Help please

[nannycook]

I know there a few people on here who can give me some advice, im making a 6inch top tier cake in chocolate with ganache in the middle, can i use it fir the crumb coat?( would it show through the white fondant) or do i just put it in the middle and keep to buttercream for the crumb coat? I need an answer by wed if poss from anyone.

Hi Mike Thanks for the cake recipe link I had a trial run today and it seems to have been successful. We haven't cut into it yet but the trimmings tasted yummy! Pic is on profile. Please ignore the dodgy piping of the italian meringue as I had literally seconds to do it and I'm not very good with a piping bag at the best of times.

2ofsted, is that Mike's recipe for choocy cake? wouldnt mind that myself. i put a pic of my latest cale on my profile, a 1 yr old birthday.

nannycook Yes it's mikes choc cake recipe. It tastes lovely although I do think I overcooked it slightly Will definately use it again.

Your cakes are amazing nannycook and 2ofsted! I love baking but I always struggle with decorating my cupcakes, the butter cream always starts melting as I'm piping it!

Wish I had more time to spend on making and decorating cakes for special occassions.

What butter are you using Disney?

It shouldnt melt if you get the recipe right.

I have to admit I dont measure any more. I just use a pack of butter, loads of icing sugar and a drop of vanilla.

Turn the mixer up high and go wash dishes for 10 mins.

Disney,thank you very much. the thing is i dont have alot of time to spend on them, i work fulltime in a busy opticians, i look after my 4yr old grandson on my day off so everything i make is in the night after dinner, ideally i'd love to work partime as i'm struggling to be honest, i just this min finished icing a single tier wedding cake for sat, then i have an anniversary cake to make for sun, oh and did i mention? i'm old? ha ha.

I agree with Mike i do my buttercream exactly the same way, i use willow butter and about just over half a box of icing sugar (the large box) a dash of vanilla and beat the hell out of it for about 10mins, its like double cream fab, have a go yourself.

I use the cheap butter (tesco own brand), maybe that is where I am going wrong? My butter cream never works out quite right even if I follow the recipe.

I guess I just need to give myself a kick up the butt and try icing a cake, it's my in-laws 40th Wedding anniversary this year so maybe I'll do one for them and then if it turns out a disaster I'll show them at home and then we can cut it up and serve it already sliced!

Exactly, thats how you learn, god knows i make enough mistakes, and this weather dont help with the icing, thats what i did today, and do you think it would go ok? did it hell, grrrr.

P.s you need good butter always.

I try to use lurpak slightly salted. Sounds strange but I think it gives a lovely flavour.

Ive had a week off from cake stuff and its been lovely!

I've got a nice simple wedding cake on Wednesday but im dreading doing it in this heat.

Oh right, i might try that then.
Yep, your hands are hot, your kitchens hot, not a good mix is it Mike?i just mine a single tier wedding cake, she wanted cream roses in the middle with leaves, and gold ribbon, abit old fashioned but its what she wanted, she's a mature lady, i put a pick on to show you, tell me what you think and dont be shy, i dont mind.

Its not at all old fashioned! Its lovely. The roses are very good.

I'm doing a cupcake tower for a wedding next week. Hopefully that will be a bit easier than icing a few tiers!

Just had a nosy at your cakes Mikes AMAZING!

I love the Disney themed ones [grins]

I'm going to add some Lurpak slightly salted to my next shop and I'm going to try my hand at buttercream, better add some icing sugar to that list too...

Oh look forward to seeing that then. Thats my first roses so pleased wih them. On to the next cake, anniversary cake with a difference, she wants a bus( all small things on top of a cake) suitcase, passports and a wine bucket and bottle for a diamond wedding, cant make it up can you?

Thanks disney

That sounds fun nanny

Tbh I dont have many exciting cakes coming up. All a bit plain.

I do have a big candy crush one in Sept. That should be fun to do.

Hi Mike, the cake turned out ok although my bus wasnt really that good, i think if it had been bigger it would av looked so much better, and with this weather it didnt help, everything was small on the cake, but she loved it and apparently it tasted fab.

It looked great, I wouldn't know where to start. I've only managed 2 batches of scones for a school coffee morning this week. I was put to shame as one of my pupil's mums sent in 120 beautifully decorated cupcakes! It's been far too hot for baking, though I could murder a slice of cake right now.

Thank you. Well you made the effort and thats the main thing. I know what you mean i dread putting the oven on at the mo.

I finally got a chance to bake last night and I used lurpak for the buttercream. What an amazing difference! Thanks so much guys, it was the one thing that really bugged me that I couldn't get right.

Did you use the normal one or the slightly salted?

I made my wedding cake last week and forgot to take my phone for a pic of it set up :(

Slightly salted

Who says I can't listen to advice

Shame about the wedding cake! Would have loved to have seen it.

I'm hoping someone would have took a picture. I might have a picture of the cupcakes. Ill try and add it in a min.

I am so glad most of my cakes are done in winter.

I was going to say I have done a scooby doo van, but I see you solved your camper van problem a different way

Stealth, do you mean my campervan? it was ok i guess, everytime i make something i learn from and would probaly do it different the next time.

Aw Mike i hope so, thats so annoying, i forgot to take some pics the other day of my owl cupcakes,grrr.x