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Birthday cake making help please! (Storage & decorating)

16 replies

MrsKitty · 08/02/2011 10:55

So, DS (soon to be 4) declared he would like a Thomas cake for his birthday, and I (foolishly?) decided that I was going to make it myself.

Cake-making virgin that I am, I had a scout around the internet, found a recipe, some ideas, and settled on a design. I currently have a cake in the oven (who knew it'd make so much mess, and take so much effort?)

Questions though...

Party is on Saturday, today is Tuesday.

Need to bake 3 cakes to make up the final cake, which will be decorated with fondant icing.

If I make the cakes today/tomorrow will they be OK in a box till saturday, or should I freeze them?

When should I decorate? Could I do it tomorrow or should I do it Friday night?

Buttercream or Jam to 'stick' the pieces together?

I think i'd like to use jam rather than buttercream to stick the icing on -do I still need to do a 'crumb coat'? Do I just do this with jam (i.e. do 2 layers of jam) or do I do a thin crumb coat with buttercream, then use jam?

It's going to turn out to be quite a long cake (x2 23cm squares alongside each other), Lakeland didn't have a board big enough, where couldI get a bigger one,or what else could I use?

I am fast realising that it would probably have cost about the same to have one made (or substantially cheaper to have gone to Sainsbo's, but once I've got a thought in my head...)

Any advice greatly appreciated!

OP posts:
MrsKitty · 08/02/2011 13:03

More questions - There must be some bakers around today?

My first attempt's just out of the oven, but it's rather more risen in the middle than around the sides (even though I hollowed out the middle). Can I just slice this off before icing? And try to get the 2nd cake to match the height?

OP posts:
notapizzaeater · 08/02/2011 15:03

First things - cake will be OK till weekend

I'd use buttercream as a crumb coat

board : I've needed a huge board before and got DH to cut me a piece of plywood and covered it in a Jazzy coated wrapping paper (twas a disco floor) but you could use tin foil ......

I'd slice it off just before decorating - (then adding golden syrup, microwave for 30 secs and pour custard over - yummy)

If you freeze the cakes (though you don;t need to) they won;t have as many crumbs. - To make the edges "sharper when you've cut the op off them turn them upside down to decorate)

Am doing school run now - will be back later if you have any more questions ....

littlelapin · 08/02/2011 15:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

littlelapin · 08/02/2011 15:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsKitty · 08/02/2011 22:40

Thanks notapizzaeater and littlelapin, all good stuff. (Particularly the syrup & custard tip Wink)

I cut a wee bit off this evening (couldn't resist) and it tasted pretty good. Didn't have time to do second square today, but have a day off work tomorrow so will make 2nd cake, then ice on Thursday probably.

Is fondant icing tricky to use? Once it's iced do I need to cover it up again straight away? It wont fit in my tupperware box once it's assembled & iced so what shall I wrap it in - Foil/clingfilm? Or see about a cake box?

Lapin, I've found my local sugarcraft shop already - Got the icing in there, and yes, they did have a train mould for hire which I ummed & ahhed about, but being a bit bloody minded ambitious, I decided to try it on my own Grin.

OP posts:
notapizzaeater · 09/02/2011 08:40

Knead and knead the icing - loads and loads - use cornflour on your worktop to stop it sticking

I'd wrap loosely in foil, think clingfilm will make it sweat too much (though never done it) If its that big can you go to a greengrocers and get a "tomato" tray ??

MrsKitty · 09/02/2011 13:09

Thanks again - I will let you know how it goes, and will be back if I have more questions! Grin

OP posts:
Olihan · 09/02/2011 13:51

Storage - once it's iced you don;t need to keep it airtight, the buttercream and icing 'seal' it and leaving it in the air will harden the icing. If you wrap it in foil you will get dents and creases in the icing.

A cardboard box (either a specific cake one or a normal one turned upside down and put over the top) is your best bet.

WRT buttercream and jam, you can use either to stick pieces together. Jam sticks better but buttercream is good because you can use it as a 'grout' to fill in small gaps. Same for sticking the icing on, you can get a more even surface with buttercream

A word of warning with buttercream - don;t make the coating over the outside of the cake too thick as you will end up with peculiar lumps and bumps when you put the icing on.

You don;t need to do a crumb coat if you're using fondant to cover it, crumb coats are really only for when you are covering with buttercream too, so you don;t get crumbs on the final layer.

Definitely slice the hump off the top of the cake then invert it so the bottom becomes the top, it gives a much flatter surface. You can fill in any gaps around the bottom with little sausages of sugarpaste.

Trim and fill both cakes at the same time so you can get them level.

Using fondant isn't tricky but does take practice. My top tip is not to roll it too thinly as it will tear and crack more easily as well as show every single lump and bump in the cake underneath.

You want to get it to about 5mm thick to cover well.

Knead it so it's warm and pliable it your hands, sprinkle icing sugar over your worktop and pat the icing into a evenish ball. Start to roll, making sure you go from right from one side to the other in one movement. Roll forwards and backwards then lift and turn the icing 90 degrees and go forwards and backwards again. Keep rolling, lifting and turning, sprinkling a little more icing sugar underneath every couple of turns. If it starts to go a peculiar shape, knock it back into a square with the heel/side of your hand.

The lifting and turning means 1) it won;t stick to the worktop and 2) you'll get an even thickness across your icing.

When it gets too big to lift and turn by picking it up, lay the rolling pin across the middle of the icing and flip one half over it then lift the rolling pin so the icing is dangling, then carefully put it back down and flip the top half back onto the worktop.

Use the same technique to lift the icing as you cover the cake, line up the bottom edge of the icing with the bottom edge of the cake and gently turn the rolling pin while laying the icing over the cake.

Use the palms and heels of your hands to smooth it into place, do the corners first, smoothing with the palms of a slightly cupped hand so they don't crack, then start to tuck the sides in. Try not to use your fingers as they leave dents (and take off rings too, I ruined several cakes with ring marks until I learned). Tease out any creases as you go round and try not to pull down as you do the sides as the top edge will crack and tear.

Be prepared to cover it more than once if you are a complete novice!

Your sugarcraft shop will have a board big enough - cover the board with fondant too, if you want a really professional finish.

Hope that makes sense, there are some good videos on You Tube showing how to cover cakes with fondant if you need to know.

MrsKitty · 09/02/2011 14:45

Thanks Olihan- That's fantastic advice!

I am most definitely prepared to have to do the fondant more than once, but am crossing all my fingers and toes that I won't have to - I'm hoping for a bit of beginners luck!

  • Obviously I will uncross fingers/toes before icing, or that might make things a bit trickier Wink.
OP posts:
LadyDamerel · 09/02/2011 22:16

It's too late now but this is a fab book. I recommend it to everyone who is starting to make cakes. It's still my bible and I use it all the time.

MrsKitty · 10/02/2011 08:04

Thanks LadyD, I might well invest in that - I suspect cake making/decorating can become quite addictive Grin.

OP posts:
Olihan · 10/02/2011 09:46

If I were you MrsKitty I'd run away while you still can. It's very addictive and will cost you ££££££££ because there are so many fab bits and pieces you have to buy.

I'd get the sugarcraft shop to ban you now Grin.

littlelapin · 11/02/2011 11:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsKitty · 12/02/2011 07:14

It's done! And I think it's fabulous for a first attempt

Took an inordinate amount of time from start to finish, but I'm glad I did it.

No one will be getting any cake at the party this afternoon as I don't think I can bring myself to cut it up! Grin

Thanks again for all advice

OP posts:
asdx2 · 12/02/2011 07:40

Well done you Smile Are you going to post a photo? Your ds will be thrilled and so proud of his clever mummy Smile

Dreamfaery1988 · 05/05/2015 22:33

Hi just saw this post.... ive made fruit cake and need to put fondant on it would crumb coating still be the best way forward or would jam suffice with the amount of fruit it? if so what would be a better alternative to butttercream as its for my father i law who is diabetic and dont want to put him in asugar coma? Xx

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