1. A day ahead, prepare the fondant accents. To create the baby “balloon,” first use Print-Ons® Sheets to print the photo of your choice, replacing it to the metalized pouch until ready to use. Roll out white fondant and adhere the printed photo using a light application of water, corn syrup or shortening. Use a round cutter to cut out the “balloon,” and set it aside to dry. TIP: Be sure to protect your image from direct light.
2. To create the elephant, first tint white fondant light blue using gel color. Roll it out, and then use a combination of cutters and an X-Acto knife to cut out one circle (head), three ovals (ears and body), two arms, two legs, and the trunk. Use the blunt edge of a decorating tip to impress trunk wrinkles. Allow all pieces to dry.
3. When you are ready to decorate the cake, tint white icing light lime green using gel color.
4. Build the elephant in layers, using icing, water or melted chocolate to glue pieces together, as shown. Set aside to allow attachment points to firm up.
5. Ice and assemble the tiers using the tinted icing.
6. Pipe beaded bottom borders on both tiers using a #8 round tip.
7. Attach the elephant and the balloon to the cake using icing or melted chocolate.
8. Use fudge icing in a #5 round tip to pipe eyes on the elephant. If desired, add a single white non-pareil to each eye for “glimmer.”
9. Use white icing in a #4 round tip or extruded fondant to create the balloon string.
10. Finish with mini gum paste blossoms attached randomly to the cake using dabs of icing.
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Decorating tip courtesy of Lucks