stupid question

[nannycook]

I have a wedding cake to make in June, i'm gonna regret asking this as i really should know, what mix should you make the sponges out of? Madiera i guess everyone will say, does it have to be?

wedding cakes that you bake ahead are normally made out of fruit cake in England.

basic sponge mix is just multiples of 1 egg and 2 oz each of -flour, caster sugar and butter (or margarine) plus a bit of vanilla essence

(so if your tin is bigger and you need a 6 egg mix for example then you use 6 eggs and 12 oz each of the other ingredients)

Amazing, i know quantities etc, was just wondering if i could get away with making sponges ( she' having 2 sponges top and middle and fruit at the bottom) from ordinary sponge mixture i.e victoria, instead of a madeira mixture which i would normally use cos madeira has a longer shelf life? And the mixture is slightly different qauntities giving a more dense cake.

You can use a Victoria sandwich style sponge - in terms of taste I much prefer this but the lightness means you can get into difficulties re stacking the tiers. Are the tiers resting directly on each other or on pillars? If the latter then you probably do need to go with a Madeira sponge.

Sara, as i thought. Not sure of style, etc, etc yet, just worrying in advance LOL.

right, ok i have an idea of the shape she wants now so some advice is needed, looks like she wants 3 squares cakes, 2 fruit and 1 sponge, one on top of the other but each tier on a slightly different angle with pearls/beads cascading down with tiffany colour ribbon incorparated in there somewhere, my question is do i, assemble all the tiers and take complete? or take each tier and assemble there? it looks like we will be attending the wedding also. what does everyone think?

Definitely assemble before hand - you'll need to finish the case edges properly and the cascading ribbon and pearls will be much harder to assemble in situ.

When she says She wants each tier at a different angle is she wanting the squares slightly rotated or is she after an asymmetrical cake?

Sara, slighty rotated i believe, mmm i think your right by assembling before as no dowels or should there be? And not thin boards between tiers? Really am a novice with wedding cakes.