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Original poster

Making my own wedding cake-2 tiers please help!

186 replies

bratnav · 15/02/2009 20:19

I have decided to make my own wedding cake as we are on a tiny budget. 20-25 guests plus a few elderly relatives to send slices to.

We would like a stacked 2 tier square cake, sponge, a bit of a quirky design, I am wearing black velvet and DP is wearing a purple velvet jacket, so not a traditional wedding.

ANY advice on how, designs that I will be able to manage, how far in advance I could make it etc etc would be wildly appreciated

OP posts:
Original poster
bratnav · 20/02/2009 14:52

they have risen too much in the middle and not enough on the edges, think I will have to do the big one again

Any thoughts on why this happens/what I can do to stop it?

OP posts:
lucysmam · 20/02/2009 14:59

oooh no don't do them again!!!!!

They're fine! Honest.

You need to chop the top off the cakes to flatten them & then turn over so the top becomes the bottom (does that make sense?) so you have the flatter bottom of the cake as the top to ice. I only found that out the other day from Maureen who answered a thread of mine as well as on yours

& then sit down with a cuppa & munch the tops of the cakes

If they're not tall enough for how you want them, bake another 2 & sandwich them together with buttercream icing to make a taller cake. The buttercream works well as well for sticking sugarpaste icing to cakes (I tried it out on my SIL's playboy bunny on Weds & it works a treat)

lucysmam · 20/02/2009 15:01

put the bottom of the top cake on top of the sandwiched cakes so you still have the flat edge to ice . . . no-ones going to look inside the cake to see how flat it is, or on the bottom

MaureenMLove · 20/02/2009 15:01

Is it still warm? If so, turn it upside down now and put it on a cooling rack. The heat and the air in it, will flatten it down a bit.

MaureenMLove · 20/02/2009 15:02

.....So long as I'm not one of your guests and you don't know I'm an MNer!

lucysmam · 20/02/2009 15:04

lol Maureen, I hope you're not going to be one of my guests cos you' know exactly what's gone wrong with my cakes!

MaureenMLove · 20/02/2009 15:12

Don't panic, being a master baker and cake decorator is rather like being part of the Magic Circle - secrets are never disclosed!

lucysmam · 20/02/2009 15:57

lol part of the Magic Circle, I feel privelaged now

stealthsquiggle · 20/02/2009 16:03

Colouring icing - do you have / could you borrow a mixer with a dough hook? Otherwise you just need to knead it in and just keep going (roll it out, twist into a rope, knead back into a lump, repeat)

on the levelling bit you can always 'pad' a bit if you have a little bit of a gap round the edges (bodge? me? never seldom!)

Mo are you really going to do R2D2? We need to talk....

PlumBumMum · 20/02/2009 16:11

wow sounds like its hectic here today,glad your dress looks well.
Its soo exciting

Lucysmam any further ahead with your cake plans

MaureenMLove · 20/02/2009 17:00

I am. But only coz you did!

lucysmam · 20/02/2009 19:10

Further than I have been, Plum, thanks for asking.

I've seen a beautiful one with 2 stacked tiers and then a separator between them & the top cake in my book that came today. It'd suit red & gold so would fit perfectly with our glam evening ideas I think. & something sparkly sticking out of the top like some diamond-y type things on wires maybe.

I've got a lot of practising before I actually make that though I think, maybe in reality just a couple of tiers with some gold & red cut-outs & sparkly diamondy bits on top

Did you sort your cakes bratnav?

Original poster
bratnav · 21/02/2009 00:00

All sorted, I have cut the tops off and chucked them in the freezer

Can I really use my mixer with dough hooks for fondant icing? The lady in the sugarcraft shop I went to said that it would burn out my mixer?

OP posts:
lucysmam · 21/02/2009 11:44

I don't know whether you can, don't posess any gadgety type stuff apart from a hand whisk for my kitchen. Can't see why not though if the icing is quite soft, imagine it would be just like using it to knead dough maybe . . . except it's coloured icing instead

Did they end up being tall enough?

Original poster
bratnav · 21/02/2009 11:46

The little one is, but I think I need to do another big one.

OP posts:
lucysmam · 21/02/2009 11:47

another one to sandwich together with the first? or another one altogether?

Original poster
bratnav · 21/02/2009 13:49

Well the big one hasn't risen that well which makes me nervous that it it wont be any good, so not sure whether a replacement or additional layer.

OP posts:
lucysmam · 21/02/2009 14:05

Maybe sandwich 2 of the same size together with some butter icing to make a taller cake. That way if a second one doesn't rise too well either you're not going to be disappointed & give up on it. Or see if a second one rises any better & then decide whether to use just that one or sandwich them together

Taste a bit off the top of it to see if it's tasty & ok

Original poster
bratnav · 21/02/2009 15:50

Will do, thanks lucysmam

OP posts:
lucysmam · 21/02/2009 16:33

tasty? Or no good?

Original poster
bratnav · 21/02/2009 16:55

not good, not properly cooked, dry on outside, not fully cooked inside.

Is this because I have a fan oven? Recipe said 180, should I try 160? Will habve to start again

OP posts:
lucysmam · 21/02/2009 20:34

I don't know about fan ovens, mine isn't one. I tend to stick cakes in on about 160 & keep checking until a knife comes out clean. Sorry it's no good Was the other ok? or were they both like that?

If you cooked both together it could be because of that, maybe the next one will do properly in the time it's meant to take if it's in on it's own

Original poster
bratnav · 22/02/2009 11:01

Did both cakes again at 160 and they turned out perfectly :-)

OP posts:
lucysmam · 22/02/2009 11:20

yay! not too high in the middle or anything this time?

Am pleased for you that they turned out ok!

Original poster
bratnav · 22/02/2009 13:31

Only a little bit, which was easy enough to trim, very pleased with myself

OP posts: