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Guest Tutorial: Basketweave Cake on Stand

 

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Huge thanks to Violet for taking the leap and posting this lovely cookie tutorial. Remember, any member can do the same, and I encourage you all to do so! Trust me, it's easier than it looks; just read the instructions here before you start.]

This was my first attempt at making a birthday cake in a cookie format. I must say, it was fun to make . . . and it was even more fun to watch my friend's surprised face when she got it!

It was a last-minute gift idea. I thought, and thought hard, about what to give my friend. I wanted to give her something special - something that was made for her and that no one else had given to her before.

Bingo! I remembered my first basketweave cake (pictured below) that I made 16 years ago, and it inspired me to make this cookie.

basket cake - Photo 2

So, this is how I made it.

I created a template that I used to cut out the cookie, which you can find attached below. I had to bake two cookies, because the first one broke when I took it off the cookie sheet. The candles on the end of the cookie are very fragile, so be careful. Also, make sure the cookie cools off enough before you place it on the cookie cooling rack.

You will need:
  • Sugar cookie dough (Note: You will end up with about 2 to 3 dozen super yummy cookies depending on the size of the cookies.)
  • Cookie cake and cake stand template (Again, check out my template in the attachments below, or make your own.) 
  • Edible ink marker  
  • Disposable piping bags
  • Dark and light brown medium-consistency royal icing 
  • Wilton #2 or #3 round tip (or equivalent), depending how thick you want the basketweave
  • White medium- and flood-consistency royal icing
  • Pre-made royal icing flowers (They can be chocolate, fondant, sugar paste, wafer paper, etc.)
  • Wilton #352 leaf tip (or equivalent)
  • Green medium-consistency royal icing
  • Edible color, for painting the candles (Alternatively, use edible markers.)
  • Small craft paint brush
  • Edible silver luster dust 
  • Lemon extract or vodka (Note: vodka dries faster without potentially dissolving the icing on the cookie.)
  • Scribe tool or toothpick, for fixing any icing mishaps along the way

Let's get started:
Cut out the cookie using the template, and bake the cookie per your recipe's instructions.

Photo3

After the cookie has cooled, draw the basket outline onto the cookie with an edible marker. 

Photo4

Using the dark brown icing and a #2 or #3 tip, start the basketweave by piping over the lines you just drew for the sides and bottom of the cake. Next, using the light brown icing and the same size tip just used, pipe a series of small horizontal lines extending from the dark brown line to the right, spacing them a tip-width apart. Pipe each light brown line a little longer than a tip-width. Return to the dark brown icing, and pipe a vertical line so it covers the ends of the light brown lines you just piped. Return to the light brown icing, and pipe another series of horizontal lines tucked between the first and extending over the dark brown line you just piped. Continue piping vertical dark brown lines and horizontal light brown lines (offset to the previous set) until you've filled the entire side of the cake with basketweave.

Photo5 

Fill in the top of the cake and the stand with white flood-consistency icing. 

Photo6

After the icing has dried about 20 minutes, pipe a twisted cord or S-shaped edge on the top part of the cake, again using the dark brown icing and a #2 or #3 pastry tip.

Photo7

Next, pipe the candles with white medium-consistency icing.

Photo8

Attach some pre-made royal icing flowers to the top of the cake along with some leaves piped with a #352 leaf tip and green medium-consistency icing.

Photo 9

Outline the cake stand with white medium-consistency icing, and add some designs to the bottom of the stand, such as lines and swags.

Photo10

After the candles have dried enough (about 20 minutes with a fan blowing on them), paint them in the colors of your choice.

Photo11


Once again using the white medium-consistency icing, pipe a doily around the cake base. Allow the doily and other piped details to dry.

Photo 12

Last but not least, mix some luster dust with lemon extract or vodka, and paint the outlines and details of the stand to give them some sheen.

Photo 13

For more information, please check out my how-to video tutorial as well!


Have fun making this cookie and watching the surprise on your friends' faces! Thanks for letting me post here.

~Violet

Cookie and photo credits: Violet

Note: This guest tutorial expresses the views of the author, and not necessarily those of this site, its owners, its administrators, or its employees. To read all of Cookie Connection's tutorials, click here.

Attachments

Images (14)
  • Guest Tutorial Banner: Cookie and Photo by Violet; Graphic Design by Julia M Usher
  • Birthday Cake with Basketweave: Cake and Photo by Violet
  • Cookie Template on Dough: Template and Photo by Violet
  • Cake Outline Drawn on Cookie: Cookie and Photo by Violet
  • Basketweave in Process: Cookie and Photo by Violet
  • Flooding the Cake Stand: Cookie and Photo by Violet
  • Piping Cord Border on Cake Cookie: Cookie and Photo by Violet
  • Piping Candles: Cookie and Photo by Violet
  • Piping Leaves: Cookie and Photo by Violet
  • Piping Line Details on Cake Stand: Cookie and Photo by Violet
  • Painting Candles: Cookie and Photo by Violet
  • Piping Doily on Cake Plate: Cookie and Photo by Violet
  • Painting Silver Luster on Cake Stand Details: Cookie and Photo by Violet
  • Birthday Cake Cookie Template: Template by Violet

Violet Takacs

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Comments (17)

Newest · Oldest · Popular

Thanks for sharing this tutorial with us, Violet! Great job! Your basketweave is so tidy and perfect!

Last edited by Julia M. Usher
Julia M. Usher posted:

Thanks for sharing this tutorial with us, Violet! Great job! Your basketweave is so tidy and perfect!

Thank you very much Julia for accepting my tutorial and helping me with the pictures. You are awesome!

Last edited by Violet
Teri Pringle Wood posted:

Fun design and great tutorial, congratulations on  your first... I  am looking forward to trying your design. Thank you 

Thank you Teri, I hope one of these days I'll make cookies as pretty as yours. 

Ivette Soto posted:

I love your tutorial, the cookie turn amazing! congrats. You got a new suscriber to your youtube channel. love the orange cake video im thing gonna make a try it. thanks!

Thank you very much! I just made the orange cake with other fruits as well. I haven't even cut into it yet.

Attachments

Images (1)
  • Tort Diplomat with Ladyfingers: Romanian cake
Laegwen posted:

Thanks for the nice tutorial!

I am amazed that you truly managed to cut those candles, just looking at those tiny nubs makes my hand shake...

Thank you.  The candles were scary at first...just make sure your dough is super chilled.

Violet posted:
Ivette Soto posted:

I love your tutorial, the cookie turn amazing! congrats. You got a new suscriber to your youtube channel. love the orange cake video im thing gonna make a try it. thanks!

Thank you very much! I just made the orange cake with other fruits as well. I haven't even cut into it yet.

Oh thats looks yummy too!!! can I have a bite? 

Violet posted:

I just noticed a typo...You only need 2 or 3 cookies not dozen cookies.

@Violet - Sorry, I don't see the typo to which you're referring. Under "You will need", it DOES say that the recipe yields 2 to 3 dozen cookies, not a dozen. Could you please clarify the exact line that has the typo and how it must be changed, and I can then edit the text of the blog? Please email me with this change - sweetlife@juliausher.com. Thanks!

Last edited by Julia M. Usher
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