I made this! Pt 3.
When you find you can’t afford a Chanel handbag of your very own, perhaps the next best thing might be to make one yourself. Better yet, make it edible! That was partly my reasoning anyway, for signing up for yet another Planet Cake cake decorating course. Previous classes I’d attended had always been incredibly fun and enlightening, and this basic handbag course was no different. What I particularly love are the details like the stitching, the zipper and the gold chain interlaced with pink ribbon. The black double C’s are cut out of rolled fondant and after they’ve been pasted on, are brushed with a transparent gel to give them a vinyl sheen. The smaller gold plated C’s and button details are applied straight from a piping bag filled with a gold paste.
The end result almost made me want to pick the bag up and swing it over my shoulder.
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It might be absolutely pelting down with rain, but armed with an umbrella, there’s no excuse not to stop off at Adriano Zumbo in nearby Darling Street for a sweet treat or two. I’m always telling friends about Zumbo, and they usually express interest until I mention the fact that it’s Balmain, then their eyes kinda glaze over.
This visit yielded some pointy hazelnut chocolate things and a delightful pink macaron creation that’s not too dissimilar to Pierre Hermes’ raspberry, rose and lychee flavoured Ispahan. The hazelnut chocolates were nice (meringue base, ganache inside, covered in chocolate and chopped hazelnuts), if not as fresh tasting as they could be (the nuts lacked a certain crunch factor, though I did like the silky smooth interior). Zumbo’s version of the Ispahan on the other hand, was absolutely fantastic. Dare I say this, it was more flavoursome and perhaps even a tad better than the Pierre Hermes’ classic that I had in Tokyo!
Planet Cake
106 Beattie Street
Balmain 2041
Adriano Zumbo Patissier
296 Darling St
Balmain 2041
Belle said,
February 4, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
Your Chanel handbag looks amazing, so real. You’ll be interested to know that I did the cupcake course last weekend, after first seeing your post in Oct 2007. I posted on it myself – please have a look, as I mentioned you! And also some other Zumbo cakes. Very coincidental!
Nora said,
February 5, 2008 @ 9:12 pm
Wow, your edible cake looks so amazing. I live near Balmain but never heard of these two places before, what’s wrong with me??!! And I dare call myself a foodie… Now that you’ve enlightened me, I will have to make a trip down Darling st very, very soon. Esp since you said that it may be a tad better than the Pierre Hermes’.
Nora
Y said,
February 5, 2008 @ 10:20 pm
Hi Nora! Thanks for the compliment! You absolutely have to visit Adriano Zumbo – one of the best, if not, the best patisserie in Sydney. I would visit more often if I lived closer. Also I noticed he got a write-up in this week’s Good Living. Darling St also has Victoire which does great bread, and there’s a nice kitchen shop but I can’t remember the name.
Helen said,
February 6, 2008 @ 2:45 pm
Looks gorgeous sweetie! And the handbag looks fantastic too 🙂
Belle said,
February 7, 2008 @ 7:56 am
The Celebration Cupcakes looks fabulous and fun, but I’m not at that level yet. You should do that one if you like cupcakes. I’d like to do more piping but the class is full. Will keep an eye out for new classes.
cathy x. said,
February 12, 2008 @ 11:40 pm
ooh looks smashing 😛
(psst psst! do you remember the pannacotta recipe? i want to make my canadian friend a cool caramelised banana and peanut butter version for her birthday next week.. i can’t believe i never wrote it down..nor the macaroon recipe god i’m so stupid.. love you!)
Y said,
February 13, 2008 @ 3:58 pm
Geez what am I, your recipe book? 😛
I’ll email you!
stickyfingers said,
February 17, 2008 @ 7:27 pm
OH WOW! That’s fantastic, the attention to detail is wonderful – clever you. **green with envy** I had a small Chanel bag cake for my birthday from let Then Eat Cake in Melbourne, but it didn’t look anywhere near as convincing as yours.
Y said,
February 18, 2008 @ 8:44 pm
Thanks! It’s a great idea though, isn’t it? Never thought I’d be able to make it look at least half decent, given the limited experience I have with decorating!
Mad about cakes said,
May 12, 2008 @ 8:00 am
Hi there,
This is the first time I’ve come across your blog. Your Chanel cake just blew me away! It is so smooth, so perfect! You are very talented. I was wondering what you used to make the stitching effect, looks fabulous.
Also, I’d never heard about the Zumbo place before, but definitely will be making a pilgrimmage to Balmain soon.
Y said,
May 12, 2008 @ 8:08 am
Hi! Thanks for the nice comment 🙂 I was quite pleased with the end result of my cake too – everyone else in the class made equally amazing cakes (some with different coloured fondant). The stitching was done with a small crimper – a smaller version of a ravioli/pasta crimper. You really should check out Zumbo. One of the best places in Sydney to get a showstopping cake or pastry (and they taste great too).
elli said,
August 7, 2008 @ 6:03 pm
hi i just found your website when i was looking for chanel purse bags. i want to make one for my sister’s upcoming birthday this month. i articulately loveeeee your cake. i ‘ve got 2 questions. did you cover the cake with ganache before the fondant? and is it 1 piece of fondant od did you cut pieces of fondant and cover the cake?
thanks
Elli
Y said,
August 8, 2008 @ 9:12 am
Hi Elli! Thanks for visiting 🙂 To answer your questions, yes the cake was covered with ganache and then it was one whole piece of fondant covering the cake. We snipped the excess off and used ropes of fondant as the “piping” around the edges of the bag to hide the cuts. Hope that was helpful. I still have pictures of the different stages of the cake being assembled and can email them to you if you need more help.
elli said,
August 8, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
really would you do that for me? i will really appreciate it if you can. how can i send you my email address?
Y said,
August 8, 2008 @ 1:13 pm
I’m emailing you now… let me know when you get it, so that I know it worked 🙂
elli said,
August 8, 2008 @ 1:22 pm
i haven’t got it yet 🙁
elli said,
August 8, 2008 @ 1:36 pm
thank you so much Y. you’re so helpful. i hope my cake will turn out half as good as yours.
Cecilia said,
February 20, 2009 @ 7:38 am
Hi. I think you made an amazing cake. My daughter loves chanel and I want to surprise her with a similar cake. Can you please tell me what flavour cake this is and show me how to make a similar one? My daugher is going away in two weeks and I was hoping to do this for her. Will you help me out with the details? Thanks and best wishes.
zarina said,
August 7, 2009 @ 2:23 pm
hi. i’m Zarina from Malaysia and just came across your blog. ur Chanel handbag cake looks so amazing. i’ve made a chanel handbag but not as good as yours. i hve problems with the chain. yours looks absolutely like a real chain. can you please email me the instructions? i will be so grateful. my email is zarmgmum@yahoo.com
thanks! and happy cake decorating .
Sandra Chitty said,
September 17, 2009 @ 4:56 pm
Found your website when looking for an idea for my daughter who’s ‘ordered’ a bag cake for her 40th birthday! I read previously you emailed Elli the different stages of the cake being assembled. Is it possible to have them too please? Then I’ll have an idea whether I can tackle it.
Joanna said,
November 23, 2009 @ 6:46 pm
i love your chanel bag! been trying it out but having problems with the chain! what medium did you use for the gold chain? fondant painted gold? Any chane you can share some tips to make mine a bit more realistic? thanks!!!