Birch Wood Grain Wedding Cake

I think this may be the most photogenic cake I have ever made.  Usually I take picture after picture, and struggle to find one I truly like.  But this cake, it seemed like almost every snap I took was a real keeper.

I really enjoyed making this cake.  I took inspiration from 3 different wood type cakes that the couple brought in to make this cake.  The wood is supposed to resemble a birch tree.  I used Fondarific to wrap each tier, leaving a little excess over the top of the cake.  The Fondarific worked well because I could blend it together nicely in the back.  There was still a visible seam, but it blended together WAY better than regular fondant.

From there I hand painted the birch stripes, some knot holes, and the carved heart with the bride and groom's initials.  I then painted several various varieties of  gumpaste flowers in various shades of peach and cascaded them down the front of the cake from tier to tier.  I added a little gumpaste greenery; I thought it added a lot to the nature theme and I thought it really made those peach flowers pop!

This wedding was held in Dalton GA, the groom's family have been long time customers of mine.  I was proud to make it for them and had a great time doing it!!

So now that you've seen the 3 different photos I took, which one is your favorite?  Top (grassy background), Middle (bright sunny background), or Bottom (burlap "studio" background)?  Let me know in the comments, and pop back here on Friday and I'll feature another awesome cake AND a mini tutorial!!