Silent Night Cake

As most of you know I have been (slowly, but surely) working on my Baking and Pastry Associates degree. I only have a few more classes until I finish the entire program and I will officially be a Certified Pastry Chef. I am so excited! This semester I took the Advanced Bread Production class and the Beginning Cake Decorating class and I finished this semester 8 months pregnant with only 3 weeks until my due date... cutting it pretty close, I know! 

For my final project I made a yellow butter cake with chocolate swiss meringue buttercream filling. After crumb coating the cake I covered it with white fondant that I brushed with pearl dust to add a little shimmer. Then I used royal icing to pipe the pearl border at the bottom. I mixed a little vodka with black food coloring to paint the music staves (the black, horizontal lines that the notes go on) and I used black royal icing to pipe the treble clef, the bar lines and the music notes. I actually piped out the song "Silent Night" since it was a really simple, easy song to pipe.  

For the poinsettia... I made each leaf out of gum paste that I food colored with red and green.  I rolled each leaf, inserted wire into them, pressed them with a leaf to make a more natural look and let them dry on a curvy surface. When they were completely dry I used floral tape to wire the bouquet together. 

I am planning to serve the cake at my Christmas music recital this week. I am so proud of all my music students so I thought a special cake would be a fun way to celebrate their accomplishments. 

Merry Christmas, everyone!