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1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray each stainless bowl with nonstick cooking spray and coat lightly with flour, tapping out the excess.
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2
Put the bowls on 2 sheet trays.
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3
In an extra large bowl add the cake mixes with the butter and combine with a hand mixer.
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4
Add the egg whites, 1 at a time, and incorporate.
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5
Slowly add buttermilk and mix on medium until well incorporated, about 2 minutes.
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6
Fill each stainless bowl 2/3 of the way to the top with the batter.
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7
Bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 to 50 minutes.
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8
(Large cake will take closer to 50 minutes, smaller cakes closer to 30 minutes.)
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9
Remove the cakes from oven and cool.
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10
When cool enough to handle, unmold and cool upside down on a wire rack.
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11
You will have 1 (9-inch), 2 (7-inch), and 2 (5-inch) cake domes.
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12
Keep any extra batter in refrigerator.
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13
Cool down pans in between baking times.
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14
If there is still excess batter, bake off cupcakes for shower favors.
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15
To decorate:
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16
For the gum paste leaves, knead and roll out the gum paste to 1/16-inch thickness.
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17
Using the leaf cutter, cut vine leaves from gum paste.
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18
Using the back end of a butter knife make leaf veins by pressing lightly into the gum paste.
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19
Repeat until you have about 80 leaves.
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20
Set out on a sheet tray lined with a wrinkled piece of plastic wrap to dry completely.
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21
(This step is best done a couple of days ahead of time.)
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To make loops for around the base of the cake, roll gum paste into a very thin rope.
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Cut into 3-inch pieces, pinch ends together to form a loop using a dab of water, if necessary, to stick ends together.
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24
Dry flat on a sheet tray.
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25
(You will need 24 (3-inch) loops for the large cake, 40 (2-inch) loops for medium cakes, and 32 (1-inch) loops for the small cakes.)
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26
Adhere each cake to a corresponding cake board with a dab of icing.
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27
Ice each cake in a very thin smooth layer with an offset spatula.
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28
Put in refrigerator to set up.
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29
Working with 1 cake at a time, put a second slightly thicker layer of icing on cake, being sure to clean the knife frequently to keep the icing smooth.
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30
(If icing is too loose try mixing in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar to stiffen it a bit.)
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31
Knead the fondant to soften slightly.
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32
Using a flat surface dusted lightly with cornstarch, roll the fondant to a large (1/4-inch thick circle about 18 inches in diameter for the large cake).
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33
Lift with backsides of your hands and put over the center of iced dome cake.
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34
Using your hands lightly dusted with cornstarch, smooth fondant down and around the sides of the cake.
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35
Lift cake up and trim the excess fondant close to the cake board with kitchen shears or a paring knife.
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36
Put on a cake pedestal.
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37
Repeat until all of the cakes are covered.
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38
To make royal icing for the vines: In a medium bowl beat together the 2 cups confectioners' sugar, the meringue powder and the lemon juice with a hand mixer and slowly add in a little water until smooth.
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39
Continue to add water by the teaspoonful with beaters running until the icing will drop from the beaters but hold a line when drawn in with the back of a spoon.
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40
Fill a pastry bag fitted with small round tip.
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41
Pipe vines for leaves all around the cakes, using long strokes holding tip just off surface of the cake.
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42
Adhere dried gum paste leaves in groups along the vines with a small dab of royal icing.
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43
Lastly adhere the loops along the base of the cake with a small dab of royal icing as well.
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44
Put on the table in descending-size order.
