Turtle Fudge Skillet Cake Preparations: Expert Tips for a Perfect Demo

[missyciccolella]

Ladies, I need some advice. I am making the Turtle Fudge Skillet Cake for my show tomorrow. I prepare the recipe ahead of time so the guests can eat ASAP, and due to the time of this show and traffic in the area, I am making this at home and transporting. Do you think it would be better to prepare the cake and bake it at the host's house so I show the guests how easy it slips out of the skillet or should I do everything at home and just do the pull-apart demo for the cookware?

Thanks!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I would DEFINITELY do it at the hosts home! People are always in awe when you flip it out of the pan. Plus you have the "Smell Factor" when people walk in and say "Wow, something smells good in here!" AND it is sooooo good served warm with a scoop of ice cream!

This will always be one of my favorite demo recipes!:love: :love:

 

[missyciccolella]

Thanks, and that is what I'm leaning towards. This is a great recipe, but I only make it at shows as it is too deadly for my house! LOL

 

[chefheidi2003]

I have never made this but I just checked out the recipe on CC and I will definately be trying this in the near future. This is not good for my diet...I love trying new recipes though.

 

[ragschef]

You can also put your skinny scraper in the bottom of your skillet before you pour your batter in. Bake it in with it and before you turn the skillet over, tell everyone that you have no idea what you did with your scraper and haven't been able to find it. When you turn the cake out, it's on top and looks like new. Everyone laughs and doesn't believe that its that heat safe. It's a good marketing tool to sell the scraper collection.

 

[ragschef]

You can also put your skinny scraper in the bottom of your skillet before you pour your batter in. Bake it in with it and before you turn the skillet over, tell everyone that you have no idea what you did with your scraper and haven't been able to find it. When you turn the cake out, it's on top and looks like new. Everyone laughs and doesn't believe that its that heat safe. It's a good marketing tool to sell the scraper collection.

I do this all the time and my scrapers still look new....

 

[ChefBeckyD]

You can also put your skinny scraper in the bottom of your skillet before you pour your batter in. Bake it in with it and before you turn the skillet over, tell everyone that you have no idea what you did with your scraper and haven't been able to find it. When you turn the cake out, it's on top and looks like new. Everyone laughs and doesn't believe that its that heat safe. It's a good marketing tool to sell the scraper collection.

That is HILARIOUS! I would have never thought of doing that! It makes me want to make a Skillet Cake just so I can try it!

I'm baking a Birthday Cake for DH this morning - I think it just became a Skillet Cake!:balloon:

 

[PCJenni]

thanks of the tip! I would have never thought of that... now I know how I have to spend my Pan O Rama points... 12 inch skillet. I have been making the cake in the 8 inch skillet all this time.

 

[chefheidi2003]

You can also put your skinny scraper in the bottom of your skillet before you pour your batter in. Bake it in with it and before you turn the skillet over, tell everyone that you have no idea what you did with your scraper and haven't been able to find it. When you turn the cake out, it's on top and looks like new. Everyone laughs and doesn't believe that its that heat safe. It's a good marketing tool to sell the scraper collection.

That is a wonderful idea...I never would have thought to do this.

 

[ragschef]

I do it with my pineapple upside down cake too, but the scrapers end up messing up the whole presentation, so I really like to do it with the turtle skilltet cakes since you cover it up anyways.

 

[ragschef]

the 12" skillet is the best piece I own! (that and my grill pan and press) I did the asian pork and noodle in it the other day. I had to try it since I'm not a big fan of the stainless (yet). It actually turned out pretty good. Just no fond on the bottom of the pan with the nonstick.

 

[chefjeanine]

I would DEFINITELY do it at the hosts home! People are always in awe when you flip it out of the pan. Plus you have the "Smell Factor" when people walk in and say "Wow, something smells good in here!" AND it is sooooo good served warm with a scoop of ice cream!

This will always be one of my favorite demo recipes!:love: :love:

I knew Becky would be on here. . .

This is also one of my favorite recipes. :love:

I would also make it at the host's home (having mixed up at my house). It does smell wonderful and it is good for them to see you flip tout of the pan.

 

[kearstin]

Not to hijack the thread, but can these skillet cakes be made in the 10" skillet? I don't have the 12" yet...

 

[missyciccolella]

I've never tried...it may be thicker or you just won't use all the batter. Give it a shot and let us know!

 

[Shawnna]

I love this recipe. And, yes you can make it in the 10" skillet. You won't use all the batter, but you can always throw it into the mini-muffin pan. I use the 10" skillet to make this recipe all the time. I would definately make it at the host's home because it smells so good while baking and then you can demo the "flip" to show it doesn't stick.

I don't know that I would ever leave the scraper in the bottom of the pan. There is always a chance that something could go wrong. But, I do have a friend who did a stoneware show and the guest's husband didn't believe the scrapers were so good and he insisted on leaving the scraper on the stone while the food baked. It didn't melt.

When you left the scraper in the skillet, was it soft when you removed it from the cake? Could you tell it had been in the heat?

 

[Tara1021]

I've been doing the TFSC for the last month or so. I always do it at the house. I pull it out of the oven right before I start my demo and let it cool a bit. When I'm done my demo and put it in the oven, I bring the cake to the table and turn it out and then decorate. I've taken to using the squeeze bottle of topping (20oz instead of 12) and drizzle it on the cake and then sit it next to the platter so that the guests can add extra to their cake when they cut it.

I like the idea of baking the scraper in...never thought of it!

 

[SusanBP0129]

Do you mix up the cake batter at home before the show?
How long in advance can I mix up the batter?
I want to make this at a show tonight, but I won't have a lot of prep time at the show.

 

[chefruthie]

If I am running behind on prep time, I just ask the Host to mix up the batter. If she is busy there is usually a friend or a daughter around that has no problem helping out. I never use a mixer for the batter, just mix it up with the scraper. This only takes a couple of minutes.

 

[chefjeanine]

Do you mix up the cake batter at home before the show?
How long in advance can I mix up the batter?
I want to make this at a show tonight, but I won't have a lot of prep time at the show.

I like to use a mixer for the cake. . .just turns out better. You can mix before you leave home and take to your host's home or mix it up when you get there. If the Host is not busy, ask her to mix for you.

 

[SusanBP0129]

If I mix it now and fridge it, will it be okay for tonight?

 

[chefruthie]

Here's a cute idea to go along with the cake. One of my Hosts scooped vanilla ice cream into the Silicone Floral pan, put plastic wrap over it and put it in her freezer. Hwne I had finished the cake shw brought it out and I had her tell how she filled it, with the ice cream dipper of course . While she was talking I turned over the pan and just popped the ice cream flowers out onto a platter. The guests were very impressed and I sold 4 silicone pans along with two 12 inch skillets at full price.

 

[chefruthie]

If I mix it now and fridge it, will it be okay for tonight?

I don't think I would. Once you add eggs to the cake mixture and refrigerate it, it could be too thick when you bake it. It really takes very little time to mix it up at the hosts home.

 

[chefann]

I don't think I would. Once you add eggs to the cake mixture and refrigerate it, it could be too thick when you bake it. It really takes very little time to mix it up at the hosts home.

And the air that's mixed into the batter would dissipate, making it more likely that you'd get something flat and lifeless. Cakes are also leavened with chemicals (baking powder and baking soda), and baking powder starts working as soon as it gets wet. Waiting too long to bake will mean that the baking powder will have already released it's gas and will be unable to provide any lift in the finished product.

 

[chefruthie]

And the air that's mixed into the batter would dissipate, making it more likely that you'd get something flat and lifeless. Cakes are also leavened with chemicals (baking powder and baking soda), and baking powder starts working as soon as it gets wet. Waiting too long to bake will mean that the baking powder will have already released it's gas and will be unable to provide any lift in the finished product.

Thanks Ann for saying all that!! I had it all in my head, but I couldn't put it into the right words!!

 

[chefann]

Thanks Ann for saying all that!! I had it all in my head, but I couldn't put it into the right words!!

I watch way too much Good Eats, and AB always knows how to 'splain things. (I'd love for my shows to be as entertaining and informative as his.)

 

[chefruthie]

I watch way too much Good Eats, and AB always knows how to 'splain things. (I'd love for my shows to be as entertaining and informative as his.)

Your "shows" here with us are definitely entertaining and informative !!

 

[dannyzmom]

Your "shows" here with us are definitely entertaining and informative !!

I was just gonna say that!!
Oh and Ruthie - thanks for the ice cream flowers tip - LOVE it!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Here's a cute idea to go along with the cake. One of my Hosts scooped vanilla ice cream into the Silicone Floral pan, put plastic wrap over it and put it in her freezer. Hwne I had finished the cake shw brought it out and I had her tell how she filled it, with the ice cream dipper of course . While she was talking I turned over the pan and just popped the ice cream flowers out onto a platter. The guests were very impressed and I sold 4 silicone pans along with two 12 inch skillets at full price.

LOVE this! What a great idea for the silicone pan w/o baking in it!

 

[rbergwrightchef]

One tip: Instead of nuts..
Grate some White Chocolate with Microplane Adjustable Grater over the top of the cake after you have added the frosting.. It gives it some nice color!!
And you get to show another product..

 

[missyciccolella]

I watch way too much Good Eats, and AB always knows how to 'splain things. (I'd love for my shows to be as entertaining and informative as his.)

I absolutely love Alton Brown too!:love: He provides so much info and detail. Good Eats is one of my favorite shows...maybe we should team up and higher a set designers to help us out with the visuals!

 

[ragschef]

One tip: Instead of nuts..
Grate some White Chocolate with Microplane Adjustable Grater over the top of the cake after you have added the frosting.. It gives it some nice color!!
And you get to show another product..

This is a GREAT idea!! THanks for sharing!

 

[purrbal]

Do both

One tip: Instead of nuts..
Grate some White Chocolate with Microplane Adjustable Grater over the top of the cake after you have added the frosting.. It gives it some nice color!!
And you get to show another product..

Why not do both give some slight crunch and pretty white chocolate both could then showing off the Microplane Adjustable Grater AND the chopper for the nuts.

 

[Shawnna]

you have to be careful because a lot of people are allergic to nuts...and some people just don't like them. Sometimes I will put nuts on half of the cake. I never thought about grating white chocolate on top, but it sounds yummy!