Nelipot Lane

I always love making cakes for people, I bake a lot of cakes, but when someone wants something a bit special that’s when the fun begins (Well some stressful moments as well)!  An ambiguous list of Lucie’s likes given to me by her friend Tanya was the beginning of this creation.

Funny German words, netball, writing lists, wine, the place where her sisters live – Oz and the nickname dog. OK, so this had me worrying just a little. How do I make this work without throwing a netball, bottle of wine and some lists onto a cake? You somehow (Talks with Tanya, having a peek on pintrest, working with the knowledge you only have a few days to do this!) stumble onto the idea of creating a Tim Burton/Wizard of Oz/Alice in Wonderland bespoke world for Lucie.

As for the cake itself, I was told she likes chocolate (Really, why wouldn’t you!) but she also likes something a bit lighter in flavour and with the feel of this cake I thought that I would make her my zesty crumbly lemon drizzle cake with spicy fresh ginger buttercream.

I could just picture them all having fun and laughing together whilst Tanya takes Lucie on a little voyage around Wunderland!

And so it begins…………

Painting the fondant pieces for me gives them a dream like quality and depth that reminds me of watching Alice in Wonderland as a child. I think detail is everything, even the smallest detail on the simplest cake can change the whole feel.

Yes this spider does stand by himself! He didn’t quite make it on this cake though, 8 inch’s is not a lot of room. I may have been slightly over zealous!

The best bit…….Cake iced, set made, time to put this delirious world together!

When I’m placing the pieces I always just work by eye, I know where I want things to go from my drawings but when it comes to actually working on the cake you really do need to go with the flow!

The final piece……

This was originally going to be green, I thought lush and forestry with a feel of Australia, but as my highly intelligent partner so rightfully pointed out I was thinking of New Zealand! Now I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I had such a blast making The Lucie In Wuderland universe and when I brought the cake to Tanya her face said it all. I have a feeling Lucie felt just a little extra special that birthday!