8" round vanilla cake, buttercream frosting
Techniques Used-carnations, ruffles, shell border, leaves
Focus-carnations, ruffles
I got this cake idea from The Wilton School Decorating Cakes-A Reference & Idea Book. The cake in the book had ridges from a decorating comb, but unfortunately, I didn't make the frosting thin enough. Also, the ruffle is with a bigger tip (Tip 127D), but the local craft stores didn't carry the tip needed. If you plan on doing this cake, I would see about ordering the tip online.
I think carnations are easier flowers to make than roses, and more unique from flower to flower as well. You can probably find pictures or videos online, but it's basically a bunch of zigzag motions over a mound of frosting.
The ruffle was easier than I expected. Granted, it may be harder with a larger tip. I ended up using tip 125, a larger size of a rose tip (104). I practiced the ruffle on the bottom of a plate many times before doing it on the real thing. I focused on keeping the wide end of the tip on the cake and then moving the pointed end up and down.
This cake was decorated May 2011.
