It feels good to be creating and writing for The Cake Decoration and Sugarcraft magazine again. My first project, this time around, falls under the heading of ‘Quintessential British summer’. Now, I could have easily chosen rural thatched cottages, cream teas, majestic oak trees in country parks, red letterboxes etc but I decided to opt for a game of cricket – as played on village greens all around Britain during the summer months.
![A cricket game at Wroxeter cricket club](https://lindyscakes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Wroxeter-and-uppington-cricket-club-game.jpg)
Cricket – a traditional British sport
Cricket has a rich history in the UK, one that can be traced back hundreds of years. I found this summary on the ICC website: History of Cricket particularly interesting.
Designing a cricket celebration cake
Designing a cricket cake is like opening the batting – you have an idea of how you want it to go but it doesn’t always pan out that way. My aim, when designing, is to create something unique and different. A cake you haven’t already seen. Cricket themed cakes pepper the internet and social media and include large cricket balls, lifesized bats and cricket greens with modelled figures. I needed something a little different…
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One-shot a batsman plays is called the ‘square cut’, which, I’m told, is always one of the most glorious sights in the game. Could portraying this on a cake be possible? Why not?
![the square cut - cricket celebration cake by Lindy Smith](https://lindyscakes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/the-square-cut-cricket-celebration-cake-by-lindy-smith-pinterest-683x1024.jpg)
The painted background
Luckily I’ve been recently teaching my hands-on cake decorating classes at my local cricket club here in Shropshire. The ground is set in typical rural countryside with beautiful 360-degree views across the landscape. For this cake, I chose to use the view from the clubhouse, one my students will be familiar with. A view of the Wrekin (hill) with his forestry clad sides plus nearby fields and that very important boundary fence.
![Wroxeter and Uppington cricket club](https://lindyscakes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Wroxeter-and-uppington-cricket-club.jpg)
The technique I chose to use was cocoa butter painting. A technique that I love and can’t get enough of. It simply works so well!
![cocoa butter painting for Lindy's cricket cake](https://lindyscakes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cocoa-butter-painting-for-cricket-cake-1024x1024.jpg)
The cricket ball
Of course, there must be a ball. For me, it’s the most important part of this cake design. I created it by making a modelling chocolate outer layer, which I painted, and giving it a Krispie treat core. I trust I have captured the dynamism of the shot and the realism of the ball.
![chocolate cricket ball by Lindy Smith](https://lindyscakes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/edible-chocolate-cricket-ball-by-lindy-smith.jpg)
The batsman
“50 not out”, “Howzat?” “Cut for four” are all familiar cricketing terms, however, it’s the latter I decided to portray. I created my batsman using a template and the very traditional bas-relief technique. Detailed steps are included in the magazine, so you’ll be able to see exactly how to approach this technique. Perhaps you’d like to create a bowler or wicket-keeper? No problem the technique is the same, however, you will need to make your own template. These days it isn’t that difficult, as computers can easily resize suitable images for you.
![cricketer template by Lindy Smith](https://lindyscakes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cricketer-template-by-lindy-snith.jpg)
Full Step-by-step Instructions
Full step-by-step instructions for my cricket cake are available in the magazine. It is on sale during the month of August and thereafter as a download from the publishers.
Lindy’s Previous blogs talking about cake design
Read more about my design process by taking a look at the following blogs:
Cake Design – a beautiful transient art form
Colourful Mandala Cake Design Project for Cake Decoration & Sugarcraft Magazine
Traditional Christmas carol inspires Lindy’s colourful Christmas cake design
Sweet wishes
Lindy Smith
Bringing world-class sugarcraft into your kitchen