I need your eyes... please?

[bigfishlittlefishtupperwarebox]

Lend me you eyes wise MNers... I'm currently trying to ice my DD's birthday cake. I've botched the icing a bit, so I've tried to make grass to cover the bottom of it up. There's going to be a dinosaur on top so it will make sense. Does this look like grass, or does it just look a bit shit?? I've been at it too long and can't tell any more!!

Grass! Definitely grass. Do not fret. How old is DD anyway? She will happily believe whatever you tell her.

Thank you!! She's only 2, but there are loads of family and friends coming and I couldn't bear them going "what a crap cake" ha ha 🙈

Yep, looks like grass to me!

How do you get your cakes so they don’t rise too much in the middle? Mine often have a bump! I’ve read about putting a damp towel around the outside of the tin but not tried yet.

yup looks good

Definitely grass! Beautifully done!

Lovely stylish grass. Please update with finished article!

I will do, thanks!

@Dancer12345 let me know if you ever find out, I cut the hump off mine with a bread knife if I'm making a cake to be iced! Sorry that's no help...

I looked at it and thought 'nice grass'. Then read you thought something was wrong and was relieved that it is indeed grass.

@Dancer12345

You need baking strips. Wrap around tin. It keeps the outside at a lower temperature so it doesn't cook as quickly, allowing the middle to heat up and the cake to rise evenly. I still cut the top off, but only about 1cm not a huge dome, and I use a cake leveller to make it properly even.

Cake looks great OP

*bigfishlittlefishtupperwarebox That’s one solution! I like it, as you then have to eat the bit you’ve cut off!

*DropZoneOne ooh thanks, will have to get some of those. I used to have a cake leveller but didn’t find it that good - didn’t actually cut the cake!

bigfishlittlefishtupperwarebox That’s one solution! I like it, as you then have to eat the bit you’ve cut off!

DropZoneOne ooh thanks, will have to get some of those. I used to have a cake leveller but didn’t find it that good - didn’t actually cut the cake!

Tips for flat cakes:
Make sure you don't overfill the tin; the mixture needs to be quite soft ie drops off the spoon easily when you flick wrist slightly; don't put extra baking powder in as it will just push the mixture up; keep the oven temp moderate 170/180°c gas 4/5 and no higher than middle shelf; smooth the mixture down to make a slight dent in the middle; cream butter and sugar well first if possible - it's often better than all in one method.

If all else fails and you can see it rising to a peak in the oven (Food Tech teaching tip!) open oven and gently push it down in the middle before it's set. Be careful with that one though!

OP your grass looks great.
I gave up making fancy birthday cakes after DS1's 2nd birthday. 3 days on a train cake wasn't worth the stress.

No need to cut the hump off, just flip the cake over so the flat bottom is on the top. Skim over the cake with some butter icing and pop in the fridge (called the crumb) before adding a thicker layer, then place the icing on top. Either use paddles or warm hands to smooth the top layer.

We have a cake!!

Oops!

Still candles etc to go on, but I'm pretty happy with it!

Pic didn't post. Happy birthday to littlefish!

Oh sorry, it just did. Good job bigfish!

That looks great!

campion I do most of that except leaving the middle lower before putting in the oven. Will try that and also pushing it down if desperate!