Sydney realized this is our 200th post; we wanted our 200th post to be special for our readers as well as ourselves. I must have gone through hundreds of ideas, only to realize I had already shown a tutorial or given the recipe. We had a month of cake making between Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras parties (plus a few proposals and a baby shower). Sydney is not a fan of buttercream, anytime I bake a cake specially for her it is either an Opera Cake or a Joconde, until she tasted Massa Grischuna Fondant.

Fondant and gum paste are both fun decorating aides, they remind me of polymer clay. The cake we decided to create is 6-inches/ 15.25-cm covered with a layer of marzipan (yum!) and a layer of white fondant. Of course the cake has a delectable filling, and a marshmallow crumb coat (Sydney, as I mentioned is not fond of buttercream).

1-Recipe Champagne Génoise or your favorite white cake recipe

Crème Frîache Filling:

• 9 grams/ 1 1/4 Tablespoons icing sugar
• 125 grams/ 5/8-cup crème fraiche
• 250 grams/ 5/8-cup heavy cream
• 7 grams/ 3-teaspoon vanilla powder

Prepare your mise en place.

Place the bowl of a standing mixer, or a large stainless steal bowl if using a hand electric mixer, in the freezer with the whisk attachment or beaters about 30 minutes prior to preparing the filling. Sift the icing sugar and vanilla powder in a bowl, set aside.

Add the crème frâiche and heavy cream to the cold bowl on medium speed begin to beat the crème/cream mixture until you see the mixer retain the lines of the whisk. Add the vanilla/ icing sugar and continue, on medium speed, to beat the crème/cream mixture to medium stiff peaks.

**If the dark specs of the vanilla powder bother you, substitute with 1 1/2-teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Assembly and Decorating:

Place the first layer of the cake on a 6-inch cake board covered with a parchment paper round on a cake turn table.

Lightly brush the cake with simple syrup, with or without alcohol.

(Equal amounts of sugar and water heated to a boil until the sugar is dissolved, add alcohol in once the syrup has cooled).

Place a layer of filling on the cake and top with the second layer of cake.

 Cover the cake with a crumb coat of frosting (just enough to keep the crumbs contained).

Spread a thin even coat.

 Be sure to smooth the frosting.

 Knead about 471 grams of marzipan, about 16 -ounces, until pliable.

Roll the marzipan,with a fondant roller, to a 13-inch/ 33-cm diameter and 1/16-inch thick.

Lift the sides and smooth the air from the top of the marzipan and gently smooth with your hands, following the structure of the cake.

Smooth the marzipan with one or two cake smoothers.

Allow the marzipan to dry for at least 6 hours to overnight.

Knead 760 grams/1 pound of fondant.

 Follow the same steps with the fondant as with the marzipan.

Brush the marzipan with simple syrup, again with or without alcohol. Roll the fondant over the rolling pin and place on the cake.

Proceed to smooth the fondant and cut excess.

Roses:

I found myself out of gum paste so Sydney and I mixed  1 teaspoon of gum tragacanth with 12-ounces of fondant, knead the fondant throughly.

Add color paste of choice and knead until the color is uniform.

For three roses prepare 9 small balls of fondant about 1/4 inch and 45 medium balls of fondant, 3/4 inch in diameter.

Each rose will have 3 small balls and 15 medium balls.

My camera sensor started having issues, so I will try to explain and write another article with pictures.

You will need either an egg white or edible glue. Wet each petal, on the end of the rose prior to attaching.

Cut a sandwich bag at the top and both sides, place a ball (one of the small ones) of fondant between the plastic and press down with your thumb, creating a teardrop shape. Remove the teardrop to a foam board,using a bone tool soften the edges and concave the teardrop. Roll the first small tear drop left side into the center and the wrap the right side around the back. Repeat creating the teardrop shape with the remaining small balls. Now wrap the remaining teardrops around the center.

Shape the 15 medium fondant balls into teardrops, smooth the petal, and concave the petals. Attach one petal at a time, covering half the seam of the preceding petal. When all the petals have been attached lightly pinch the petals,and open the outer petals.

Color some green fondant cut the calyx (3) and leaves (around 6, two for each rose). Vein the leaves, and attach the calyx shapes to the roses. Attach all the roses and leaves to the cake.