Cake Decoration Recipe
Why a gourmet? Anybody can judge how appetizing and flavorful Cake Decoration is. Is it you or the aroma of Cake Decoration that you happen to be making that has dragged me in the direction of the kitchen?, were my partner's words.
Ingredients
3/4 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Pinch salt
3 to 3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
7 wooden craft or Popsicle sticks (4-1/2 inches)
1/2 teaspoon baking cocoa
Red, yellow, orange and green liquid or paste food coloring
Directions
In a mixing bowl, cream shortening, extracts and salt.
Gradually beat in sugar alternately with milk until smooth and stiff.
Cover with a wet paper towel and plastic wrap until ready to use.
To make trellis: Lay 5 craft or Popsicle sticks on a sheet of waxed paper with 1/4 in.between bottom of sticks (ends that are inserted into cake) and 1/2 in.between tops.
Spread back side of remaining sticks with frosting; position across 5 sticks 1 in.and 2 in.down from top.
Allow to dry, about 1 hour.
Press bottom of sticks into upper left corner of cake.
To make garden patch: Using a toothpick, mark a 5-1/2-in.x 3-1/2-in.patch in lower right corner.
Lightly sprinkle with cocoa; gently press into cake.
To make vegetables and border: Cut a small hole in corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert #10 round tip.
Combine 1/4 cup frosting and red food coloring; fill bag.
Holding bag straight up and down, form 8-10 tomatoes in front of the trellis.
Prepare another bag, inserting #5 round tip.
Combine 1/4 cup frosting and yellow food coloring; fill bag.
Using the same procedure, form rows of small dots to create kernels of 8-10 ears of corn in upper right corner.
Wash #10 tip and insert into a third bag.
Combine 1/2 cup frosting and orange food coloring; fill bag.
Using the same procedure, form 3 rows of 4 carrots on the garden patch.
Add green food coloring to remaining frosting.
Prepare a fourth bag, inserting leaf tip; fill with some of the frosting.
Form husks on edges of ears of corn; add stems and leaves to tomatoes and carrots.
Add vines to trellis.
Prepare a fifth bag, inserting the star tip; fill with remaining green frosting.
Form a border around base and upper edge of cake.
Gradually beat in sugar alternately with milk until smooth and stiff.
Cover with a wet paper towel and plastic wrap until ready to use.
To make trellis: Lay 5 craft or Popsicle sticks on a sheet of waxed paper with 1/4 in.between bottom of sticks (ends that are inserted into cake) and 1/2 in.between tops.
Spread back side of remaining sticks with frosting; position across 5 sticks 1 in.and 2 in.down from top.
Allow to dry, about 1 hour.
Press bottom of sticks into upper left corner of cake.
To make garden patch: Using a toothpick, mark a 5-1/2-in.x 3-1/2-in.patch in lower right corner.
Lightly sprinkle with cocoa; gently press into cake.
To make vegetables and border: Cut a small hole in corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert #10 round tip.
Combine 1/4 cup frosting and red food coloring; fill bag.
Holding bag straight up and down, form 8-10 tomatoes in front of the trellis.
Prepare another bag, inserting #5 round tip.
Combine 1/4 cup frosting and yellow food coloring; fill bag.
Using the same procedure, form rows of small dots to create kernels of 8-10 ears of corn in upper right corner.
Wash #10 tip and insert into a third bag.
Combine 1/2 cup frosting and orange food coloring; fill bag.
Using the same procedure, form 3 rows of 4 carrots on the garden patch.
Add green food coloring to remaining frosting.
Prepare a fourth bag, inserting leaf tip; fill with some of the frosting.
Form husks on edges of ears of corn; add stems and leaves to tomatoes and carrots.
Add vines to trellis.
Prepare a fifth bag, inserting the star tip; fill with remaining green frosting.
Form a border around base and upper edge of cake.
