abc BOOK CAKE

 Parents will try almost anything to encourage little ones to learn their abc

MATERIALS:

• 25cm ( 10in ) square cake,
• 30cm ( 12in ) square cake board 
• 200g ( 6 1/2 0z / 3/4 cup ) buttercream 
• 1.25kg ( 2½lb ) sugar paste / rolled fondant
• icing/confectioners' sugar in a sugar shaker
• green, yellow, brown, orange & black food coloring pastes
• sugar glue
• black food coloring pen

EQUIPMENT:

• wrapping paper
•  non-toxic glue stick
• scissors
• sharp knife
• large rolling pin
• sheet of greaseproof paper wax baking paper
• cocktail stick/toothpick
• bone tool
• 2.5cm ( lin ) circle cutter 

abc BOOK CAKE METHOD:

Cover the cake board with alphabet-patterned wrapping paper, securing it with the glue stick Trim the crust from the cake and slice the top flat with a sharp knife. Trim the center to create a dip for the book fold and trim the outer edges to slope down Spread the cake with buttercream to help the sugar-paste stick 

Using icing sugar to prevent sticking, roll out the white sugar paste and cover the sides excess from around the edge. Cut a piece of greaseproof paper to protect the underside of the cake and position it on the center of the cake board with the cake on top.

To create the apple, first color 125g ( 40z )of sugar paste green. Put aside 7g (1/4oz ) then roll the. remaining sugar paste into a ball and indent the top by pressing In with a cocktail stick and rolling it around. Indent eye sockets using the small end of a bone tool and mark the smile with the circle cutter. Make the nose, then model arms with rounded hands and stick them in position with sugar glue. Color 60g ( 2oz ) of sugar paste black Using white and black, shape tiny balls of sugar paste for the eyes.

For the banana, the first color 125g ( 4oz ) of sugar paste pale yellow and 7g (4 oz ) brown. Put aside  7g (4 oz ) of yellow sugar paste then roll the remaining into the sausage tapering at either end and bend it halfway. Make the face, nose, and arms as for the apple. Shape small, flattened pieces of brown sugar paste for the top and bottom of the banana.

For the carrot, color 60g ( 2oz ) of sugar paste orange and roll it into a long tapering teardrop shape making lines with a knife to indent the top by pressing in a cocktail stick and rolling it around. Make the face, arms, and nose as before. To make the carrot lea model a flattened oval shape using green sugar paste, mark a center vein with a cocktail stick then roll the stick along the outer edges to thin and frill. Stick it in place with sugar glue.

Rall the remaining black sugar paste into neat, even sausages, and use it to shape the letters Stick the letters on the cake, using sugar glue to secure them in place.

 USEFUL TIP

You can use foam pieces to support the modeled fruit in their poses and remove them when dry. 

Also Read: Friendly Frog Cake