Their Official Initials Cake

Step 1

Several days in advance: Make last name initial. Draw letter, about 5 in. tall, and tape pattern to cake board; cover with waxed paper and dust with cornstarch. Tint 60 oz. fondant brown to match ribbon. Add?1 teaspoon Gum-Tex to 8 oz. brown fondant (reserve remaining fondant). Roll a 3/8 in. diameter rope and position over pattern; let dry at least 48 hours. Use fondant adhesive to attach 2 (or more, depending on letter) lollipop sticks to back of letter, allowing 2 in. at bottom to insert into cake. Make an extra to allow for breakage and let dry.

Step 2

Also: Prepare hexagon base board. Cut plywood or foamcore 1 1/2 in. wider on all sides of hexagon pan. Cover with brown fondant; reserve remaining fondant.

Step 3

Bake and cool 2-layer round cakes. For hexagon cake, bake and cool 3 layers 2 in. high; trim 1 layer to 1 in. high to make a 5 in. high cake. Prepare cakes for Stacked Construction. Tint 150 oz. fondant ivory; cover cakes and smooth with Fondant Smoother. Brush cake tops with Pearl Dust. Stack cakes on base board; pipe tip 4 bead bottom borders in buttercream. Cut 12 ribbons 4 1/4 in. long. Attach to hexagon cake sides with royal icing dots. Cut 2 ribbons to circle each round cake; attach about 1/4 in. apart. Pipe monogram on each side of hexagon cake using tips 1 and 2.

Step 4

Make tassels. Tint reserve brown fondant a darker shade. Roll out fondant 1/16 in. thick. For each tassel, cut a 2 x 5 in. strip; cut 1 3/4 in. long slits for fringe, 1/8 in. apart. Brush plain edge with damp brush and roll; separate fringe ends slightly. Roll 5/8 in. ball of fondant and attach to top using damp brush. Attach tassels to cake sides using fondant adhesive. Roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick; cut out 6 circles using small opening of tip 2A. Attach to cake corners.

Step 5

At reception: Insert letter.

*Combine Brown with Black and Red-Red for brown shown.

** The top tier is often saved for the first anniversary. The number of servings given does not include the top tier.