I Have The Best Sister On The Planet!!!
Decorating By cakemommy Updated 18 Nov 2006 , 10:30pm by Zmama
My sister (mommykicksbutt) just won a 1934 edition of Lambeth Method of Cake Decorating and Practical Pastries. It is a early birthday gift and Christmas gift for me. Of course we are going to share the book but I'm so happy. I FINALLY get to learn the method. This has been a difficult method to research and find any information or tutorials on. The current Martha Stewart Weddings magazine has a gorgeous cake featuring this method!!!! I am so excited to finally learn it! I'm going to do a cake with this method for the SDCC Confections on Parade Cake Show this coming up March!!!!!!! 
Anyone else have this book? Anyone else familiar with this method? I'd love to see some pictures!!!
Amy
Wow, your sister really loves YOU
I know the book features a lot of stringwork; layers upon layers, as a matter of fact.
Cakes must be traditional fruitcake (to hold up long enough to complete the elaborate decorations).
Even if you don't do tiered cakes, a simple layer cake using the Lambeth method would be a work of art
Please keep us posted on your progress!
This is just going to be a dummy cake! Can you imagine all real cake!!!! People would pass out from a sugar high just from smelling.
I love the layer upon layer look!!!! It's so old fashioned and not a design seen all too often. I can't wait to practice it! I'll definately post my attempts.
Amy
Oh no Amy,
I think that having a real Lambeth cake would be awesome!!!
Could you imagine the pure decadence of having such an elaborately worked cake creation for dessert 
I believe these cakes were made for royalty - who else could afford them 
I've been faxing and e-mailing Wilton for the past several months to re-issue the Lambeth style cake pans; they've never responded 
I'm really looking forward to your posts!!!!!
im SO jealous of u!!!!!!!!!!!!ive wanted for SOOOOOOOOOOOO long to learn extension work, but when i find a book that SORTA shows it, its only 1-2 pages long!!!!!!!!!!
is it wrong to then share some of the things u learned after u read the book? honestly i dont know, considering theres all sort's of things i dont no, to do with copyrights and whatnot.
but i certainly HOPE that u can share after
Oh heavens yes, I'll share as much as I can even if it's through a private email outside of CC if you'd like. You probably have a good idea then just how much I haven't found while researching the Lambeth method. I have heard that this book is like "gold" to the decorator! I only hope I can pull this off. An amateur like me trying to do a technique like this is pretty daring especially for a show cake! The more difficult the technique, the more I want to do it!
Amy
Amy I took a one week class in the Lambeth method of cake decorating from Edith Gates in Long Beach, California in 1964. The work is beautiful, as you say it is out of date today, but still worth learning to style. My understanding is that the cakes in England were fruit cake iced in royal icing and all decorating done in royal. The cake was removed to the kitchen for serving and the royal actually chipped off before cutting.
Here is a link to a Lambeth style dummy cake I made recently for a cake club demonstration. We auctioned it off after the demo and made a little money for our clubs coffers.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=ShirleyW&cat=0&pos=85
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=ShirleyW&cat=0&pos=86
If you need any help doing this style you can always pm me. And by the way, I lived in Port Orchard in 1958 when my husbands ship was in dry dock in Bremerton.
Shirley
ShirleyW~First of all!!! WOW!!! Back in 1958!!!! I don't mean anything by that WOW but I was born in '71 if that dates things! I love it here. My DH and I grew up in Tacoma so we are natives!!!!
I remember your cake now. I commented on it when you first posted. This is such a gorgeous style. I'm going to add you to my buddy list so I can contact you easily instead of doing a search for you!!!!!
I plan on doing a fondant covered dummy cake with royal decor for the show. Are Lambeth cakes typically monochromatic in color? I like that the color schemes are very old fashioned. I find this typical of vintage Wilton style cakes too! I'm only 34 and I just love old style cake decorating. Is that weird?? The more of a challenge it is for me the more I want to do it!!!!!
I will definately pick your brain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No doubt about that!!!!
Amy
Okay little Amy girl, you are one year younger than my youngest child! 
Most Lambeth cakes seem to be done in whites or pastels. There is a beautiful one in the book done by his wife Josephine, bright yellow with deep purple violets. I imagine if Mr. Lambeth were alive today he would be using more color himself, so I think you could use his style and choose whatever colors you want to work with. Well, maybe not bright primary colors but lighter versions.
OH MY GOSH.....this is BEAUTIFUL STUFF !!! I had never heard of it as I'm pretty new to this !!! WOW is all I can say.
I just looked to see if there are any classes at Wilton for this method and THERE IS:
http://www.wilton.com/classes/wiltonschool/class.cfm?id=1279F311-475A-BAC0-5F1294A57DA660EB
Oh, How I would love to go to this !!! This stuff is so gorgeous !!!
Shirley~~~ Hey, I turn 35 in December. I have tissues stocked up just in case I cry like my mother did when she turned 35!!! I'll never forget that day as long as I live!!!!!! You sound like a fun gal!!!!!!! BTW, I just adore the hint of color you gave your cake with the purple! Just stunning!!!!!
auntsushi~ Did you see how much $$$$$$ that is??? 
I love the Australian technque. As you can see on my avatar, I have already delved into it. Just waiting for some down time without my kids driving me insane to give it more practice. My attention now has to be on the Lambeth method!!!! I hope I can do it! I'm really excited about it!!!!!!! Hey, just noticed you're in Denver! I was born at St. Joe's many moons ago! I lived in Golden and a few other spots around the Denver area about 14 years ago during one of the biggest mistakes of my life!!!!! I do have fond memories though!!!!!!
Okay, so I just emailed the creator of that cake I was referring to in Martha Stewart's Wedding magazine and she REPLIED RIGHT AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She said I was going to "LOVE" that book! How cool is that.
Check out her cakes and her bio: www.wendykromer.com
Amy
I GOT THE BOOK IN THE MAIL TODAY AND HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK ALREADY AND I HAVEN'T EVEN SAT DOWN TO START GOING THROUGH IT. I JUST OPENED UP TO A FEW PAGES AND OH MY! I DO WISH THERE WERE MORE COLOR PAGES BUT FOR 1934 THE DETAIL ON THE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS IS PRETTY PHENOMENAL!!!!! THE RECIPES THAT I THUMBED THROUGH QUICKLY SOUND SO RICH!!!!!!!!
Okay, so I guess I can stopp using caps lock now!!! 
This book is much larger than I expected. I thought it was smaller and thicker but it's larger in size and thinner. Which is better because it makes for larger pictures!!!!! I can not wait to start this technique!!!!!!!!
Amy
Oh you know it! That was the first thing I did was smell it!!! Hey, I love the smell of old books!!!!!!! The first half of the book is about his pastries and the second half cakes. Oh man, I am going to love this. I just so happen to have some left over frosting and hopefully I'll be able to give it a whirl this week!!!!!! You know, I found the introduction to be somewhat sexist but considering it was 1934........!!!!!!!!!!!! I let it slide!
I'll share as much as I can. I can tell already this book is a real gem!!!!!!!!
Amy
cool! You're happy so I'm happy too! Don't forget to bring it when you come down here!!!!!
Someplace, a while back, I found a site that showed how to do the overpiping I think you're talking about. It's amazing and doesn't look hard. I want to learn to do this soo bad! Anyone know what I'm talking about? Easier to get it again than search for it. Thanks!
Carol
cakemommy,
This thread is right up your alley:
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-50011-.html
http://www.americancakedecorating.com/slice/01-06/Lambeth/
This is just about the only tutorial I could find while I was searching!
Amy
First of all - shame on me for not posting to this thread earlier, I have read it before. I for some reason thought I had and than I forgot to come check back.
Second - I have the book and love it as much as you do. I plan on taking the Lambeth class from Wilton next year and I am also hoping to take some classes from some other people who know Lambeth. I think it is beautiful and with piping coming back into style, I think it's a great skill to have.
Third - I'm from Sequim, Washington originally - nice to see someone from that beautiful town I'd pass through every time I was heading for the ferry!
Rachel
Hi! You lucky girl you! I would love to take a class!
What took you from Sequim to Chattanooga! I love Sequim and the Olympic Game Farm! My hubby and I used to go camping up on the Elwah River at the Altaire campground every Memorial Day until he joined the Navy! We've just been on small trips up there the last few years but I just love it. I love it up there. I'll miss this place when we have to move. We are both from here and will eventually retire but we have another 10 years until that happens!
Amy
cakemommy,
Since you love a challenge, I thought of you when I came across this recipe!
Title: Rigo Jancsi, Part 1 of 2
Categories: Desserts, Hungarian, Usenet
Yield: 1 Batch
------------------------------------CAKE------------------------------------
2 tb Butter
Flour or cocoa
3 oz Chocolate, unsweetened
3/4 c Butter (unsalted),
-softened
1/2 c Sugar
4 Eggs, separated
1 pn Salt
1/2 c Flour, all-purpose
-(sifted)
----------------------------------FILLING----------------------------------
10 oz Chocolate (semisweet),
-chopped or broken
-into small chunks
1 1/2 c Heavy cream
4 tb Dark rum
1 ts Vanilla extract
-----------------------------------GLAZE-----------------------------------
7 oz Chocolate (semisweet),
-broken or chopped
-into small chunks
1 c Sugar, granulated (fine)
1/3 c Water
TO MAKE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. With a pastry brush or
paper towel, coat an 11x17 inch jelly-roll pan with the butter. This will
seem like a lot; be very generous. Sprinkle the flour or cocoa over the
butter and shake the pan to coat the butter fully. Tap the edge of the pan
on a table to knock out the excess flour. Melt the chocolate in a double
boiler or a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool to
lukewarm.
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until the whites cling to the
beater. Add about 1/4 cup of the sugar and beat until the whites form
stiff, unwavering peaks. Cream the butter and the other (about) 1/4 cup of
the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate
and beat in the egg yolks one at a time.
With a rubber spatula, stir about 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the
chocolate mixture, then pour the chocolate mixture over the rest of the
whites. Sprinkle the flour lightly on top. Gently fold the mixture together
until no white streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan,
spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake in the middle of the oven
for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cake shrinks slightly away from the
sides of the pan and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. It
will still be very flat. Loosen the cake from the pan with a sharp knife
around the sides and turn it out onto a rack to cool. (Put the rack over
the pan and flip the whole thing over to keep the cake from breaking.)
TO MAKE FILLING: In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the cream and
chocolate and stir over medium heat until the chocolate dissolves. Then
reduce the heat to very low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the
mixture thickens to the consistency of a pudding. Pour it into a bowl and
refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
When the mixture is very cold, pour in the rum and vanilla and beat with a
whisk or beater until the filling is smooth and creamy and forms soft peaks
when the beater is lifted. Do not over-beat or you will get butter. (If
this should happen, don't despair; chocolate buttercream makes a perfectly
fine filling.)
Cut the cake in half to make two layers, each about 8 1/2 inches wide.
Spread the filling over one layer and set the other layer on top. Smooth
out the edges with a spatula. If one of the cake layers should break, use
it on the bottom. Refrigerate on a rack for about 1 hour.
: Continued in Part 2
Title: Rigo Jancsi, Part 2 of 2
Categories: Desserts, Hungarian, Usenet
Yield: 1 Batch
See Part 1
: Continued from Part 1
Part 2
TO MAKE GLAZE: In a small, heavy saucepan, heat the sugar, water and
chocolate over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar and
chocolate are dissolved. Make sure the sugar is fully dissolved or you will
get a grainy glaze. Cover the pan and let the glaze cool for about 20
minutes.
Set a jelly-roll pan on a table with one short edge propped up. Put the
rack with the cake on something else so that it is suspended level over the
pan but offset about 2 inches so that you can reach down into the lower pan
with a spoon. Hold the pan with the glaze about 2 inches over the cake and
pour the glaze on the cake. Using a large spoon, scoop up the glaze that
collects in the jelly-roll pan and put it back on the cake. Keep doing this
until the glaze begins to stop flowing smoothly. You should end up with a
thick, even layer of glaze on the cake.
Refrigerate the cake until the glaze is firm, 10 to 20 minutes. Serve by
cutting into 35 small, equal pieces, 5 in each row across and 7 in each row
down. For cutting, use a sharp knife that has been dipped in warm water and
wiped off between slices. Keep refrigerated, but for maximum flavor, allow
to come to room temperature before serving.
NOTES:
* Serving these chocolate cream slices will guarantee the success of any
endeavor. The name is pronounced, approximately, rrigo yanshi (trilled r).
This recipe comes from "The Cooking of Vienna's Empire" and is, of course,
Hungarian. A friend of mine describes the Hungarians as the people who
taught the Viennese how to bake. Yield: Makes 35.
* Fine granulated sugar is not the same thing as confectioner's sugar.
Regular granulated sugar will work ok for the glaze, just make sure it is
fully dissolved. You can avoid lots of chopping by using chocolate chips;
one cup of chips equals about 6 oz. chips.
: Difficulty: Quite difficult. For experienced dessert cooks only.
: Time: several hours.
: Precision: measure carefully.
Let us know how it turns out!
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