Baking for My Son's Birthday Party: Tips and Tricks

[GourmetGirl]

actually it's on University on the east side of the road... my cousin got her wedding dress from a place in that strip mall a 11 years ago... dang... now you have me picturing it... darn you!

 

[ChefMann]

Carolyn! You ROCK! Nice job on the cake...I bet when you closed your eyes for the night, you saw stars!

Martha Stewart ain't got nothin' on you girlfriend!
Sheryl

 

[etteluap70PC]

actually it's on University on the east side of the road... my cousin got her wedding dress from a place in that strip mall a 11 years ago... dang... now you have me picturing it... darn you!

Oh yeah.... Sory!!! Duh.... I have not lived over there for over 3 years...

Cool you know right where to go then

 

[Harrle]

Can you tell I LOoooove that store? LOL

It's right on Central Ave. South of Northtown mall. There is a Party store and a Book store in the same shopping center. (at least the last time I was down there anyway).

Been there many times - yes it is off of University Ave. The bookstore is no longer there but the party store is. I get my hair cut in that same strip mall and if I plan it right I can usually hit Lynn's without the kids so I can enjoy looking instead of 'look Mom' over and over again. Allison make sure you call ahead for the hours - if they aren't open when you call there is a message as to what the hours are. Lynn's Cake & Candy Supplies, Spring Lake Park, MN 763.784.2186

 

[Harrle]

Jealous! I want that pan, but not the cost that is associated with it!

Okay now that I checked out the Sur la Table website that is not the pan I got at Wal-mart on clearance - sorry!! The pan I got was for 6 jumbo cupcakes.
That pan looks cool too - but I agree not the price!

 

[Harrle]

Nicki~

Allow the cake to cool, then wrap securely in saran wrap and freeze on a flat surface (like a sheet pan) I actually think cakes normally taste BETTER after being frozen! My neighbor (like a mom to me) does this and then frosts them straight from the freezer so she doesn't get too many crumbs.

Be careful if you do it that way, the moisture from the cake can mess with the consistency of your frosting and make it to watery once it thaws.

 

[etteluap70PC]

I guess we are finding out how many are in the MSP area today! LOL!

No way I could go in there with my kids.... and yes I forgot they have wierd hours too. My favorite thing to buy there is the instant royal icing mix. I love to use this durring the holidays for my cut out cookies. It is sooooo easy!!!!

 

[Harrle]

...Today I go to take the mout to make my son's baseball cake and you can see they baked their cakes in the pans...and rather than turn them out onto a platter, they served them right from the NONSTICK cake pan using a KNIFE to cut the slices - - 2 of my cakepans are TRASHED. The nonstick has big cuts in it and rust in each of the cuts. I am FUMING!

When you bake in the PC pans do you use those silver Magi strips around the outside?? I am taking a cake decorating class right now and they suggest using those for even baking. Not sure how they would work with our round cake pans.

 

[Harrle]

THANKS!

I tried tinting some red but it did not work. Walmart has red icing I think it is Cake Mate that was perfet Clifford Red. It is already mixed up and in a package that you can buy tips to attach to it for the stars. It tasted really great too and not that awful taste you get from too much food coloring. It did not stain anything. What little red that was on my hand washed right off. Not like when I tried to tint my own with two bottles of dye that still did not have it Clifford red, UHHH!

I was told to first color your icing with pink and then use the red and you should be able to get a darker red. By doing this first the red will have something to 'grab onto' so to speak. Same with black - I think she said to try grey - but depending on the other colors of your cake maybe able to use brown or purple?? I had the same problem when I tried to make flag cupcakes for the 4th of July.

 

[christinaspc]

those cakes are all so cute. I remember when i did that for my kids till my hands can't do it anymore thanks for sharing wonderful work.

 

[byrd1956]

ooooo....you all are so creative!!! I've never been that ambitious on cake, but I have had students remake some art masterpieces and we loved eating them in class. And once a student taught the class how to decorate cakes. The whole class loved it! They each decorated their own cupcakes. Some of course loved the icing going straight from the decorator to their mouths. (jr. hi. kids can be so fun!)

 

[Harrle]

Check out this listing on ebay for 45 pans. Item # 200240156236

Specifically look at the second picture (top right corner photo), the two pans to the top left of the photo. They have them listed as "misc. adult themed - 2 different (see photos)" OMG - I would have never thought those would exist!!!

 

[GourmetGirl]

Those crack me up... and I will admit we always have one of those at every bachelorette party One of my friends who was pretty innocent (she had to ask the definition of whoopie at the party! ) was totally embarrased by the cake, but had a good laugh.

 

[Harrle]

Those crack me up... and I will admit we always have one of those at every bachelorette party One of my friends who was pretty innocent (she had to ask the definition of whoopie at the party! ) was totally embarrased by the cake, but had a good laugh.

I guess I never thought there was a pan for those, I thought they were something you would have to carve out of a regular shaped cake!!!

 

[Harrle]

Okay now that I checked out the Sur la Table website that is not the pan I got at Wal-mart on clearance - sorry!! The pan I got was for 6 jumbo cupcakes.
That pan looks cool too - but I agree not the price!

Check out this link to Joann's I think this is the jumbo pan we were talking about. It is on sale this week!! I don't think they have these in stores though - just on line...but $25 is still cheaper than $30!!Wilton Dimensions Large Cupcake Pan

 

[pampermejolene]

Yard sales and thrift stores are also great places to find baking pans for super cheap! I love it!

 

[nicki25]

I just bought the topsy turvy cake pan on ebay tonight for only $10.00. I am going to use it next month for my DD High School Musical birthday party.

 

[jrstephens]

I get my themed pans off Ebay for half of what they are on Wilton. If the instructions you need are not with the pan, you can download current and retired pan instructions off Wilton.

 

[pampermejolene]

I get my themed pans off Ebay for half of what they are on Wilton. If the instructions you need are not with the pan, you can download current and retired pan instructions off Wilton.

ooh, thanks for that tip! I didn't know they had that info on the website.

I had been looking for a mini dough nut pan everywhere. I would find them and they were $15-20!! I just happened upon the baking isle at a thrift store ( I was actually looking for my Dad) and there was a pan that looked like new for $3.00. I love good deals!

 

[Harrle]

Check out this link to Joann's I think this is the jumbo pan we were talking about. It is on sale this week!! I don't think they have these in stores though - just on line...but $25 is still cheaper than $30!!

Wilton Dimensions Large Cupcake Pan

I did find this pan at a Joann's store and used the 40% off of $30.99!!!

 

[kitchenfun2day]

Tomorrow is my son's birthday party so today I baked and decorated cakes for the party...my hand is SO sore...

Sorry the pictures are huge - I can't figure out how to make them smaller...

OMG, VERY NICE!!!! :thumbup:

You are really good! :chef:

 

[fikibiff]

I have some new cakes to post. My DD turned 6 and we did an "Alix the Up North Girl" theme - taken from "Bindi the Jungle Girl." She LOVES all creatures. I took tons of pix of her with bugs, fish, snakes, frogs, turtles, etc and made a poster board of all of them. Then I made a frog cake and these great little bug cakes. I got the bug pan from William Sonoma and used a bear pan for the frog. A week earlier I made my own version of the Oreo truffles and covered them in green candy coating. They were supposed to be tree frogs, but they looked much cuter in my head. Oh well, my DD knew what they were and said everyone liked them at school. I used marshmallow cream instead of cream cheese to hold the cookie balls together.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Those are great Niki!

 

[Gina M]

I am impressed! They look awesome!

 

[chefshawna]

Wow!! Great job, I bet she loved it all!!

 

[pampchefsarah]

I think the tree frogs are cute!! Ok, I admit, if you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known what they were supposed to be, but since you did, I think they're adorable.

 

[fikibiff]

Well, thanks - they were yummy, anyway.

 

[pampermejolene]

They look amazing!!! I'm so excited for the holidays coming up and trying new recipes

 

[starrmarie]

Very Cute! I wish I had that much talent!

 

[janetupnorth]

Wow! I'm not as creative as all of you, but here is Kyle's cake!