How to Make a Fondant Lion

Since safari cakes are so popular, I thought I would make another fondant animal tutorial to go with my Monkey and Elephant.  Creating this cute cake topper was so fun and super easy to make.  

Supplies:

Styrofoam block

Lollipop stick

Tylose powder

Fondant

Gel colors 

Small paint brush

Thin wire (optional)

Powdered sugar and shortening as needed

Toothpick

Exacto knife

I left out a few of the supplies here so please check the list before getting started.  

Start by coloring your fondant and kneading a small amount of tylose powder into it.    If your fondant is too hard, add shortening.  If it is too sticky, add powdered sugar.  I'm using Satin Ice here.

Roll the fondant into a pear shape, wet the pop stick with gum glue (a mixture of water and a small amount of tylose powder) and insert the body onto the pop stick as shown.

Roll out logs for the arms and legs.  Pinch the ends to flatten and create the feet.  Use an exact knife to cut the toes.  Glue the arms and legs to the body with gum glue.

Head -  Roll a smooth ball of fondant for the head.  Wet the top of the pop stick with gum glue and insert the head onto the stick. 

Eyes - Using the end of a paint brush, make holes for the eyes.  Roll small balls of white and black and glue into the eye hole.  Flatten them out so they are flush with his face.  

Muzzle - Roll out two small balls of fondant and flatten them with your fingers.  Glue to the Lion's face and poke holes using a toothpick.

Nose - Roll a small ball of pink fondant into a ball and glue above the muzzle.  

Tongue - Hand model the tongue using pink fondant and glue under the muzzle.

Ears - Roll out two balls of fondant and glue to the head.  Use the end of a paint brush to create the  indents in his ears. 

Mane:  Roll out a log of dark brown fondant and cut small wisps of hair for his mane.  Glue them all around his face (yes, one by one, but it's totally worth it in the end).  

Tail: Roll out another log of fondant and darker brown hair for the end.  Attach with gum glue.

Add more details.  Hand paint the eyebrows and add a white dot in his eye with gel color.


Whiskers - Cut wire and glue into the Lion's muzzle using gum glue.  *Using wires like this is a choking hazard*  If you are planning to eat the topper, make the whiskers out of fondant just like the mane.


Hand paint a white dot in his eye and he's all finished!



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Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Jam Recipe

A recent trip to the Strawberry Patch left us overflowing in beautiful red organic strawberries. 

I've been dying to try my hand at canning so this was the perfect excuse.  I've made strawberry jam numerous times, but the whole canning thing is a little overwhelming and scary.

  

So I channeled my inner grandma, and got some much needed help from Pioneer Woman and it was a huge success!  Why did I ever doubt myself?  

Thank you Broer's Farm in Monroe, WA. for a fun time and a huge crate of strawberries!

Simple Strawberry Jam

by Ree Drummond - The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Printable

5 cups hulled mashed strawberries


7 cups sugar


4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice


1 49g package powdered fruit pectin

1. Place 8 or 9 8-ounce mason jars in a large hot water bath canner (or pot). Cover with water and bring to a simmer.


2. Simmer center lids in separate saucepan full of water.


3. Place mashed strawberries and lemon juice in a separate pot. Stir in pectin until dissolved. Bring strawberries to a strong boil.


4. Add sugar (measure beforehand so you can add it all at once), then return mixture to a full (violent) boil that can’t be stirred down. Boil hard for 1 minute 15 seconds.


5. Skim foam off the top.


6. Remove one jar at a time from the simmering water. Pour water back into the pot. Using a wide-mouth funnel, fill each jar with jam, being careful to keep the liquid/fruit ratio consistent. Fill jars so that they have 1/4-inch of space at the top.


7. Run a knife down the side of the jar to get rid of air bubbles.


8. Wipe rim of jar with a wet cloth to remove any residue or stickiness.


9. Remove center lid from simmering water and position it on top.


10. Put screw bands on jars, but do not overtighten!


11. Repeat with all jars, then place jars on canning rack and lower into the water.


12. Place lid on canner, then bring water to a full boil. Boil hard for 10 to 12 minutes.


13. Turn off heat and allow jars to remain in hot water for an addition five minutes.


14. Remove jars from water using a jar lifter, and allow them to sit undisturbed for 24 hours.


15. After 24 hours, remove screw bands and check the seal of the jars. Center lids should have no give whatsoever. If any seals are compromised, store those jars in the fridge.

Super Enhanced Cake Formula

from Cake Central

Printable

1 Cake Mix Box (Duncan Heines®, Betty Crocker®, Pillsbury® etc.)

1 cup All purpose flour

1 cup white granulated sugar

1 generous dash of salt

3 large eggs

1/3 cup water

1/4 Heavy Cream

1 cup Sour Cream (8 oz.)

1 cup melted butter

1 Tablespoon of vanilla

1.  For this recipe you are only going to use the actual cake mix powder, do NOT also add the ingredients from directions on the cake mix box. Just ignore any other ingredients or directions listed on the cake mix packaging.

2.  Preheat Oven to 325° and grease 2 8” round cake pans.

3. Mix flour, sugar, cake mix and salt together with fork, set aside.

4. Into Mixer bowl put eggs, water, sour cream, butter, vanilla, and cream.

5.  Add dry ingredients and mix well on (about 2 minutes on low speed).

6. Bake at 325° for 45 - 60 minutes.

Find the American buttercream recipe here.

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