Cake Makers Unite! (I Need Some Advice)

[Kitchen Diva]

We have some budding cake makers here!! Excellent cakes!!!

In high school I was a self taught cake decorator. I actually sold wedding cakes.

When you are stacking cake layers, here is how to make them not sink down:

Layer One:
Say for example you have 2 - 10 inch round cake.

First, I level off the rounded top on both layers. Place the first cake flat side down onto the platter that you are going to present the cake on.(or the bottom of the cake when it came out of the pan).
You can take apricot jelly and heat it. Brush this all over the cake with our silicone brush and let it dry just a bit so the frosting has this to stick to and it also helps get the crumbs under control.
Frost this and make it no thicker than roughly 1/4 in because when weight is put on it, the frosting will bulge out the sides. There will be some places you may have it a bit thicker, because with our large spreader you can make it a flat surface.
Then place the next layer on top...but make sure you have the "bottom" of the pan" side facing up. (the two layers that were leveled off, should be facing each other). Again, brush more of the warmed apricot jelly on the cake and let it dry somewhat.
Continue to frost tops and sides. You may want to run your spreader under very warm water (shake off most of the water) then continue to work on smoothing the frosting. Make sure not to use too much water because when it dries, it will form a "crust" that will easily crack.

Purchase 1/4 inch wooden dowels in the hardware store. Cut 4 pieces that are slightly shorter than the height of the cake. Place them gently in the center of the cake in a square pattern approximately 2 inches apart.

Purchase cake cardboard that is 8 inches wide.

Layer Two:

Take 2 - 8 inch cakes.
Repeat the steps above only place this cake on to one of the 8 inch cake boards.

When you frost the entire 8 inch layer, frost over the sides of the card board to hide it.

By doing this, it distributes the weight onto the dowels and cardboard instead of "squishing" the bottom cake.

Cakes can crack...just think of your frosting as "the glue". Thin it down and patch up the cake.

For coloring, use Wilton paste colors. Also, add a very small amount of white corn syrup in the frosting you want to color so the colors will not streak.

It you want white frosting...do not use milk in your frosting, use water.

I stopped doing cakes when the nervousness I went through was greater than the pleasure!! If I could only decorate, I would be happy!!! That was my favorite part. Watch cake challenges on the Food Network or the Ace of Cakes!!! The talent is unbelievable! They are truely artists as well as chefs.

Wow- thanks for all that help! I do watch the cake challenges, you think I would have remembered some of their tips when I was doing this, but I didn't. Oh, well....

I love the tip at making your white frosting white by using water- simply amazing! You are so helpful!

 

[baychef]

Oh the stories I could tell you about the good the bad and the just plain near disasters I have had in my cake days!!

Purchasing a Wilton cake decorating yearbook should give you some good tips too (at least they used to, it has been years since I purchased one).

Good luck!! And keep sharing those pictures!:chef:

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Oh the stories I could tell you about the good the bad and the just plain near disasters I have had in my cake days!!

Purchasing a Wilton cake decorating yearbook should give you some good tips too (at least they used to, it has been years since I purchased one).

Good luck!! And keep sharing those pictures!:chef:

I might just do that...thanks for the advice!