Create this gorgeous elegant drape cake by Eva Salazer of Makememycake
1
One or two days in advance, make the bow. Use white gum paste rolled thinly and cut out the pieces for the bow using a craft (X-acto) knife. I cut some out in paper first to make sure they were symmetrical and used these as a template.
2
The piece that goes on the bottom is a little bigger than the others. Put a small hair roller in the bigger piece and fold it over. Attach the ends with a little water. Then, press both pieces firmly with the rolling pin, making sure that the fondant is well blended. Use the same process for the other three pieces.
3
On top of one piece, place another and glue them with a wet paintbrush. This piece will make the lower hanging section of the bow. Leave it to dry. It’s important all of the pieces are the same size, so if you have to trim any excess, do so now.
4
Allow these pieces to dry for a minimum of half a day before attaching them to the cake.
5
Using the same white gum paste, cut two pieces that will be the tail of the bow. If you don’t feel confident cutting freehand, I suggest you create a paper template first.
6
Attach the two pieces to the cake with some water or edible glue.
7
Make sure all the pieces of the bow are completely dry and hard enough, then remove the hair rollers to attach them to the cake.
8
First, add the double bow on top of the two tails. Use white chocolate or royal icing to coat the back of the piece and attach it to the cake. Add the other two loops of the bow to the top of the cake. You may need to use a ball of fondant behind the bow, or even a toothpick that could be removed once the bow has set to the cake.
9
Create the Pleats Take your baked, filled and crumb coated cake (either in buttercream or chocolate ganache) and check that it is chilled enough to be covered in fondant. Before covering it, make approximately 14 fondant sausages of different sizes (the number depends on how many drapes you want).
10
Attach the sausages to the cake, starting from the top and using this point for all of the pieces to start from. Use vegetable shortening or piping gel to attach the sausages.
11
Once all the pieces are attached to the cake, leave it to rest a little bit to make sure that they all are secured and don’t move. Once firm, brush some syrup onto the pieces to make them sticky and ready to be covered with fondant. You can also use vegetable shortening or piping gel.
12
Roll out some fondant as you would usually do to cover a cake. Once the fondant is covering the cake, carefully push between the sausages with your fingers to create the drape texture. Make sure that all the fondant is well glued to the cake, top part and all sides. Remove the excess fondant from the bottom of the cake with a sharp knife and smooth the cake’s surface. You can use a modelling tool to create a more dramatic finish in the drapes.
13
Create the Embellishments Once the bow is completed, create a brooch to put in the centre. You can use any mould that you have and either gum paste or fondant.
14
Use gold highlighter with some drops of lemon extract (you can use vodka also) and paint the brooch with a fine paintbrush. Leave it to dry for a few minutes before attaching it to the cake. Use some white chocolate or even water to attach it to the centre of the bow.
15
To finish the cake, add some white dragees or little pearls to the lines of the drapes (you can buy ready to use or make by yourself with fondant). Use a small ball tool to create the indents. With a fine paintbrush, add some water or piping gel to the little marks and glue in the pearls.
