Faye Cahill created this stunning Monogrammed Cakes Master Class for Cake Masters Magazine. Her work has been featured widely online in trendspotting blogs, like CakeGeek, as well as in wedding blogs and publications, including Brides.com. She has previously been featured in Cake Masters Magazine and was voted by her peers for the Wedding Cake Award at the 2016 Cake Masters Magazine Awards.
- APPLIQUE MONOGRAM
A pretty and lacy effect made entirely with applique pieces. This bouquet and banner design would be lovely for an elegant rustic or country wedding. I have used soft matte white on champagne lustre for a soft and understated look. -
DECO MONOGRAM
Strong and sleek, Art Deco motifs continue to be popular for weddings. A strong look for black tie or monochrome events, this is another design that can be made simply with only strips of fondant cut in the pasta machine. Similar lines can be produced with a fondant extruder. - MOULDED MONOGRAM
A regal style of monogram, suitable for a large cake or a strong feature on a smaller cake. The whole thing can be highlighted gold for a more striking look, or the frame and surrounds could be left white and the letters only highlighted in a metallic. Use and adapt your existing moulds to create a unique look. -
PIPED MONOGRAM
Delicate and pretty, this style is lovely for cakes with lace and floral designs. I have designed this one with mostly dots and smaller ‘commas’ to make it more approachable.
Step 1
APPLIQUE MONOGRAM: Pin the template to the cake, mark out the pattern with sterilised pin pricks and cutout the banner from the pattern.
Step 2
Cut out banner from pattern.
Step 3
Roll fondant to the thinnest pasta machine setting and cut out this shape with a scalpel.
Step 4
Cut and flick out tappit letters
Step 5
Use blade tool to impress detail in banner.
Step 6
Gently bend the banner so it is straight at the front. Use cookie letters to impress the date on the banner, then gently bend the banner back to its curved shape.
Step 7
Cut a patchwork blossom and remove it from the cutter with a blade or a pin.
Step 8
Cut 5-petal flowers from thin fondant and remove from the cutter with the blunt end of a skewer. Cut off petals with a paring knife.
Step 9
Cut and flick italic ampersand tappit, then roll out to make it bigger and flatter.
Step 10
Apply gel and stick banner, and flowers
Step 11
Make linguine pasta strips of fondant and start adding bouquet stems below the banner. Add more bouquet stems above the banner.
Step 12
Add more bouquet stems above the banner. Place the ampersand in the middle and the two initials either side.
Step 13
Finish by filling out the bouquet by adding tiny petals down the stems, above the banner.
Step 14
DECO MONOGRAM: Pin artwork to cake and prick out pattern.
Step 15
Apply gel along pattern lines.
Step 16
Begin to add strips of black fondant cut with pasta machine fettuccini, use paring knife to cut 45 degrees angles at joins.
Step 17
Use straight edge to push lines straight.
Step 18
Add all thick lines including thick sections of letters and begin to add thin lines, join the lines with 45 degrees of cut also.
Step 19
Finish the thin lines, including fine sections of letters and then cut a solid shape for the top from a thin sheet of black fondant.
Step 20
Cut more shapes to be overlaid on top shape (these are the pieces that will be painted gold).
Step 21
Stick shapes to the top of the design.
Step 22
Paint the raised sections gold.
Step 23
Paint monogram gold.
Step 24
MOULDED MONOGRAM: Print artwork on paper and cover with baking paper.
Step 25
Trace with edible marker and pin to cake surface.
Step 26
Mark out the pattern with pin pricks, and then remove the tracing paper.
Step 27
Roll out fondant and trim to fit into pasta machine.
Step 28
First put this through the pasta machine on setting #3 and then put through fettuccine attachment.
Step 29
Apply piping gel to oval, then attach strip to oval.
Step 30
Refine the shape and then buff smooth. Indent small circles at the 4 widest points, then in between those marks.
Step 31
Use a small oval cutter to make an outline over each circle. Add a smaller circle between each of the motifs.
Step 32
Roll or extrude fondant and twist to make rope. If rolling by hand, use a smoother to help keep shape even.
Step 33
Apply gel and stick the rope around the oval. Trim on an angle at join to create a seamless rope.
Step 34
Apply gel where the letters will be. Use fettuccini strips to create the thick sections of letters, trim to taper using the template as a guide. Add sections of thinner pasta strips (cut using linguini attachment) to create the thin sections of the letters. Refine and adjust by pushing with the knife.
Step 35
Dust the mould with cornflour, push fondant in and trim, work fondant in to the mould to get rid of hairy edges, and then take out the mould.
Step 36
Cut a section from the top of the mould, and then cut away single scrolls from the base of the piece. Make 6 extra scrolls from the bottom part of the mould.
Step 37
Apply pieces around the frame using gel to adhere.
Step 38
Roll small fondant balls and attach to upper frame for additional detail.
Step 39
Paint the entire frame and letters gold using Rolkem super gold mixed with 95% alcohol. Small pieces of silicon paper can be used to shield background from overpainting.
Step 40
PIPED MONOGRAM: Trace artwork with edible pen and place so monogram appears reversed. Place a piece of stiff clear plastic over the top. I used a take-away container lid with the edges trimmed away.
Step 41
Pipe royal icing with #1 tip over pattern using simple lines (not pressure piping). Then pat down any peaks with a damp paintbrush.
Step 42
Put the plastic piece to dry overnight, and once dry the piped pattern can be embossed into fresh fondant such as a freshly iced tier. We have applied a lustre finish in champagne to our demo piece.
Step 43
Use a smoother to apply pressure to the pattern, with the original pattern nearby as a visual reference.
Step 44
Begin by piping the longest lines as rows of fine dots. These are easier than long straight lines and add interest to the pattern. Pat down the peaks of the dots with a damp brush.
Step 45
Complete all 6 of the longer lines.
Step 46
Continue to pipe the rest of the design with pressure piping. Most of this pattern are short 'commas' which are easier than long lines. Start by making a fat dot of royal icing and then drag it out to a short, curved line. There are a few longer lines in the pattern which can be done as rows of dots if needed. Pipe the letters in pressure piping, using more and less pressure to create thicker and thinner parts.
Step 47
Wait at least ten minutes and then highlight in gold.
