Happy Anniversary!

This week we celebrated my parent's 54th Wedding Anniversary! 

 Of course, there was cake.  This was a white cake with basket weave piping on the sides (see tutorial below) and the leaves and flowers were fondant (perhaps a later tutorial?).  

The basket weave piping is always a crowd favorite and so easy to do. 

It begins with a cake (of course).  Stack as normal and put a thin coat of your favorite butter cream frosting on the sides (a crumb coat).  This ensures that you cannot see the cake through the weave and contains any stray crumbs. Prepare your piping bag with a #47 (basket weave) tip.  

Here is a helpful hint- use a Pringle or similar container to help fill the piping bag. I use a Fritos Stax container because it is plastic and easy to clean between uses.  Just fold the bag over the top to keep the bag open while filling.  It is also a good place to keep the frosting- filled piping bag when it is not being used. 

Start by frosting a straight vertical line with the serrated edge of the tip facing up. I usually begin piping on the back of the cake. I  pipe a straight horizontal line about an inch and a half long at the top edge of the cake, then another line about a tip's width down from the original.  My cake decorating instructor taught me to mark a little measurement when first learning.  You will be able to "eye" the distance before too long.  Continue with the horizontal lines until you reach the bottom of the cake. 

Pipe a second vertical line about a tip's width from the first, just on the edge of the horizontal lines.  Again, you can do a little mark to help you measure until you get used to the distance. 

Alternate the second set of horizontal lines with the first set, beginning with the tip just beside the vertical line and continuing about an inch and a half, just as with the first column.  

Before you know it you will have an entire cake frosted like a basket! 

To complete the basket effect around the edge take a star tip (I used a #18 Wilton tip for this) and draw an "S" on the top edge of the cake.  I usually begin my border on the same side as I began my frosting. 

Tuck another "S" into the curve of your first and continue around the edge of the cake.  You can also do the same at the bottom edge.   Add some flowers or for Easter you can add some grass piped in with the "grass" tip and make it an Easter basket.  I have also used this for a cornucopia at Thanksgiving.  The possibilities are as endless as your imagination!  

Wishing my Mom and Dad a Very Happy Anniversary and many more years of love and happiness! 

Apologies for the late post- there was an ugly incident with my laptop, my cat and a large glass of Diet Dr. Pepper. I really don't want to talk about it, but I do want to say- 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Cynthia