Parrish - Fun & Original Childrens Cakes

A DAVID & CHARLES BOOK
Copyright David & Charles Limited 2010

David & Charles is an F+W Media Inc. company
4700 East Galbraith Road,
Cincinnati, OH 45236

First published in the UK in 2010

Text and designs copyright Maisie Parrish 2010
Photography copyright David & Charles 2010

Maisie Parrish has asserted her right to be identified as author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, by photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

The designs in this book are copyright and must not be made for resale.

The author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that all the instructions in the book are accurate and safe, and therefore cannot accept liability for any resulting injury, damage or loss to persons or property, however it may arise.

Names of manufacturers, sugarcraft ranges and other products are provided for the information of readers, with no intention to infringe copyright or trademarks.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7153-3631-1 paperback
ISBN-10: 0-7153-3631-2 paperback

Printed in China by RR Donnelley
for David & Charles
Brunel House Newton Abbot Devon

Commissioning Editor: Jennifer Fox-Proverbs
Project Editor: Ame Verso
Design Manager: Sarah Clark
Designer: Victoria Marks
Production Controller: Bev Richardson
Photographers: Simon Whitmore and Karl Adamson

www.davidandcharles.co.uk

David & Charles publish high quality books on a wide range of subjects. For more great book ideas visit:
www.rubooks.co.uk

To my grandson William,
for all the joy he brings.

IMPORTANT NOTE
The models in this book were made using metric measurements. Imperial conversions have been provided, but the reader is advised that these are approximate and therefore significantly less precise than using the metric measurements given. By means of example, using metric a quantity of 1g can easily be measured, whereas the smallest quantity given in imperial on most modern electric scales is 1/8oz. The author and publisher cannot therefore be held responsible for any errors incurred by using the imperial measurements in this book and advise the reader to use the metric equivalents wherever possible.

I am delighted to present the long-awaited follow-up to my last book, Fun & Original Character Cakes (D&C, 2009), and I know you are all going to love it! This book focuses on childrens cakes, with fun and seasonal projects for you to make and enjoy with your family. Within these pages there are lots of new characters for you to model, bringing real magic and colour to your cake creations.

As in all my books, I have kept the techniques very simple with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions and beautiful photography for each project. I promise you just cant go wrong! If you are a complete beginner then this is just what you need to give you the confidence to get started, and if you have more experience I am sure you will find many things to get your creative juices flowing.

At the front of the book you will find lots of information regarding tools and equipment, and also a comprehensive section on modelling. Once you learn to place all the body parts in the right places and in the right proportions you will be flying. Facial expressions will give your characters a great deal of personality, and this is something everyone wants to learn more about. As with everything in life it takes a little practice if you want to progress, but the good thing is that modelling is very therapeutic and relaxing, so no matter what else is going on, once you sit in your own space and apply yourself, you will soon be in touch with your imagination.

Everyone will have their own special favourite among the characters in this book, from the rock-and-rollin dragons to the ballet-dancing mice, from the whimsical fairy to the mischievous witch, so lets get started and get those modelling fingers moving.

Until the next time, remember everything starts with a ball!

Sugarpaste

All the models in this book are made using sugarpaste (rolled fondant) in one form or another. This firm, sweet paste is also used to cover cakes and boards. Sugarpaste is very soft and pliable and marks very easily, but for modelling it works best if you add CMC (Tylose) or gum tragacanth to it to bulk it up (see Sugarpaste for Modelling, opposite). This section gives you the lowdown on this wonderful medium, revealing everything you need to know for success with sugarpaste.

Ready-Made Sugarpaste

You can purchase sugarpaste in the most amazing array of colours; just take it out of the packet and away you go. Of all the ready-made pastes on the market, the brand leader is Renshaws Regalice (see Suppliers, page 126), which is available in white and 14 other exciting shades. This paste is easy to work with and is of excellent firm quality.

Tip

Very dark colours, such as black, dark blue and brown, are particularly useful to buy ready-coloured, because if you add enough paste food colouring into white to obtain a strong shade, it will alter the consistency of the paste and make it much more difficult to work with.