Cake Craft discussions and questions thread

[Fozza]

Not started a business yet...its a risk however I can't imagine I will ever hate cake! Macarons are a bit more specialised tho.

[blackberrycrimble]

I don't hate cake, I love cake and love making cakes still. But the cake business and I are going through a rough patch. It looks like I am either going to have to compete with people offering children's birthday cakes for 20-25 quid, at short notice, or bite the bullet and go for the wedding cake market. My style and everything else cakey pushes me towards the wedding cake end. But the rest of my life and stress levels aren't so sure.

ETA - two other options, one to stop it completely (there are additional costs that are starting to mount like bank charges etc), and the other to put it on ice for a bit, just continue making for friends and family, make a small amount and accept that I need to get a 'proper' job too. I am currently making more money from making crocheted hairbands and things. Which is nice but infuriating as that just isn't where I see that I have particular skill. But it is all about markets I guess.

Insurance sort of sorted, btw. It turns out the main concern is around members of the public visiting your house. So I have said I won't have any. Which may or may not cause me problems. Will see.

[Woodsies]

It's hard, isn't it? I work 3 days a week in the office on the farm, and when I am not at work I have T at home until he starts school in September. Like a decorated cake, macaron cannot be made in a hurry, and as I am just starting out I am reluctant to turn down orders so I have been up until silly o'clock on a few occasions to get them made, all for very little profit. Once T is at school I will have more time to dedicate to it, but at the same time I have to juggle my "proper" job, and family life. I am sure that once I get into the swing of it, it'll get easier but I am going to have to review my prices I think. I need to charge more, but some folk think they are pricey enough already, without realising the cost of ingredients and the time involved.

I have started to supply a cake shop in town BC, and she mainly does wedding cakes now. She was doing them from home, but it got so much that she opened her shop and does it all from there now. She says it's loads better and she feels like she has that proper separation between home and work.

[Fozza]

Weasley, how did you do the flowers on top of your glam cake? It's beautiful by the way and the cup cakes.

I am doing my sisters wedding cake in August. Its hopefully going to be a tiered cake with sunflowers draped down the side but I am thinking the top will look plain (don't want to use figurines). i tried some on wires but im not keen. i had thought of a ball of sunflowers would be great but can't figure it out. I'd Like to make it in advance if possible. I'm using the same cutter as you with a larger chocolate fondant centre.

Also I need help with timings. How long would you leave the iced cakes before stacking them? I'm doing chocolate mud square for the bottom, and two sponge round on top.

[weasley]

Weasley, how did you do the flowers on top of your glam cake? It's beautiful by the way and the cup cakes.

I am doing my sisters wedding cake in August. Its hopefully going to be a tiered cake with sunflowers draped down the side but I am thinking the top will look plain (don't want to use figurines). i tried some on wires but im not keen. i had thought of a ball of sunflowers would be great but can't figure it out. I'd Like to make it in advance if possible. I'm using the same cutter as you with a larger chocolate fondant centre.

Also I need help with timings. How long would you leave the iced cakes before stacking them? I'm doing chocolate mud square for the bottom, and two sponge round on top.

Thanks Fozza. The flowers on top - I used a 'blob' of chocolate fondant as a base, shaped into a short cylinder. The flowers were then double layered to create gerberra, arrange around the outside and them one for the top. I piped the centres. So I guess you need to use a sphere 'blob'.

Stacking- are you using boards and dowels? If so, I'd do them as I went along IYSWIM. Ice bottom tier, dowel it, board 2nd tier, stack it, ice it on the other cake or ice off and then stack after, whichever you feel more confident in getting a good finish.

Good luck. Xxx

[Fozza]

Thanks. I'm gonna try that.
Yes dowels etc. Icing on the lower cake is a good idea....I thought they needed time to harden a bit so imagined I'd do it separately and then place them on. There are tricky bits with both ways I think.

I have to do a 'teacher leaving' cake this week. She wants piped cursive writing! Omg. I am not good a piping, or handwriting for that matter. Going to use grease proof paper to trace it on first. Have practiced. And the school emblem I did a couple of weeks ago.

[weasley]

Thanks. I'm gonna try that.
Yes dowels etc. Icing on the lower cake is a good idea....I thought they needed time to harden a bit so imagined I'd do it separately and then place them on. There are tricky bits with both ways I think.

I have to do a 'teacher leaving' cake this week. She wants piped cursive writing! Omg. I am not good a piping, or handwriting for that matter. Going to use grease proof paper to trace it on first. Have practiced. And the school emblem I did a couple of weeks ago.

If you're doweling then you don't really need them to harden as the dowels and boards take the weight. Doesn't hurt to leave them a bit either though. Gould luck with the cursive!

[blackberrycrimble]

Cake mojo back a bit. I did a scooby cake last week for a friend, so rock bottom rates, which I was a bit :-s about, but she posted it on fb and immediately a friend of hers asked who she got it from, and I now have an anniversary cake order for next week. Much more my thing and should make a bit more money from it. shame its due the day we go on holiday, but you can't have everything...

[weasley]

Cake mojo back a bit. I did a scooby cake last week for a friend, so rock bottom rates, which I was a bit :-s about, but she posted it on fb and immediately a friend of hers asked who she got it from, and I now have an anniversary cake order for next week. Much more my thing and should make a bit more money from it. shame its due the day we go on holiday, but you can't have everything...

Scooby was super cool BC! FB posts are where all of my enquiries come from. I'm going to have to make it more obvious that I only bake for family and friends on my cake page as I keep getting random requests which I have to say no to.
I'm taking August off as July was bonkers and I want a clean, icing free house for when Ducky turns up.

[jvnt]

Hello all. The boy has requested a monster cake for his birthday at the end of the month. I have an idea to do something in a Pyrex bowl and add tentacles, more or less an octopus with three eyes and a monstery look to it.

If you've seen any marvellous monstery cakes online anywhere let me know as a bit of inspiration always helps! Thanks.

[qbm]

Hello.

I was wondering if anyone could help... I am planning to make Froglet a birthday cake with rolled icing this year. I have never done this and have no real idea of how to do it. Yikes! I had it in my mind that I should make the cakes the day before I wanted to decorate them to cover them with a thin layer of buttercream and let it harden. Now I'm doubting that (that's just if I want to use more buttercream, no?) and I can't find a definitive answer online.

Do I cover it in buttercream and put the rolled icing on straight away or do I let the buttercream harden first?

Thanks!
x

[blackberrycrimble]

Hi QBM, I think you can do either but I would opt for not letting it harden. Or, you can just use jam under the icing (this is what I do).

[qbm]

Thanks bc - most helpful!

[qbm]

Hi again.

I have just finished my first proper cake and am fairly pleased with it. I have onr more question...

The cake won't fit in my cake dome (damn cow horns!) so will it be ok sitting out until tomorrow? It's covered in rolled icing though I wouldn't say it's perfect.

Thank you again!

[blackberrycrimble]

it'll be fine. In fact, being out is better than being air tight as the icing needs to dry a bit and if it is sealed up, it will start to absorb moisture and go soggy.