The cakes were pretty neat. I think Duff needs to work on the details more, instead of just having a cool idea and not being able to execute it completely. The winner was definitely very well deserving. And the newcomer, Flora, did an amazing job, I thought....best work for a first-timer that I've ever seen in one of these competitions.

I loved Mike's cake. To me, it seems like Duff doesn't take it too seriously, but he does have a good time. He had such a good attitude about the Mystery cake fiasco.

hey guys!
I just posted a questions about the show. Did you guys catch the link or the exact recipe for Duff's buttercream frosting?

Yeah, he does seem to really take it all in stride very well. I would just love, for once, to see one of those cool ideas of his actually make it!! lol

nope, and the link was longer like www.foodnetword.com/something or other. i saw the backslash and something but by the time i saw it, it was gone.

YAY!!!!! Mike finally won!!!! I wonder what CP would have made if she were in it? Hmmmmmm.....

I think Duff's novelty is fading with every challenge....sorry to say...
but that Bellagio chick was FABULOUS!!!! I loved her style.....she must have been so frustrated when her guitar broke!!!

I have the show on my TiVO and the link is just www.foodnetwork.com

I am so happy that Mike finally won!! and I'm also glad he mentioned he was robbed on the mystery cake challenge, even though we all knew it.

Patty

hmmm... i could have sworn i saw a backslash... well i will keep trying to find it.

chefdot--
I think Duff is using the buttercream recipe that is Kim Morrison's Vanilla Buttercream Icing from Food Network. The ingredients seem very much the same. I have also emailed Duff to see if he would share it agian. I will let you know if I hear from him.

I think Duff should not be there..Since he is there to make cakes and not to "Have Fun", he should at least be more serious about making more competitive looking cakes. I like those chefs who take their work more seriously.. Their work is more presentable and really something which we can call the fruit of their labor. Their work speak for themselves. The hardworking Chefs have more integrity..

Duff's assistant Mary just emailed me the recipe! woohoo!
Here it is if any of you want it!

French Buttercream
Recipe courtesy Duff Goldman, Charm City Cakes, Baltimore Maryland

Ingredients:
10 egg whites
15 Oz. granulated sugar
2 1/2 pounds of room temperature butter

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 min
Yield: Roughly four pounds of buttercream (enough to ice a 3-tier cake)

Equipment:
5 qt. mixer w/ bowl and whip attachment
Rubber Spatula

1)  Start whipping egg whites slowly in the mixer by themselves (no sugar or butter yet) until the whites are foamy. Make sure to have a completely clean and dry bowl when you start your process, any fat or liquid at all in the bowl will stunt the protein development of the albumen (egg white protein) and you will not have a proper meringue at the end, the results could be disastrous.
2)  Increase the speed of the mixer and slowly start adding the sugar until all the sugar is incorporated.
3)  Once all the sugar is in, increase the speed of the mixer even further and whip until the mixture is shiny and stiff. You now have a meringue. You know when your meringue is done when you pull out the whip, hold it horizontal, and if you have what looks a sparrows beak on the end of the whip.
4)  Replace the whip, turn the mixer on medium and start adding the butter a bit at a time, once all the butter is incorporated, turn the mixer on high and leave it for a while. Depending on the weather, the buttercream could take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to form. You will know when it has formed when you hear the motor of the mixer starts to slow down and whine a little bit, also, when you first add the butter, your meringue will break down and look nasty, this is good and is what you want. When the buttercream is done, the mixture will be homogeneous and consistentand tasty.
5)  Remove the buttercream from the bowl and place in an airtight container. Buttercream can be kept at room temperature for a few days or in the fridge for a week or two, but always use warm buttercream when icing a cake. To warm up the buttercream, put it back in the mixer using the whip or the paddle, and apply direct heat with a propane torch you can find at any hardware store.

I was happy to see Mike making it finally. His cake was excellent. I also wonder if Colette were in the challenge, if he would have won. Sometimes I think she wins because of her name, even though there are better people in the competition. Mike is my favorite.

I really thought that everyone did really good. I loved the doggy with the blue suede shoe, i loved the evlis with all the fringe. I was glad they had people who should have been there unlike the cake diva. I missed the part were the judges critiqued them. i have to catch it the next time it comes on.

I thought everyone did an excellent job........I'm glad on who won it.....I was amazed on the guitars as tiers......


Betty

i was glad that mike won finally in first place. now for duff he plays around to much. and i'm starting not to like him to much. i didn't like the idea of the judges telling them what they thought of their cake as in what was wrough with it. they could have left that out..

shaddi

I'm sorry, but I LOVE Duff! I think he just absolutely loves what he does so much, that he's just happy to do and work with people he admires (remember, Mike is his Obi-Wan Kenobi)- which is why it looks like he may not take it that seriously.

But, if he did worked on some of the small details (the rotating cake would have been great) I think he'd take it next time.

Its was a great show, glad Mike won his work was fabulous. As for Duff he still has to droof that he has what it takes to be on one of these competitions. So far he only has been the clown for the show.

I like Duff, too! Yes, he jokes but it's part of his appeal. Check out his site and you'll see he doesn't make shabby cakes. No doubt Mike deserved to win, he is, like his shop title says, amazing. he has incredible detail. Colette I love and is more whimsical, everyone has their own style.

FYI, Duff's buttercream recipe is IMBC. It's not a secret recipe. I love Duff b/c he has fun. He's still relatively new to decorating and has fun with it.

Is it really bubblez? Never used it before and his sounded good.

Adven68--
I'm with you--just exactly how does the sugar "cook" the egg whites when it is not hot itself. I emailed Duff again to make sure about the raw egg whites and they said the same thing...the sugar "cooks" the egg whites."

Apparently I must have slept through this experiment in lab or possibly homemaking in high school.

Me thinks Duff forgot a step. I always suggest trying Martha's recipe for first time IMBC. The basic technique is to heat sugar and water on the stove and then the hot syrup mixture to the eggwhites. Then, slowly add room-temp butter.

hth

I too am glad that Mike FINALLY won and he was very humbled about it!!
At first, I didn't think he was going to find his cake pieces from the airport. Hmmm,,what airline was that to NOT use? hehe........

I agree that Doug should not be competing,,he doesn't seem to take it seriously, and his work looks sloppy and rushed..I think the day he does win,,I will eat one of my dummy cakes!!!!

Thanks for the recipe for the buttercream!!!!!!!!

All the cakes were great but I was also glad to see Mike win. Hopefully the newcomer will be able to participate in future challenges. Her work was fantastic.

I think Duff is fun. One day I may have to visit his store since I don't live too far from Baltimore. Maybe I could persuade him to let me be his assistant on the next challenge?LOL (probably NOT)

I saw it on my TIVO and watched it more than 3 times! I'm so HAPPY to see that Mike won. He really deserved it. Duff is funny - I enjoyed his sense of humor. The newcome gal did a great job, too. The dog is cute, too, but it wasn't fancy enough to me, though. If I have a company party, I would choose Mike's, because it looks so professional.

I'm glad Mike won too! I was disappointed in the last challenge - I thought his was the best. I thought Duff did much better this time. He was more serious and still had fun. If you can't have fun with it - why do it! As for the torch - don't they use one on creme brule? Wouldn't the flame kill anything they might otherwise have to worry about?

Deb

Hey chefdot,
Duff's butter cream if called French butter cream and you can find the receipt just by . it or find it on foodnetwork.com. Hope that helps.