Mini Cakes Are Super Hard!

Decorating By JuneBugBaby Updated 16 Dec 2009 , 1:25pm by Loucinda

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JuneBugBaby Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 5:25pm
post #1 of 26

I did my first mini cake over the weekend. I used Wiltons mini pan set so it's 3 layers of mini cake. I couldn't get those little things to stay straight! Icing those things are HARD! icon_eek.gif On the second one I used some straws to try and keep it straight but it still didn't work out. Anyone got any tips on the minis? I covered it in fondant and made it kinda cute so it didn't look SO bad but it's got to be easier right? It can't be that much harder to do a mini than it is a larger cake is it?
LL

25 replies
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aundrea Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 5:34pm
post #2 of 26

from what i hear doing mini cakes is more difficult and time consuming then a regular size cake. which i why so many people charge more for them.
the cake came out very nice. how many of these do you need to make?

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__Jamie__ Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 5:40pm
post #3 of 26

It takes a bit more patience. Here is a 4" (basically a mini) on a 6". I love doing them! But they cost more because they are more delicate, more prone to be a leaning tower of Pisa, and will cause you to committ murder if they aren't going right. Best thing I can tell you is to ice using the hot spatula method, and get really crisp sharp corners and CHILL it well. Doing the fondant is going to be so much easier when the cake is hard and cold, and you won't get the mushroom look like you have there.....cute cake, for sure, but I know that's not the look you were going for.

They can be done, but they are certainly not an easy thing. And the nice thing, they end up being pretty dang tall too....this was 5.5. inches with the smallest foam core board underneath.
LL

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cakefairy03 Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 6:18pm
post #4 of 26

I've only made 2 mini cakes and they were harder than the bigger cakes! Who would have known? I will be taking a class on mini cakes next month, so maybe then I'll have some tips! Good luck!

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autigger57 Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 7:27pm
post #5 of 26

I have attempted 2 mini cakes and both were complete disasters. I had a very hard time getting the creases out of the fondant. I look forward to seeing any suggestions or tips anyone may have on this... icon_smile.gif

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__Jamie__ Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 7:32pm
post #6 of 26

I did put some suggestions up there. ^^^^^ I think they're pretty helpful. icon_smile.gif I'm sure there are more out there too. icon_wink.gif

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ApplegumKitchen Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 7:43pm
post #7 of 26

The Silverwood tins make mini cakes so much easier...... buy the SET which includes the fibreglass liners and the fondant cutters!

Oh and if you roll your fondant a lot thinner you will find them a lot easier to cover.

At Planet Cake when they do their mini cakes they use fudge for the top tiers... just make a tray and use a cutter to cut out.

Oh ... did I mention that they taste DELICIOUS!! icon_biggrin.gif

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cakedout Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 8:06pm
post #8 of 26

I've tried a one-piece pan already...the cakes came out beautifully....until I tried to frost & cover them!! icon_surprised.gificon_cry.gif Talk about a pain in the arse! icon_confused.gif

I thought maybe if I had tried ganache it would have gone better, but I'd still need to try and ice those puppies first! dang. nevermind. icon_confused.gif

I had much better luck doing the sheet cake and cutter method.

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ApplegumKitchen Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 8:57pm
post #9 of 26

My tip is to just ganache the tops!

I did it whilst still in the Silverwood pan - I put less mix in so they only rose to within about 1/2inch from the top- once cooled, I put ganache into the tins (to fill to the top) and screeded the whole top across aith a palette knife.

Let it set up and then removed cake and ganached tops from the tin
The square ones I used the fondant cutter (had my fondant about 1/8th inch thick) - it is the one that looks like a plus sign. placed centre over top and then each side piece is pressed into place - use your smoothers (or xray film) to seal edges.
Round ones are done like a cylinder - disc for top and rectangle wrap around. Takes a few to get the knack of hiding the joins..... but once you have done 100 odd you will be a pro!.... or in an institution ... a dribblin mess!! LOL

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Loucinda Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 8:59pm
post #10 of 26

Here is one I did last week - all buttercream with gumpaste bow and plaque. 6", 5" and 3". They are a lot harder to do than their larger counterparts IMO!
LL

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ApplegumKitchen Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 9:10pm
post #11 of 26

One of our VERY TALENTED WA ladies (yes WA stands for WESTERN AUSTRALIA also!! LOL) - thanks Bev !! - has done a tutorial on Tall Cupcakes - they are another way of doing mini cakes

http://sugarbloomcupcakes.blogspot.com/2009/05/tall-cupcakes-tutorial.html

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__Jamie__ Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 9:13pm
post #12 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by ApplegumKitchen

One of our VERY TALENTED WA ladies (yes WA stands for WESTERN AUSTRALIA also!! LOL) - thanks Bev !! - has done a tutorial on Tall Cupcakes - they are another way of doing mini cakes

http://sugarbloomcupcakes.blogspot.com/2009/05/tall-cupcakes-tutorial.html




OMG....I love looking at those.

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ApplegumKitchen Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 9:17pm
post #13 of 26

You need to extend you trip out here!! so much to see....... and TASTE!!!

You won't want to go home!!!!!

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__Jamie__ Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 9:24pm
post #14 of 26

Lol...I know!! Makes me crazy thinking about it!!

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KHalstead Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 9:39pm
post #15 of 26

minis will make ya crazy..........I've done a lot of single tiered minis (those aren't as difficult for me)..but this 3 tiered mini bout made me cry LOL I wound up wrapping the fondant around the outside of each tier and then cut a circle for the top.....covered the seams with the pearls and flowers LOL

as you can see the whole thing was just BARELY taller than the can of soda!
LL

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__Jamie__ Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 9:42pm
post #16 of 26

Look at that....how cute, it's so teeny!!!

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dandelion56602 Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 10:32pm
post #17 of 26

Thanks for posting that link! I may have to try that method. I did minis for my small pumpkins and really didnt find them too terrible. But I did feeze about 10 min after my crumb coat and had added modeling chocolate to my fondant so I could roll it thinner (plus it doesn't dry out as quick, giving fondant virgins a little more work timeicon_smile.gif )

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Texas_Rose Posted 14 Dec 2009 , 10:45pm
post #18 of 26

Jamie is right, the best way to get a mini cake covered with fondant is to chill it.

Here's one I did for the top of my daughter's cake...I let her draw her cake and then I made it as close to the drawing as I could. But I wasn't going to make a 5 tier cake for a birthday party with 10 guests icon_biggrin.gif so the top was a mini. I used a mini pan set that I bought at Ross for $5. To give you an idea of the size, it's sitting on a 6" cake.
Image

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JuneBugBaby Posted 15 Dec 2009 , 2:41am
post #19 of 26

OMG all of you who posted photos of your minis I am so jealous! icon_eek.gif I did love the cupcake blog though! I am going to try that next time I do a batch of cupcakes for sure! I think that may be something I need to do with my minis, figure out a way to make the sides straight. I found with the mini pans they almost came out like big cupcakes, they had that mushroom top on them and it tapered down at the bottom. Do they make circle cutters that big? Guess I need to google!! haha... Thanks for ALL your tips... I know my next one will look better!

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SweetRenaud Posted 15 Dec 2009 , 4:26am
post #20 of 26

I've done a few 4" cakes for toppers and found them to be really hard to smooth out. I also tried to use buttercream and was even more frustrated but I finally got it. (I think)

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KHalstead Posted 15 Dec 2009 , 6:04pm
post #21 of 26

I do 4" cakes on the tops of wedding cakes all the time....I hardly even consider those minis anymore LOL (even though they are as much of a pain as a mini)..the top cake of my little 3 tiered cake was a 1 1/2" round (I think) and the bottom was a 3" round (<----that I'm SURE of)...so I guess the middle was around 2 to 2 1/4"....it was sooooooooooooooo tiny! I sold it for $10.00 and vowed I'd never do another for less than $20.00!!! Even though it technically serves 1.........maybe 2 people!

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Loucinda Posted 15 Dec 2009 , 6:36pm
post #22 of 26

Here are some the same size as KH's - and yep, you need to charge More for these little suckers too. icon_wink.gif

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=35604

I tried to just post the pic - which is the proper size and a jpg, but for some reason it is telling me that it is a bmp file???

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dandelion56602 Posted 15 Dec 2009 , 9:08pm
post #23 of 26

But cake muggles think smaller = cheaper b/c "it's easier, right?" But anything mini is more difficult. I learned this years ago from my dad who scrimshaws handmade knives, guns & horns. He would have to get his "eyeballs" to magnify it enough for him to see. Luckily I've always appreciated the "mini" works of art.

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indydebi Posted 15 Dec 2009 , 9:42pm
post #24 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by dandelion56602

But cake muggles think smaller = cheaper b/c "it's easier, right?" But anything mini is more difficult. I learned this years ago from my dad who scrimshaws handmade knives, guns & horns. He would have to get his "eyeballs" to magnify it enough for him to see. Luckily I've always appreciated the "mini" works of art.




Debi's Rule: "One-fourth the size means four times the price."

I read one caterer's comments that the public thinks in fast food mode: Meal #6 is $6 and feeds one. So $12 will feed 2, $18 will feed 3, etc. In the (cake)/catering world, it doesn't work that way. $18 will feed 3, $16 will feed 2, and $15 will feed one. In almost anything you buy, the "smaller costs more" rules applies. Smaller packages of laundry soap cost more per ounce than larger packages. Bulk buying is always cheaper (or Sam's Club wouldn't even be in business).

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JuneBugBaby Posted 15 Dec 2009 , 9:47pm
post #25 of 26

Loucinda - Those are adorable! What size pans are those? Super cute!! icon_biggrin.gif

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Loucinda Posted 16 Dec 2009 , 1:25pm
post #26 of 26

I made those before I had the tiny pans, they are cut from a cake made in a 12x18 sheet pan (not a cake pan) If I remember right, I used a clean tuna fish can for the bottom layer and round cookie cutters for the other 2. The base layer was 2 layers of cake, and the other 2 were single layers. They were monsters to make! If asked to make them now, I would charge $20 -$25 EACH. icon_biggrin.gif

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