I couldn’t resist sharing a photo or two of this cake with you.
When my Mum asked me if I’d make a cake for her lovely partner’s 65th Birthday we knew that it would have to go in one of two directions; either his love of trains, or his love of Pink Floyd. Feeling far more confident with the latter option, I created the cake en homage to two iconic album artworks. I almost feel that I don’t need to say them both here but I should – the top tier was inspired by The Dark Side of the Moon and the bottom by The Wall.
The bottom tier was textured to look like a wall and I scrawled a message on it with black edible paint. Top tip for any cake designers who worry about their lettering skills, this was seriously fun and quick. Trying not to be neat is a real challenge for me but, my goodness, this was quick!
The prism on the top tier was created from a triangle of Sugar Florist Paste (SFP) which dries hard like porcelain. Once cut, the shapes that would make the prism were allowed to dry before being painted and arranged. The centre of the prism was airbrushed in the same black as the top tier.
That lettering is me in my comfort zone, kids. The original issue of The Dark Side of the Moon had no text on it but I found later reissues had the name of the album and the band (helpful) stuck in the corner of the record sleeve. It was this typeface that I was able to replicate here.
I mean, it’s cool for a band to release their album with no name but that wouldn’t wash with such a special Birthday Cake!
Yes, I do always dress up for delivery. It was the day of the Royal Wedding and the sun shone gloriously all day. Rare for a BBQ in my experience.
Brette Dress by Collectif Clothing Earrings by Mid Century Missy Hat is vintage
The finished cake was gorgeous. This is my kind of design and it made me so happy to be able to present it to my family. Therein lies the joy of making cakes!
Oh, the top tier was Pina Colada flavour and the bottom tier was my Chocolate Mud Cake (click here for that recipe).
There was an extra hidden family connection in the cake… the bottom tier was crumb-coated with a water ganache prepared by Mike Longman using his own Chocolarder chocolate. Mike is Dave’s son – yes, we have a cake maker AND a chocolate maker in this family! Good thing we all love the sweet stuff. Mike prepared the water ganache at Foodies Festival in Bristol and I kept it safely in my fridge for a few days before using it. I totally licked the bowl when I was done.
Dave looked happy cutting his cake. He is such a big music lover! This generation are far too rock’n’roll to ever grow up properly. Long may that continue.
How did I make that prism stand up on its own, you may be wondering. Here’s the trick. When the pieces for the prism were first cut from SFP, I also cut two small identical triangles which, when dry, could be fixed in place at the back of the prism with royal icing. It is the same theory as a photo frame! I rarely take photos of the back of my cakes but have a photo from a tutorial that I wrote for Cake Decorating Heaven Magazine.
Funnily enough, this was for another rock’n’roll inspired cake! Before you think that this approach looks a bit tentative, the Pink Floyd Prism stayed attached to the cake through a 20 minute car journey and that Elvis cake (it was a polystyrene dummy beneath the icing) stood in my kitchen for a good 2 weeks before I relented and destroyed it!
If you could have a cake inspired by your favourite musician, band, or album, what would you ask for? Mine would have to be David Bowie inspired of course, but which Bowie to choose?
Stay gorgeous!
Cxx
