The bodies were hand rolled into shapes (from tail to head) with sugar paste and left in cornflour to dry over night. Cornflour allows the shape to keep it's form otherwise there would be a flat side as the weight of the bodies press down on the surface top.

Once the bodies are dry the beaks are addded using orange modelling fondant.

Each swan has 2 pairs of wings. These are modelled and shaped, and to preserve the shape they aredried in the cornflower overnight

The markings around the beaks and eyes are painted on with black food colour paste

The wings are then first fixed on to the bodies with melted white chocolate - when dry, reinforced with royal icing.

They are eventually fixed to a sugar plinth and linked to the sugar shell carriage - all the shells are made with sugar paste but
unfortunatley I cannot find the photos of the process of making the carriage.

The chocolate mud cake is covered with chocolate ganash, which is then covered with white fondant and decorated with royal icing.

Ready to Auction: 

This cake was a joint 30th (pearl) anniversary celebration or the garden part hosts, and was auctioned off to
raise funds for Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital.

The Swan & Carriage topper was kept as an anniversay keepsake, and was put unto a perspex case to
keep it free from dust and moisture. 3 years on, it is still in prisine condition.