June 10, 2010

sugared berries

For the second weekend in a row, I had the opportunity to work on a wedding cake, albeit in a much smaller capacity this time.  My task was to prepare blueberries and blackberries for the top of the cake by brushing them with a very thin coating of egg white and covering them with sugar.  It was a perfectly lovely way to spend a Saturday morning.

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The finished result (baked and decorated by the bride’s sister) was inspirational.  The simplicity and rustic beauty of fresh berries were perfect for this springtime wedding.

I am looking forward to giving it a try myself.

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Read more about the weekend here.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The cake looks beautiful! I am thinking of using sugared strawberries for my sister's wedding cake but I'm not sure if the moisture in the strawberries will dissolve the sugar crystals? Otherwise I might as well just cover the cake in untouched strawberries. Would you know how long the sugar crystals last on the fruit? Thank you!
- Sarina

Elizabeth said...

Hi Sarina!
There was a second cake with strawberries on it, but we did not sugar the strawberries - I think because of the same concerns you've expressed about moisture dissolving the sugar crystals. The bare strawberries looked beautiful.

The blackberries and blueberries seemed to hold up well. The cakes were in a refrigerator from about noon to 4pm, in the back of an air-conditioned car for about 30 minutes, and then in an air-conditioned room for maybe an hour before being brought out to the reception, which was outdoors in Arkansas with humidity and temperatures in the upper 80s. The cake was cut and served within half an hour of being brought outside, but the few remaining pieces sat out for another 2-3 hours. I didn't noticed the sugar dissolving on the berries.

The air/temperature conditions are a big factor, and if you can do a test run in an environment similar to that of your event, it would be the best way to determine how long the berries will last.

If you want to see a few more pictures of the cakes, follow the link at the very end of the post.

I hope this is helpful! Have fun with the cake!

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