Italian Cream Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
Candy and cake combine for a cake made to impress. Every inch of this cake is edible. Candy clay decorations are as easy as working with modeling clay and they're sweet tasting. Make them in advance, so decorating the cake is less stressful at the last minute.
Serves 24-30
Step 1: In Advance Make Candy Clay
At least 24 hours in advance of making cake decorations, make Candy Clay in the following candy combinations:
- Green Leaves and Vines: 1/2 Green, 1/8 Light Cocoa, 1/8 White and 1/4 Yellow
- Brown Barrel, Leaves and Vines: Light Cocoa
- Purple Grapes: 1/3 Red, 2/3 Violet + Violet candy color
- Green Grapes: 1/3 Green, 1/3 Yellow, 1/3 White
- Glasses and Labels: White
- White Wine: 1/8 Yellow, 7/8 White
- Red Wine: 1/2 Red, 1/8 Dark Cocoa, 1/8 Blue, 1/4 Violet + Red and Violet candy color
Let set in airtight container at least 24 hours.
Step 2: Make Candy Leaves and Vines
Knead green candy clay until pliable. Roll out to 1/8 in. thick. Use ivy leaf cutter to cut leaves. Place on thin foam; add leaf details and feather edges using ball tool and veining tool. Place over flower formers to dry. Roll remaining green candy clay into thin (about 1/8 in. or less) logs; roll around bamboo skewers and let dry. Repeat with brown candy clay.
Step 3: Make Candy Barrel, Wine Glasses
Roll out candy clay as needed 1/4 to 1/2 in. thick. Using patterns, cut out barrel and glasses. Add details using gum paste/fondant tools. Cut 1 in. x 1 in. squares of white candy clay for bottle labels.
Step 4: Make Candy Wine Bottles
Roll candy clay into a 5 in.long x 1-1/2 in. diameter log. With knife, cut out neck of bottle, using pattern as a guide; using hands, round edges. Attach white labels made in step 3; brush with a mixture of equal parts gold Pearl Dust and lemon extract.
Step 5: Make Candy Grapes
Roll green and purple candy clay into 1/2 in. balls (design shown uses about 95 of each color).
Step 6: Bake The Cake
Prepare Italian Cream Cake batter following recipe instructions. Soak Bake-Even Strips following package instructions; wring out excess water and attach around pans. Spray pans with vegetable pan spray. Bake and cool cake. Prepare icing. Stack cake layers on foil-wrapped cake boards.
Step 7: Ice The Cake
Spatula ice top of cake smooth. Pipe tip 47 basketweave on sides of cake. Add tip 21 rope top border.
Step 8: Decorate The Cake
Arrange barrel, glasses and wine bottles on cake top. Using melted Candy Melts candy, build grape clusters at cake bottom border. Add leaves and vines.
