At long last the law has changed so same sex couples can marry in the UK, and Angel Food's contribution to the celebration is to make the wedding cake and cupcakes for one of the first happy couples, Andrew and Neil.
The brief was Brighton Beach, to feed 70-90, and to include the family dog, Oscar.
First I made a quick research trip to the pier to see the original.
Now, obviously, there are some structural implications to this, so I brain-stormed the possibilities and made a foam-core tower to help me visualise the dimensions.
The cake needed to be divided into 4 tiers, the bottom ones carved to look like one continuous cake. This is to give it enough stability, as it is a tall structure.... made of cake... which needs to be transported. I needed to dowel the tiers as per a traditional wedding cake, but I also put a narrow dowel through the whole structure to help during transport.
The slide of course was a different matter entirely!
I used foam core cake boards which allow me to cut then to the right size and easily cut a hole in the centre for the middle dowel.
The cake itself was alternate layers of vanilla and red velvet with white chocolate frosting.
I put the fondant on in stages. Bottom skirt first, then a band around the tier with the vertical sides, then I iced the top dome seperately allowing me to stick it on the top later and hide the dowel.
I put a quilted effect on the skirt which replicates the iron panels and riveting on the real helter skelter, and allowed me to disguise the seam at the back.
The slide was a nightmare. My original plan was to make it out of thin modelling chocolate and add it last minute but on delivery day I developed a heavy head cold so I opted to make a cardboard slide... Sorry to the purists out there.
It took ages to make the perfect helix, and it fitted beautifully, then I took it off to tweak something and when I put it back on I couldn't get it to line up again, so the platform by the top door is further to the left than planned but nevermind.
I had intended to make the staircase out of cake too, but as I was feeling unwell I made it out of foam core and lolly sticks instead.
The mexican paste plaque was an reference to the signs on the pier but with Andrew, Neil and little Oscar as the heros
The original:
My version:
At the venue, the cake was joined by 24 Angel Food Bakery cupcakes, cooked in flat-bottomed ice cream cones and frosted to look like Mr Whippy style treats.
This cake was by Angel Food Bakery in Brighton's iconic South Lanes. http://angelfoodbakery.co.uk
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