I've been decorating for a little over a year now, but there are many things that I'm still really unsure about (mostly timing.) I'm hoping you ladies can help clear some of them up for a newbie such as myself
Do you wrap/freeze your cakes immediately after baking, or wait until they cool?
Do you use Saran/Wrap then Foil over top when you freeze? (when I do this, my cake has visible markings from the saran wrap/foil, is that normal?)
How long do you wait after taking them out of the freezer to start carving, filling, and stacking?
And lastly; Once you've finished decorating the cake (fondant and all) does it go in the fridge? Stays out? The last time I made a cake it had a lot of condensation on the fondant and the cake was extremely moist (almost to the point of being squishy )
Thanks in advance
1. I let them cool just enough so I can comfortably handle them, then wrap in saran and freeze. Be sure to put them on a flat surface until they freeze.
2. I don't use foil. One layer of commercial saran wrap. I NEVER use that crappy stuff in the grocery store that they stick housewives with! If you're getting marks, you're wrapping it too tight.
3. Cakes thaw fast. It's not meat that takes all day like hamburger or chicken. I can start working with cakes within 15 to 30 minutes after they come out of the freezer. If it's small enough, 30 minutes is too much thawing for easy handling, for me.
4. I never refrigerate my cakes. Never. I also never use perishable fillings. If you don't have a perishable filling, there is no reason to put a cake in the refrigerator. See pastrylady's post on page 4 of this thread: http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=608252&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=cooks&&start=45
I've been decorating for a little over a year now, but there are many things that I'm still really unsure about (mostly timing.) I'm hoping you ladies can help clear some of them up for a newbie such as myself
Do you wrap/freeze your cakes immediately after baking, or wait until they cool?
Do you use Saran/Wrap then Foil over top when you freeze? (when I do this, my cake has visible markings from the saran wrap/foil, is that normal?)
How long do you wait after taking them out of the freezer to start carving, filling, and stacking?
And lastly; Once you've finished decorating the cake (fondant and all) does it go in the fridge? Stays out? The last time I made a cake it had a lot of condensation on the fondant and the cake was extremely moist (almost to the point of being squishy )
Thanks in advance
This was an awesome presentation of questions and anwersa that I'm sure plague all of us new decorators! Thanks to you both for this.
May I add a few more questions?
4) Is there a big difference in recipes for cakes versus cupcakes? I have a great recipe for my specialty cakes but want to know will it render great cupcakes.
5) I see so many people saying that they offer a fruit filling to cakes but mine always cause disaster, sliding, melting, etc. Is there a trick to this?
6) I'm a horrible leveler, any tips or tricks that are pretty fail safe?
Thanks all!
Thank you for the response, indydebi. Your posts are always so helpful. I'm going to print this out and post it on my fridge.
Sherena I'm excited that you asked about leveling. I've gotten better with practice but would love some tips as well.
4) Is there a big difference in recipes for cakes versus cupcakes? I have a great recipe for my specialty cakes but want to know will it render great cupcakes.
I always answer questions like this by asking, "Did your mama or your gramma have two different recipes just because they baked it in a different shaped pan? Mine didn't.
5) I see so many people saying that they offer a fruit filling to cakes but mine always cause disaster, sliding, melting, etc. Is there a trick to this?
Use an icing dam around the outside. DON'T overfill it! My first and only slider was caused by too much raspberry filling. I fill it up to about 1/2 or 3/4's way up the side of the dam.
6) I'm a horrible leveler, any tips or tricks that are pretty fail safe?
Trim them while they are still in the pan, using the pan as a guide. You'll get the MOST perfectly level cakes you've ever seen. If your cakes dont' rise high enough to be taller than the pan, remove the cakes and place 1 to 3 cake cardboards inside the pan, then put the cake back in the pan. The cardboards will elevate the cakes high enough for you to trim them perfectly flat.
I let my cakes cool completely. To get them level I level them in the pan..to the top of the pan...then tip out onto a cake rack and let cool. Then I torte if I'm going to torte, wrap each layer seperartly in press and seal wrap and then wrap both layers together with another layer of press and seal. I do not use foil, it leaves marks. Then I freeze for at least overnight. then I unwrap, fill, crumbcoat and let settle for AT LEAST three hours before putting on the final coat of BC or Fondant. I do not wait for any thawing before filling and especially not before carving. The more frozen the easier it is to carve and crumbcoat...and I want to keep all that moisture inside the cake.
I also don't refridgerate after the final coating goes on the cake. I have an A/C in the kitchen and at home and don't need to protect it from heat and I don't want to deal with condensation from the fridge. BUT if you have to do so just put your cake in a cake box, wrap the box in plastic and then put it in the fridge...the condensation will form on the outside of the wrap, not your cake.
Cat
Trim them while they are still in the pan, using the pan as a guide. You'll get the MOST perfectly level cakes you've ever seen. If your cakes dont' rise high enough to be taller than the pan, remove the cakes and place 1 to 3 cake cardboards inside the pan, then put the cake back in the pan. The cardboards will elevate the cakes high enough for you to trim them perfectly flat.
That is ingenious, thank you Indydebi!
I also don't refridgerate after the final coating goes on the cake. I have an A/C in the kitchen and at home and don't need to protect it from heat and I don't want to deal with condensation from the fridge. BUT if you have to do so just put your cake in a cake box, wrap the box in plastic and then put it in the fridge...the condensation will form on the outside of the wrap, not your cake.
I never would have thought of that but it makes sooo much sense. Thanks
I'm with you brynn5241, this is going on the fridge...
I'm at work and want to leave and go level something!!!
Thanks so very much!
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