the most ordinary cake into a real masterpiece.

Stand

In addition to the classic stand of dishes located at different heights, there are also completely unexpected solutions - stands in the form of a carriage, a tower, or a waterfall.

The material from which the accessory is made also varies - iron, food-grade plastic, wood. Gold or silver plating is often used, giving the baked goods an aristocratic look. And on a glass stand, the wedding cake will “float” in the air, attracting admiring glances.

The shape of the stand does not have to follow the geometry of the cake. You can easily place square baked goods on an oval dish, and round ones on a heart-shaped tray. The main thing is that the entire cake fits on the stand without hanging over the edge. A good idea is to place special cake mats on each dish. This way you will be sure that the delicacy will not collapse at the edges at the most exciting moment and will not melt even at a summer wedding.

From candy

A candy cake is an amazing end to an unusual banquet that will delight all guests with its original execution. Making it yourself is very simple.

You will need:

Styrofoam;
wrapping paper or thin fabric;
satin ribbon;
corrugated paper;
candies or chocolates in individual packaging (preferably rectangular).

Step-by-step instruction:

We cut out two circles from foam plastic: one is smaller, the second is larger;
We cover the foam with cloth or wrapping paper on top;
We decorate the side edge with corrugated paper flounces, and attach candies one after another on top. It is best to secure them with double-sided tape, but you can also use glue;
We tie the cake with satin ribbons, and if desired, add any other decor - feathers, beads, bows.

Mastic cake design ideas

If time is running out and you need to come up with and develop a design for a two-tiered wedding cake, don’t panic. After all, you can always turn to ready-made ideas that will help you create a sweet that will delight all the guests at the celebration. Be sure that a wedding cake with mastic will not leave anyone indifferent.

Figurines of swans or doves

Wedding cakes made from mastic.
The most popular and widespread option. This is not surprising, because swans and white doves symbolize peace, love and fidelity. There is a legend that says that the swan is the most faithful bird. After all, if he falls in love, then his affection will last a lifetime. If his betrothed dies, he will soon face death.

In order to make a swan figurine, confectioners use snow-white mastic. Please note that this decoration will not be so expensive, because it does not even need to be painted, and this is already a significant savings in money. Typically, artisans place swans on top of the cake, facing each other or with their beaks slightly touching.

At a wedding, swan figurines go to the bride and groom. A cake in this style can be made either completely white, which will speak of special solemnity and celebration, or with bright accents. For example, you can add a black delicate veil on the sides or place a bright red rose next to the bird figures, which symbolizes passion and ardor.

Wedding rings

An indispensable wedding attribute is wedding rings. They are the ones who connect the two halves and make them one whole. This accessory has many meanings, from the infinity of love to the solemnity of the moment. Generally, wedding rings are not used alone as they do not look as beautiful for decoration.

Next to them can be placed figurines of the bride and groom, Teddy bears or flowers. The cake can turn out either more festive and pretentious, or simpler and more lifelike. In any case, the rings should be painted gold. It wouldn't hurt to add sparkles.

Hearts

Photo of a wedding cake made from mastic.
On the wedding day, two loving hearts unite into one. It is the heart that is responsible for love and affection. Therefore, as an option, make it the main decoration of a wedding cake made of mastic. There may be several examples of how best to use this organ.

If there are few guests, you can make a large heart-shaped cake. If there are enough guests, then turn to multi-tiered sweets, on top of which place the main attribute. In this case, do not forget that there must be two hearts.

Photos of newlyweds

An original way to decorate the main sweets at a wedding. Perfect for multi-tiered treats. Place joint photographs on each separate tier. At the top, as an original addition, you can place a heart horizontally, on which to depict a married couple.

However, this type of decoration has one drawback - how it will look after it is cut. Not everyone wants to even eat a sweet image with his participation.

Therefore, think over this moment in advance so that you are not surprised later. After all, everyone will eat a sweet delicacy with pleasure and hardly anyone will want to just admire it.

Culinary secrets

Be sure to sift the biscuit flour so that the finished cake is airy;
Do not beat the yolks in an aluminum bowl under any circumstances - they will darken;
All products are brought to the same temperature before mixing;
Fill the baking pan no more than two-thirds full with the mixture, as your sponge cake will rise a lot during cooking;
Shortbread dough should not be kneaded for too long, otherwise it will lose its softness;
Strive to ensure that the rolled out shortbread is the same thickness over the entire surface;
Shortbread dough does not require additional oil on the baking sheet;
Place the crust in a well-heated oven. Too low or, conversely, too high an initial temperature will worsen the appearance of the product;
Try not to open the oven door too often, otherwise the middle of the cake will sag;
The readiness of the dough is checked with a wooden stick or toothpick. When piercing the base, it should remain dry;
Do not take out the finished cake immediately, leave it to cool a little in the oven that has already been turned off - this way it will retain its fluffiness;
To make the dough easier to separate from the walls, place the baking sheet in a container with cool water for a few minutes;
If you haven't tried making any decorations before, such as cream roses from a bag with a tip, be sure to practice before placing decorations on the surface of the cake.

Multi-tiered wedding cake

A multi-tiered cake will be a spectacular end to a wedding celebration. The simplest version of this dish is a two-tier open sponge dessert with butter cream.

Ingredients for the smaller crust:

eggs – 4 pcs.;
flour – 110 g;
sugar – 170 g;
vanilla sugar – 1 tsp.

Ingredients for the larger crust:

eggs – 8 pcs.;
flour – 220 g;
sugar – 330 g;
vanilla sugar – 1 tsp.

Ingredients for buttercream:

cream 30% – 700 ml;
sugar – 115 g;
gelatin – 12 g.

How to cook:

Make a smaller crust. Separate the whites from the yolks. Beat the first ones with a mixer, gradually adding half the sugar until stable peaks form.
Mix the yolks with the remaining sugar and vanilla powder and grind until white. Add sifted flour.
Gently mix the dough with the whites.
Bake the crust in the oven preheated to 180 degrees for 35 minutes.
Bake the second cake using a larger pan.
To prepare the cream, mix gelatin with cold water and let it swell. Then heat it in a water bath until it completely dissolves.
Whisk cold cream until thick foam, gradually adding sand and introducing gelatin in a thin stream.
Beat until the cream holds its shape.
Cut the cakes into 2 parts. Assemble a two-tier cake and cover with cream.
Decorate with figures of the bride and groom.

It is better to prepare biscuits in advance, a day before the celebration, but you need to assemble the cake shortly before serving. You can add walnuts or candied fruits between the cakes.

A wedding cake without mastic may not look as bright, but it won’t be so cloying.