The Modeling Chocolate Diaries, volume 4

I don't actually know that this is my fourth cake using modeling chocolate, but the number is definitely growing as I get more used to its versatility and simplicity. Once you have a batch made (here are some tips), it's fantastic to have on hand for small decorating jobs since it's so long-lasting.

I was asked to make a simple "congratulations" cake for an office party last week, and the flavor and design were left to my discretion. I decided to revisit my new carrot cake recipe since I had gotten some great reviews for Dave's 40th birthday golf cake last month (thanks, Heather!). 

[Hot tip: I adapted Canadian Living magazine's carrot cake recipe by omitting the nuts and substituting 1 cup unsweetened applesauce for the canned crushed pineapple. Andrew calls it "vegetable cake" but I call it delish.]

If you read my last post about the peacock wedding cake, you might notice some color similarities. Ok yes, so I'm busted. I need to use up the extra couple of buckets of lavender fondant I bought for the wedding cake, and the office folks didn't have any specific color requests!

But to get to the point, I had originally thought I would make the bow and circles out of fondant, but I got to thinking that fondant has a tendency to sag and limp a bit when not given the proper time to set up and dry. Notice how perfectly round those circles are, and how perky that bow? Modeling chocolate!!

I am not yet a total convert (as in, I am not yet covering cakes with it), but I am definitely on the modeling chocolate bus.