Oh lovely bakers, help a fellow baker in need!

[MaureenMLove]

So, for my next trick, I will be making an 18th birthday cake, for someone who is F.R.I.E.N.D.S mad.

My thoughts are, make a coffee cup, using a pudding bowl and a glycerin icing saucer, with FRIENDS written on it. Very easy I think. I'm going to make up the Central Perk logo, to put on the side of the cup and make a pile of cup cakes, with cookies sticking out of them, for the coffee shop feel, iyswim!

My problem is, how do you think I can give the impression of frothy coffee? I thought of making a stensil of '18' and dusting with chocolate powder, like they do in posh shops, but onto what? I can't get my head around what to do the actual 'swirl' that you get on a cappuccino with.

Any thoughts?

Ta muchly.

Could you have a go at making marshmallow? Or maybe use a merangue?

White candy floss?

Ooh, that's a thought. I've got some of that Fluff stuff. That might work. I'll have a go with it later, I think.

Alternatively, I could just do the whipped cream thing? That'll be a hell of a lot of cream though and my nozzle won't be the right scale for a cup of coffee that big!

Sometimes, I hate being a perfectionist, because this could be a very simple cake!

Candy floss! Yes, another great idea. Thanks!

DH has just stuck his nose in. He reckons a cheese cake topping? I could make the cake a lemon cake, with cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon juice topping, pop it on top, them before it has time to set fully, swirl in some chocolate? Sounds good.

He's also suggested that I remember the girl is 21, NOT 18! This is the most important aspect of the cake to remember, I feel!

A quick google says you can get the sugar from amazon - god knows how you make it though !

That does sound good.

As does remembering her age :o

How about using italian (I think) meringue icing - and you can then blow-torch or toast it so it goes brown....example here. Never used myself but I saw an11 year old do it on Junior Bake-Off on CBBC
chasingdelicious.com/lemon-meringue-cupcakes/

Oh, that's a good idea too. Why didn't I think of any of these? I must have bakers block!

I'm going to try all the ideas on a smaller scale at the weekend. Cake is for next weekend, so plenty of time for try outs I think.

Thanks for the ideas. I'll let you know what turns out to be the best and post a picture.

In case anyone is interested, I've decided to go for a much simpler idea.

I'm going to make a glycerin icing centre for the cup, so that it can be separated from the sponge cake underneath (and also in case I screw it up, I can try again!)

I'm going to simply melt milk chocolate and pour it on, then add a swirl of white chocolate for the cream. When it's set, I'll pop it on to of the cup an add a dusting of cocoa powder in the shape of a '21'

Going to do a try out later!

That sounds greats- hope it goes well!

Here's the main cake! I think it works. Not quite professional, but not bad for a hobby baker.

This will sit on the top tier of the stand (It's the size of a side plate and 1 pint pudding basin) and cup cakes, with Oreos and cookies will be around the rest of the 4 tier stand.

Looks fab!

I'm too late to this thread, aren't I? I have a picture of exactly the cake you describe, Monday (minus the Central Perk bit) pinned on pinterest.

That was Mo, not Monday.

Phone has been slapped.

lol Squiggle! I bought those icing pens, to do the Central Perk bit. I cut out about six shapes of icing, in case the result wasn't good. I was pleased enough with the first one though.

I'm not normally a lover of the icing pens. I like to avoid writing of any kind, but there was no way round it with FRIENDS, as it's not a subject matter you can really achieve without actually using words!

The saucer ended up being just fondant icing. I couldn't get the glycerine icing smooth enough to write on.

Don't think I've got another big cake now, until my own DD's 18th in October! How did that happen? I'm only 27!

OMG. DD is almost 18 ? I am with you on the "how did that happen?"

So - what are the cake plans ?

Oh hello! Just logged on and there you are!

Well, she and DH are going diving to the Farne Islands the week before, to dive with the seals. Her dive buddy is also 18 that week, so the first cake will be a simple round, with seals around the edge and two divers on the top (like the diver on the one I've posted above). One in pink gear and one in blue. It's got to stand 6 hours in the car, with god knows how much dive gear, so I can't trust DH to look after a monster cake!

Not sure what she wants to do for her actual birthday yet. She's suggested that she'd like to go on a girls night out with me and Kbear, who is my best friend! That will involve tequilla, so she might not be up for cake!

Gah. Can't see pictures on phone app, but I will look on the PC tomorrow. I did some diving cake for DH, but with sharks instead of seals. I have fish moulds you could borrow.

Morning-after cake could take some thought, though

Shame, it's really good too! It's not the full cake, just the begining with the diver on. I haven't got the finished one on this computer.

Seals will be quite easy, I think. Just a fat sausagey shape, tapered and split one end to make the tail. Black nose and eyes, and a couple of flippers. Ask me that again, in October!

Aha - I can see it now. Here is my diver cake - very similar idea.

Actually, come to think of it, I will probably be doing another diving-themed cake on early November, as DS will be getting his dive computer re-wrapped after use this summer to remind him that it, and the PADI course, were his birthday presents