I have been asked to make cake squares and I am assuming that is like a sheet cake cut in to little squares. So my question is, to cut and then ice, ice and then cut...and if it is iced, how do you cut it without getting cake crumbs and icing everywhere?
Thanks

Well, I don't know what "cake squares" are either unless it's what you described.

Two options.
1. iced the cake and then put it in the freezer for a bit. Slice into squares and put each little square into a muffin paper.
2. Dip your knife into hot water, wipe, cut, wipe again between each cut. No crumbs

Would you believe that we have a bakery in town that refers to cut up sheet cake squares as petit fours? Umm . . . no.

yikes, petit fours, I think not...which by the way I am doing in a couple of weeks. This cake is for a baby shower, so I am thinking it is the old school sheet cake cut...not sure why that design, not my fav, I like all the other things like the preg belly, or the diaper bag, but oh well....what ever floats your boat...thanks

I have seen muffin/cupcake pans in the shape of squares. That could me an option.

Maybe they just want a pre-cut cake?

Maybe they want square layers? There are pans for that. I would ask what they mean.

Here, cake squares refers to a sheet cake that has been iced. Then, cut into 2x2 sections (fishing line works perfectly for this) but left on board. Each square has a decoration on it. Some add a top border around each square, some don't. Some bakeries (like Sam's Club and others) simply iced the cake and mark the 2x2 sections and place a decoration in each square (smooth the center area for any writing requested)

I think I would ask and clarify what they are wanting.

We do these all the time here. They are NOT petit fours. They are 2x2 pieces of cake cut from an iced single layer sheet cake. Just make your marks and cut horizontially and vertically. Dip the knife in hot water after each cut. We put them in cupcake papers.

Thanks so much for all your help, so I am going with the sheet cake pre cut squares.....so from what I am reading...I should ice it first and then cut with a hot knife or fishing wire? Would it be better if I let it crust first or someone said freeze it? I am going to leave it on the cake board as a sheet but the customer should be able to easily pull it apart.

Pre-cut cakes are a real PITA..I do a shower one often. If you are doing a precut, chill the cake first, then cut each line with a hot, wet knife. Normally, these aren't intented as "pull-aparts" like cupcake cakes, but precut for the server to put on a plate.

Oh...one other thing...as you are precutting, you will find the cake will want to "open" up where you've made your lines. You may need to push the sides of the cake slightly to bring it all back in. After I make the lines, I go over each line with a small start tip to hide the cut lines, but still show each individual piece of cake. Hopefully that makes sense.

ASo ice, freeze, and then cut is that right

AI just finished cutting this cake. It's a big sheet cake but I had the same thoughts. It worked really well in the end what I did was...... Freeze the sheets the night before then did the filling (ganache) put it together and then cut it ! It wasn't rock hard but stays nice and moist and stiff enough to manage. Hope that helps!

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