A

Not at all. I do not use anything else except for ganache now. :) It gives you a very neat finish to the cake. :-D

AI just thought I'd let you all know that I was impressed with Mary-Joes Cup-Cakery with regards to the agbay. I ordered the styrofoam cutting blade and was charged £25 (for the 20"), on Agbay's website in the USA it is $24.95 and on the cake decorating company's website in the UK it is £44.99. The Agbay's are well worth the investment in my opinion!

The Agbay is one of the best cake decorating "must haves tools" in my opinion.  Definitely worth the investment I agree.

AAbsolutely!!! Makes the life much easier and well worth every penny you spent for that. :-D

Good morning, firstly just wanted to say thank you to everybody who helped me a few months ago when I was asking about using ganache, I now use it as standard and much prefer covering a cake when its on there, so much easier!  

I came here today as I'm so close to giving this business up, I've had a terrible week and really not sure I can continue working all hours - ok so I overbooked myself this week which is my fault but sometimes even on quiet weeks it feels like its taking over my life!  It isn't helped by the fact yesterday was my daughter's school Christmas bazaar and I donated a cake for the raffle only to get there and find out somebody had forced the lid on the box (which I'd told them not to put on the cake in the first place) and broken several of the polar bears and even knocked several things off and broken a present at the front of the cake to so they must have been pretty rough with it.  I was gutted to get there and be told it was damaged and did my best but there were bits missing and then when I give it back explain that its only water its stuck on with (as I wasn't expecting to do repairs so had no kit with me!) and it wouldn't stand up to be picked up and moved about too much so she got really stroppy with me and said it was a guess the weight of the cake and people would have to pick it up.  She then got even stroppier when I didn't know the weight of it!  Erm it was for the raffle no I don't have a clue!  It sounds like some bits fell off later on too.  I'm gutted, especially since people will see it as an example of my work and it looked poor.  I'm angry and incredibly upset and after a manic week I've really had enough!  

Roll on Christmas day - my first day off in weeks!  So, please tell me this is normal and I'll feel better tomorrow or am I better looking for another job with nice set hours and regular pay?!?!

thanks x

ASometimes I feel exactly the same Emma, but then other days there is nothing better in the world than handing a cake over and seeing that excited face open the box :-)

Ive decided to assume that all customers are stupid, if the cake is taller than the box they will force the lid down or put their handbag on top- I have had to do emergency repairs like this too and I was so annoyed!

For every cake I now make it impossible to force the lid down, if the cake's taller than the box I tape tall strips of cut up cake box folded once length ways into the corners, that has worked without fail for me :-)

Don't give up :-)

ATake a deep breathe. We all have moments like that. Have a rest and be kind to yourself x

Thank you, Saturday was such a low point and I feel better now, it was such a hard week and I really could have done without the extra stress.  The only reason I even gave them the lid was that it was raining on Friday and I thought whoever won it could cover it on their way home.  

I like your thinking Crazy-Gray about the customers being stupid, I will have to remember that in the future!  

Thanks again x

AI've begun wrapping tall cakes in the box with no lid but with cello wrap like florists use. As least they can see what they are manoeuvring x

HI Emma, 

I can feel your  frustration!!! BUT please don't give up. I totally agree with Cray-Gray. Even though how much you explain these things to a customer they don't get it!!! I also use cardboard strips folded in half in each corner for taller cakes. Then you can easily close the lid. You also can get them online but cheaper to use just cardboard.

Good Luck and have a lovely Christmas!!!

AAAAAAARRGGHH can't believe I  just used SR flour instead of plain for a rich fruit cake!! I didn't realise until doing the washing up once it was already in the oven... I had already soaked the fruit in brandy and Cointreau for 10 days!  I may need this cake for a wedding on 18th Jan  (if the groom doesn't like fruit cake it will do for his niece's baptism in June!!!) Can't believe I just did that!

it's almost better if you never realize it huh -- dang it

but i'm sure it will be fine--what if you made it fall?

(oops i'm an american -- don't hold it against me ;)

AMy fruit cake recipe is half SRF and half PF. Maybe it will just rise a bit more than normal?!

Well it is now out of the oven and cooling in it's tin.  It looks a little higher in the tin than I would expect, but it is evenly baked.....I just hope it matures well enough.  I normally like 4-5 weeks for maturing.....I have only 3 weeks with this one...which is why I left the fruit to soak for so long.....it DID smell good when I added it

If it had been for a normal Christmas cake I wouldn't worry,,,but for someone's wedding cake ?!  This is the first wedding cake I've offered to ice as well as bake...normally I let someone else do the skilled icing!  I'm just waiting on word from the bridal couple.....I don't think they are very organised!

Hi All
im from the UK and bought my 1st airbrush, what brand of colour is the best to get?
I have a dinky doodle airbrush.

Also any tips and tricks would be great :D

Cheers
Jo

Hi there.  I have the dinkydoodle brush and so far, have only bought the dinkydoodle paints as well...partly because they are alcohol based and partly because I haven't had the time to research the others yet :-s  My (limited) understanding of airbrush paints is that the first thing you want to decide is how you want to use them/what effect you want to create...for example the alcohol based paints evaporate leaving only the colour behind meaning you can layer colour on top of colour without them mixing (thus creating a different colour) on your page/cake.  They also dry really quickly which is useful and you can use them on chocolate.  I know there are loads of brands out there but that's about all I know so far...hopefully someone with a lot more airbrushing experience will be able to help :-)

Hi jojo35

I'm booked in on a beginners course with Lisa Munroe at the end of January. www.airbrushes.com

My airbrush has been lurking unused in a cupboard since Cake International 2 yrs ago so I decided this was the only way top overcome my fear of it. Lisa was very helpful when I spoke to her.

I think the airbrush I bought came with Kroma colours but I since found some Americolor at the Cake Decorating Company in Nottingham.

I always stick to a Victoria sponge cake recipe, most call for vanilla but if not you can just add it in. I haven't made very many cupcakes as I prefer to make big cakes however the ones I have done using a VS recipe have turned out v good!! 

Good luck :)

I always stick to a Victoria sponge cake recipe, most call for vanilla but if not you can just add it in. I haven't made very many cupcakes as I prefer to make big cakes however the ones I have done using a VS recipe have turned out v good!! 

Good luck :)

AHi I'm new to this.

I'm making a despicable me cake for my friend birthday. I need a vanilla cake recipe that will be quite firm but taste amazing. Any suggestions?

I looked on bsg but could ind any recipes?

Xxx:-(

This is my go-to vanilla cake recipe

http://fromscratchsf.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/white-cake-part-3-with-recipe/

I usually make it with whole eggs or egg yolks (egg yolks if I'm making a meringue buttercream), it's delicious!

LisaPeps, I've never had much luck with this recipe, I just figured it was the lack of cake flour in the UK rather than readily admitting to not being able to bake it... What flour do you use if you don't mind me asking? Regular plain flour? Thanks!

AThere isn't a recipe there its been taken down need one for tomorrow any suggestions? Xx

AI use mcdougalls sponge flour (blue packet) and lower the amount of leavening.

Oh dear, just seen she's took it down, hopefully I have a printed copy at my moms :S

AI like Maisie Fantasie and Peggy porschen uses the same [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3179677/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

Thanks! LisaPeps, I'll have to try that!

AHi there I own a little bakery in Devon - we love Mary Berry's Baking Bible - not one of her recipes have gone wrong - they are idiot proof :D

AHi there, I always use the HD recipe which is on BSG forum. But you need to register to see all the recipes and it's free too. This cake is great for carving too. I put the cake in the fridge prior to carving, which makes it easier to carve and less crumbs. :D

Hello all...

I have a new cake business, I started it in Sept 2013 =o)..

Cakes by Deborah

www.cakesbydeborah.com

www.facebook.com/Cakes.by.Deborah.R

I'm situated in Bridgend, S Wales...

I always use the following Victoria Sponge recipe for a 10" round cake -

10 oz SR Flour (home pride)

10 oz Caster Sugar

10 oz Stork

5 med Eggs (free range)

2 tsp Vanilla Ess

190 degrees for 45 mins...

I make two of these to sandwich together to make a nice deep cake...

I would love to see what recipes you all use...

Hugs xxx

I always use a vanilla madeira recipe as this is a little firmer than VS  and keeps well.xx