Flower Cake
This is a simple cake that can easily be made by anyone. I like to start this cake at least 4 days before I need it, do it in stages, that way it is not overwhelming.
As you need two cakes to give you the height you need, bake one on one day, and the other the following day. I like to use mud cakes, doesn't matter which ones, whether white, dark or marbled mud cakes etc. You can even make two different flavours, just keep them the same size. You can make them larger 22-25cm cakes or smaller 20cm cakes. Just make both cakes the same size. Both the cakes pictured here are 22cm in diameter.
The day before I need the cake I like to do the ganache. I recently learnt that ganache can last outside of the refrigerator as long as your cream does. So if you are going to make any ganache make sure the use by date of the cream is as long as possible. You can pipe the ganache like on the cake above. Or you can give it a smooth finish as in the cake below. To get a really smooth finish, dip your palette knife in boiling water, dry it with a paper towel, and while still hot, smooth out the ganache.
These little tips I get from Cake Decorating Solutions in Rosebery NSW, I love going there, the women are so helpful and I always leave having learnt something new.
I also buy my flowers there, they aren't too expensive, and you can reuse them.
As you need two cakes to give you the height you need, bake one on one day, and the other the following day. I like to use mud cakes, doesn't matter which ones, whether white, dark or marbled mud cakes etc. You can even make two different flavours, just keep them the same size. You can make them larger 22-25cm cakes or smaller 20cm cakes. Just make both cakes the same size. Both the cakes pictured here are 22cm in diameter.
The day before I need the cake I like to do the ganache. I recently learnt that ganache can last outside of the refrigerator as long as your cream does. So if you are going to make any ganache make sure the use by date of the cream is as long as possible. You can pipe the ganache like on the cake above. Or you can give it a smooth finish as in the cake below. To get a really smooth finish, dip your palette knife in boiling water, dry it with a paper towel, and while still hot, smooth out the ganache.
These little tips I get from Cake Decorating Solutions in Rosebery NSW, I love going there, the women are so helpful and I always leave having learnt something new.
I also buy my flowers there, they aren't too expensive, and you can reuse them.
Recipe
Serves 20
Equipment:
Cake Board
Round Cake tin
Cakes:
2 x mud cakes (see my mud cake recipes)
2 x white chocolate ganache (see White Chocolate Mud Cake Recipe)
Decorations:
Orange gel food colouring
Assorted Sugar Flowers and leaves
Edible pearl balls (for cross)
Equipment:
Cake Board
Round Cake tin
Cakes:
2 x mud cakes (see my mud cake recipes)
2 x white chocolate ganache (see White Chocolate Mud Cake Recipe)
Decorations:
Orange gel food colouring
Assorted Sugar Flowers and leaves
Edible pearl balls (for cross)
Make two mud cakes (up to the step where it is baked and cooling). I made one, 4 days before, and the other 3 days before.
Make the white chocolate ganache, double the recipe, adding the orange food colouring, a little at a time, until you have reached the colour you like. (I make 2 times the recipe to ensure I have enough, leftover ganache can be refrigerated or frozen and used again later).
The ganache needs to be refrigerated until it is of a spreadable consistency, stir it every 10 to 15 minutes, it takes around an hour.
Trim the cakes to give you a flat level cake. Place one cake on a round plate, spread with a layer of ganache 1/2-1cm thick. Place the other cake on top.
Spread a thin layer of the ganache all over the cake and refrigerate for 15 minutes. This ensures all the cake crumbs stick to this layer of ganache and don't ruin your final layer.
Place your cake on your cake board.
If you want a piped finish, like the cake above, put the icing in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe a dollop then drag a bit, pipe a dollop on the dragged bit and continue all the way around the base of the cake. The next row you need to start between two piped dollops below it, to give better effect.
If you want a smooth finish like the one below, spread a thickish layer of ganache all over the top and sides of the cake, smooth over, make sure you cannot see the cake underneath.
Make the white chocolate ganache, double the recipe, adding the orange food colouring, a little at a time, until you have reached the colour you like. (I make 2 times the recipe to ensure I have enough, leftover ganache can be refrigerated or frozen and used again later).
The ganache needs to be refrigerated until it is of a spreadable consistency, stir it every 10 to 15 minutes, it takes around an hour.
Trim the cakes to give you a flat level cake. Place one cake on a round plate, spread with a layer of ganache 1/2-1cm thick. Place the other cake on top.
Spread a thin layer of the ganache all over the cake and refrigerate for 15 minutes. This ensures all the cake crumbs stick to this layer of ganache and don't ruin your final layer.
Place your cake on your cake board.
If you want a piped finish, like the cake above, put the icing in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe a dollop then drag a bit, pipe a dollop on the dragged bit and continue all the way around the base of the cake. The next row you need to start between two piped dollops below it, to give better effect.
If you want a smooth finish like the one below, spread a thickish layer of ganache all over the top and sides of the cake, smooth over, make sure you cannot see the cake underneath.
Arrange flowers however you like them, add a cross if you need to.
Enjoy!
