Cake Makers, I need some advice

[kayzr]

I'm planning on making DS2's christening cake. His christening isn't until the 5th July but I want to have a few practice runs.

Firstly, DH thinks I am mad for even thinking about the cake now. How far in advance do you begin planning your cakes?

Secondly, I'd really like some inspiration too. So any recommended books or websites would be great.

Thank you!

I had a few practice runs for my parents 50th wedding anniversary cake.

Two weeks before the big day I ordered one from a professional cake maker/decorator and very nice it was too

So I can't offer any advice but thought I'd bump it for you!

Evening! I'm not suggestion that you should make any of these cakes, but you might be able to get some ideas. Some of them are really simple and very easy to re-create.

If you're making fruit cake, make now and keep well wrapped for a few weeks to mature it, like you would a Christmas cake.

Decorations - I have found great cake-decorating books in charity shops, with step-by step guides.

Find a local cake-decorators shop - yes they do exist - the staff at my local one love to give advice.

Wow Mo, some of those cakes are lovely. I am tempted by the idea of making lots of little cakes.

X post loggedout, there is a very good cake shop nearby which I love so will probably spend loads of time there.

Can't believe how expensive cakes are!!

For dh 50th birthday I made 50 fairy cakes and iced numbers from 1 to 50 in fancy colored icing, threw some colored sweets on randomly and a few (not 50) candles on top.

I made lots of little cup cakes for DD's birthday last year. They looked great. I ws a bit short of money, so it was quite a basic idea. I bought 3 cake boards of different sizes and a some wedding cake pillars. Then I formed a 3 tier cake stand and just piles each layer with cup cakes. It looked great and so each (and quick) to do!

I would do one of those again in a shot and maybe use a proper cup cake stand this time. So effective, yet so simple.

Not mad at all to start planning now.

I find searching in flickr.com a good source for inspiration. Good books - try the library. I have quite a few by Debbie Brown and Lindy Smith. I would also second the 'find a local shop' advice - they are invaluable sources of support and guidance and often offer very competitive prices on raw materials (icing, cake boards, etc etc) as well.

Lots of little cakes - great, but depending on numbers you might find yourself regretting it half way through! If you are going to go that way I would say that you need to make the decorations well in advance so that final assembly is relatively simple.

I think you are wise to be planning the cake now. I would, too. This period of happy, recipe-book-leafing expectation will soon be replaced, at terrifying speed, with a feeling of impending doom and blind stress as the day steadily approaches and you still can't decide what to do, until you eventually run screaming into Waitrose's bakery section a week before, yelling, "I need you to make me an effing CAKE and I need you to make it NOW."

I'd just follow a Mary Berry recipe (and drink lots of soothing gin) - her fabulous "Ultimate Cake Book" has loads of recipes for celebration-type cakes.

I might show DH this so he knows I am not mad for planning it now.

I'd need to make about 50 little cakes as there are 49 people on the first list. So might be a bit tedious making loads of cake.

I will look for that Mary Berry book Beautiful.

If you made 50 cake toppers in advance (they will keep for weeks, easily) then you could add them to 50 cupcakes quite quickly.

some very simple ones on my profile - for more ambitious, see comeoveneer's profile!

I love the Noah's Ark cake and R2-D2. You are very talented. Comeoveneers cakes are wonderful.

I'm going to go to the library tomorrow to see what books they have.

Have you seen MaureenMLove's cakes ?

If you do end up making cupcakes, I would definitely recommend Mary Berry's recipe (over Nigella's, which I used to use).

Yes I have, She has a wonderful Arsenal cake. I love the castle she has done. But with 2 boys I don't know if I'll ever get to do something similar.

I did a castle (with knights) for DS

(and if you feel the need to do a fairy castle then take my approach - I have promised my goddaughter one )

Actually, it's a Charlton cake. I'm the only one who supports Arsenal and no bugger every makes me a cake!

I'm just off looking for DH! I forgot we're having a huge party in June for his 40th!

Never. It looks so like the Arsenal cannon!! You should make yourself an Arsenal cake!!!

Does DH want 'grown up' or 'fun', Mo?

Just asked DH and he also says from the side it looks like the Arsenal cannon. I might make DS1 an Arsenal cake for his 3rd birthday. I was going to make him one for his 2nd birthday on Friday, but MIL turned up last week with an In The Night Garden cake for him.

Actually, it does a bit, doesn't it?

We're having a tropical themed party. All palm trees and hula stuff. We've hired a hog roast machine too! Can't decide. I don't want adult tacky and I don't want anything too time consuming. Party is in the middle of school term, so it'll be week night decorating. I might do lots of cup cakes tbh. I think maybe something non hula, because that might be a bit girlie. It'll be all flowers otherwise!

How about a pineapple?

Hmm, maybe. I must set my mind to finding the perfect cake soon. I'll look at all the decorations I've bought and see if I can get anything from them.

Oooh! We're getting there!

I like that - and it would lend itself to advance cake topper + last minute assembly. You could do less flowers and more pirates/parrots/treasure?

(but I still like the pineapple, except that I would do it standing up instead of as half a pineapple)

How many people? lots, presumably, what with a pig to eat and all that!