Lab Coat Tutorial

Decorating By carolinecakes Updated 31 May 2016 , 4:49pm by carolinecakes

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carolinecakes Posted 17 May 2016 , 7:28pm
post #1 of 24

Here's the link, contains template.....HTH


http://thecakedr.com/tag/lab-coat-template/





23 replies
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gen2026 Posted 18 May 2016 , 2:31pm
post #2 of 24

Thank you so much for locating that!  I printed out her templates - but they didn't print completely and after looking at them, I don't think they will work for the size cake I am doing, but they can be used for a general guideline for sure! 

I searched at our local walmart's "cake decorating" center yesterday and of course there is NO modeling chocolate available.  I SHOULD have ordered some off of amazon but since I plan to make the pieces tonight and finish assembly tomorrow night, there is not time for that now.

I did however, manage to find a small package of white ready to use fondant.  I purchased it in the event that I need to add it to the MMF that I made.  There was no tylose powder either - didn't expect to find it but I thought I would try.  Again, I should have tried amazon on Monday and I could have had what I needed.  :(  Hindsight is always clearer! :)

We baked the cakes last night - and I did manage to pick up some precut sheets of parchment so that helped, but I still have "flaky" areas on the sides and bottom of the cake.  Any idea why?  Or do all cakes have that ?  I thought it was because of the butter/flour combo, but obviously that wasn't it.  Also, I managed to crack one of the cakes last night.  I am thinking I will use it on bottom and try to "hold" it together with icing?  Is that a recipe for disaster?  I can remake a cake tonight if need be.......

The two cakes that I did make are wrapped and in the freezer currently.  I am pretty nervous about the collar, but probably more nervous about the stethoscope...... we will see how it goes! 

Thank you for all your help!

Genna




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carolinecakes Posted 18 May 2016 , 3:43pm
post #3 of 24

You can make modeling chocolate/candy clay. I use the  wilton candy melts and corn syrup, here's the link.

http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/04/how-to-make-modeling-chocolate-with-candy-melts/?ext=20130410_14_Cake_Decorating_1b&utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=Social%20Engagement&utm_campaign=I%20%28Heart%29%20Cake%20Decorating-Registrations&initialPage=tru

You can use the ready made fondant to make the collar, and stethoscope, ready made fondant is firmer than homemade. Using the modeling chocolate is not a must. Make 2 collars, so you have a back up.


So it seems you did not grease and flour the pans, but still got the flaky sides. Some recipes are like that, my chocolate cake is, before I crumb coat I gently rub the sides to get any flakes off. I do not grease the sides of my pans.




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carolinecakes Posted 18 May 2016 , 4:13pm
post #4 of 24

Ref. using the cracked cake.  Are you traveling with cake? I would bake another cake, but that's just me,  less stressful than worring about it.

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gen2026 Posted 18 May 2016 , 5:00pm
post #5 of 24

I am traveling with it..............a couple of hours......  so yeah, I better bake another - but then I won't be able to assemble tonight.  I can bake it as soon as I get home, but not sure it can chill fast enough.  Guess I can see.  I also wondered about putting skewers across the cake (the cracked one)  to help "hold" it....

I didn't have a clue I could make modeling chocolate!  LOL  Hadn't even checked the recipes to see.  So, we could try that!  Are you saying make two collars even if we use modeling chocolate?  I have never used it so would you still use a base such as a thin cardboard? or does it just build on itself? 

Also, how do you "color" it?  would I need to buy the candy melts in the colors I want to use?  You would just make the SHIRT collar out of the modeling chocolate?  Or would you make the stethoscope and jacket collar out of it as well? 


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carolinecakes Posted 18 May 2016 , 5:14pm
post #6 of 24

How bad is the crack? Is it like a cracked cake top? Could you cut it off, as in leveling the cake?

Modeling chocolate is like fondant, in that you can roll it out, sculpt with it,  some people cover the cake with it. Unlike fondant it would dry hard. I would make the collar and stethoscope out of it, but not the jacket collar. It would be too hard to cut through. IMO

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carolinecakes Posted 18 May 2016 , 5:52pm
post #7 of 24

To color the candy melts you need to use an oil based food coloring. Wilton has a set made specifically for coloring candy, hpefully  walmart carries it. Do you have a Michael's Art and Crafts near you?

When I make toppers, flowers or something that can break I make 2 just in case. Once when I was arranging my gum paste flowers at the reception hall, a spray of filler flowers went crashing onto the floor. They did not break, but they had to be thrown out. Luckly I had extra.


http://www.ehow.com/how_5721559_color-candy-melts.html

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gen2026 Posted 18 May 2016 , 8:57pm
post #8 of 24

Nothing close other than Walmart- everything else is close to 2 hrs away.  Will the wilton gel colors work?  I have some regular wilton colors in the little jars - then I bought a small package of the gel colors in the little bottles to get that purple. 

The crack is a T in the cake - a split down the middle and across on one end so it can't be taken off with leveling.  IF I had, had a third cake mix on hand, I would have made it last night.  I will just try again tonight.  If push comes to shove I may just use one cake (assuming I can't get tonight's wrapped without cracking)......

I may try making a fondant collar tonight over something and let it dry - meanwhile, I will pick up some candy melts and make the molding chocolate which also says it has to sit overnight.  So, either way, I am going to be putting it  all together tomorrow night instead of covering tonight and working on details. 

One more question - well, at least at the moment....  :)     IF you make that stethoscope out of the modeling chocolate - will I have to "slide" if off of wax paper or whatever to where I want it on the cake, or will it be hard enough that i can just pick it up?  Just trying to have a plan of attack in my head! :)
Thank you again for everything!


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carolinecakes Posted 18 May 2016 , 11:54pm
post #9 of 24

http://lilmisscakes.com/2014/doctors-lab-coat-cake

This lady uses a bowl to set the collar on to dry, and has some help with the details.


You can handle the candy clay, it is similar in feel to fondant, it will dry hard. Yes most of these home-made stuff needs to set overnight.


I don't know if the wilton gel colors will work. I'm lazy, I just get the colors I need.


Sorry about your cake, I think if you collar your pan that will help prevent that cracking

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carolinecakes Posted 19 May 2016 , 12:55am
post #10 of 24

Also bake at a lower temp. Cakes will take longer to bake, but no doming or cracking.  My cakes take an hour and bake up even. HTH


DIY bake even strips

http://acozykitchen.com/how-to-bake-flat-cake-layers/

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640Cake Posted 19 May 2016 , 12:53pm
post #11 of 24

You can color modeling chocolate with gel - just add the gel color to the corn syrup before mixing into the melted chocolate.

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gen2026 Posted 19 May 2016 , 4:03pm
post #12 of 24

I did collar the pans two nights ago and last night.  I think it was just not 100% cool when I moved it.  :(   Not sure, but baked another last night to take its place so I don't have to worry about it. 

We did buy the candy melts to try to do the modeling chocolate, but instead of making it and trying to shape everything tonight - we just ended up doing fondant toppers last night.  NOT perfect, but ok.  I tried using a piece of cardboard to shape the collar - and my intention is to LEAVE the cardboard under the fondant.  The tie does not look like I had hoped - and honestly, I thought that was the worst part....but maybe because I tackled it when I had already gotten tired - that definitely affects my abilities.   But, my daughter helped a LOT and she ended up finishing the tie for me.  I am a little concerned about my lapels and collar for the coat, but I figure if I am not happy with them, I can cut them out of fondant again tonight and put them directly in place.  My daughter made a really cute stethoscope, knee knocker (that's what she calls it but its the deal they check reflexes with and we have NO idea what it is called), and some scissor handles to stick out of the pocket.  Tonight I hope to get it put together because we have convocation for him tomorrow night (two hours away) and we will be home very late.  Then Saturday, we will be headed back for graduation.  My crowd (family) is not demanding of perfection so hopefully he will just be excited he is finally a doctor and enjoy the cake! :)  I think he will be surprised - although maybe not as much as if I had not made the one last week - but my daughter (also the baby) says "he won't be expecting it because he thought you just did the fancy stuff because it was me"....does that not sound like the princess of the family!  LOL....

I will go read that link for sure on the hose to bake flat cake layers...............  I need some help with that apparently!  I am also just using box cake mixes I am sure that might be part of the issue.

Thanks again for everyone's help!  It might be Monday (because it is going to be a crazy weekend) but I will get ya'll a picture if we can get it put together! :)



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carolinecakes Posted 19 May 2016 , 7:16pm
post #13 of 24

I would have gone with the fondant too. I'm sure it will be lovely, we are always our own worst critic. 

Enjoy the crazy celebrations and Congratulations on another major achievement.

Oh almost forgot, a lot of people use the box mixes with great results. There are doctored recipes on CC you should check them out. 

I'll try to find the WASC recipe later, it gets rave reviews and it's a doctored cake mix.

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gen2026 Posted 20 May 2016 , 1:03pm
post #14 of 24

We got it together last night.  We were pretty bummed with how "wrinkled" looking the collar and tie were.  We aren't really sure WHY that is the case.  I do not think I would use the cardboard method again - OR at least not plan on leaving it in place.  The poster board actually made doing some thing difficult because it was getting in the way - and there are a few spots where the fondant got pulled too thin over it...... in fact, I might have started to thin and that might account for the wrinkles.  But, overall, because we are definitely novices, we were fairly pleased with the results.  The challenge will be keeping it cool during transport and during the day tomorrow before serving.

We are eating supper at a VERY nice restaurant in town that my son has dreamed of eating at since he started med school.  They have several fancy chef desserts that they serve so I wasn't sure they would allow the cake in, but I knew with 7 of us, it will be a large tab.  So, when my DIL made the reservations last night, she asked.  They said "bring it by anytime during the day tomorrow and they will refrigerate it and bring it out after dinner".  I thought that was awesome, although with all the fondant, I am not sure refrigeration will be good.  BUT, at the same time, sitting in their kitchen with the heat won't be either!  SUGGESTIONS???

Due to time constraints tomorrow, we went ahead and fully decorated the cake for transport.  Our local walmart has SOME cardboard cake boxes but not sure if they would have one deep enough to accomodate the double stacked cake and shirt collar sticking up.  Should I checked to see if perhaps they have one that would work?  I read on this site that storing in a cardboard box would help absorb the condensation ?????  We took some photos last night in case it goes south so my son can see how it was 'supposed' to look.  My daughter has them on her phone so I will need to get her to send them to me so I can show you.  I wish there was some type of class close to me.  I need to learn how to correct some of the things that we are struggling with!  I see these elaborate cakes on here and I don't have a CLUE how they manage to pull them off!  :(

Thanks so much for all your help!

Genna

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carolinecakes Posted 20 May 2016 , 1:24pm
post #15 of 24

A lot of people use storage boxes, they are tall enough and sturdier, to transport cakes. Staples??

You can store fondant covered cakes boxed  in the fridge. An alternative would be to put some ice packs inside the box to keep cool. 

I have learned everything I know about cake decorating online. There are lots of free tutorials online, I use Pinterest and YouTube .

craftsy.com has online classes free and paid

lovelytutorials.com has tons of tutorials

I like the flexibility to learn from the comfort of my home. Thanks to the World Wide Web, you have access to a lot of talented artists who are so generous sharing their knowledge.




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carolinecakes Posted 20 May 2016 , 1:36pm
post #16 of 24

Oh .....wrinkled fondant usually means it's too dry. Is this the readymade fondant? Did you knead it enough, did you use powdered sugar or cornstarch? You can also over knead fondant. Experience is the best teacher, and you will get better with each cake you make.

I keep  food grade glycerine on hand and add a tiny drop if my fondant is drying out. Also I rub shortening on my hands when working with the fondant. I use a little powdered sugar to roll out. 


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gen2026 Posted 23 May 2016 , 1:43pm
post #17 of 24

It may have dried out a little too much but it didn't appear to be dry at the time.  Seemed to be ok when we finished but "wrinkled' a lot overnight.  I used a small package of ready made fondant for the collar hoping it would stay stiff enough to hold it's shape. We used some of the ready made with the MMF for most of the toppers.  Used MMF to cover the cake.  

I can't get my picture to load but I will keep working on it.

We went to a REALLY  nice restaurant after graduation as a surprise for my son.  He has been talking about going to this place when he graduated since shortly after starting med school - but it high dollar.  Due to a lot of recent expenses we have helped him with including a flight to Orlando, FL this past week for an interview, we told him we just couldn't swing that expensive a restaurant right now.  So, his wife helped convince him we were going to another restaurant we have never been to - that is nice, but not quite as expensive per plate.  He was quite surprised that we were going to "THE" restaurant.  But, all that to say they made our presentation of the cake AWESOME.  We gave them the cake when we arrived and when they brought it out  they had it on this wonderful dessert cart.  They had written congratulations and best wishes Alex on this large plate in chocolate and left space for a slice of cake in between.  They made this big presentation out of it - and it was so cool!  Everyone at all the tables were talking about our cake  - and making really nice comments (and we were hoping there were no professional cake decorators in the room! ).... but it was really nice!  My son was so impressed and thought we had gotten someone else to make the cake.  They cut the slice that had the pocket on it because it had his name written and Dr on it.....  they gave him that slice as the first serving! They went above and beyond to make our humble cake a HUGE presentation!   My son kept asking how many hours it took us to make it.  I didn't know but it was several, especially since both of were working on it.  It was a fun night!  

Thanks so much for all the help in celebrating such a huge milestone in our family and making for some great memories of the evening!  I will keep working on getting the photo to load.  




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gen2026 Posted 23 May 2016 , 1:43pm
post #18 of 24

It may have dried out a little too much but it didn't appear to be dry at the time.  Seemed to be ok when we finished but "wrinkled' a lot overnight.  I used a small package of ready made fondant for the collar hoping it would stay stiff enough to hold it's shape. We used some of the ready made with the MMF for most of the toppers.  Used MMF to cover the cake.  

I can't get my picture to load but I will keep working on it.

We went to a REALLY  nice restaurant after graduation as a surprise for my son.  He has been talking about going to this place when he graduated since shortly after starting med school - but it high dollar.  Due to a lot of recent expenses we have helped him with including a flight to Orlando, FL this past week for an interview, we told him we just couldn't swing that expensive a restaurant right now.  So, his wife helped convince him we were going to another restaurant we have never been to - that is nice, but not quite as expensive per plate.  He was quite surprised that we were going to "THE" restaurant.  But, all that to say they made our presentation of the cake AWESOME.  We gave them the cake when we arrived and when they brought it out  they had it on this wonderful dessert cart.  They had written congratulations and best wishes Alex on this large plate in chocolate and left space for a slice of cake in between.  They made this big presentation out of it - and it was so cool!  Everyone at all the tables were talking about our cake  - and making really nice comments (and we were hoping there were no professional cake decorators in the room! ).... but it was really nice!  My son was so impressed and thought we had gotten someone else to make the cake.  They cut the slice that had the pocket on it because it had his name written and Dr on it.....  they gave him that slice as the first serving! They went above and beyond to make our humble cake a HUGE presentation!   My son kept asking how many hours it took us to make it.  I didn't know but it was several, especially since both of were working on it.  It was a fun night!  

Thanks so much for all the help in celebrating such a huge milestone in our family and making for some great memories of the evening!  I will keep working on getting the photo to load.  




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carolinecakes Posted 23 May 2016 , 2:30pm
post #19 of 24

Awwww...... that all sounds wonderful. Your hard work paid off, and I don't mean just the cake making. Raising kids who become responsible caring adults is a huge accomplishment especially in our times. Congratulations to you all !!!!


Try posting the pic only, lots of people are having the same problem, and are having some success posting the picture only.

Here is a link with lots of free tutorials and for an annual subscription of $36.00 you can have access to all the resources.


https://www.pinterest.com/mycakeschool/my-cake-school-free-cake-tutorials-cake-recipes/


http://www.mycakeschool.com

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gen2026 Posted 27 May 2016 , 3:36pm
post #20 of 24

[postimage id="3998" thumb="900"]Sorry to take so long... it has been a crazy week here.



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gen2026 Posted 27 May 2016 , 3:38pm
post #21 of 24

Definitely not perfect, but I felt I gained some knowledge and experience from the chemistry cake that made this one a little easier.  I wish I had gotten a good photo of the guy "bringing it out" on his fancy tray- the presentation REALLY upped the appearance of our humble cake. 

My daughter made all stethoscope, reflex tool, and scissor handles.  She did a great job!



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carolinecakes Posted 31 May 2016 , 3:45pm
post #22 of 24

Busy time on my end also. You guys did a really nice job!!!!! The guest of honor loved it, and that's what it's all about.

Fondant gets easier with practice, I have never used MMF, simply because once I tried Michelle Foster's recipe, I was blown away. I always used satin ice, now I make my own and always have a batch on hand. If you can get your hands on the ingredients, give it try.


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gen2026 Posted 31 May 2016 , 4:35pm
post #23 of 24

I will give it a try next time I make fondant - which may be a while.

Thank you again for all your help!  I would never have made it thru those two weekends without all your help and tutorage!  I really, really appreciate it!   Baked again for this past weekend, and I was going to attempt one of those cakes with the roses swirled all over it, but my sweet daughter in law just wanted cupcakes for her birthday.  So, I made chocolate cupcakes with buttercream icining (her favorite)...and she was happy!  Might be awhile before I get to try to improve my decorating skills.

Thanks again for everything!

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carolinecakes Posted 31 May 2016 , 4:49pm
post #24 of 24

You are very welcome smile.png


I have 2 cakes to do next month, granddaughter's 2nd birthday and first grandaughter's Pre-K Graduation, and that's it until the fall. I take a break in the summer from baking, and get into making  homemade ice cream. Yum!!! 


Have a great summer!!!!

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