Pillow shaped dummy cake tutorial - made from rice krispie treats

Early in 2013, I spent three days with Debbie Brown from the UK particpating in three different cake workshops. The kitten cake workshop I did called for a pillow cake or cake dummy. Unable to find a cake dummy in NZ, I decided to make my own using rice bubble treats. 

I used this recipe for rice bubble treats from the manufacturers of the Marshamllow fluff  a batch of mixture in to the 10 inch Wilton pillow pan from this set of cake pans (which I had lined with plastic wrap). I allowed it to set for a few hours.

I removed the half pillow from the pan and repeated the steps above to make a second half. I pressed the first half of the pillow down on to the second half of the pillow so that the two halves would set in place together forming a 3d pillow.

Once the pillow had finished setting, I covered the entire pillow in white chocolate, so that when the fondant covered the pillow, the surface would be nice and smooth.

I was very happy with my finished pillow shape. It was a lot easier to work with than a pillow shaped cake.

Here it is covered in fondant, part way through my workshop with Debbie Brown.

Here's a lovely photo of Debbie part way through hers. She used actual cake and carved it. I hadn't wanted to deal with all the cake mess during class, hence why I opted to take along a ready made dummy cake.

My time at Debbie Brown workshops

I had a fabulous time at the Debbie Brown workshops over the weekend. Debbie is without a doubt my favourite demonstrator. It was also lovely to spend time with fellow cake decorators from around the country, many of whom I have dealt with through Kiwicakes, many old friends and now some new ones too!.

I arrived just after 9am, after a perfect run down from Whangarei. Only to discover I had 2x 10 inch dummies, instead of 2x 10cm dummies argh!. I felt so helpless. However with great thanks to Jane & Hails, who each had 1 spare 10cm cake, I was back on track for the Funky Fairy Princess cake. We had such fun making this cake. Not one cake in the room was the same. Even Debbie's cake for the day, was different from her photo. We ran a little over time with this cake, there wasn't time to finish all the embellishments on her dress. Special thanks go to my host Catherine, who put me up for the night. Catherine joined me for the Saturday workshop and was able to make the fairy cake for her granddaughters 5th birthday on Sunday - perfect timing!.

Now we just need Debbie to come back in August, in three years time, so Catherine can make her grandson's 5th birthday cake too.

I learnt quite a few things from Debbie over the weekend, and she imparted a lot of special hints & tips. All weekend Debbie consistently praised Pettinice icing (Bakels brand). She kept metioning how it was far superior to what she works with in the UK. We were even shown things and told "I couldn't do this with my brand of fondant - it would rip or tear". Debbie wished it was available in the UK.

Debbie works with amazing speed, and she never ceases to amaze how she does everything only once. Although she promises us, things do sometimes go wrong.

Here is the photo we were shown before the workshop

Here is Debbie's cake from Saturday

Here is my cake from Saturday

Each petal strip of the dress was created very quickly, we first rolled a long thing sausage, then we rolled indentations along the length of the sausage, so it almost looked like a string of seaweed. We then rolled it flat.

The Mermaid cake was by far my favourite. Perhaps because it was not pink, but I think more likely because it was blue & had all the corals and sea life around the bottom which I love. This photo was taken very hastily, and I see as I upload it, I have taken the photo from the wrong angle - my mermaid, is not as badly placed as my photo appears. I took it very quickly before the 2 1/2 hour drive home, in case it broke (which it didn't). I will endeavour to upload another photo soon.

Even more so than the previous day, these cakes were wildly different from each others, as we all went to town creating sea life on our cake boards. Debbie again mentioned how much easier it was to create the spiral and the wrap for this cake using pettinice fondant, instead of what she uses at home in the UK. We even got the inside scoop, that the reason the little orange fishes are where they are, is because her fondant tore and cracked and she wanted to cover it up.

These two cakes will feature in her new book "gorgeous & Gruesome" which is due out very soon.

Here is the original photo we were shown

Here is Debbies' cake from Sunday

Here is my cake from Sunday

I was happy with my mermaids face (I don't have much experience with figures)

What's terribly exciting for all of us, is,  Debbies actual cakes are being raffled at the Big Day out in Auckland this weekend. (9am-4pm at the Remuera Bridge club ALL welcome), including the wedding couple in beetle car, she did the workshop for on Friday. Wouldn't it be great to win one of Debbies' cakes. Come along to the big day out. There are 6 demo's in total, as well as sales tables from various traders including Kiwicakes. I will also be there demonstrating Cricut Cake at my sales table. Entry is $25.00

My day with Debbie Brown

Yesterday I attended a workshop with the Oh-so-Talented Debbie Brown (cake decorator extraordinaire.) We had a fantastic day, with Whangarei cake decorators guild members and visitors (including Malinda who had driven all the way from palmerston North). Debbie is an amazing teacher, very down to earth. She told us some great stories, and we were constantly laughing. That's my finished wedding couple above. A shot of Debbies couple she demonstrated is below.
I learnt some great hints & tips along the way, which will surely make my cakes better. And after having made these figures, which dDebbie repeated many times trhoughout the day "are made from ball shapes, tear drop shapes & sausages - anyone can do it, if you're shown how". She also stressed how important it was to realise there is no "right way", take her ideas and give them your own twist. She also divulged - none of the cakes in her books are airbrushed. And many have a leaf "just there", or embellishment "there" to hide a cake crumb or imperfection in the icing (been there done that myself)

Thats Malinda on the left from Palmerston North, Debbie - of course! and me.

Here's a pic of the Pixie Teapot Debbie demonstrated in 1 1/2 hours.

Tommorrow is Debbie Browns workshop

I can hardly wait. Tommorrow is the Debbie Brown workshop and demonstration. Debbie arrived in NZ some weeks back, she started her workshops in the South Island and Whangarei is the last stop on her NZ tour. She hasn't done the same thing twice at any of her workshops. Our workshop is to be the Bride & groom figure featured below (photo used with written permission from Debbie Brown). If mine looks half that good, I will be a happy lady! Our demonstration will be the pixie teapot.