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Modelling

Mastering modelling with sugarpaste is the key to creating professional-looking cakes. This section reveals all the tools and techniques you need to help sharpen your modelling skills.

General Equipment

There is a myriad of tools on the market for cake decorating and sugarcraft, but many of them are simply unnecessary. The following list gives my recommended essentials, and these are the items that form the basic tool kit listed in each of the projects in this book.

* Large non-stick rolling pin For rolling out sugarpaste and marzipan.

* Wooden spacing rods (1) For achieving an even thickness when rolling out sugarpaste – available in various thicknesses.

* Two cake smoothers with handles (2) For smoothing sugarpaste when covering cakes – use two together for a professional finish.

* Flower former (3) For placing delicate parts in while working on them so that they do not lose their shape.

* Paint palette (4) For mixing liquid food colour or dust food colour and clear alcohol in for painting on to sugarpaste.

* Quality sable paintbrushes (5) For painting on to sugarpaste and for modelling – used mainly for painting facial features, applying edible glue and adding paste. The end of a paintbrush can be pushed into models to create nostrils, used to curl laces of paste around to make curly tails or hair, and used to open up flower petals.

* Textured rolling pins (6) For creating decorative patterns in pieces of sugarpaste – for example, rice textured, daisy patterned and ribbed.

* Pastry brush (7) For smoothing on glaze or buttercream.

* Cutting wheel (8) For making smooth cuts on long pieces of sugarpaste, for use on borders mainly. A pizza cutter can be used instead.

* Plastic marzipan knife For trimming the edges of cakes and boards for a neat result.

* Sugar press (9) For extruding lengths of paste to make grass, wool, fluff and hair – a standard garlic press, found in all kitchens, is very effective for this.

* Plunger cutters (10) For cutting out different shapes in sugarpaste – such as daisies, hearts, stars and flowers.

* Good-quality stainless steel cutters Round, square, rectangle, butterfly, heart, petal/blossom – in assorted sizes. For cutting out clean shapes for use in decorations.

* Frilling tool For making frills in sugar flower paste pieces – a cocktail stick or toothpick can be used instead.

* Cake cards For placing models on while working on them before transferring them to the cake.

* Mini turntable (11) Useful for placing a cake on so that it can be easily turned around while working on it – not essential.

* Measuring cups (12) For measuring out powders and liquids quickly and cleanly.

* Flower stamens (13) For creating whiskers or antennae on sugarpaste animals and insects.

* Non-stick flexi mat For placing over modelled parts to prevent them from drying out – polythene bags can be used instead.

* Cake boards (14) For placing cakes on prior to covering with sugarpaste for a professional-looking result.

Specific Modelling Tools

A whole book could be filled talking about these, as there are so many different varieties available. However, I use the white plastic set that has a number on each tool. I refer to the number on the tool throughout the book. They are inexpensive, light and easy to work with, and are available to buy from my website (see Suppliers, page 126).

Securing and Supporting Your Models

Sugarpaste models need to be held together in several ways. Small parts can be attached with edible glue (see page 23), but larger parts, such as heads and arms, will require additional support.

Throughout the book I use pieces of dry spaghetti for this purpose. The spaghetti is inserted into the models – into the hip, shoulder or body, for example – leaving approximately 2cm (¾in) on to which you can attach another piece – the leg, arm or head. The pieces will still require some edible glue to bond them, but will have more support and will stay rigid. When inserting spaghetti to support heads, make sure that it is pushed into the body in a very vertical position otherwise the head will tilt backwards and become vulnerable. Spaghetti can also be used for weaving around to make baskets, such as in the Easter Bunnies cake on page 34.

I recommend using dry spaghetti because it is food and is much safer than using cocktail sticks or toothpicks, which could cause harm, particularly to children. However, I would always advise that the spaghetti is removed before eating the cake and decorations. If you would prefer to use pastillage sugar sticks instead, you can find the recipe for these on page 22 – but these should also to be removed prior to eating.

Sugarpaste models sometimes need to be supported with foam or cardboard while they are drying to prevent parts from flopping over or drooping down. Advice on where this may be necessary is given in the project instructions.

Basic Shapes

There are four basic shapes required for modelling. Every character in this book begins with a ball; this shape must be rolled first, regardless of whatever shape you are trying to make.

Ball

The first step is always to roll a ball. We do this to ensure that we have a perfectly smooth surface, with no cracks or creases.

For example: If you pull out the ball at the front, you can shape it into an animal’s face.

Sausage

From this shape we can make arms and legs. It is simple to make by applying even pressure to the ball and continuing to roll, keeping it uniform thickness along its length.

For example: The sausage shape when turned up at the end will form a foot, or can be marked to make a paw.

Cone

This shape is the basis for all bodies. It is made by rolling and narrowing the ball at one end, leaving it fatter at the other.

For example: The cone can be pulled out at the widest part to form the body of a bird.

Oval

This is the least used of the basic shapes, but is used to make cheeks, ears and other small parts. It is made in the same way as the sausage, by applying even pressure to the ball, but not taking it as far.

For example: Smaller oval shapes can be used for ears.

Creating Animal Characters

Using the basic shapes as a starting point, you can create a vast selection of different animals full of personality and charm. Each project gives detailed instructions for creating the featured characters, but here is a sample of some additional animals with advice on how to model them. Use these examples to practise and hone your modelling skills before you launch into the cake projects.

Mouse

Mice are well known for causing trouble and can be great characters to have on a cake. They come in many sizes and shapes, but all have shared characteristics. The shorter the nose the cuter the mouse will look; if it gets too long it will start to look more like a rat. Three basic shapes are needed: ball, cone and oval.

Monkey

This cheeky money is almost the same as the mouse, but we make him with balls of different sizes. His tuft of hair at the top makes him look really cute. He can be made using eight balls and sausage shapes for the eyebrows.

Lion

The lion is, of course, the King of the jungle, but my lion has such a sweet innocent look, he couldn’t harm anyone. He is made from six balls, plus one large and one small cone shape.

Rabbit

This happy-go-lucky countryside resident is always ready for his next meal. He is full of character with his cross-eyed look and long ears. His eyes are close together and he has a distinctive goofy smile. He is made using eight cone shapes, five balls and four ovals.

Elephant

Every part of this huge animal is thick, fat and round. You could give him all sorts of expressions but this one is my favourite. The head is formed from a large cone, and then you pull out the trunk and continue to shape the face. The ears are made from oval shapes.

Crow

What a classic cartoon character this bird is. The construction of the head is very simple, using three cone shapes, two circles and four balls, plus a few feathers.

Dog

I couldn’t complete an animal book without including my favourite Old English sheepdog. He never fails to enchant, with a simple tussled head that makes him irresistible. He is made using a cone shape for the head, flattened at the front, and simply covered in a sunburst of tapered cone shapes.