Champagne Khaki Lace Wedding Cake

The holidays are over and the new wedding season has begun.  We've already had one big bridal show in our area and will have another next month.  A lot of brides get engaged during the holidays because smart men want to have all the family around and buy a present/ring that is a sure hit.  Since we are mostly doing taxes and consultations this time of year, I thought we had better find a cake that we had forgot to share. 

This "little" number is a 6/10/14" combo that was covered in a few lace fondant pieces.  It was a very heavy cake because it was carrot cake and cream cheese icing for a filling.  I don't offer cream cheese icing for the outside.  My crazy reasons are as follows:  Cream cheese icing doesn't get as hard in the cooler as 100% all butter icing and with the method I use to smooth cakes, I can't seem to get it as perfectly smooth.  Also, I have seen several of my cakes iced in cream cheese icing develop a "bubble" or "blister" as they are settling.  I've tried several techniques to avoid this, but it still has happened and I refuse to take a chance with someone's wedding cake.  Once a blister develops, you can often just push it back down after you put a pin hole in it, but if there is some intricate piping or stenciling you have less options.   My cream cheese icing is ofter very thick and will tear up fresh, soft cake when putting on the crumb coat.  People love the taste, so I haven't changed it....yet!  There are three new recipes out on my fridge just waiting to be tested!

The "trendy" thing about this cake is the champagne/khaki color.  I have taken art class and I own several color wheels, but yet this one puzzled me.  Many brides are using shades of these colors for their events.  If you know this, great for you, but I had the hardest time getting the right color.  I kept thinking it was just a light brown so I mixed, and mixed, and threw away.  Come to find out that these colors are made with (2 parts)yellow, (1 part)pink, and (1 part)blue.  I mean, come on, really?!?   Thank you Google!  I would have still been mixing!  Another chart I found said to mix ivory and violet (AmeriColor) but I haven't tried that one yet, but I will since it's less steps!

The lace were molds, as was the silver giant brooch on the middle tier.   Most of the molds are "Earlene's" in case you want them.  The middle tier was hard for me because it was supposed to be "messy" or organic.  I really like balance and order, so these are real challenges for me not to "fix".  Using Fondarific was a big help with this because of the unlimited work time and ability to stretch without tearing.  I love that stuff! 

It was nice taking a break with you, but I have got to get back to my taxes.  It's great wearing all the hats a small business owner gets to wear.  I just wish they were "fancy" hats like our friends in England. :)