Any bakers out there? I have a few questions

[momto2cuties]

I have taken many cake courses, and have baked a lot of cakes. Freezing them is easy and makes frosting easy later! If you go to the Wilton website ( http://www.wilton.com/forums/ ) and read over the forums there, you will find that many (perhaps most) professional bakers freeze their cakes ahead of time. Some do it on purpose because they feel it makes the cake more moist. There are many different methods of wrapping and freezing them, and you can spend a lot of time reading the threads there. Enjoy!

My son is allergic to dairy, and I was shocked to discover that several varieties of Duncan Hines are dairy-free. I know the Classic Yellow and one of the chocolate flavors are dairy-free. Just read the ingredients to check for sure. Allergens are always listed after the list of ingredients. No one knows that everything I bake is now dairy-free. It tastes the same as it always has, and I always received many complements on my cakes. Good luck!

 

[squirrel]

I've been making cake pops. I've stored them in the freezer without the frosting (I inject some into the centre after thawing).

I was told not to put them in the fridge-it drys them out. I've kept them in a container on the counter for more than a few days and they are still good, after a few days they start to dry out.

I have a similar recipe that is dairy and egg free that someone posted on here. I haven't tried it.

Chocolate Cake

1 1/4 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
6 tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Cold Water
1 tsp Vanilla
1/3 cup Oil
1 tbsp White Vinegar

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a measuring cup. Pour wet into the dry, stir. It will foam. Pour into a cake pan (round or 8"X8") Bake for 25 min at 350F.

Duncan Hines does have dairy free icing -chocolate (not milk chocolate) and vanilla. I didn't know about the cake boxes having dairy free-never looked.

For my sister's wedding, my mom's friend had a bakery make angel food cakes for about the same cost as a package. Then they were sliced and put on trays and served with whipping cream and strawberries.

 

[Bonniec]

you will find that many (perhaps most) professional bakers freeze their cakes ahead of time. Some do it on purpose because they feel it makes the cake more moist.

I'vr heard that as well. Disney definately does because usually when I get a cupcake, it's super cold. I love them that way.

Speaking of Disney...I have a hard time making cupcakes anymore after tasting theirs. They are just sooo much better than anything I can make. How do they do that??

 

[pixiewings71]

pixiewings 71 here is the recipe I use for vegan cupcakes. I do not use coconut oil...I use vegetable oil. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/vegan-cupcakes/detail.aspx As for frosting I use this recipe but I substitute sticks of vegan butter for the real butter. http://www.food.com/recipe/kittencals-chocolate-frosting-icing-89207 . They are delicious.....even for a non vegan.

Thank You!!

Freezing is fine, unfrosted! Do NOT put in the fridge - that dries out baked goods like heck and you can't really restore them well. Also don't do three days in advance, that's just gross, it's baked goods, they'll be stale. Freezing is fine.

Whomever asked for the dairy free - best chocolate cake/cupcakes ever. I'm not a vegan, but it's my go-to chocolate cake/cupcake recipe. -

Preheat oven to 350F

In a bowl combine
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. good cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 tsp salt

In a measuring cup combine
1/4 c. oil (I use olive oil, as it's all I keep in the house. Whatever works.)
1 c. cold water
1 tbsp white vinegar
splash of vanilla or some instant coffee or kalhua or whatever.

Pour the wet into the dry, stir to combine well (it foams up a bit), pour into cupcake cups or a square or round baking tin, bake for 25-30 minutes.

Thank You!!

I have taken many cake courses, and have baked a lot of cakes. Freezing them is easy and makes frosting easy later! If you go to the Wilton website ( http://www.wilton.com/forums/ ) and read over the forums there, you will find that many (perhaps most) professional bakers freeze their cakes ahead of time. Some do it on purpose because they feel it makes the cake more moist. There are many different methods of wrapping and freezing them, and you can spend a lot of time reading the threads there. Enjoy!

My son is allergic to dairy, and I was shocked to discover that several varieties of Duncan Hines are dairy-free. I know the Classic Yellow and one of the chocolate flavors are dairy-free. Just read the ingredients to check for sure. Allergens are always listed after the list of ingredients. No one knows that everything I bake is now dairy-free. It tastes the same as it always has, and I always received many complements on my cakes. Good luck!

yes, the box mixes I've used are dairy free, as is the canned icing and decorations. I always check that when making cupcakes if this particular friend will be partaking.

I'vr heard that as well. Disney definately does because usually when I get a cupcake, it's super cold. I love them that way.

Speaking of Disney...I have a hard time making cupcakes anymore after tasting theirs. They are just sooo much better than anything I can make. How do they do that??

I want to figure out how to make the cute mounds of frosting they have on their cupcakes. I can do it, but it doesn't "stand up" for long. lol

I've had refrigerated cupcakes and they've been fine. OP I hear you on the budgeting, my DD24 got married last August, we did a lot of things ourselves to save money. Cupcakes wasn't one of them but had it been necessary we would have done it. I made the wedding parties jewelry, we prepared a lot of the food ourselves, decorated ourselves and did some wedding dress "fixing" ourselves. All may have been last minute but with everyone working it went off without a hitch. Well with only them getting hitched. LOL Enjoy the wedding, make the cupcakes and enjoy!!

 

[Bonniec]

I want to figure out how to make the cute mounds of frosting they have on their cupcakes. I can do it, but it doesn't "stand up" for long. lol

This I know! I've taken a good look at the cross sections.


What you do is cut a circular cone shaped wedge from the center of the cupcake. Then fill the hole with whatever filling. Then invert the cone and stick it on top. Then fill the icing all the way around and up. There is actually a bit of cake under that frosting. I'll see if I can find a pic.

Here we go. Instructions are here
Except that Disney does not cut off that cross section. They use it to hold up the icing. I've tried this and it works great. I can make a killer frosting. But I can not get my cupcakes to taste anywhere near as good as they do.

Also, here's a couple of cross section pics off the Disney Food Blog. You can really see it here.

Black Forest Cupcake

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcake

 

[lizabu]

I've worked in restaurants for years and can assure you freezing is just fine. The best recipes I've used are on http://joyofbaking.com/cupcakes/cupcakerecipes.html . They are the most simular to professional recipes I've seen. They give you the measurements in grams to make it simple to scale the recipe up to the quantities you need. At home I have to do one batch at a time because I only have a regular sized mixer but if you had access to a commercial mixer you could scale it all the way up. I have no problem frosting the cupcakes and freezing them frosted. Most bakeries and restaurants freeze their cakes. I put the cupcakes in the fridge for an hour or so to firm up the buttercream frosting then I pack them all in rectangular cake boxes. You will need a large deep freezer that can hold at least 12 cake boxes for 200 cupcakes. I always use a 1m piping tip to make cupcakes look professional. I like the foil lined cupcake papers too. The cheapie grocery store cupcake papers look translucent after the cupcake is baked and they just don't look as good.

 

[Mom23Disneybelievers]

This I know! I've taken a good look at the cross sections.


What you do is cut a circular cone shaped wedge from the center of the cupcake. Then fill the hole with whatever filling. Then invert the cone and stick it on top. Then fill the icing all the way around and up. There is actually a bit of cake under that frosting. I'll see if I can find a pic.

Here we go. Instructions are here
Except that Disney does not cut off that cross section. They use it to hold up the icing. I've tried this and it works great. I can make a killer frosting. But I can not get my cupcakes to taste anywhere near as good as they do.

Also, here's a couple of cross section pics off the Disney Food Blog. You can really see it here.

Black Forest Cupcake

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcake

Thank you so much for this!!

I am a baker, and have never done this before! I can not wait to do this to build up my cupcakes.

 

[pixiewings71]

This I know! I've taken a good look at the cross sections.


What you do is cut a circular cone shaped wedge from the center of the cupcake. Then fill the hole with whatever filling. Then invert the cone and stick it on top. Then fill the icing all the way around and up. There is actually a bit of cake under that frosting. I'll see if I can find a pic.

Here we go. Instructions are here
Except that Disney does not cut off that cross section. They use it to hold up the icing. I've tried this and it works great. I can make a killer frosting. But I can not get my cupcakes to taste anywhere near as good as they do.

Also, here's a couple of cross section pics off the Disney Food Blog. You can really see it here.

Black Forest Cupcake

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcake

OMG I love you!!!!!!! Thank you for that!!!

 

[cornflake]

You'd be surprised at how many bakeries put big orders like wedding cakes/cupcakes in the fridge. Some of the best places (award winning bakeries) do this all the time. How do you think they make those GIANT wedding cakes and hundreds of orders of cupcakes? They start days in advance. Now, their fridges are professional quality ones where you control the humidity and temp, so yes that's different, but still they start prepping way in advance for big orders.

They freeze them. They don't put them in the fridge - baked goods don't recover from refrigeration well. Besides that it's drying, the things are going stale if they're sitting around for days, in the fridge or out, there's air.

 

[lizabu]

They freeze them. They don't put them in the fridge - baked goods don't recover from refrigeration well. Besides that it's drying, the things are going stale if they're sitting around for days, in the fridge or out, there's air.

I agree with this 100%. Bakeries have huge walk in freezers. A cake will be ok a day or 2 in a fridge but then it starts to get mushy.

 

[luv2mickey]

I agree bakeries freeze not refrigerate, I freeze my cakes they actually taste better I'll make them ahead a few days then wrap them in plastic wrap and stick them in a ziploc. I think if I was freezing cupcakes I would take the time to wrap each one individual with saran wrap and then place in another container then frost the morning of the event.

I have never had a bad recipe for a cake from Ina Garten (food network) I am making the carrot-pineapple cake for Easter, yummm!

 

[Bonniec]

OMG I love you!!!!!!! Thank you for that!!!

Thank you so much for this!!

I am a baker, and have never done this before! I can not wait to do this to build up my cupcakes.

You're welcome. I wonder if there is a way to get the actual recipe for Disney's cupcakes.

 

[esk]

Amateur baker chiming in here..

can you put an already frosted cake in the fridge, inside a box or airtight tupperware?

I make Oreo cake a lot, and the frosting is whipped cream with crushed oreos...can't let that sit out overnight. So I put it in the fridge after the cake is done, and we eat it the next day. (Actually it's usually for a birthday at mine or DH's work, but I digress.)

Does that dry it out? Because sometimes I think my cakes are a little dry. But I don't think there is alternative? Once you whip the cream it can't sit out overnight, so what do you do?

 

[java]

Amateur baker chiming in here..

can you put an already frosted cake in the fridge, inside a box or airtight tupperware?

I make Oreo cake a lot, and the frosting is whipped cream with crushed oreos...can't let that sit out overnight. So I put it in the fridge after the cake is done, and we eat it the next day. (Actually it's usually for a birthday at mine or DH's work, but I digress.)

Does that dry it out? Because sometimes I think my cakes are a little dry. But I don't think there is alternative? Once you whip the cream it can't sit out overnight, so what do you do?

Frost them in the morning? Just leave the cake out overnight- and store the frosting in fridge- then frost in the AM

 

[lizabu]

Amateur baker chiming in here..

can you put an already frosted cake in the fridge, inside a box or airtight tupperware?

I make Oreo cake a lot, and the frosting is whipped cream with crushed oreos...can't let that sit out overnight. So I put it in the fridge after the cake is done, and we eat it the next day. (Actually it's usually for a birthday at mine or DH's work, but I digress.)

Does that dry it out? Because sometimes I think my cakes are a little dry. But I don't think there is alternative? Once you whip the cream it can't sit out overnight, so what do you do?

I'd be a little leery about freezing whipped cream as the texture seems to change with dairy products. The cake can be make ahead wrapped and frozen. The cream can be whipped and refridgerated a day ahead. Much more than a day or 2 and whipped cream starts to lose its air and has to be rewhipped. Frost it the night before or the day of.

 

[cornflake]

Frost them in the morning? Just leave the cake out overnight- and store the frosting in fridge- then frost in the AM

This. If it's just overnight, I'd leave the cake at room temp and frost before serving.

Whipped cream in the fridge will start to separate fairly quickly too. And yes, that's what's making your cake seem dry - remember, the tupperware isn't airtight like air isn't surrounding the cake. It's just sealing the air that's inside the tupperware in with it, and it's all getting cold.

 

[jackie101]

Freezing unfrosted cakes and cupcakes are fine.

 

[ntink]

this is my favorite chocolate cake/cupcake recipe - no eggs & best of all, can be made in one bowl.

I am not sure if this addition is dairy free but I sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the cupcakes before baking - outrageous.

Cupcakes bake in about 18 minutes - check them a little before that depending on your oven

These are super moist!!

3 Cups flour
1⁄4 Cup COCOA POWDER
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vinegar
2 Cups water
2 Cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
3⁄4 Cup vegetable oil (we used canola)
1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients together until smooth and bake in a greased 9x13 pan or two greased and floured round cake pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes for a 9x13, 22-25 minutes for layers. Cool on a wire rack. Frost when completely cool.

 

[marthachick]

Speaking of Disney...I have a hard time making cupcakes anymore after tasting theirs. They are just sooo much better than anything I can make. How do they do that??

It's the pixie dust!

OP - I would gather recipes of cupcakes I think I might want to try and do small batches for a taste test. Everyone has different tastes so what I adore you might think is not good. Good luck & thank your lucky stars that you have great family & friends to help out!

 

[bumbershoot]

I agree bakeries freeze not refrigerate, I freeze my cakes they actually taste better...

I agree.

Our wedding cake lady was AMAZING, and she froze the cakes ahead of time. (unfrosted)

We had a weird cake-tasting experience, and she was kind enough to give us another taste more to our taste...the first time we could tell the samples were from the freezer (and they were delicious). The second time, she whipped up a tiny cake for us that morning and we picked it up the same day. NOT as good! Our wedding cake had some layers in that second tasting's flavor, and I'm sure she froze our actual cake, and it was MUCH better than the tasting of that flavor.


My mom made incredible chocolate/chocolate cakes, and she would put them in a big tupperware container and keep in the fridge if necessary, and they were fine...but when I've put my version in the fridge it doesn't work. I don't have the tupperware. Sigh.



OP, my best friend's family LOVES DIY weddings, and as long as you have enough help and few clashing personalities, it can work out fine. Just have a plan!