From Scratch Or Cake Mixes?

Baking By kristyaaa Updated 16 Jun 2014 , 4:35pm by maisie73

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nannycook Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 7:24am
post #61 of 121

AHere I go again, in hysterics, cant match your wit!!!

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cakebaby2 Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 7:41am
post #62 of 121

Its a curse nanny, just have a very different take on life. I've lost count of the people who just don't understand me parents, teachers, serious crime squad.

What business is of theirs what I buy on the internet with my own money?

Its strictly non profit anyway, my gumpaste Steves' brighten many a lady pensionesr day at the retirement home,(some of the old men like them too..you should see their wee faces!

What business is it of the Serious Crime Squad how my props are so detailed...even I have to say down to the

night vision thermal thingy?

 

I'm hoping my computer doesn't crash as it usually does for hours at a time, it may show me online even though I'm actually working on some of my other projects...in the basement.

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maisie73 Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 8:01am
post #63 of 121

AMorning! :-)

Sorry cake baby, looked for the clue, can't find it! Might be cos I'm not a morning person, might be cos I'm the UK threads resident doofus! Please tell me you've got a blog, you're hilarious! :-D

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cakebaby2 Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 8:07am
post #64 of 121

Quote:

Originally Posted by maisie73 

Morning! icon_smile.gif

Sorry cake baby, looked for the clue, can't find it! Might be cos I'm not a morning person, might be cos I'm the UK threads resident doofus!
Please tell me you've got a blog, you're hilarious! icon_biggrin.gif

Used to, until those busybodies at the Home Office began reading things into perfectly innocent posts..I'm a florist for God's sake...natural poisons are my hobby..to avoid you understand? 

(you'll kick yourself when you find the clue)

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maisie73 Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 8:22am
post #65 of 121

AJust been back to look, still can't find it! It'll do my head in now. I will find it tho!

Have you "met" crazygray cakebaby? You'd get on well I think!

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cakebaby2 Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 8:33am
post #66 of 121

You'll have to excuse me for a while I'm at a very delicate stage with my gumpaste Steve, too much Rice crispy bulk in the area, could get me arrested again, too little and he just isn't Steve, could be any old bouncer.

This is a crucial stage.

I swear I'm my own worst critic!

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nannycook Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 10:38am
post #67 of 121

AOn come then cakebaby, its killing me, is gum paste Steve bulky yet?

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enga Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 1:37pm
post #68 of 121

Quote:

Originally Posted by cakebaby2 
 

Waiting for the water, but the egg is here, its still warm the hen just laid it. I've got 6 Rhode Island Reds and I've just let them out.

I'm going to conduct this experiment scientifically and follow the directions on the box to the letter.

Gum paste Steve is hardening nicely and I decided to go for the string vest look rather than the top hat look. It will give me a chance to practice my piping skills?

I've an edible pen for the tattoos (he's heavily tattooed but having never seen his actual torso in real life I've gone for a bit of artistic licence on his chest)

I'm quite looking forward to this little project.x

cakebaby2 you had me in stitches yesterday, today I cant wait to see gum-paste Steve, his outfit and tattoos! Maybe more so than the actual cake, lol. You guys really know how to keep a thread entertaining.

 

A little off topic, how is the temperament of Rhode Island Reds, cant make a decision if I want that breed, the Easter egg or both? Do the have great personalities?

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cakebaby2 Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 1:38pm
post #69 of 121

I believe it is a fair representation of his physique, I got so engrossed I forget about my box mix cake, the whole point of the excercise...so I left Steve missing a bicep and cracked my egg, measured my water and cooked it in one 8" tall pan rather than the two sandwich tins the box ordered me too.

 

It was supposed to take 20 mins but I gave it just over 30. By now the smell of cake was faint in the basement where I was resuming work on Steve, who had wilted a little and now looked as though he was trying to run away rather than do an amusing little dance.

 

 I removed the cake from the oven and it did indeed look like a cake and smell like one too.

I think this cake could keep for weeks, its very springy and would need Leah's  famous SPS to hold the weight of Steve even missing a bicep.

I may have to leave his little hat and Doc Martins off.

Taste? I've had worse, its very keen to shout out its synthetic vanilla flavour and the texture could be kindly described as "light and fluffy" but in reality its pockets of air trapped between some chemical substances the EU hasn't got around to banning yet.x

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cakebaby2 Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 1:48pm
post #70 of 121

To Enga,

The Rhode Islands are great birds, inquisitive, friendly and good layers but you cant beat those ex battery girls, I had them before the Rhodes and they never went off the lay. Mine free range in nearby fields I let them out in the morning and don't see them again until dusk. The eggs are huge and glorious with yolks ranging from neon yellow to bright orange, meringues whip with a touch of the mixer and your cakes change colour.

I'm doing my daughters wedding cake in September and unfortunately cant use my own eggs for the cakes because they've never been innoculated so I have to buy them which is a bit annoying.

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enga Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 2:05pm
post #71 of 121

Thank you so much, I cant wait to get some of my own hens, we are allowed to have 4 in the city. There's nothing like gathering your own eggs in the morning. Your girls sound like the have a better social life than me haa haa!

 

My curiosity is piqued, do ex battery girls go by another name? I've never heard of them before.

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enga Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 2:13pm
post #72 of 121

My computer keeps freezing, sorry to hear about you not being able to use your own eggs for your daughters wedding :(, I think fresh eggs take cakes to new level tastes wise and the color puts store bought ones to shame. 

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maisie73 Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 2:27pm
post #73 of 121

AOk cake baby, I give in! Just read the whole thread twice and I can't find the clue! Reading it straight through twice has conjured up a colourful picture of you tho! The image I have is of a mad, (very) Scottish lady who lives in a big, old house, halfway up a grey Scottish mountain, with grey, Scottish weather. She keeps big tattoed brutes locked in her cellar to conduct experiments on them while wearing a leather thong and basque. To avoid suspicion she wears tartan, sensible shoes, does good deeds and voluntary work and bought her children up on wholesome homemade baked goods! :-D

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nannycook Posted 11 Jun 2014 , 6:57pm
post #74 of 121

AWell Cakebaby, gum paste Steve must finished by now! Where is he?

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cakebaby2 Posted 12 Jun 2014 , 6:33am
post #75 of 121
Quote:
Originally Posted by maisie73 

Ok cake baby, I give in! Just read the whole thread twice and I can't find the clue!
Reading it straight through twice has conjured up a colourful picture of you tho!
The image I have is of a mad, (very) Scottish lady who lives in a big, old house, halfway up a grey Scottish mountain, with grey, Scottish weather. She keeps big tattoed brutes locked in her cellar to conduct experiments on them while wearing a leather thong and basque.
To avoid suspicion she wears tartan, sensible shoes, does good deeds and voluntary work and bought her children up on wholesome homemade baked goods! icon_biggrin.gif

 

My God!!!! ....... I blame Google Earth, they could see the acne on a flea with those satellite thingy's.You're bang on actually except for the house, which is more of a simple cottage caught on a peninsula between two large areas of water, the Irish sea and the Solway Firth, its heavily forested and the mountains are a backdrop.

I'm not a spendthrift so the basque and accessories are PVC but my goodness Maisie you're in the wrong trade, next time those Special Branch pests call around on "a tip off" I'll put a word in for you. Anyway, about Steve.

 

I was having trouble with him as I mentioned, it was muggy yesterday and we needed a good thunderstorm to clear the air, which never came. Torrential rain, but no thunder so I did the best I could with him, he was so pliable I could pose him dancing, stretching playing tennis etc.

I was just about to put him in the fridge when I had visitors. Two lovely ladies from a Church I cant mention in case it offends anyone, but they have a feverish interest in the saving of my soul. 

I always make them coffee because they won't take a dram and usually have some fruitcake drowned in brandy(funny old world eh?)

I'd been so engrossed in gumpaste Steve I'd not made anything.....or had I not!

I had two guinea pigs in sensible shoes and blue rinses sitting in my living room bibles open just waiting for my box mix.

 

Things went wrong when they spotted Steve cavorting on my kitchen table. One of them was in her eighties and she actually picked him up.

I told her it was a "wish doll" hoping she'd put him down but no, no no.

I had to sit there as gumpaste Steve was passed between them like prison currency.

Bits of him were hard but his little extremities were still soft and feverish hands examined his tattoos, tried to lift his string vest and stroke his little bald head.

It was awful nannycook, you would have cried with me.

As luck would have it, I'd decided to go for a Village People look instead of the top hat I'd originally planned so I had a little firemans hat and hose ready to apply to him.

They crammed it on giggling like schoolgirls.

Maisie, you've a good imagination, think on three elderly women fighting in a kitchen over a half naked gumpaste tattooed man?

Not pretty is it?

I had no qualms therefore about serving them my box cake and putting a dram in their coffee.

 

I was worried about putting a pic of him up because I don't  have a camera phone and would have to get someone to do it for me so its back to the drawing board.

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cakebaby2 Posted 12 Jun 2014 , 6:48am
post #76 of 121

Quote:

Originally Posted by enga 
 

Thank you so much, I cant wait to get some of my own hens, we are allowed to have 4 in the city. There's nothing like gathering your own eggs in the morning. Your girls sound like the have a better social life than me haa haa!

 

My curiosity is piqued, do ex battery girls go by another name? I've never heard of them before.

 Sorry wasn't clear Enga I just call them that, they are a hybrid hen, Rhodes crossed with some other breed I don't know which that are used by these horrible companies that keep them in A4 sized cages their whole lives. After a year they bird either dies in its cage or is culled for pet food. (Or supermarket sausage)

I had a contact in animal welfare and managed to get a dozen a few years back before they killed them. They arrived with few feathers droopy combs and were pretty depressed. They were afraid to come out of the henhouse for 3 days, then one I called her Jenny peeked out took a few steps in the garden and the rest followed.

Apart from a handful of corn in the morning I gave them nothing but kitchen scraps and they were the best flock I ever had.

They feathered up in no time and the last of that lot was six when the fox got her.

They look like the Rhode Islands just a bit scruffier, but might be nice to save 4 lives Enga, they really do repay you no matter how awful they look when they arrive?

The bonus is battery hens have been inoculated for salmonella etc so you could sell surplus eggs?

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enga Posted 12 Jun 2014 , 7:20am
post #77 of 121
Quote:
Originally Posted by cakebaby2 
 
 

Thanks for the info cakebaby2 that's great to know about the eggs too. I looked it up before I went to work and the stories in the UK were so sad. But after reading all the happy endings and looking at pics of people with their rescued girls made me want to look into getting 4 of them.

 

They seem to be funny and have quirky personalities, I would love to have a few as pets. Thank you again for letting me know about this special bird, I mean who couldn't love a face like this, lol.

 

(I couldn't get the link to load by itself but it's the girl in the 3rd pic staring straight at the camera.)

 

https://www.omlet.us/breeds/chickens/ex-battery+hen/

 

Oh and about gum paste Steve, I was so looking forward to meeting him haa haa haa. Poor Steve I feel bad that he had to suffer so much trauma at the hands those ladies.

 

We have a group here and the states that come by every Saturday bibles in tow to save the wicked. I would place a pile of beer cans on my porch that seemed to keep them moving along to the next house, hee he he, I know that's so bad but it worked!

 

Here's to the new Steve, may he have nice bulk (not so much to get you into trouble but enough to be Steve) and great tattoos! :lol: 

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cakebaby2 Posted 12 Jun 2014 , 7:31am
post #78 of 121

Once they get over their natural fear of people they have great personalities and lay 24/7 365 days of the year, even when other breeds stop in the Winter, do you not have factory farming in the US?

It's only hens they can do this anymore in the UK and its mostly sheds they are kept in now rather than cages.

 

The beer idea is good, but so is the PVC basque, just leave it on the washing line before they arrive though it did have a negative effect when it was the man and woman, talk about foot in the door tactics!

Luckily I have a shotgun licence. 

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enga Posted 12 Jun 2014 , 7:45am
post #79 of 121

Yes we do and I'm definitely going to look into finding some.

 

ROTFL!!!!! I made the mistake of letting them in once, they just wouldn't leave! I was trapped for hours 8-O

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nannycook Posted 12 Jun 2014 , 7:48am
post #80 of 121

AMy hubby and I are actually crying here and he said you should be writing scripts, what a funny read Cakebaby, your the most amazing person, and I'd love to sit down with a wee dram and just let you talk!!

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cakebaby2 Posted 12 Jun 2014 , 8:10am
post #81 of 121

Why thank you nannycook and hubby, what a nice man you must have. If you're ever in the area I'll fill you with whisky...medicinal purposes of course?

In honour of your lovely comments would you like a gumpaste hubby?

Just send me his vital statistics and I'll have a bash!

 

I can make him wearing anything you like, doing anything you like, washing dishes, gardening, rescuing you from a gang of swarthy pirates who haven't seen a woman in 9 months at sea?

That last is my favourite one, may I suggest it?

 

I have quite a backlog you'll understand, most of the ladies around here are widows, maiden ladies or nutters like me so I cant promise it'll be anytime soon, but the thought is there, and that's what counts isn't it? x

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MBalaska Posted 12 Jun 2014 , 8:46pm
post #82 of 121

Quote:

Originally Posted by cakebaby2 

"...............I can make him wearing anything you like, doing anything you like, washing dishes, ............"

 

Yes, make him do this one, and not just a quick rinse either, a true scrubbing.

does he bake from scratch or use box mixes......not that it will matter.

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nannycook Posted 12 Jun 2014 , 9:16pm
post #83 of 121

AWell Cakebaby are you going over to the "dark side"now? Have you converted to box mix now you've round they aren't that bad?

Yes please to gum paste John!

He does all of those things, gardening, dofo washes all the dishes, etc etc, he's retired, I am not!!!

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cakebaby2 Posted 12 Jun 2014 , 11:17pm
post #84 of 121

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBalaska 
 

 

Yes, make him do this one, and not just a quick rinse either, a true scrubbing.

does he bake from scratch or use box mixes......not that it will matter.

Another potential client I see?

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cakebaby2 Posted 12 Jun 2014 , 11:31pm
post #85 of 121

Quote:

Originally Posted by nannycook 

Well Cakebaby are you going over to the "dark side"now? Have you converted to box mix now you've round they aren't that bad?

Yes please to gum paste John!

He does all of those things, gardening, dofo washes all the dishes, etc etc, he's retired, I am not!!!

 

No nannycook I'll stick with the old fashioned way with flour and eggs though I concede that those who prefer to decorate rather than bake need a canvas for their art.

It wasn't disgusting but it wasn't nice and if I ever order a custom cake again I will now make sure that the cake is a scratch cake something I never thought to ask before.

All in all I'm glad I had a go at it, the cake tasted  exactly the same as the "wake cake" without the drop of the crater to wash it down.

 

I'm already planning gumpaste John,  a rugged Welshman...like Richard Burton?

I liked him in Cleopatra so perhaps a little toga and sandals, and a sword?

And a big "Ilove nannycook" tattoo. x

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nannycook Posted 13 Jun 2014 , 6:29am
post #86 of 121

AOK, I've got that picture already in my head, dont think it would do gum paste John justice though, toga, sword,mmm, think its the sandals that me holding back, saying that as long as you dont give him socks I think I can cope, ha ha, you what they say with men with sandals and socks!!!

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maisie73 Posted 13 Jun 2014 , 7:53am
post #87 of 121

AHilarious! I wanna see gum paste John! I read sandals and I was screaming at my phone..... Sandals and socks, you gota give him white towelling socks! But then I read on and saw that Nanny's already vetoed that! :-(

Yes I do talk to my phone! And my car and my cakes and other inanimate objects.

Yes, I probably am mental. :-)

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MBalaska Posted 13 Jun 2014 , 8:20am
post #88 of 121

Luke Evans.............

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cakebaby2 Posted 13 Jun 2014 , 12:18pm
post #89 of 121

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBalaska 
 

Luke Evans.............

Oh yes with the Daniel Craig look emerging from the sea dripping wet.....a chance to use my isomalt?

I believe in meaningful practice MB.

I thought the "jewels" were kind of passe for the isomalt everyone's doing it.

 

My little gumpaste posse might benefit from the merest glisten of the medium on strategic areas, torso, upper arms and in the case of nannycook's rampaging pirates at the corners of their mouths for realistic "drool"?

Obviously gumpaste John could have it for his sudsy fun at the basin as well, but I'm not giving up with the. I

In the spirit of realism he'd hardly be doing dishes in sandals with or without the socks.

Thankfully I still have gumpaste Steve's little Doc Martins as he never got a chance to wear them owing to be mauled by the lionesses masquerading as Christians.

My imagination is on fire thanks to you thoughtful girls....and the basement is full of projects.

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cakebaby2 Posted 13 Jun 2014 , 12:39pm
post #90 of 121

Quote:

Originally Posted by maisie73 

Hilarious! I wanna see gum paste John! I read sandals and I was screaming at my phone..... Sandals and socks, you gota give him white towelling socks!
But then I read on and saw that Nanny's already vetoed that! icon_sad.gif

Yes I do talk to my phone! And my car and my cakes and other inanimate objects.

Yes, I probably am mental. icon_smile.gif

You are not "mental" my wee lamb, those are just labels an unfeeling society places on those who are different...I've heard them all.

"Dangerously unstable and sociopathic" now what exactly does that mean....those people were trespassing on my property for God's sake.

"Ferocious?" that German Shepherd attacked my son.

"Femme fatale?" okay I concede that one, but really Maisie, you chat to anything you like, you'll have the last laugh when one of those cakes etc answers back?

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