Cake decorators, can I pick your brains a mo please?

[lucysmam]

I want lots of edible gems (diamonds/whatever, doesn't really matter) to sprinkle liberally on dd1's birthday cake. But they're quite pricey so I wondered if anyone had a tried & tested method for making edible gems instead? Or suggestions where to find a mould for small gems - I can find plenty for large ones, but not small 🤷‍♀️

Or is there a product I could buy that would achieve a liberally sprinkled with jewels kind of feel?

Tia for any help!

Or if you just want clear, these aren't outrageously expensive. Do post a pic when it's done, good luck!

Could you use sugar crystals like you would in a geode cake?

Was also going to suggest millions sweets.You can buy edible silver glitter spray.

Hi op, I'm a cake maker and you can use boiled sweets such as foxes, smashed up. to give the gem effect

Maybe easier to go for a silhouette topper like this? www.bigmabel.co.uk/product-page/martini-glass-woman-cake-topper

Use isomalt (or fondant and spray/paint with lustre dust) in these
Gem mold https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/382900627548?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=POclNsVSv6&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=Zdtu79iNSfC&var=&widgett_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Or ready made silver sprinkles are fairly easy to find on Etsy for eg

@threekiltsandacardy I've seen those done before, good idea! I'll have a look at 'how to' after work.

The geode idea is also a good call, we've done those before & they were easy to do.

The spraying ready made sweets I could do already too, I have some lustre spray from a previous cake adventure.

I might just buy the isomalt & a mould anyway now 🤣 I'm kind of keen to try it out (assuming I could colour the clear stuff - must google later on!).

Yes I do! This is so easy to make and they are the perfect gummy crystals - I am a cake maker and they are my do to for geode cakes.

sugargeekshow.com/recipe/kohakutou-crystal-gummy-candy/

What about these? Would probably only need 2 or 3 packs?

https://www.thecakedecoratingcompany.co.uk/make-a-wish-sugar-crystal-rocks-p14093/s25366?utmsource=google&utmmmedium=cpc&utmterm=purple-sugar-crystal-rocks-80g-colour-purple-weight-80g-colour-purple-weight-80g-200216&utmmcampaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&cid=GBP&glCurrency=GBP&glCountry=GB&gclid=Cj0KCQiAn4SeBhCwARIsANeF9DIrqMVPBZgSeJN5jlRfiir2Oc0To8NcGWlJxyeASxMgc10rYrYQaLIaAj7VEALw_wcB

I would stick a bunch of boiled sweets in a sandwich bag and smash them with a roiling pin. They'll give the best colour and sparkle.

@Thingsthatgo the last time we did that, my rolling pin ended up severely dented 🤣

@queenofkale thank you, I'll try those over the weekend. Have you ever used a mould to shape them?

@lucysmam no I've never poured them into a mould but they do look rather lovely! And also much less hard that using sugar crystals.

Maybe it's not sparkly enough but my first (and cheap) thought would be using midget gem sweets or fruit pastilles or similar......plus some shimmer spray?

@queenofkale thank you. I'm going to try them in a mould as well as a tray - I'll order the one with various shapes that's linked upthread & see how I get on.

Thank you all so much for thinking this through with me, I really appreciate it!

@queenofkale I have another question about the gem recipe you linked...do you think you could string them into a necklace?

Ohhh yeah think so - you can leave them to make a crust for a few days and then it would work.

Excellent, thank you. I've ordered the mould, & handily already have the agar agar that I bought for a project with dd2, so hopefully it won't take too long to arrive and I can play with it.

They are very simple and quick to make - I find a tiny bit of gold paint on the edges after they have started to dry makes them look amazing

Ooh I might bookmark the geode candy for possible pirate treasure chests. I have no idea what my boys want for parties this year and limited time to prepare!

@queenofkale I just wanted to say thanks again for your help the other day...I'm busily making kohakutou in my new gem mould. They're so fun & easy!

@lucysmam ohh they look amazing!

I'm so glad it worked!! Please let me see the finished cake I'm so invested!!

I have in the past made cakes and I advise that gems are not the easiest to make look good. Much easier to get sparkly bedazzled ribbon etc

Once touched the edible gems can look cloudy or flat.

I like to use a nice buttercream for perfect swirls or roses and then different sized pearls to add that jewelled look. I add the bling through the topper.

Crystals though, pretty difficult even for me.

Just seen the ones you made and I think I misunderstood the brief. I thought you wanted to pile them on like a mound of diamonds.

I think what you’ve done is awesome and will look really lovely! Well done.

Just popping back to say thank you again for helping me think through how to do dd1's cake...it went down very well & I'm really pleased with it.

Interestingly, the two different yellow colours I tried didn't set at all, which meant there were less than I'd hoped for on there. But overall dd's happy with her Bejeweled inspired cake & got the reference I was going for.

Pic attached of the finished cake 🍰

This is amazing!! It looks fab!