After seeing a couple online from the likes of the amazing Intricate Icing Cake Designs, Three tiers for cake and Saint G. Cake Company, and especially as I was obsessed with rocks, crystals and fossils when I was a child. I couldn't wait to try a Geode wedding cake. So throwing myself in the deep end I decided to make one. It was a labour of love as growing the crystals was time consuming and then actually decorating the cake... well that took hours attaching the crystals sometimes individually.

Here are some photo's of the cake both outside and with a the beautiful backdrop of Calke Abbey and styling props/lighting/table from Save the date Event hire & styling

But it did strike me whilst I was doing it that actually growing the crystals would be a great activity to do with children as they can watch and wait for them to grow and what child doesn't like a candy lollypop as these make great swizzle sticks. So I thought I would share the recipe. Unfortunately I didn't take photos during the process but hopefully  you will be able to have a go and maybe let me know how you get on?

Just a note though, when I was doing this cake I just didn't have 7 days to wait for rock candy crystals to form so I used this super quick, rock candy recipe. But do note if you want larger crystals you will need to use the traditional method and be patient!

NOTE: 1cup = 250g/ml

Rock Candy - the fast way

6 cups granulated sugar

2 cups biling water

1/2 teaspoon flavoring

Food coloring of your choice

Handful spare granulated sugar

Mason/large jam jar

Lollypop sticks

Pegs

Sugar/confectioners thermometer

Day 1:

Use 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of boiling water and heat over a low heat stirring continuously until sugar is dissolved. Then dip the sticks into the sugar water and roll them in the spare handful of granulated sugar. This makes your seed crystals - leave over night on some baking/greaseproof paper for for at least 4 hours.

Day 2 (or 4-5 hours later):

Cook the remaining 4 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water over low heat, stirring continuously until sugar is dissolved and reaches approximately 300 degrees F. Remove from heat then add food flavouring oil and food colouring.

Flavoured oils can be any flavour desired and you can add different food colourings to individual batches.

Pour the sugar syrup into your mason/large jam jar and then using the pegs, peg your already prepared lollypop sticks to the side of the jar (Try and angle them towards the middle of the jars so they do not stick to the sides while crystals are growing).

Leave for 24 hours.

It is important to not move the sticks during this period because the mixture needs time to crystallise on the sticks. If you allow more time for crystallisation, you will see larger crystals.

Day 3:

Remove the sticks from the jar and air dry (I hung mine on a makeshift washing line in the kitchen over a bowl so the excess syrup had somewhere to drip) - Yummy!

I then broke up the crystal sticks so I could decorate my cake and crystals will also form at the bottom of your jar so you can used them too! Alternatively you can leave them on the sticks for an alternative to a lollypop.

So there you go - it is a very messy business and beware the syrup is extremely hot so be careful when handling it. If making with children make sure adults handle the molten sugar!

Have fun,

Sarah xxx