My Aunt's birthday is on the 22nd, and I'm going to be making her cake.

I have been obsessing about this cake for 3 weeks and I have a tonne of pictures and sketches lying around the house, at least 20 saved pictures on here, and a whole file of cake pictures, and I still can't settle. Because of everything that has been going on, this cake has been a good distraction (well slight obsession but I think thats true no matter what the circumstances ) A lot of the cakes I seen that I like are big too, while this would probably only need to feed about 10 people.

Right now I am considering making a cake to look like an ice bucket, covered in fondant and brushed with silver lustre dust for a silvery metal sheen. Then cut a hole in the top portion and insert a small bottle of wine and then surrounding it with clear rock candy to look like ice. I got the idea about the wine bottle and rock candy from a cake on here(I'm sorry I can't remember who) and I came up with the idea of the ice bucket. I would put a plaque on the side or a fondant covered board and write something such as, "like a fine wine, you only get better with age" (though I dont know if thats offensive, hopefully not!). Either that or maybe a "Do Not Disturb" sign! What do you think? I guess I am just looking for something unique and that will be at least a bit of a challenge(though in my league, lol), I want her to be able to tell I worked at it.

I was going to use a Bailey's chocolate mousse but decided I didn't want to take the chance of worrying about it not be constantly refridgerated, so I have decided to go with a Baileys whipped chocolate ganache instead.

Could you reccomend a cake that would go well with this? I don't want to do overkill and have the cake end up sickeningly sweet. Is the Cake extender mix very sweet or heavy?

She was the one that taught me all the tricks and tips about baking, she made my wedding cake, and on top of all that went and bought me a whole slew of caking decorating supplies (like a deluxe tip set, I didn't even have a decorating bag to my name before!) just because she wanted to. Maybe more importantly, she has been there for me through losing my father and grandmother. She was the one that had to tell my husband the bad news. She was there for my grandmother's visitation, even though it was the grandmother on my father's side. She made me feel so much better.

She told me months ago no one remembers her birthday, so I made a point of finding out from my mother and writing it down. So I guess I feel pressure to make this perfect, she deserves it so much!

bumping up....


but I must say I like your ice bucket idea very much! Very original!

I love your idea, especially the fine wine with old age thing. I am sure that she would probably not be offended.

Can't wait to see the pictures!!

How about a chocolate pound cake to go with the Baileys ganache? It would be denser, and therefore sturdier for carving. HTH!

I agree about the chocolate pound cake. It sounds really good with the Bailey's whipped ganache. I don't think that would be too sweet. I also like the idea of the wine bucket..good luck and sorry to hear about your father and grandmother.

Thank you so much! I had thought about a pound cake too, can anyone steer me to a good recipe (scratch or with a mix), I've never made a pound cake before (though I love the taste ). Is the cake extender recipe like a pound cake?

Oh, and I thought what the heck and entered "ice bucket cake" into google images, and this picture came up:



(so much for it being original! lol)

I may use the fondant towel idea if I have a hard time finding the clear rock candy, since no one can seem to tell me where the heck I can find any. May borrow the little stars too, could make small cookies on sticks for that one. I think I may still stick to the real bottle of wine, since I don't know if I want to tackle making a wine bottle out of cake yet lol

Here's a website to buy rock candy ... you can also make it on your own.

http://www.candydirect.com/bulk/Rock-Candy-Crystals-Large-White.html

Sorry, the only pound cake recipe I have is regular, not chocolate. Surely someone else has a good one!

Pink would you mind sharing your pound cake recipe with me, even if its not chocolate, I may be able to use it or tweak it. If not I'll defintely be able to use it eventually. (I'm dying to get more into the carved cakes )

TIA!

Clear mint sweets can make very good ice

Oh wow I hadn't even thought of that, crushed clear mints = shaved ice! Thanks for the suggestion!

No problem! This recipe is from a friend of my mom's who's an excellent cook!

Louise's Pound Cake

2 sticks of butter, softened
3 cups sugar
4 whole eggs
pinch of salt
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar together for 20 minutes or until sugar completely dissolves. Add eggs, mixing well. In a separate bowl, mix together salt and flour. Separately mix together baking soda and buttermilk. Add both to butter mixture alternately, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, mix well.

Bake in a tube pan that has been sprayed with Pam in a 325 degree oven for one hour. Enjoy!

One thing I've wondered about the pound cakes...they all seem to be baked in tube/bundt pans, will they still rise normally in a round/square pan? I've never made a pound cake so am wondering how much they usually rise.

Wow, I have no clue. I've just always made it in a bundt pan. Maybe you could start a new thread asking that question. I'm sure someone here knows the answer! Good luck!

I am also interested in doing more carved cakes. I printed the pound cake recipe also. Thank you for the information. Your idea of the ice bucket sounds great and I like the fine wine saying the best also. I wouldn't think that would affend her. Good Luck!

What about a chocolate mold for the wine bottle? I saw a cake with one (can't remember which one) but was surprised how 3-D it was. That might work. good luck.

I have had luck with baking pound cake in 8 and 10-inch round pans as well as in a glass mixing bowl (ovensafe of course).

Bulldog: I think I actually just saw that cake this morning! I have no idea where I would find such a mold (Goldas kitchen doesn't carry it) but I have thought about using green melting wafers, and tightly wrapping a bottle with wax paper or parchement and doing just a side a time and then using more chocolate to stick the pieces together. (don't know if I explained it right...basically doing it like I would a chocolate transfer, except I am getting the shape of the bottle). I have no idea oncesoever if that would even work

I think I may rent the Wilton stand up pumpkin pan for the bucket shape and then level off the top, sides and bottom. It would give me the height I need and the general shape(either way I will need to carve, unless someone knows of a bucket shaped cake pan out there, lol). http://www.goldaskitchen.com/merchant.ihtml?id=51&pid=2585&step=4
I'll have to check the bulk barn to see if they have it for rent, if not I may just pick it up, since the shape is useful for things other then just halloween

Thank you so much to everyone for all your help so far, its very much appreciated!

Hi There!

I was at Costco a while back and saw they were selling chocolate champagne bottles near the bakery. You may try checking your Costco there. Maybe you could borrow it from them if they're not currently selling? I know the Costco near in my hometown (Kitchener) was generous enough to give my mom several of their enormous pastry bags. Maybe they'll help you out. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Last time I was in Ontario, I asked about the 3D shaped pans at Bulk Barn. I was told that they are not for rent, just their character pans. What a bummer!

However, I would suggest maybe the Wonder Mold Pan? Or would a pyrex bowl work for the bucket? Inverted and sides cut more on an angle rather than curved. Just a thought.

HTH! Can't wait to see the finished cake

Mirjana

OK I think I am going to feel alittle dumb for asking this but....... What is a baileys whipped ganache, and baileys mousse? Do you have a recipe that you use for either of these? I have a friend who just loves bailey's and I have never heard of either of these.

Wilma

Hey no problem cake, I saw them on websites, I haven't used them yet.

Here are the links:

Bailey's mousse: http://www.ladycakes.com/Recipes/Fillings/Bailey's%20Chocolate%20Mousse%20Filling.htm

Bailey's Ganache: http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/ild/2002/1202/double.html

Ganache doesn't need refridgeration, whereas the mousse most defintely will.

I've done this plenty of times . I just put a flower nail in the center to make sure it cooks evenly

I saw on food network once somebody making a mold for chocolate. They were making a mold for a flip-flop by pressing a flip-flop into a pan full of cocoa powder to make the shape then filling it with melted choc to get the shape, let it dry and pulled it out. Don't know how that would work with a wine bottle, but you could try it.

I was talking to my mother just now about how many people this cake would need to feed, so that I could make it big enough, and she says, "Oh yeah, shes turning 50". Why OH why wouldnt she have let me in on that some time sooner!!!?? (no pressure eh, LOL) I mean for my parent's 50th birthdays they threw a huge party at a hall, I mean geez she deserves a good party!

There is a tonne of things I could have done for a 50th birthday cake, (oh please don't let me change my mind, her birthday is on sunday

How about just keep the wine idea as you have it, but just add a "50" to the plaque?

I think thats a good idea Mom picked me up and we had breakfast then hit the bulk store and another baking specialty store. I'm going to attempt to make the bottle from green candy melts. I bought myself a new toy: a fondant ribbon cutter/embosser from wilton

thanks so much everyone for all your help, hopefully this will go well

james i've never had any probs with pound cakes in other pans
in fact i don't even own a bundt pan

Lazy_Susan, Yes, they STRESSED it was brand new. Can you imagine an end of summer flip-flop, YUK.