Hi,
I find I must stop by the gallery everyday to admire and learn all that is possible with cakes. I am also always amazed by how nice the photos always look. So now that I have been doing a few cakes for family and friends I have to ask when do you find time to take a picture? Does anyone use a EZCUBE for photographing their cakes?
I ask because I bake the cake the night before its due, wake up the next morning and decorate and seem to finish just minutes before its time for pick-up or delivery. While the camera is at hand but I have coloring gel, buttercream, tips and stuff all over the table so I cant take a picture. I just take a quick snapshot when its in the box. I have read on hear where some of you make the cakes freeze and decorate the day before due. Im new to decorating. I dont know how to freeze. I bake late at night and let it sit out over night to cool. To ensure the cake is as fresh as possible but I would love to learn how to have it ready the day before so I have plenty of time to photograph.
If you have a cake due Sunday at 1:30 PM when do you bake and decorate?
I always bake two days before and decorate the day before I need the cake. The cake will be fine for a couple days just sitting on the counter as long as it's wrapped or iced.
This gives you time if the cake turns into a disaster and ensures that you won't be so rushed. I also find that if it's for a birthday party at my house it allows plenty of time for cleanup and other prep.
As for freezing it's not hard, all you do is make sure the cake is well wrapped and stick it in the freezer (make sure there's a flat spot for it). Some people ice frozen, other's crumb coat frozen and ice after thawing and others wait until thawed to start.
I always bake my cakes a few days ahead and freeze them. So, if it was due on Sunday, I would bake the cake on one of the weekdays, then wrap my layers with saran wrap and freeze them. Then I would remove them from the freezer on Saturday and decorate them. Then I would refrigerate the cake until Sunday. I think freezing the cake makes it a lot more moist. It always seems a little dry if I have not frozen it.
And, I sit the cake on the dining room table to photograph it. My kitchen is always much too messy!
If I have a cake due by 1:30, I will bake the cakes Sat AM or early afternoon (I like things to be as fresh as possible) and will then do at least the filling and "simple" decor of the cake that day. I then put the finishing touches on the next morning when I am fresh. I also find this helps my creativity because as I am running the next morning I think about what I can do to make this cake truly unique and special to this person.
As you'll find, everyone has a different way of doing things. For me this is a fun hobby so I don't generally do more than 2 or 3 cakes a week and that is pushing it as I also work full time. Sometimes I'll go a couple of weeks w/o doing one, etc. Anyway, the important thing is to figure out what works for you and go with it!!
Good luck, and I look forward to some pictures of your beautiful cakes!
Janeil
i bake ahead and wrap with saran wrap. it gives me plenty of time to decorate, fix mistakes 
and keeps it fresh and moist!
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