A Thread For All Uk Bakers!!
Decorating By hailinguk Updated 25 Aug 2017 , 10:29am by Magic Mouthfuls
AHi all goodness there's a ton to catch up with. Lovely photo M4rvel and Jean - and love seeing all the purchases too. Hi Kelsey and anyone else I've missed. Had a busy weekend playing with our dummies - will try to post something tomorrow. Shattered after a trip to Brick Lane. Talking about calories in rib eye steak - I had a maaassivvve bagel with salt beef...so worth it though. Kathy
AArgghhhh just tried to have a catch up but not sure how much I can remember lol (please forgive me
AEvening chaps :-)
Lots of steak lovers here then! I have to say, it was well worth the calories, you can't beat a perfectly cooked bit of steak... and bearnaise sauce :-D
Pretty cuppies Mel! I don't see why the ganache idea wouldn't work. The only thing I can think of is if the fat reacts with the marzipan somehow (no idea why it would, it's just a thought). Could you just whack a bit of ganache on some marzipan now and leave it for a week, see what happens?
I can't see what bit you're talking about having broken Victoria? Maybe it's obvious to you but it's eluding me, it just looks like perfect lace :-/
Fyi, I used some CB lace I made about 5 months ago for a friend's cake I did recently and it was still completely flexible. That was the white one though, gold was too brittle to use. Normally though I add some of the part b liquid to the metallic one to give it a bit more flex, but I forgot this time so that might have had an effect. Interesting to read about the lakeland one being good though, I might give that a try next time I need to order.
Speaking of lakeland, I want to have a go with my hemisphere tins. Am I remembering right that a few people have them on here? Does anyone have any tips before I try it? I have a teapot wedding cake in a few months, so I thought I should at least practice first!
What did you see Cheryl? Was your meal nice?
Off to bed now, I just can't shake this illness so still feeling a bit pants and I feel like I need a few early(ish) nights.
Night all :-)
A
Original message sent by Lizzybug78
Fyi, I used some CB lace I made about 5 months ago for a friend's cake I did recently and it was still completely flexible. That was the white one though, gold was too brittle to use. Normally though I add some of the part b liquid to the metallic one to give it a bit more flex, but I forgot this time so that might have had an effect. Interesting to read about the lakeland one being good though, I might give that a try next time I need to order.
Speaking of lakeland, I want to have a go with my hemisphere tins. Am I remembering right that a few people have them on here? Does anyone have any tips before I try it? I have a teapot wedding cake in a few months, so I thought I should at least practice first!
I have the gold lace on the way, any tips on using it? Better fresh out of the oven or the next day? How quickly did it go brittle? *panics*
I have the hemisphere tins and I have found that buttering AND using cake release gets them out best. With regards to cooking, slow and steady wins the race. They take ages - so much longer than normal pans, so lower heat for a longer time is my recommendation.
AWe saw taken 3 (hubby's choice not mine lol) and dinner was quite nice we went to a American type place and I had a pulled pork burger and chips
AOh yeah I brought some marshmallow fluff from b&m what do you normally use it for in baking?? My son wanted me to buy it so he can have it on toast but I have heard of it for baking/icing but can't remember what for lol
AMorning all.
Had a nite mare kind of night, spent all day doing bits and bobs, made the cake, 3 layers, choc, caramel and ganache cream, crumbcoated it, the covered it, only to find at about 11 it was cracking, had to take it all off recover everything, board too. Got got this is awful feeling things will not go right today.
Mel, yours cakes are adorable.
Last night Nicola, could have easily eaten those chips, they looked soooooo good.
AMorning! Yikes it's early LOL!
Sorry Sugar I missed your fish and chip cakes, they look fab! I love the display it look so cute!
Marvel, wow fab haul LOL! In terms of the metallic lace, I found it more flexible to use fresh than left. I think you might be able to add a layer of white to the back of a metallic though to make it soften a little, but I might be wrong! Worth asking on the CB Facebook page perhaps, am sure I've seen something about it though! Oh and the metallic laces don't have the same taste/smell as the yummy vanillay white lace :/
Suzanne, yes I figured it wouldbe focused on their stuff, but as I haven't had much of a play with Squires I don't mind, as long as all the cutter people, etc are there :) how did the birthday cake go? Hope you managed to get a little rest!
Lizzy, LOL that was my exact worry! I think you are right I might have to do a test run and see what happens. You get choc covered marzipan sweets though, so am guessing it should be ok?! I've only got the little hemisphere pans and mine seemed ok, I made a little collar of foil for them to sit in on a tray in the oven, and greased them well and added a small circle of parchment to the very bottom of the pan, with the edges snipped so it fitted in a bit better, if that makes sense! I think it does also depend on your cake recipe. I used my choc cake for the top of a birdcage and that naturally crusts a little and comes away from the pan when cooked.
Chezzabelle sounds like a lovely night out! I'm doing a little christening cake in a couple of weeks, for a boy called Teddy, so he's getting a modelled teddy topped and name blocks, as well as polka dots :)
Right, time for breakfast! Have a lovely day everyone :) x
AOh no Nanny, it's no fun at all when the cake gremlins creep in and mess things up is it?! Big hugs, sending the cake fairies your way for today x
Morning all
Lizzy, I just use my homemade cake release (equal parts oil, shortening and flour) on my hemisphere tins and the all the cakes have come out pretty great. When the cake has cooled, pry it loose with something flexible, I used a somewhat flexible but stiffish spatula, and when you're confident that the whole cake is coming loose from the tin, turn it over to release. Also you will need a circle cutter or something similar to place the tin on. Lakeland doesn't sell the hemisphere tins with a stand so you'll need to use what you have at home. My 6" pans take the same amount of batter as my whole 8" cake recipe, if I recall correctly.
Chezza, I've mixed marshmallow fluff with SMBC before but it seemed to make it sweeter but with not much marshmallow flavour. Have a look on pinterest for christening cake ideas. Tons there.
Kusshi, lovely cake. Very classy.
Jo, Love the fish and chip cupcakes! Chips were perfect size :)
Nanny, did you mean the ganache was cracking?
AHi everyone, sorry I wasn't here all day yesterday. Spent the day at the big wedding fayre in Manchester and then out for afternoon tea with my mum, MIL and bridesmaids. It was a lovely day.
Thanks for the comments on the fish and chip cakes, glad you all liked them. My FIL loved them though he was very confused when he first saw them! The chips are just sugar cookies Chezza.
Love the frozen cake thing maisie I'll have to see if I can watch that. Cute idea having Olaf eating cake.
Speaking of frozen at the show yesterday they did a catwalk of dresses and they even had a frozen section! Can you believe that frozen has now even influenced wedding dresses? It's crazy. They were beautiful, not to my taste but beautiful.
Glad you all had fun at CI, wish I could have gone!
AThanks for all the tips chaps! Now I just have to try and get out for ingredients (waiting for builders so can't leave atm).
Jean, when you say it took your 8" mix, do you mean in one half or to make a whole sphere?
The metallic does seem better used sooner than later m4rvel,but it had been on my drawer for 5 months just stored in baking paper. You know you get two parts to the one you have to mix yourself? I use a tiny bit of the liquid normally when I do the metallic and it really helps with flexibility. There always seems to be more than you need of it, so as long as you work out how much you actually need for the powder you know the rest is OK to use. I have used a metallic one about 3 months after making by putting that liquid in, but either 5 months was too long or I forgot to add it this time.
That sounds lovely Cheryl - the meal anyway. Much as I love Liam Neeson, the taken films don't really interest me. Pulled pork burger though, I can get on board with that :-D
I really want to see The Theory of Everything though (even though the trailer makes me cry). I find Stephen Hawking so amazing, and it cracks me up when arguably the most intelligent person on the planet does silly comedy stuff. Also, my favourite aunt died from Motor Neuron disease so from that point of view it resonates with me.
Nicola, what does a Frozen dress look like?? My mind is boggled :-D
Oh dear Nanny :-( Crossing everything for you that you don't have a gremlin filled day!
Morning all - I am defeated by this thread! I cannot catch up. I tried but failed
Nicola - the fish and chip cakes are brilliant! I tried to post last night but ran out of battery. Mel - I really like those cupcakes - very classy looking as is your cake Kelsey.
Well - I had some mother/daughter time this weekend and we got this huge delivery of dummies out of their packaging (I have NO idea where I'm going to keep them!). Anyway - Sophie took her mind off her work for a few hours and produced her first ever painted cake:
Unfortunately, we forgot to buy appropriate sized boards! Ah well. I am so pleased with what she produced - she copied the design from a cake magazine that she bought. I am still doing mine - I completely messed up the sugarpasting on my first tier - and then that's when I discovered what ruffles are for!!! Anyway - mine is still work in progress. I found it very difficult because I clingfilmed them and it was hard to get a tight fit with the heart shape particularly. What tips have any of you got for protecting your dummies?
Kathy
Ooh, I really like that Kathy. Summer wedding anyone??
I just use trex before covering them. It makes the paste stick really well and you can just peel it off when you're done. Easy peasy
Also, if you're covering smaller dummies, a board with 3 nails stuck in it is dead handy to whack the dummy on to stop you chasing it around the sodding worktop until it falls on the floor. No personal experience there at all
Thanks Lizzy yes it is very summery is'nt it? I think I didn't use enough trex on them to be honest. I didn't think to secure them with nails either - I just slathered some icing on. I must say, it's a weird feeling icing them as there's no weight in them.
Kathy
AHi all. Well the 2nd covering was much better than the first, defo gremlins at their best last night. It went better than I though, so worried about breaking things.
Here it is and there is one obvious error, you cant fail to spot it.[IMG]http://www.cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3328557/width/200/height/400[/IMG]
AThe strips, on the front d on match up, they did last night, but when I assembled it this morn it didn't, was gonna attempt to redo it, but I think John would divorce me.
ARandom question but how do you do quilting (think that's what it's called) on a cake??
AJealous of your haul Marvel and the fact there's a rose mat coming out excited me to no end!
Nicola your cupcakes are so cute? LOVE the chips! Mel yours are so funky I love them! All the cakes I've seen on here today are beautiful you clever bunch!
Quote:
The strips, on the front d on match up, they did last night, but when I assembled it this morn it didn't, was gonna attempt to redo it, but I think John would divorce me.
I honestly didn't see it....I think you are being hard on yourself - it's quite a feat to get that looking like a market stall. I take my hat off to you - I really like it. Poor John! I think he's a cake "widower" or whatever the male equivalent of a "golf widow" is! I know mine is.
Chezza - do you mean like in my avatar? If you do then it was harder than it looked. I had bought a diamond impression mat but that turned out to be just an ornament - had to resort to pressing a diamond cutter into the fondant to get the indentation.
I quite fancy doing that puffy, billowy effect - don't know what it's called.
Kathy
Thanks for the info about claire bowman and Lakeland cake lace, Mel, Lizzy and Jean. I think it'll be worth trying a different sort of cake lace, as the Magic Decor certainly was not floppy! Interesting that the pearlised and metallic mixes are stiffer than the plain white. Are the other coloured versions also stiffer?
Sorry Lizzy, it looked like I was complaining about how the lace had turned out when it was finally stuck on the cake! Actually I was quite pleased with the finished effect; it was just such a pain getting it to that stage. The lace kept shattering when I cut it, even though I was doing it as gently as I could, and one of the pieces of lace I'd made was mostly unusable because it broke up so much. Most of the border around the base is made up from bits of shattered lace which I pieced back together. It didn't like bending over the top either - at the top of each motif, the top part of the trefoil has snapped, although it isn't too visible because it's a thin part.
Beautiful painted cherries cake, Kathy . Nanny, your cake has turned out so well. I can't see what the mistake is at all?! In my books, an obvious mistake would be misspelling "Happy Birthday" or "John", and you certainly haven't done that!
Chezza, this technique isn't exactly quilting, but it might be similar to what you're looking for? https://thejoyofcake.shutterfly.com/tutorials/4
Quick question for those of you who run a business: do any of you live in rented accommodation? I'm trying to look into the possibility of setting up a cake-decorating business from a rented flat, but most renting contracts (I think) state that you can't run a business from the premises. Many thanks in advance for your help
Aw Nanny its fab!! I couldn't spot any problems at all - its the same when any of us make something, we all see the bits we aren't keen on but no-one else can! Hes going to be over the moon, its great!
Kathy, love the cherry cake - very pretty!
Ooh Theory of Everything is great - if you are a softie (like me - I blub at anything!) then take a hankie, its very moving!
Chezza I did some quilting, think its on the top tier of my avatar actually. I just used a triangle of card and a quilting tool. Very low tech but it seemed to work. I marked all around the bottom of the cake at inch intervals (I think it was!) Then held the card to the side of the cake (it was a right angle at the bottom so a 45' slant) and drew the lines up the cake along the slant of the card with the quilting tool. Then I turned the card over and went back the other way :) I hope that makes sense LOL!
Right, better get back to work I suppose!
AThanks everyone, he just picked it up he said it actually looks like him. He loved it, phew! Relived is an understatement.
Mel you make that sound so easy bet it isn't, I made it hard work using the patchwork quilt thingy.
Kathy, I know you said your daughter did the cake, it's gorgeous by the way.
Aw yay, its so nice when you get to see the reaction isn't it! Thats the thing I miss with wedding cakes, you don't often get to see that!
LOL it wasn't too bad, the hard part was holding the card against the cake so it didn't move, but not so firmly that you dent the cake! :)
Heres the baby shower cake from the weekend, just got it off the camera. Theme was based on their nursery decoration :)
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