Easy Lady's Hat Cake

This cake may seem like a major project, However I feel it only takes a careful hand and the right tools with your own imagination, and some short cuts if you feel the need.  It took two cake mixes to make this creationI used an orange cake mix and a lemon cake mix, follow the directions for mixing the cakes and only make one at a time so the layers are separate.  I chose to add Marmalade to the orange cake mix to create an orange upside down cake which made it moister.  I allowed the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.  To make things even easier use a spring form pan for each cake mix and use the cooking time for the bundt cake you will find on the box.  This assures the right amount of time in the oven.  Be sure to test it with a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean and not doughy. Prepare the fondant or go to a cake or craft store that has cake making / decorating supplies and buy the fondant if you fear not being able to make it yourself.  Also you can buy the candy buttons in a candy store.  Use the leaf tip and a cake decorating bag to make the leafs.  I made a butter cream frosting from scratch, however if you choose you can use a firm frosting mix already made and dye it green.  I am not good on the roses yet so I purchased them from the cake decorating isle of Micheal's craft store. They also carry the tips, bags and if you need it fondant, Not sure but they may also carry decorator icing, they also sell the dyes in that section.  I decided that I wanted to make orange frosting for between the layers, and then topped it with Shaved lemon peel for extra flavor.
I frosted the outer cake with the frosting I had made to decorate with.  I held out some for the leaves and used green frosting dye for the leaves.  Before doing the flowers or buttons, I rolled out my fondant which was dyed blue.  I made it really thin and used a ruler to keep it straight and form.  I made it in three sections using the ruler and applied them carefully.  To cover up the ends, I used fondant and made the bows, two on the front and one on the back.  I used the candy buttons for the inside part of the bows as shown.  Then I went on to create my leafs using the leaf tip.  I did three leafs for each rose as you can see.  After making the leafs I inserted a rose firmly in from the top of the cake.  I repeated this around the cake making the first four at each quarter mark of the top of the cake.  Then I made the final four in between them.  Then I used the sugar buttons to decorate the hat to complete it.  You can also finish the hat off if you have the material with a bit of lace, it just is not a part of the cake you can eat like the rest of this cake.  I did not have a piece of lace available or I would have added that touch.  You do not have to be a pastry chef to make beautiful creations, just a little time, patience and the right materials.  Have fun and be creative. It was a blessing to be able to share this project with you.  I made this for another of the Lady's Power Prayer Breakfast meetings and it was a hit.