Duracell are on a mission to power people to achieve some of their life long goals. Duracell sent me on a training course for me to try and learn the art of cake decoration so that I can make epic birthday cakes for my girls for ever more!
I spent a full afternoon at CakeyPigg Originals near Reading where I got hands-on experience with several different types of cake decoration technique and I managed to produce some cupcakes and icing decorations far more intricate then I would ever have thought possible.
First, I was shown how to make flawless buttercream and the secret art of applying it to a cupcake. Then I learned how to colour sugar using neat vodka (who would have thought it?) and I used the gently coloured sugar to decorate marshmallows and create this stunning chrysanthemum cupcake. It was great to learn about when and where to use different types of food colouring and now that I know how to colour my own sugar, I shall never run out of sprinkles for the girl's baking activities ever again.
Next up was this delicate sugar rose. I still can't believe that I made this. Now I know how to do it, I can't wait to try it again and decorate an entire cake with them! Working with petal paste was very delicate work and was particularly tricky on such a hot day but I think it is a great skill to have learned and it has meant that I now know what some of my many decorating tools are intended for. I was left speechless when I took the rose home and Lara munched it down in a matter of seconds - my handiwork... eaten!
Finally, we made this groovy sunflower cake. Sunflowers are by far my favourite flower so I really hope to be able to make more of these in the future. It was a great opportunity for me to learn how to colour fondant icing and also how to make and fill my own icing bag. I really enjoyed learning how to pipe the buttercream petals and it has re-ignited an interest in the piping bag and nozzles I recently inherited from my own mum.
It feels great to have increased my confidence in working with icing and confectionary - now I can't wait to get started on my own creations. I already have plans for an epic Christmas cake. Duracell also sent me a book packed full of cake decoration step-by-step guides which had some stunning example cakes in it that Lara said she wanted me to make so I have plenty of cake challenges ahead of me.
I certainly feel like, with the skills that Duracell have powered me with, I have broadened my cake-making horizons - just call me the cake-meister. It was a brilliant afternoon of one-to-one learning at CakeyPigg and I'd highly recommend it for any budding cake decorators!
You can find out more about the "Power Me" campaign on the Duracell UK Facebook page where fans are encouraged to share their goals, get support from the Duracell community and for the chance to win a Power Boost from Duracell.
I spent a full afternoon at CakeyPigg Originals near Reading where I got hands-on experience with several different types of cake decoration technique and I managed to produce some cupcakes and icing decorations far more intricate then I would ever have thought possible.
First, I was shown how to make flawless buttercream and the secret art of applying it to a cupcake. Then I learned how to colour sugar using neat vodka (who would have thought it?) and I used the gently coloured sugar to decorate marshmallows and create this stunning chrysanthemum cupcake. It was great to learn about when and where to use different types of food colouring and now that I know how to colour my own sugar, I shall never run out of sprinkles for the girl's baking activities ever again.
Next up was this delicate sugar rose. I still can't believe that I made this. Now I know how to do it, I can't wait to try it again and decorate an entire cake with them! Working with petal paste was very delicate work and was particularly tricky on such a hot day but I think it is a great skill to have learned and it has meant that I now know what some of my many decorating tools are intended for. I was left speechless when I took the rose home and Lara munched it down in a matter of seconds - my handiwork... eaten!
Finally, we made this groovy sunflower cake. Sunflowers are by far my favourite flower so I really hope to be able to make more of these in the future. It was a great opportunity for me to learn how to colour fondant icing and also how to make and fill my own icing bag. I really enjoyed learning how to pipe the buttercream petals and it has re-ignited an interest in the piping bag and nozzles I recently inherited from my own mum.
It feels great to have increased my confidence in working with icing and confectionary - now I can't wait to get started on my own creations. I already have plans for an epic Christmas cake. Duracell also sent me a book packed full of cake decoration step-by-step guides which had some stunning example cakes in it that Lara said she wanted me to make so I have plenty of cake challenges ahead of me.
I certainly feel like, with the skills that Duracell have powered me with, I have broadened my cake-making horizons - just call me the cake-meister. It was a brilliant afternoon of one-to-one learning at CakeyPigg and I'd highly recommend it for any budding cake decorators!
You can find out more about the "Power Me" campaign on the Duracell UK Facebook page where fans are encouraged to share their goals, get support from the Duracell community and for the chance to win a Power Boost from Duracell.
