Making 3D Cake Designs - Gratitude #24

The first fondant recipe I used wasn’t good. It was very basic (didn’t use glycerin) and the fondant didn’t stretch well. I also couldn’t find CMC back then so all my sculpted work didn’t hold their shape well. And I didn’t have the tools for sculpting. But I somehow managed.

When my cake baking / decorating supplier brought in CMC my heart jumped for joy! I could finally make presentable 3D figures!

Little did I know there was another challenge before me, humidity. Even though modelling paste is firm and hardens with time humidity is it’s enemy. It actually makes the paste soft and damp, and in time, mould!

It’s tough enough on normal days but every time it rains and I have an order I just want to cry! 😭 Beautifully shaped long legs turned to stumpy legs! Slim torsos turned to broad torsos! Can you just feel my frustration?

Back to google! And the answer was silica gel. Silica gel is a material (looks like beads) that absorbs moisture. They come in little sachets and are sometimes found in handbags, dried foodstuff, shoes, etc. Some musicians use them to keep their string instruments dry.

Source

My boys used to play the guitar and had one big cloth pouch of silica gel. It’s called Thirsty Elle. When it is dry the name is bluish / grey in colour. When it absorbs moisture it changes colour. Then you’ll know it’s time to put it in the microwave oven on high for 4-5 minutes and it’s ready to use again. That has been my savior to this day 🙏🏻

I’m all for the “simple” and I make simple 3D designs. No architectural structures nor floating noodles or milk, nor sculpted cars. I make 3D figures that stand (or sit) on the cake, like these:

Making 2D designs was easy enough to figure out myself but 3D designs was a big headache.

I’m really grateful to have found baker / decorator extraordinaire Liz Marek on her YouTube channel called Sugar Geek Show. Her instructions were very clear and detailed. I literally learned all I needed to know about making human figures from her. Her work was really good back then but you should see her amazing sculptors now! They are incredible!

These are the tools I use for sculpting: