Elegance and simplicity is what this stunning cake is all about. The styrofoam discs are used to support the flowers between each layer. Use artificial flowers, if you prefer.
1.Knead 500g (1 pound) ready-made icing on surface dusted with a little cornflour until icing loses its stickiness. Brush a 35cm board with sugar syrup. Roll icing large enough to cover board. Using rolling pin, lift icing onto board, smooth with hands then smoothing tools. Trim icing neatly around base, use cornflour fingertip to smooth edge. Stand overnight to dry.
2.Mark the centre of each cake board and styrofoam disc. Except for the 30cm wooden board, drill a 12mm hole through the centre of each disc and each board. Glue the 35cm board on top of the 30cm board (this gives clearance under the board so you can pick it up off the bench). Squeeze glue into hole in the 35cm board, position dowel in the hole. Stand until dry.
3.Trim cakes. Secure deep 25cm cake to largest board. Secure remaining deep cakes to same-sized boards. Position shallow cakes on top of same-sized deep cakes, secure with jam or ganache. Prepare cakes for covering with ready-made icing.
4.Make ganache by combining chocolate and cream in a small saucepan; stir over a low heat until smooth. Cover; refrigerate until almost firm.
5.Knead icing on surface dusted with a little cornflour until icing loses its stickiness. Roll 375g (12 ounces) of icing on cornfloured surface until large enough to cover small cake. Using rolling pin, lift icing onto cake, smooth with hands then smoothing tools. Trim icing neatly around base.
6.Use 625g (1¼ pounds) of icing to cover medium cake and use 750g (1½ pounds) of icing to cover large cake in the same way as small cake. Dry cakes overnight.
7.To make sugar syrup, in a saucepan, place palm sugar and water on high heat and bring to boil. Boil for 10 minutes, until syrup thickens.
8.Using one styrofoam disc at a time, brush syrup sparingly around sides of discs. Roll 80g (2½ ounces) icing on cornfloured surface until long enough to wrap around side of smallest disc, using ruler and pizza cutter, trim to fit. Cover side of styrofoam, reserve scraps. Trim away any excess icing on top and bottom of disc. Knead scraps and remaining icing together, cover sides of remaining discs in the same way.
9.Using picture as a guide, draw `stitch’ pattern onto a strip of baking paper large enough to wrap around large cake, attach to cake, marked-side out, using pins. Using a fine pin, mark pattern onto each cake, reducing the length of the paper to fit around the middle cake, then the small cake.
10.To make royal icing, to make royal icing, beat egg white in a small bowl with an electric mixer until just broken up. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar until firm peaks form; stir in the juice. Keep icing covered with plastic wrap on the surface to prevent drying out.
11.Tint royal icing pale pink. Fit piping bag with tube. Three-quarters fill bag with royal icing, pipe pattern onto cakes using pin marks as a guide, leave to dry for at least 1 hour.
12.To assemble the cake, Position the largest styrofoam disc onto the dowel, secure to board with a little royal icing. Next, firmly push the large cake down over the dowel, secure to the disc below with royal icing. Push 3 trimmed skewers into top of large cake. Top with the medium disc then medium cake in the same way, push 3 trimmed skewers into medium cake. Top with the small disc then small cake.
13.Use remaining skewer to pierce holes into side of styrofoam discs, push stems into holes to fill the gaps between the cakes with flowers. Lay more flowers on top of cake. Position flowers on the day of serving.
Equipment: Drill 12mm (½ inch) drill bit with centring tip 35cm (14-inch) round wooden cake board 30cm (12-inch) round wooden cake board 25cm (10-inch) round wooden cake board 20cm (8-inch) round wooden cake board 15cm (6-inch) round wooden cake board 9cm x 20cm (3¾-inch x 8-inch) diameter styrofoam disc 9cm x 15cm (3¾-inch x 6-inch) diameter styrofoam disc 9cm x 10cm (3¾-inch x 4-inch) diameter styrofoam disc craft glue (or glue gun) 12mm x 60cm (½-inch x 24-inch) wooden dowel smoothing tools pastry brush plastic ruler pizza cutter pencil fine pearl-headed pins small piping bag small (number 2) plain piping tube 7 wooden skewers The drill bit should be suitable for drilling wood. Discuss the type of flowers to be used with a florist to make sure they’ll stay fresh. Drill 1cm holes in all the discs and boards except for the 30cm wooden board. Use glue to secure the dowel into position. Lightly brush the sides of the discs with sugar syrup. Cut strips of icing long and wide enough to wrap around sides of discs. Use a sharp knife to cut away any excess icing from the top and bottom of each disc. Be careful not to cut into the disc. Measure around cake using a band of baking paper, using pencil and ruler, draw `stitch’ markings of varying lengths onto the paper. Secure the band of baking paper (marked- side outwards) around the cake with fine pins. Mark the pattern onto the cake with pins. Remove baking paper. Fit piping bag with tube and, following the pin markings, pipe the pattern onto the cakes. Leave to dry. Position the largest disc on the dowel, secure to board with royal icing. Spread more royal icing on top of the disc. Push the large cake onto the dowel to meet the disc. Push the trimmed skewers into the cake to support the next disc. Push a wooden skewer into the disc, wriggle it around to make holes large enough to hold the flower stems firmly in position.
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