Unseasonally spring-like cake

It is blowing a blizzard in Bayswater this afternoon but today's cake is positively spring-like.

Before I embarked on my cake-making journey, I had never found the time for a hobby or evening classes. So Floodlight was a complete revelation - it is a listing of all manner of courses in London: http://london.floodlight.co.uk/london/courses-classes-lessons/best-baking-and-confectionery-courses/qualification/study/region/16180339/220706/100/domain.html

I enrolled on a course at Hammersmith and Fulham College: http://www.hfals.co.uk/cooking-food-studies

And today's cake is the result of six evenings being taught by the wonderful Julia Francis.

This {deceptively} simple design allowed us to master a number of techniques - how to marzipan a cake, to cover the cake and board in sugarpaste, piping with royal icing, making a mould, making and using modelling paste and flowerpaste, wired flowers and leaves...

Underneath the pink icing is actually a rich fruit cake, which has been fed for several weeks with cognac. Mmm!