Hello and welcome to the Grumpy Professor Blog. Here we will post information about interesting things in every day life. Each topic will be intriguing and something to discuss. Today we are going to talk about cake decorations.  We have decided to do a post on various types of handmade sugar decorations suitable for christening cakes.

There is an old tradition in which the bottom tier of a wedding cake is kept for a couple’s first child’s christening cake. Many people may wish to keep this tradition and then decorate the cake at home. We aim to give you some instructions and ideas that will help create some modern christening cake decorations.

Christening Cake

Below we have listed the sugar decoration ideas with instructions on how to make them and also the materials required to do so.

Baby’s basket:

This is perfect for babies christening as it is very simple yet unique.

• Light beige sugar-paste
• White sugar-paste
• Flesh coloured sugar-paste
• Edible glue
• Glue brush
• Small cutting knife
• Modelling tools (Squires Kitchen)
• Smoother x2
• Small rolling pin

Take your light beige sugar-paste and roll into a small ball with your hands. Press the centre of the ball in with your fingertips until you have a large indent.

Use your smoothers to square off the sides and round the edges with your fingers.

To create a basket weave effect on the basket, use the small cutting knife to apply criss crossed lines around the sides. Roll out a very thin tube like piece of sugar-paste and cut two small pieces off and make both into a U shape for the handles of the basket. Apply the handles using the edible glue.

Roll a very small ball with the flesh coloured sugar-paste to make the baby’s head and also another for the babies small body.

Take the rolling pin and roll a small thin amount of white sugar-paste for the baby’s blanket.

Place a small ball of white sugar-paste inside the basket and mould into the shape of basket using your fingers. Once it fits secure in place with the edible glue.

Place the baby’s head and body inside with the blanket placed over the top of the baby’s body.

Secure the baby and blanket inside the basket using the edible glue.

Before we begin the sleeping baby, check out this video for some pointers:

All the information here was kindly provided by the online bakery, Cake in a Box. Further hints and tips can be obtained by visiting their website, which can be found by searching cakes Glasgow on the Google search engine. For more helpful video tutorials we advise visiting You Tube.

Sleeping baby:

The sleeping baby decoration is suitable for a round or square cake, and also the perfect top piece for a tiered cake.

• Pink or Blue sugar-paste
• Flesh coloured sugar-paste
• Edible glue
• Glue brush
• Small cutting knife
• Modelling tools (Squires Kitchen)
• Small rolling pin

Roll out a thin piece of white sugar-paste and cut into a rectangle shape.

Roll a small amount of the flesh coloured sugar-paste into ball for the baby’s head.

Roll a larger oblong shape for the baby’s body.

Roll out two thin tube shaped pieces of flesh coloured sugar-paste and cut two small (1inch in length) parts for the baby’s arms.

Now smooth the ends of the babies arms and fold a small piece of the sugar-paste to the back of the arms so as to create the hands.

Roll two very small pieces of sugar-paste into spheres and using the indicated small ball tool again, press the tool into the middle of each sugar ball to create the effect of an ear shape.

Take a very small piece of sugar-paste and roll a small ball for the baby’s nose.

Roll out a very thin piece of pink or blue sugar-paste and cut into the shape of a blanket to cover the baby.

Apply all the small details using the edible glue to secure in place.

You can add extra features such as hair to your sugar baby if you wish.

Baby’s dummy:

The baby’s dummy is the perfect decoration for a baby’s bib shaped cake.

• Pink or Blue coloured sugar-paste
• Flesh coloured sugar-paste
• Medium sized circle cutter
• Small cutting knife
• Small rolling pin
• Edible glue
• Glue brush

Roll out a thin piece of pink or blue sugar paste until even.

Take your circle cutter and cut out a circle and set aside.

Roll a small ball of the flesh coloured sugar-paste with your hands and then use your fingers to mould into the shape of a dummy. (If you wish you can get a real dummy as a reference).

Take a small amount of pink sugar-paste and roll into a very thin sausage like shape and then cut at each end and form U shape for the handle.

Apply the edible glue to the three separate parts and hold together until they set.

Mini building blocks:

These mini building blocks can be used along with various other decorations on your cake as they are very small and subtle.

• Pink or Blue coloured sugar-paste
• Small cutting knife
• Metal ruler
• Smoother
• Rolling pin

Take a piece of your sugar-paste and knead with your hands.

Using your rolling pin roll out the sugar-paste until it is about 2inchs thick.

Cut out six small cube shapes, you can use the ruler to make sure you are cutting straight.

Smooth of the edges and mould into shape with the smoothers.

You can now add some additional details if you wish such as piping on lettering with royal icing such as ABC or 123 like you would find on a young children’s toys.

These decoration ideas are just few of the many ideas you can use to complete the perfect christening cake. Many more ideas can be found online or also in a good confectionery book. If you have any questions about these instructions or if you need some guidance about your own idea for a sugar decoration please contact us and we will try and help as best we can. We hope you enjoyed reading this tutorial.