Making a cake. Tips on decorating. (Why do I do these things - sigh)

[CatBert]

OK. DD1 wants a charlie a lola cake.

I love making their birthday cakes. Despite DH saying "You know she won't really appreciate it - she'll probably rather you got her a barbie cake from Tesco" !!!

Still - like I say, I do enjoy it

Right, so I reckon I can knock up a strawberry and vanilla flavoured marble cake. Cover it in either chocolate or strawberry frosting. I have ordered some cool crayola crayon candles.

Now onto the C&L bit, which has me a bit stumped. I have large sheets of rice paper, and am relatively artistic, so I was thinking about tracing a simple pic of lola with a strawberry (got that) - but am unsure on the edible "paint" to use.

I know you can get dusting powder - can you make this wet like paint? How would I go about it to get the best result (the colouring probably needs to be subtle, but the outline needs to be strong, but not sure I have a steady enough hand for piping it.)

Anyone done anything like this before? Am I mad?

I sincerely hope you are going to let dd1 know how much blood sweat and tears you plan to put in to this cake and hold it over her for many years to come

Best of luck to you madam

Am not good on cake decorating, but loads of Charlie and Lola stuff here if you're doing a party. (I was googling for cake, but couldn't see anything).

You can get edible ink pens - Used them for doing a 4 pack of carling for DH's 30th. Red and black, found them in the local cake supplies shop. Also if you have gel food colouring couldn't you use this to paint with?

Rather than rice paper could you use ready rolled white or cream sugar paste - can get it from super markets and paint on to that?

ps strawberry and vanilla marble cake sounds yummy

rather misses the handmade point, but you could always get someone else to do the hard work - here or here !

I guess you're well equipped with C&L themed party stuff - I especially like the biscuit garland.

You can paint with paste food colours onto ready roll icing, use gin or vodka to dilute (can use water but not quite so effective, and the woman in the cake shop assures me the alcohol evaporates ) would probably work on rice paper too, test it to see. Can get paste colours from cake decorating shops. Sparkly dusting powder can be mixed with alcohol to paint a stronger line, or just brushed on dry for a subtle effect. I enlarge the picture I want on photocopier, then lightly trace through onto surface of flat sugarpaste, giving me a faint line to paint in.

Thanks all

Yes. Hmmm. I think I probably use my children as an excuse to excercise my long dormant arty farty skills.

I went online and have ordered some powders, and will have a go on both rice paper and ready roll sugar paste. They also sold an edible marker pen - which might be easier for the outlining, but will have to do some testing first I guess (beetles, bugs and butterflies are probably good test subjects and can always get popped on the sides if they turn out OK!).

Great tip about the tracing Panda - that's a fantastic idea!

Hey - if it turns out OK - I might even upload a picture in a proud moment stylie!!!

Thanks all again...!

p.s. Mrs Badger - I have saved those links - KEWL!