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Original poster

Making my own wedding cake-2 tiers please help!

186 replies

bratnav · 15/02/2009 20:19

I have decided to make my own wedding cake as we are on a tiny budget. 20-25 guests plus a few elderly relatives to send slices to.

We would like a stacked 2 tier square cake, sponge, a bit of a quirky design, I am wearing black velvet and DP is wearing a purple velvet jacket, so not a traditional wedding.

ANY advice on how, designs that I will be able to manage, how far in advance I could make it etc etc would be wildly appreciated

OP posts:
lucysmam · 15/02/2009 22:18

what colour petals?

Agree with Maureen about not, under ANY circumstances using liquid colours . . . very sticky gooey mess!

purple with black ribbons sound simple & effective, circle or square or some other shpe?

MaureenMLove · 15/02/2009 22:20

Sounds stunning actually. Very simple, but very effective. If you have a good cake making shop near you, go and have a look. There are so many icing finishing touches you can buy now, you're bound to find something. They might even be able to buy something special in for you too.

Actually, I was looking on E-bay this week, for something for my SIL's cake and people make those sorts of thing to order.

lucysmam · 15/02/2009 22:20

very pretty

I like the marshmallow one on top as well!

Original poster
bratnav · 15/02/2009 22:20

notso, I appreciate the advice, and I know it will be tough, but you are scaring me

OP posts:
Original poster
bratnav · 15/02/2009 22:22

I think square shape, but not sure about what colour petals, I might just buy the wire things that look like sparklers instead?

OP posts:
lucysmam · 15/02/2009 22:22

Maureen, I've just seen your post about the horses, I think I might leave it until I've practised a bit more in that case! I thought it would be fun & it looks so girly & lovely but I'll wait a while yet . . .

MaureenMLove · 15/02/2009 22:24

I like the ones with the beads. I like them all really! They all look reasonably simply to do too.

lucysmam · 15/02/2009 22:26

oooh, sparkles are good! I was thinking of doing some of those hearts on wires springing out the top of mine in silver. Although, having looked at your link, the pearly things down the side look nice too

Maybe Maureen's right, have a look around & see what you like. There's so many pretty things out there, at least you have an idea to work from

You'll have to post some pictures of the finished cake to let us know how you get on I'm off for munchies, all this talk of cake has my tummy rumbling like crazy!

Original poster
bratnav · 15/02/2009 22:28

I am looking on ebay for sparly things now, does anyone know how much I should pay for one (approx)?

OP posts:
MaureenMLove · 15/02/2009 22:29

Not a clue, tbh.

lucysmam · 15/02/2009 22:29

If it was me . . . personally . . . as little as possible but still get what I wanted iykwim

I have no idea how much stuff like that is though

lucysmam · 15/02/2009 22:30

try searching for sugarcraft suppliers online as well as ebay, I've seen some lovely stuff on some websites over the past couple of weeks

PlumBumMum · 15/02/2009 22:32

So girls whats the best way to start making your own cake

From lurking on these threads I've decided to make my dds communion cake as any I have googled are all plain with a few toppers on top, but cost at least 50, and I've seen the toppers for next to nothing?

If you use maderia are you better not using any filling?

Maureen did you go to any classes seen your pics theyre brill
You and Lucysmum have inspired me

notsoteenagemum · 15/02/2009 22:36

Sorry bratnav didn't mean to scare you!
You are probably far more organised and possibly not trying to recreate a choccywoccydoodah cake single handedly the day after Christmas like me!!

Original poster
bratnav · 15/02/2009 22:37

That would explain the stress notso

My hat off to you for managing that, it must have looked amazing.

OP posts:
MaureenMLove · 15/02/2009 22:39

Nope. All self taught. I do have a bit of artistic flair about me though and as a childminder, I spend years rolling and moulding play-doh, which helped!

geraldinetheluckygoat · 15/02/2009 22:40

I have a fool proof madeira cake recipe if you want, after hundreds of faliures one very stressful weekend! I would make a week in advance, unless you are going to paint your cake with syrup to keep it moist. Buttercream to fill and to go over the cake to stick the icing is good!
If you are going to use ready roll, can i recommend smoothers (someone on here recommended them to me - think it might have been Maureen and they are great!).
I think a lovely thick velvet bow fastened with a gothic style antique looking brooch would look nice, maybe with purple icing? If you want to use a dark coloured icing, I would recommend buying it already coloured - much quicker and easier and less stressful! you could then put lustre powder on to make the cake shimmer, or apply dots of really shiny sparkle! Or stick on coloured balls - like the silver ones you get but maybe pearly ones or purple ones! Easy! If you get a very wide ribbon for the cake, it will cover most of the sides, look very luxurious and gorgeous, and then you wont worry if the icing doesnt smooth perfectly as you will only have to get the top smooth (and you could buy a nice topper to cover any mistakes on the top too!)I rekon you would need to put in dowels if you want to stack the cake, much easier to get one of those stands that you can put the cakes on separately, like suggested by someone already.....check your local cake decorating shop, you can hire them pretty easily and cheaply, as with cake tins!

geraldinetheluckygoat · 15/02/2009 22:41

excited about your cake!

MaureenMLove · 15/02/2009 22:42

Definately, Geraldine! A smoother is just like a little plastic version of something a builder uses, to smooth plaster on the walls!

PlumBumMum · 15/02/2009 22:42

thats all the encouragement I need, I love all things crafty made my own wedding invs, did decorate my own cake, and dds christening cake, didn't quite get to the do it all myself stage, until I seen the price of the communion cakes
look out for me calling for help, communion not til May but I'll have a few practice runs I think!

Original poster
bratnav · 15/02/2009 22:44

Thank you all sooo much for your suggestions, I am off to my MILs local sugarcraft shop on Wednesday, will report back after that.

OP posts:
MaureenMLove · 15/02/2009 22:46

Me too! Please post the finished cake. Can't wait to see it.

I've stopped making many actually. I work full time now, so I don't have the time to dedicate to them, like in the old days. That first one on my profile, I made on Friday for my SIL, but it was riduculously easy. Just simply covered the cake and cut a cross in the icing and peeled it back, then stuck a table centre piece in the middle. It took about half an hour! I was planning on making it look like an exploding pressie, with an icing ribbon on it too, but I forgot until it was too late! Still, SIL loved it!

geraldinetheluckygoat · 15/02/2009 22:47

I'm making my own cake too, for August this year, so we can support each other!!

geraldinetheluckygoat · 15/02/2009 22:49

Maureen, I love it, its really lovely!! I was inspired by your cakes a few months ago, when I was asking for help for a bob the builder one i think, now Im totally hooked - youre to blame for all those late nights smoothing out icing

MaureenMLove · 15/02/2009 22:57

I will gracefully retire from mass cake making and hand the baton on to you then! That said, I will be making a 40th cake for DH in June this year and DB next year, THEN, I'm done! Watch this space for DB's - he wants R2D2!