My new mascots! Noah's Ark Cake

On my last two days of work at Cakes 4 Fun in London, I had the chance to do a course with the very talented, cake decorator extraodinaire Debbie Brown - she of sugarpaste modelling fame.

Bear in mind this was my last two days of work. This meant, last chance to farewell my favourite customers, last chance to be overly diligent with the gorgeous Zoe and last chance to be one half of the control freak duo that we were, tidying corners of the shop in silence until we realised that we were taking it way too seriously, fell into fits of giggles and stopped to contemplate what we were doing with our lives over a cup of tea (and cake).

I was torn, do I spend my last two days of work officially 'working' with my pals or do I spend it playing with sugarpaste? After much umming and ahhing (which Zoe can attest to) I chose sugarpaste and even though I missed all the fun with Zoe and the gang I'm glad (sorry guys) I did because I got to make this!

Hello little Noah's Ark animals.

Debbie Brown is the equivalent of a rock star in the cake world. She is seriously talented and over the past two decades has built up a successful career publishing over 20 cake decorating books and teaching students worldwide. The Noah's Ark Cake comes from her latest 'Baby Cakes' book. 

Debbie is naturally artistic and has some crazy skills when it comes to sugarpaste modelling. She started her career at home, where her natural ingenuity led her to find ways of using common household items to help shape and create her cute characters. This skill became clear during the two day class - very few actual modelling tools were used and we relied heavily on our hands and other common items like toothpicks, knives and brushes to create affects.

It was a full on two days. At times I tormented myself with fears of half created animals and a solo bear on a boat filled with animal couples (how awful would that be!?) but in the end it all worked out.

Even though modelling isn't my passion when it comes to cake this class really helped me to appreciate the skill involved. It was tough! Fingers get in the way! The tiniest change in angle can make a cute face look angry. I have a new found respect for sugarpaste modellers. They are a patient, persistent, dexterous lot.

Here are some work in progress shots - on the left are some blind hippo's, they look so weird without pupils! He's blind but toothy. And on the right is me hard at work adding the finishing touches, wearing an odd brown top. What colour is that...? Terracotta?

 

And here are my new mascots. My giraffes. They flew all the way home with me via Hong Kong, safely tucked into a Laduree macaron box. Their ears and little antlers have broken off but I have all the parts so will fix them up good as new! These guys make me happy so when I am feeling doubt, when I am freaking out about how to finish a cake, I will look to them and know it's going to be okay.

Thanks Debbie for bringing these little guys to my life.