Cherry Blossom Cake

This cake is for my inspiration.  She is a member at the gym and when she first signed up she was taking a Group X class….. kickboxing.  I went to check on her to see how she liked the class and she happened to be setting up for the next class….. a Les Mills Body Pump class.  I was in AWE…. I mean the kickboxing class kicks my butt!  After that class I’m done!  So for her to set up for two difficult classes in a row….. just amazed me.
I know some of you are probably wondering why is that so amazing?  Well this cake I made for is in celebration of her 76th birthday!  Yup you got it, 76 years old!  Now isn’t she your inspiration too!  I asked her what her secret was and she replied that fitness is a very important part of her life.  She’s been doing it for years.  It’s what keeps her healthy and happy.  She’s proof of that.  She’s an amazing lady!



This cake is carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.  Carrot cake is a favorite flavor of many so I make it often.  However not very often with the fondant on top.  Why?  Because the cream cheese frosting and fondant fight with each other. I could use a more crusting cream cheese frosting but it would be extremely sweet and the carrot cake is sweet enough.  I like the traditional cream cheese frosting which is just enough sweetness for the cake. 
Pink flowers are made of 50/50 gp/fondant.  The fondant was pink and I added petal dust with a lil luster dust to pop it out.  Branches are hand painted.  One thing I want to learn more is the hand painting.  I love the look when it’s done. 
What I learned from this cake:  When baking the carrot cake it usually has a hard outer crust so usually no need to trim.  When applying the crumb coat around the cake, have it extremely thin just enough to cover the cake.  Let the cake show through if it has to.  No need to put another layer of frosting.  When I laid the fondant on top, I hadn’t trimmed the cake board and thus the fondant laid over it and wrinkled up.  Yes the fondant and I had a fight!  I ended up winning, I think   Next time prior to laying the fondant over, I generally like to have it set on a support to where I can fold the fondant under.  I seem to get a cleaner cover that way.
Fondant and I are still getting to know each other.  It takes a lot of practice to achieve perfection with this sugar and I WILL conquer its challenge!