Need help decorating a cake

blackangeluk

Have made a chocolate sponge cake with kids for DH's birthday tomorrow. I make quite a lot of cakes but I'm useless at decorating them. :rolleyes:

DD wants us to put either a golf course or football pitch on the cake so that's easy with green icing, but when I have put icing on a cake previously I have ended up with bits coming off the cake and getting mixed in the icing and then it doesn't stick properly to the sides either.

Also, how would I create texture of a golf bunker, I was thinking of dessicated coconut dyed green but do you think that would be completely yuck??

Any advice appreciated. Clearly my 7 year old thinks I am wonder mum, and that as well as completing the flylady tasks I should be queen of cake decorating as well :cool:

Angelraesunshine

ok i make quite a lot of cakes what i do for grass is use a pastry brush or little paint brush not a used one, one especially for my cake making ) i then tap it down on the icing so it makes slight dents in it to give it a texture. if its green it will look like grass if it yellowy it will look like sand etc the brain sees what it wants to see you dont have to get complictaed.

I assume you are using rolled out icing? I use butter icing to stick mine i do a very thin layer of butter icing all over it is a thinner mixture to the butter icing you put in the middle of the cake just add a few drops of milk to it not enough to make it separate though if that happens add more icing sugar.

Hope this helps just shout if you want any other help xx

janetmw

You could use light brown or golden granulated sugar to give the feeling and texture of sand.

Janet

celyn90

I've often used dessicated coconut dyed green (put it in a plastic bag and shake it) for grass and it tastes fine (if you like coconut) on a plain sponge. You could finely chopped nuts or ground almonds for sand. You could also make a butter cream or frosting, add some green colouring and spread it over roughly with a spatula so its flat but still looks natural/roughish.

I always brush the cake gently first to get rid of any crumbs then spread a thin layer of apricot jam over (warm it a bit first so it's runny) and that will help to hold roll out icing in place. If you roll it quite thinly it helps too as it doesn't sag under its own weight and break. HTH have fun, cel x

blackangeluk

Thanks for all the suggestions! I usually use the icing sugar and water mixture and the cake tends to stick all over it and makes a mess :rolleyes:

I definately like the idea of butter icing gone green though and I could do the sand bunker with the almonds. I am off to shop now to get some grounds almonds, coconut and see if there is anything resembling a golf ball etc out there......

Thanks for the help, would appear all is not lost :j