Anyone in here decorate cakes?

[scarlett873]

That is a lovely cake Bridget! Happy Birthday!!

I goofed around a bit yesterday and made a cute tropical themed cake. I'll have to upload the pictures and post them when I get the chance!

 

[stargrazer]

AWESOME CAKE!!!

And Happy Birthday.

Again.



Hope my fondant comes out so well when I get that far.

How was the MMF to use? Have you used the regular? Comparison?

 

[lovetoscrap]

Gorgeous Cake MosMom!!! Happy Birthday! How does the Chocolate Marshmallow Fondant taste?

 

[cryssi]

First shot at fondant. Choco mmf. Turned out really well. My 9 year old daughter helped me do the piping. Not bad for my own birthday cake.

great job and happy belated birthday!

 

[cryssi]

I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only person to encounter this problem!


Thanks for the support here. Of all the things I thought would be difficult about learning to decorate cakes with my past cooking experience, the 'cake' part wasn't one of them!

I guess if it's a slow oven that's o.k., maybe I just need to leave it in longer. Imagine that, lol.

Since it didn't fall I decorated it anyway. Without further ado...my first cake. Thanks disbuds!

Sooo...new lessons learned:

Leveling the cake was easier than I thought it would be.

Frosting it smooth is, as I guessed it would be, hard. But I'm hoping practice will help that.

Cookie cutters make great outlines.

I know to line a simple outline using thinner icing BEFORE I fill it with stars, so why I didn't is beyond me. (note to self: do it right, duh).

I got hand cramps...I sure hope I build some hand strength. Hubby would probably like that, too

So, other than noob pressure control, not keeping the cake rotating/hand position and it being inedible...not completely terrible!



It's a cake with stars...what else would you expect from me?

great job!

 

[MosMom]

The chocolate mmf tasted GREAT actually. I just added cocoa powder to the fondant when I made it. It has an almost fudgy texture and taste. It was very good.

Star...love it! It looks like the icing underneath the stars is really smooth. I like how some of the stars go off the edge of the cake. I like that type of stuff.

 

[MosMom]

Just got done with it. The cake inside wasn't fantastic. I tried replacing butter with cream cheese and it didn't work. It is almost like a cheesecake cake. It didn't taste bad it is just super dense.

My first cake was awesome so I think I'll stick with that recipe. You can see some bubbles but it didn't turn out too bad.

 

[stargrazer]

Just got done with it. The cake inside wasn't fantastic. I tried replacing butter with cream cheese and it didn't work. It is almost like a cheesecake cake. It didn't taste bad it is just super dense.

My first cake was awesome so I think I'll stick with that recipe. You can see some bubbles but it didn't turn out too bad.

Are you kidding me? It looks GREAT!!!


I have pics from my first official Wilton Class 1 cake; I'll get them on here later along with my DD's first cupcakes, DD first 8" cake, another cake similar to the stars by me and DD's bday cakes done by a local bakery for the party Sunday.





Glad this thread ain't dead.

ETA your flowers are amazing.

 

[MosMom]

Easy! Cookie cutter and a fondant tool to crease the leaves.

 

[rie'smom]

Just got done with it. The cake inside wasn't fantastic. I tried replacing butter with cream cheese and it didn't work. It is almost like a cheesecake cake. It didn't taste bad it is just super dense.

My first cake was awesome so I think I'll stick with that recipe. You can see some bubbles but it didn't turn out too bad.

Yum, I'll send you my address and you send the cake!! It's very pretty.

 

[Beth76]

MosMom, those cakes are awesome. I'm dying to try fondant. I wonder if I could manage the chocolate marshmallow for father's day. Do you have a link to the recipe? Or can you buy it at a store?

OK, so some of you mentioned that the store-bought fondant doesn't taste good. How does that work on a cake then? Is there just no frosting? I might go to Michaels tomorrow and see what kind of stuff they have. We have a cake decorating store, but I'm not sure I want to make the drive yet. I took a non-Wilton class about 3 years ago--I'm definitely a little rusty. I really want to tackle fondant, but not sure I can do it on my own.

Oh and my instructor in that class only used Duncan Heinz too. My cakes are always awesome when I use DH. I used a Betty Crocker recipe from scratch one time and it was AWFUl!

 

[MosMom]

Marshmallow Fondant

16 oz. bag mini marshmallows
2 lbs (1 bag) icing sugar
2 to 5 T water
1/2 C. Crisco

Grease the bowl you will melt your marshmallows in thoroughly. Pour in the bag of marshmallows. Add 2 TBL water. Heat for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat unti melted and fluffy.

Grease hands and countertop generously. This will be sticky.

Dump 3/4 of your bag of powdered sugar into the bowl. Dump the bowl onto your countertop. Start kneading like you would any other dough. Keep kneading. When it starts to appear flaky, add water 1/2 T at a time. Once it starts to combine more, add the rest of the icing sugar and knead until it becomes a soft dough. It has taken me about 8-10 minutes from start to finish.

Form it into a ball. Cover with Crisco. Wrap in plastic wrap. Put into a ziploc with all the air pressed out. Refrigerate until set.

When you are ready to work with it, warm it in the mircowave for a few seconds until it becomes pliable. If it is cracking when you are working with it, it is too dry. Add a bit more water and knead until soft and pliable. Sprinkle counter and roller with cornstartch and roll out. Once rolled out, place on cake. Smooth it out.

For the Chocolate MMF - I added cocoa powder in with the icing sugar. I used 2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder to make a light brown and mild chocolate flavor. Add more a tablespoon at a time for a deeper chocolate flavor. Keep in mind, the more dry you add you may need to add more water.

 

[Imzadi]

OK, so some of you mentioned that the store-bought fondant doesn't taste good. How does that work on a cake then? Is there just no frosting?

I know some people who place a smooth layer of buttercream frosting underneath the fondant. It smooths out the lumps. And this way, those people who hate fondant can peel off the layer & still eat a frosted cake.

 

[MosMom]

Is there just no frosting?

No, you have to have frosting or the fondant will have nothing to stick to. You will use buttercream icing under the fondant. Try to make it smooth or you will have bumps (like I had on that flower cake!).

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

No, you have to have frosting or the fondant will have nothing to stick to. You will use buttercream icing under the fondant. Try to make it smooth or you will have bumps (like I had on that flower cake!).

Could you use a can of frosting?

I am totally impressed with all the cakes you have all made! I've always wanted to try fondant, and that recipe sounds manageable. If I make anything pretty, I'll show you all.

 

[MosMom]

Yeah, you could. Just ask long as it is sticky.

 

[MrsPete]

Could you use a can of frosting?

I am totally impressed with all the cakes you have all made! I've always wanted to try fondant, and that recipe sounds manageable. If I make anything pretty, I'll show you all.

Yes, you can use canned frosting under fondant -- it's there for two reasons: 1) to add taste, and 2) to help the fondant stick to the cake. Canned icing fits the bill.

However, you can't use canned frosting in place of decorator icing for, say, roses or piping -- it's too soft.

 

[MrsPete]

Why? Because I'm not used to baking 8" pans that are 3" deep, so I overfilled it. I didn't realize you should only go 1/2 full with this pan, and that puppy was 2/3 or more; whodathunk?

I use 4" deep pans for most of my wedding cakes, and they DO take some adjustments! I suggest you cut the top and the bottom off a soup can, then place it in the middle of your pan before pouring in your batter. This'll allow the center to cook.

I have a soup can (for smaller cakes) and a large fruit coctail can (for larger pans) that I've been using for this purpose for years.

Put a small piece of cardboard over the hole that's left. If you're making a stacked cake, the center is often "leftover" anyway -- brides prefer the cake to be cut while still assembled, and with proper internal support and good cutting technique, it won't fall.

 

[Beth76]

Ok, so let's say I want to make my DH a chocolate cake with the marshmallow fondant that mosmom posted. What cake shape would be the easiest to start with for fondant? Is rectangular easier (like 13x9 pan)? Or a a double-layer round cake? Would I be totally crazy to make a fondant for my first try or should I try some store-bought?

 

[stargrazer]

My 'official' Wilton Class 1 cake from TONIGHT

Another simple cake with leftover batter and leftover icing I did for a friend TY today

Cakes from my DD's birthday Sunday (bakery cakes) one coconut cream one dreamsicle

DD's first decorated cake by herself (except the base buttercream)

DD's first decorated cupcakes