Ride off into the sunset

Figuratively speaking, of course.

So about 2 weeks ago, Yas' cousin contacted me to place an order for a red velvet cake and 40 chocolate macarons.

Ah but wait. It's not JUST a red velvet cake. It's fondant red velvet cake... with a scooter on top! Oh yeahhhhh... apparently the birthday girl had just got herself one and her colleagues decided to get her a helmet for her birthday. 

When we were discussing the theme of the cake, I wasn't quite sure whether or not I would be capable of making a helmet cake. So we agreed that we (I!) would probably just get a toy scooter and plonk it on the cake. 

Now that simply won't do.

After that discussion, I immediately looked up fondant/gumpaste scooter/vespa online. Ahhhh.. Seems doable enough. Discussed the engineering and design bit with my ever supportive QC/Manager/Deliveryman husband (Haha!) and the production began! 

Look at em' tabs open in my browser! Always trying to beef up knowledge on baking basics, always! 

Step 1. Get the parts ready. I read somewhere that it's easier to let the parts dry separately before putting them together.

Step 2. Try to assemble (TRY, being the operative word). Yeah, the day after Aaron came up to me with the headlights (only) *facepalm* He 'claims' it fell off the bike. OK, I believed him.

Oh the sponges aren't just there for decorative purposes.. they're actually HOLDING up the bike so it won't fall over whilst it dries.

Step 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10... Try to muster up engineering skills (which I don't have, AT ALL!) to put it back together again. Not to mention skills of constantly reminding my son to NOT TOUCH THE BIKE, on repeat! Up to a point that he doesn't even dare to look at it or else this parrot of a mother would start membebel again! 

Oh, did I tell you that I came back from the office the day after that to find it scattered into pieces and NOT where I left it? Yeah, the maid 'picked-up' up the bike. &$%#@#!!)*%#*&$#!!!!???!!!!!! Why?? Why?? Why?? Fuhh Fuhh Fuhh! ... So yeah, managed to piece it back together again, reinforced the structure. At first I tried to mimic the 'curved' design of the real scooter and guess what, it won't stay that way! You can see it collapsing slowlyyyyyy, like a slow motion video. I swear, this has more engineering in it than design! Regretting not taking physics in high school?

NOT!

So yeah, there it is, parked on top of what supposedly is a motorcycle tyre. Bear with me yah? Used mom-bought cookie cutters for the letters and wah lahhhhhh! 

Ok, so it doesn't look THAT realistic.. but I'm so proud of it nonetheless. He calls it my masterpiece (awh, shucks!). We spent years in the UK (and Malaysia) watching cake/cupcake making competitions, because this one just loves putting on the food channel, just because. Doing it for real now seems, surreal!

So focused on the motorcycle that I ALMOST forgot about the macarons!

Here's to more (better looking!) novelty cakes to come! 

xx