When I first started my blog I had in mind that I would feature all things CRAFTY! I normally focus on my sewing and embroidery because that is the heart of my creative talent right now. However, like many crafters feel at some point, I feel a need for another creative outlet. I have been dabbling in cake decorating recently because I now have the perfect practice source, my kids! Also, who isn't inspired by all the cake decorating shows these days...Cake Boss, Ultimate Cake Off, Ace of Cakes, Challenge to name a few? I watch those shows and I am amazed at the artistic talent that goes into those beautiful edible works of art. Since I have made a few cakes now, I realize that I have a LOT more to learn and practice. Fondant is an art and I can't wait to practice making it homemade, icing is tricky and I am improving my smoothing skills each day, and finding the perfect recipes for icing takes practice and lots of taste tests and consistency testing.I had the opportunity to make a cake and cupcake tower for my sister in law, Sara's, bridal shower recently. I thought it turned out very nice for my first public event (that wasn't my kids' birthday party). I learned a lot along the way and I am going to try again for my daughter's 3rd birthday and make a hot pink and purple Dora cake and cupcakes. I would like to share with you my cooking experience and a few tid bits I picked up in the process. Stay tuned for more cake posts!
Picture 1: Bake the cakes. I used 2 boxes of cake mix (GASP!!!!) Betty Crocker makes a fabulous yellow butter cake that is just so moist and yummy. I used two 8" rounds that are 3" inches deep. Prepping the pan is critical for good baking results. I wipe the entire pan with crisco shortening and then put a 1/4 cup of flour at the bottom of the pan. I swirl the pan to cover the bottom and sides with flour and shake out the excess. If I were making a larger round cake, I would probably use baking sleeves on the outside of the pan and maybe even a baking core in the center of the cake batter. I baked two cakes at 350 for approx. 50 minutes. I started checking the cakes at 38 minutes and checked every 5 minutes to see if the top felt spongy.Picture 2: Finished cake. The finished cake after cooling has a rounded top. This needs to be removed to level the cake.
Picture 3: Level the cake. I used a sharp knife to cut off the top dome of the cake.
Picture 4: Cut each cake in half. I purchased a Wilton cake leveler and I love it. It looks like a wire saw and it slides so nicely through the cake. You can adjust the height which makes it easy to make each layer equal. You want 2 layers from each cake for a total of 4 cake layers. They should all be equal size.
Picture 5: Place buttercream icing between the layers. Before I begin this, I put an 8" cardboard round under the bottom layer of the cake for stability when moving the cake. I just used my offset spatula to put a nice even layer of icing about 1/4" thick. You can also use and icing decorator bag and large tip to quickly apply the icing in long strips. Repeat this process for each layer but put a nice clean surface of the cake on top. I use my spatula to wipe off any excess icing from the outside of the cake. If you have a small construction level, you should place it on top of the cake and check to see if it is level or leaning and then make adjustments.
Picture 6: Finished cake layers
Picture 7: Apply a crumb coat. This is an important step because you do not want to have crumbs in your finished coat of icing. Apply a thin layer of butter cream all over the cake. It does not need to be perfectly smooth but should be relatively even. Either let the cake sit for a couple of hours or put in the refrigerator for awhile until the icing has crusted a bit and does not stick to your finger if you touch it.
Picture 8: Apply the final coat of icing. This of course takes practice and I am still learning. I apply a coat of icing and smooth as best as I can, I then continue adding and removing icing until I get a nice thick layer. I add icing to fill in holes and even out the sides. I purchased a very cheap lazy susan/turn table made by Wilton to help spread the icing easier. There are a couple of things you can do to get your icing really smooth. First, once you have the icing as smooth as you can get it with your spatula, you can dip your spatula in warm water and rub very lightly over spots that need more smoothing. Next, you can let your finished cake sit for an hour or so (until icing crusts and doesn't stick to your finger) and then take Viva Brand Paper towels (super smooth and cloth like) and lightly place it on the cake. Using a credit card, you can lightly smooth over the paper towel for a very clean finish!
Picture 9: Decorate your finished cake. I chose not to use icing and decorator tips for this cake. Instead I purchased artificial flowers and created a small bouquet at the top of the cake. I wrapped a pretty ribbon around the bottom of the cake and use 2 straight pins (with a ball on the end) pushed into the cake to hold the ends closed (make sure to remove these before cutting and serving). I then made a finishing bow and used a straight pin to adhere this to the cake.
A couple of notes about the cupcakes. They are Wilton's spiced Pumpkin flavor and absolutely yummy and perfect for fall. The recipe calls of r a cinnamon cream cheese icing center which is amazing too. I did this on my sample cupcakes but didn't like how they baked according to Wiltons directions. I skipped it on the shower cupcakes since I would be adding icing to the top for decoration. I used a Wilton 1M tip to make the spiral icing on top of the cupcakes. The icing needs to be pretty thick to help the spirals hold their shape. It couldn't have worked out better that the box for the girls flower girl dresses was the perfect size to transport the decorated cupcakes. Here is the link for the recipe Wilton Spiced Pumpkin Cupcake with cinnamon cream cheese icing
Posts
