Friday Night Cake Club For 1/24/14

Decorating By catlharper Updated 28 Jan 2014 , 10:22pm by LizzieAylett

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catlharper Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 3:43am
post #1 of 35

Opening up another session of the FNCC! Everyone is welcome to share their week, photos of their work, ask for help or provide help if they can. Hope to see some great work tonight!

 

Cat

34 replies
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catlharper Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 3:46am
post #2 of 35

Hi everyone!

 

 

Well, the hand is officially getting better. The bones are no longer broken (YEA!) but there is still quite a bit of nerve damage to work out so physical therapy here I come. One session and I already have more movement than I did! The main thing the dr said was that I need to actually USE that hand now that I've had 3 months to learn how not to use it. SIGH. The good news is that I only have one major job and one minor one for February. I took a client call today for March 8th but we'll see if that ends up with a wedding cake or not. I'm hopeful! Ready to get back to caking.

 

How's it going for everyone else? Anything fun this week?

 

Cat

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leilossweetshop Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 4:01am
post #3 of 35

AHey Cat, good to hear your hand is getting better....and grear news that business is picking back up for you. This week in class we did cupcakes...here are some of the ones I did[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3173180/width/200/height/400[/IMG] [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3173181/width/200/height/400[/IMG] [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3173182/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

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catlharper Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 4:05am
post #4 of 35

Love the Mums! How totally cute! I have an order for 55 cupcakes and a smash cake for next weekend but nothing as ornate as you have going on here...just regular frosting, sprinkles and picks. Not terribly exciting. We are working the party too tho, so it will be fun!

 


Cat

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SPCOhio Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 4:14am
post #5 of 35

AHow difficult and terrifying it must be for a caker to have hand problems! I broke my right hand several years ago and every once In awhile the arthritis sets in and reminds me there will be a day when I can no longer pipe...even badly lol. I wish you well, Cat!

I had both a husband and a daughter home for most of the week due to the rotten weather we have been having, so it was a slow and frustrating week! I did manage to get a practice cake in this week, though. I have been doing trial runs of Michelle Foster's fondant, and this time it was awful. It was like rolling out a rubber tire! I eventually got it rolled out, though, and did this cake, which is largely a Zoe Clark design. http://cakecentral.com/g/i/3172696/a/3444661/this-is-a-mostly-zoe-clark-design-im-working-on-technical-skills-this-week-so-i-thought-id-try-something-by-one-of-the-greats/

I really love these ruffles and can foresee working them into other designs too!

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Gerle Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 4:46am
post #6 of 35

Cat, glad to hear you're doing better.  I've never broken a hand, but I did have carpal tunnel surgery in both hands quite a few years ago.  That was no fun either.  It's amazing when you really, really realize just how much you use your hands every day...and it always hits home when you can't use one or both of them!  Good luck with the physical therapy, I'm sure it's going to help.

 

Those cupcakes are cute leilossweetshop!  You did a great job.

 

SPCOhio...love that cake.  Saw it on the galleries earlier.

 

I'm working on a chocolate cake for a friend of my oldest son.  His friend's son has been going through cancer treatments since March of this year and his birthday is on the 28th.  I'm baking his birthday cake and am working on a 12" layer cake....something I haven't made before.  I posted on another thread about the problems I'm having and am hoping to find a resolution.  I'd really like this cake to turn out right since it's for someone special.  This boy has been so super through all of his treatment and is doing good so far.  I'm decorating it with his favorite Lego Ninjago figure and got the idea for the cake from Deestar20.  I'm making some decorations I haven't tried before, so I'm hoping it will turn out ok.  I need to have it finished by Monday evening so I can deliver it to him after he gets back from another of his cancer treatments down in San Francisco.  He's been such a trooper!  I'm not sure I could be as tolerant and good spirited about it as he's been.

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catlharper Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 4:56am
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SPC.that cake is really wonderful. Sorry to hear the fondant didn't work out right. I use my tried and true each time, altho I'm nervous about making it for the first time in 3 months soon!  Sorry to hear about your hand too! The dr said that there is some "modeling" that may cause me problems later on but he also said that it wouldn't be a problem if I did the PT...wonder if he was just trying to scare me? LOL!

 

 

Gerle...what problem are you having with the 12inch? Maybe we can help?

 

Cat

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SPCOhio Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 5:05am
post #8 of 35

AThanks for the encouragement! Leilos, which class are you in this week? I have never taken a cake class but I have seen a few I would sell a kidney to attend.

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Gerle Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 5:17am
post #9 of 35

Cat, I'm baking Cake Love's chocolate butter cake in a 12" pan.  I haven't baked 12" cakes before, so this is new for me.  I've baked the cake before in 8 and 9 inch pans and didn't have a problem, but with the 12, after I got it out of the oven and left it to cool for the 30 minutes like he recommends, it fell in the middle.  I had to cook it for 33 minutes instead of 28 to get it done in the middle.  When I go to level the cake, I won't need to tort it because it's too thin.  My husband ate the little piece I had to cut off of the part cooked in the heating core and said it was cooked and it was good, but I'll have to cook 4 layers if that's how small they're all going to turn out to get a 4" tall cake.  It's the first time I've tried a 12" cake and I don't know how to alter recipes to make larger cakes.  I once tried to double a recipe, but that didn't work out at all, so I didn't want to try that again.  I've baked this chocolate cake a lot as it's my family's favorite, but it's mostly been an 8" size and it comes out perfect every time.  I posted the details on the thread titled "Cake failure?"  SPCOhio responded and had good info to share as did the others, but I still have to finish the 12" cakes for the bottom layer.  I just took the 9" layers out of the oven, they cooled for the 30 minutes, and other than being a little on the short side, they were fine and didn't fall in the middle.  So I know it's got something to do with the 12" pan, but I don't know how to correct it.  Any and all help is welcome.

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catlharper Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 6:06am
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I've not had a problem with a 12 inch before, tho' I've only made a few of them so I don't have a LOT of experience. I don't use a heating core but, rather, flower nails instead. 1 in an 8 inch, 2 in a 10 inch and 3 in a 12 inch. This helps it cook more evenly. If yours fell it's always possible it wasn't really totally cooked in the center. Were you baking for longer at a lower temperature? I bake my larger cakes at 325 or 300 for longer so it gives them time to cook in the middle without drying out the edges too much. I'm just "spitballing" here hoping to hit on something you may not have thought about yet! 

 

 I double, even triple, recipes all of the time...I wonder what makes it harder to do with this recipe? I do hope you figure it out. I guess, worse comes to worse, you could make several thin layers rather than 2 thicker ones? Good luck and let us know!

 

Cat

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Gerle Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 6:22am
post #11 of 35

Thanks Cat.  I hadn't thought of reducing the temp and cooking for longer; that might work.  The directions said to cook at 350 for 28-30 minutes.  I've used flower nails before, too, but for some reason used the heating core this time.  I've never put even a flower nail in an 8 before.  Just never occurred to me.  I have in a 10.  

 

When you double or triple recipes, do you change any of the ingredient amounts, or just double/triple what the original ingredient amounts were?  I don't remember where I read it, but I read that you often had to alter baking soda/baking powder amounts when doubling/tripling recipes and since I just don't have the "scientific" or mathematical head to do that type of thing, I haven't.  The one and only time I did try to double a recipe, it flopped!  So I haven't done it since.  But I don't usually make big cakes, either.  I usually stick to a 10 as the biggest and decided to try a 12 this time....and so far it hasn't worked.  I'll be baking another 12" tomorrow, so plan on trying some of the ideas I've been given and see if I fair better.  Thanks for the info!  I'll let you know what, if anything, works out.

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catlharper Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 6:29am
post #12 of 35

I always turn down the heat for larger than 8 inch cakes or cakes that are 3 inches or taller per layer. When doubling recipes I just double it..everything. Never occurred to me to decrease the leavening! LOL! Maybe I've just been really lucky?

 

Cat

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leilossweetshop Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 3:14pm
post #13 of 35

AHey ladies, thank for the feedback on my cupcakes!

SPCohio - I am taking the Wilton Course 1 and tomorrow is my last class before I start course 2. It has taught me so much especially since I am a beginner with cake decorating. Ive baked my entire life, just started really getting into decorating. I love your cake, its sooo pretty!!!

Gerle - I really hope you figure out the problem... I agree with cat to try a lower temp and try the flower nails. I always use them on my 10inch cakes so I figure 12in would be no different.... let us know how it turns out and post pics please!

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Gerle Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 3:49pm
post #14 of 35

Well, Cat.  I'll let you know.  I'm going to try doubling the recipe today and see what happens.  Wish me luck!

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LizzieAylett Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 5:04pm
post #15 of 35

After a break for a few weeks with a nasty chest infection, I made a cake for fun.  Well, it suited me, and my husband had been joking at work about the quality of the cake provided for a colleague's leaving do - and was challenged to provide a better one :-)  So I got to do a fancier cake the way that I wanted to, and he got the chance to prove his point!

 

It's a chocolate cake with chocolate orange buttercream, decorated with sugarpaste ruffles and roses.

 

 

Roses and ruffles.  Chocolate cake filled with chocolate orange buttercream and decorated with sugarpaste roses and vertical ruffles.

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SPCOhio Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 5:07pm
post #16 of 35

A

Original message sent by LizzieAylett

After a break for a few weeks with a nasty chest infection, I made a cake for fun.  Well, it suited me, and my husband had been joking at work about the quality of the cake provided for a colleague's leaving do - and was challenged to provide a better one :-)  So I got to do a fancier cake the way that I wanted to, and he got the chance to prove his point!

It's a chocolate cake with chocolate orange buttercream, decorated with sugarpaste ruffles and roses.

[URL=http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3171236/width/350/height/700]Roses and ruffles. Chocolate cake filled with chocolate orange buttercream and decorated with sugarpaste roses and vertical ruffles. [/URL]

Very pretty and delicate!

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Gerle Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 5:21pm
post #17 of 35

Very nice!  Love the ruffles and roses.  Sometimes white on white just looks so beautiful!

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Nadiaa Posted 25 Jan 2014 , 10:05pm
post #18 of 35

Hi everyone! I've been baking macarons this week (trying to get them right!). I'm a bit macaroned out at the moment so am glad to be doing a birthday cake today. I baked and froze an orange cake earlier in the week and also made and froze some chocolate SMBC to fill it with. So they're on the counter defrosting this morning and I'll be filling and decorating them this afternoon. I'm practicing with the petal effect in buttercream - fingers crossed it doesn't look terrible! Lol! It's a belated birthday cake for my 2 older children who had their birthdays at the end of last year but were with their dad for them, so it's party day at our house today :) 

 

I've also been planning my 5yo's birthday cake for this year. I've done up some sketches so I have a list of things I need to buy. It's not until May, but I want to slowly collect the things I need, so am getting a head start. 

 

Gerle, I hope your 12 inch works out today! I've had one of my cakes sink on me this week (it's gluten free so who knows what's wrong with it, lol) so I've been trying to get that right. I think I'm going to try increasing the flour and see how it goes. 

 

LizzieAylett - your cake it lovely!!! I love the ruffles and your flowers are beautiful. 

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Norasmom Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 3:44am
post #19 of 35

It is my birthday and my daughter's birthday today, so I spend last night making cupcakes.  It's a magic themed party so the cupcake toppers are bunnies in hats.  I will post pictures! I am tired, party prep is hard work!!

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SPCOhio Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 3:57am
post #20 of 35

AYou know, I could actually use some feedback on this valentine's set I designed. I am thinking that I need to make the little flowers a mix of yellow and white to make the color scheme more cohesive. What do you think?

[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3173736/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

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Gerle Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 5:35am
post #21 of 35

Ok, I rebaked the 12" cakes today.  I baked them at 325 instead of 350, added 1/2 cup extra flour, per cake, and I also doubled the recipe hoping to get enough for both cakes...I did.  Oh....I also used flower nails instead of the heating core.  The cakes baked up great, I even torted them and got 4 nice cake layers.  I have them crumb coated right now and am going to finish them up tomorrow.  I wrote down the changes I made to the recipe so if I ever make a 12" cake using this recipe again, I know what I did this time.  The recipe as written works fine for an 8" or 9", but not the 12.  It turned into a learning experience.

 

I want to thank everyone who offered their knowledge and assistance.  Without it, I'm not sure I'd be where I am right now with those cakes, so it is greatly appreciated!

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SPCOhio Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 5:38am
post #22 of 35

AGlad it worked out, Gerle! :-)

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catlharper Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 6:29am
post #23 of 35

I am so glad everyone posted updates!

 

Lizzie...so sorry to hear you had the crud! I have several friends who have had chest infections this winter. Glad you are so much better. The cake is gorgeous! A LOT of work but simply divine!

 

Nadia...being a party planner I love party days!!! And don't feel weird about planning cakes a few months in advance. I do it every year for my kids...I usually start planning the next year as soon as the present year's cake is done! LOL! This year I have a Twilight cake for my middle daughter turning 30 in late February and a paintball cake for our soon to be 13 year old in April, a Daniel Tiger cake for our grandson in April and a piano cake for our oldest daughter in June. We are waiting on our granddaughter to make up her mind what she wants for her 5th b'day in August but as soon as she decides I'll be sketching! Of course I party plan as well so that starts as early as we decide on the theme! LOL!

 

Norasmom!! Happy Birthday!!! Can't wait to see what you came up for yourself and your daughter!! And yes, party prep is a whole other world..LOL!

 

SPC..I adore the ones with the blue stripes...really really like those! The center cookie is adorable too! I know you were hoping for "improvement" but I can't see where they need it. Honestly.

 

 

Gerle!! SO happy that the rebake worked!! I have no idea if it was the extra flour, the temp or the nails but whatever it was I'm just glad it all worked and now you have the cake you wanted! Please do post a photo when you are done?

 

Have a great week everyone! I'll be posting photos next Friday night..my first caking since early December!

 

Cat

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cakealicious7 Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 9:40am
post #24 of 35

AHi everyone!! So great to see some fab work! I see this week has been very busy for some people, lot's of birthdays. It was my nieces birthday yesterday and I surprised her with a two tier pillow cake, this was my first time covering a cake in fondant. It was also my first time using ganache and tiering a cake so I was under lots of pressure!! Would love any feedback and suggestions [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3173894/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3173895/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

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nancylee61 Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 11:45am
post #25 of 35

AYour cake is beautiful!!! Nancy

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catlharper Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 5:56pm
post #26 of 35

Cakealicious,

 

The cake looks great! The only tips I have is to make sure the ganache is perfectly smooth under the fondant and to make the fondant a bit thicker for a smoother appearance on the pillows and, lastly, whenever your "trim" is supposed to be fabric remember that it never lies straight. Fabric flows so on a cake the fondant needs to roll or fold or something to show that it's fabric. On this particular cake it's the trim only. But that is all being terribly nit-picky and just extras for the next time. I think you did a fantastic job! They are not the easiest of cakes to panel!

 

Cat

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cakealicious7 Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 6:10pm
post #27 of 35

AThankyou for the tips :-) I agree with you. I know I should have created some movement in my trim but I started rushing toward the end ( bad I know ). Working first time with ganache I felt I was alittle out of my depth lol, think I'll use buttercream next time for pillows- much easier to smooth!! Thanks once again for your tips.

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catlharper Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 6:30pm
post #28 of 35

Oh my gosh I HATE that feeling of running out of time and knowing you are sacrificing something just to get it out of the door. The wonderful thing is that we are the only ones to ever notice what didn't turn out exactly how we wanted it to or what we had to leave off of our design due to time. We see what it should have been and they see what it is...and they are overjoyed! We are SO hard on ourselves! 

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cakealicious7 Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 7:17pm
post #29 of 35

AI couldn't have said it better!

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Norasmom Posted 27 Jan 2014 , 1:54am
post #30 of 35

Here are my Magic cupcakes.  Little bunnies in hats.  The colors of the party were pink, purple and black.  I took the inspiration from pictures on CC.  Cat, I don't know how you do party planning.  I am so tired right now.  Cleaning up was so easy though, throwing away plastic plates and tablecloths is fun.   If I ever make these cupcake toppers for a client they will be $6.50 each.  They were the most time-consuming toppers I've ever made.  Gumpaste roses are far easier!

 

AppleMark

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