December 1, 2013

Appliances Online 8th Birthday: cake decorating class

Agnes food event

Disclosure: I attended the event courtesy of Appliances Online.

Why have cake that looks like a cake when you can have a cake that looks like a blender? How cool is this?

(Also, how many times can I say cake in a sentence? Cake cake cake cake cake.)

The other week I attended a cake decorating class at Let Them Eat Cake to help celebrate Appliances Online’s 8th birthday. You might be wondering what cake has to do with appliances – well, AO have launched a cake decorating competition to find their official birthday cake. Entrants have to create an appliance themed cake and can win one of eight Sunbeam food processors (see end of this post for details).

Do you want to see the process behind this blender cake? Of course you do. 😀

Pip (one of the decorators at Let Them Eat Cake) started off with a square cake for the base of the blender. The cake had already been ganached, and she brushed it with brandy and then covered in grey fondant. The brandy was to help the fondant stick to the cake.

For this kind of cake decorating, a dense cake is required – sponge cake is a big no-no because it will just collapse. Let Them Eat Cake use a flourless chocolate cake (fruit cake is also good) – it’s firm, good for people who can’t eat gluten plus it’s delicious. I took some home and can attest to the deliciousness.

They also use pre-made, pre-coloured fondant because it saves so much time.

Pip made sure to smooth out all the sides and poke the air out of any air bubbles using a needle.

The base was then set aside, and Pip started on the top part which was to be the blender jug.

This was a rectangular piece, which she stuck a dowel into for support. Again it was pre-ganached and brushed with alcohol. Let Them Eat Cake use a hazelnut brandy which complements the chocolate flavour and also gives the cake a nice hazelnut fragrance.

It was then covered using a different coloured fondant to mimic the glass jug.

Pip made it look so easy.

When the top was covered, she returned to the base of the blender, painting it with a mixture of lustre and and alcohol to give it a silver look.

Oooh it’s starting to come together now.

Small details were added to further simulate the blender look.

Black fondant was used for the lid and the feet.

Pip added a handle and some other small details, and then glazed it with a mixture of corn syrup and alcohol to make it look shiny.

And look! It’s a blender!

The talented staff at Let Them Eat Cake also made a juicer, a food processor and a toaster. So amazing. I took a bit of this toaster home and it was SO SAD to see it cut up.

I’ve dabbled in fondant a little but am definitely not up to this level. But have you got cake decorating skills? Enter the competition –

Competition Details:

1: Create an appliance themed cake to go in the draw to win one of eight Sunbeam food processors worth $399. Appliances Online stocks more than 90 of the world’s leading brands, so check out www.appliancesonline.com.au for inspiration. Competition entries close 8th December 2013.

2: Once you have created your cake, upload a picture via Appliances Online’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
– Twitter: Upload your picture, tag @appliancesAU and use the hashtag #AOLbirthday
– Instagram: Upload your picture and tag @appliancesAU and use the hashtag #AOLbirthday.
– Facebook: Simply upload the picture of your cake to our page.

3: User interaction will drive top 20 finalists. Appliances Online will then select eight winners.