Carrot cake decoration advice please!

[debka]

Just found the new Baking Topic and thought I'd bespoil christen it with a question.

I'm making a carrot cake with cream cheese icing for a friend. It's going to be quite big- 9 inches or so, maybe 3 layers too. I'm a bit stumped how to decorate it though- normally I'd make little marzipan carrots but this is for her 60th birthday and carrots just seem a bit dull. Any thoughts for something more dramatic?

Edible orange glitter?

What about some little orange/white sugarpaste flowers around the edge and then sixty candles/a 60 shaped candle in the middle?

60 candles can you imagine? It would be like the Towering Inferno!

I like the idea of the sugarpaste flowers though.

A 60 shaped candle it is then!

My friend did a carrot cake and then put real edible flowers on from the garden (primroses etc) that she did something to first involving sugar but I can't remember what exactly... I will investigate and get back to you!
Anyway it looked perfect and exactly what you are after!!!! She tied a big beautiful ribbon round it too! So beautiful and very grown-up looking!

what about this?

ot this is v nice

lolalotta that sounds like what I'm imagining. I will experiment. Thanks.

sheepseyes not v elegant, but quite fun!

Ahhh... I cant think how to do an elegant carrot cake.

I know! That's the problem!!

I'm not sure how to add links but they are sometimes called crystallised flowers I think so have a google and see what you think! I came up with this:
www.teapartydiva.com/how-to-make-crysallized-flowers-a-great-tea-party-decoration/
Good luck! I think it could look very elegant with a ribbon and one candle!

Yay my link worked!

Hello again, I used this cream cheese frosting from Primrose bakery for some cupcakes the other week and it was fantastic. I have only just discovered the secret to getting the right consistency (mine used to be wet, glossy and runny) that holds it shape is to sieve the icing sugar 3 times, use the cream cheese cold from the fridge, the butter MUST be soft at room temperature and mix with an electric mixer until JUST COMBINED!!!! (ignore what it says about mixing for 5 mins) over beating is what makes it go thin and shiny looking, this holds any swirls you do with a spatula beautifully!!!!

I forgot the link!
www.ocado.com/webshop/recipe/orange-cream-cheese-icing/3617?selectedCategories=3615
Sorry if you already knew this just thought I would share just incase you didn't, I have been wondering why my icing has been rubbish for years!

I use walnuts to decorate my carrot cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Chopped ones around the edge and then halfs could be used on the top to spell the 60. Not majorly difficult but was surprised how well it went down with the family for a birthday last year... (possibly not very fancy if you are good at icing already though! :-) )