In the jungle...

A friend of mine wanted some cupcakes for her son to bring to school for his birthday, and also a cake to celebrate with the family that night.

She chose a safari theme and sent me a few pictures she got off the internet for inspiration. The cupcake design was inspired by Cupcake Pantry's lovely Safari Cupcakes which you can see on Flickr here.

These are the cuppies I made, but unfortunately my friend told me that they melted and began dripping down the sides towards the evening!! *horror* (they were needed for school the next morning)

I'm always worried about stuff like this happening, so I try to hand over my creations as last minute as possible. This is because when they're with me, I make sure the temperature and humidity is just right. I place them directly under an air-conditioner, and the temperature must not be too cold, around 27*C. I also place containers of silica gel near them, so excess moisture is absorbed. And sometimes if it gets too cold or too hot, I have to play it by ear and adjust the temperature. I can't expect my customers to be as obsessive as me, so the best way is to hand over the cakes and cupcakes right before the celebration!

Anyway, it may have been that the weather was way too hot that day, or the fresh cream that I used had too high a water content and turned the fondant soggy??? Once again, I do not really know. Fondant is so temperamental, it's just so frustrating! It can look all nice and matte and stable, then in an instant start sweating and getting gloppy!!

To be on the safe side, I shall just stick to buttercream from now on... The hot and humid weather here really is the worst possible kind for fondant *sigh*

I felt so bad about the cuppies, and I'm glad at least the cake turned out well. Everything was perfect except for a bit of sagging in the fondant covering. But, that was just a minor blemish.

The animals and leaves and the no.3 are made of gumpaste. I used wire to raise the elephant's trunk and also to provide support for the no.3. I am so afraid of my pieces falling apart once it's with the customer, that I will use as much reinforcement as necessary, in the form of wires and bamboo sticks.

Oh yes, I got to try out one of the gadgets I bought from my trip to Singapore recently! I am in love with my new alphabet cutters!!! They have an ejector function, so no more incessant tap, tap, tapping!!!

Fondant cake decorators out there will know exactly what I mean. For most alphabet cutters, you have to cut them and then they will be stuck in the cutter and what you have to do is to tap, tap, tap and tap it again until the small pieces of fondant come loose. Trust me, it's no fun. So anyway, these new cutters have an ejector  piece at the back, and all you have to do is press it and viola, the pieces come out so easily!  

*happy happy*

 All packed and ready to go!