Hey everyone,

I am hoping I can get some help!

I am doing a cake similar to the one below.

A few questions..

She wants off white buttercream. My butter cream still does come out pretty white, and I know it may be a stupid question, but what should I do to get an off white?

As for the shells, I was going to do white/beige chocolate shells. I have found the molds so I am all good there. Just concerned about not being able to find off white chocolate...What can be done if all I can find is white? Mix in a bit of regular chocolate?

As for the starfish, any ideas??? I have NO idea!

And the coral, it looks like it may be white chocolate pipped into a bunch of squiggly's and dried? Does this sound right? Anyone have any other suggestions on the coral?


Thanks so much for all your help!

The secret to perfect ivory icing is regular vanilla (not the clear kind). I usually use 3-4 tbsp for a full batch in my 5 qt mixer. I did this is the cake in my avatar. I would do the same thing for your chocolate shells (I would use candy melts instead of real chocolate).

As for the coral; I would do either candy melts or royal icing and pipe onto wax paper and peel off.

HAVE FUN!!

Here is a cake I did with coral similar to that, all I did was pipe it out with white candy melts onto wax paper, let it set up and dusted with luster dust



As for the shells, I've made some using a tough of milk choc. added and it will color it to a nice ivory color....just literally add a touch of it at a time though, it doesn't take much!

As for the frosting I was going to suggest regular vanilla extract too....it really does color it to a nice ivory color....could also just add "ivory" icing color as well if you wanted to go even darker.

The cake in the photo is gorgeous!!! AS for starfish, they have molds for those too!

Thanks that is so helpful!! I believe she does was real chocolate shells. What would be the pros and cons of using candy melts vs chocolate? Do they taste similar?

Thanks!!

You were both so helpful!! Candy melts, never even thought of that!!! Would luster dust be good to use for the shells to?? I wonder if they sell that @ Micheals or AC moore.

I agree, using brown vanilla will make ivory frosting.

White chocolate isn't really a pure white, it's more of an ivory color. Put it next to something that's really white and you'll see.

They probably used candy melts for the coral, see how it's whiter than the rest? It's really easy to do with either candy melts or white chocolate. It will have a flat side unless you peel it off the waxed paper when it's hardened, turn it over and pipe on the other side.

A tiny bit of white pearl dust on the shells will really add to the look.

I agree with Mug and Tina on adding regular vanilla extract to get the ivory. Tina that's one georgeous cake.

P.S. your cake is stunning!! I love that!

http://www.cakesbysam.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=22279&substring=starfish

starfish kinda look like these!

Oh great!! I really feel like I am on the right track This is my first wedding cake so I am pretty excited about it! I have two weeks!

KH--I saw that website! I was thinking I may be able to make those out of fondant myself!! I am not exactly sure how they got the markings in the star fish though, Maybe a sponge? Any ideas?

I think they did it with a mold honestly!

check this out, the molds have the indentations and everything


http://www.cakesuppliesdepot.com/STARFISH-CHOCOLATE-MOLD_p_1203.html

I made my own mold for starfish. I picked up actual starfish from Michaels (3 different sizes in a pack). Washed and dried them, dusted really well with cornstarch and then pressed them into a ball of gumpaste to make an impression. Let it set up for a little bit and then remove the starfish and let dry completely. Once dry, use fondant or gumpaste and press into the mold. Perfect starfish! I made a few of them since they will eventually break since you are constantly pressing on them...but it was an easy way to do them and pretty cheap to do.