Never Done A Topsy Turvy Cake. A Few Questions...

Decorating By LoriMc Updated 29 Apr 2010 , 12:41am by Carmen7

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LoriMc Posted 26 Apr 2010 , 3:23pm
post #1 of 14

Will it look ok in buttercream?

Do they have to be 3 layer cakes?

Am I crazy to add $1.00 extra per serving on the price for all this work?


Thanks!

13 replies
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paulstonia Posted 26 Apr 2010 , 3:37pm
post #2 of 14

I'm not brave enough to do them in buttercream, but I've seen some posted and they look good. And I'm just a hobby baker, but I would definately charge more for topsy turvy. I don't think a $1.00 more is too much, might not be enough. For me they're a lot more stressfull icon_smile.gif I've done them with two layers, and I liked them.

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taliascott Posted 26 Apr 2010 , 3:55pm
post #3 of 14

you can do them with only two layers but they look really squatty, and keep in mind that you are cutting off the top half of the top layer and so the people getting served that side of the cake will only be getting a one layer serving...

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LoriMc Posted 26 Apr 2010 , 4:15pm
post #4 of 14

Ahhhh the more I hear about this the less I want to do one. I think I might leave these for the tuttie fruttie bakery in town. LOL

icon_eek.gif

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paulstonia Posted 26 Apr 2010 , 5:45pm
post #5 of 14

I don't cut the top off mine. I torte the top layer at an angle, the spin the top half around so the two thin sides are together and the thick sides are together and you have your slant. This is my first one, not the best exacution, it was done at the last minute for my daughters b-day, but it is 3 layers.
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1324317
And this was done with two
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1517600layers.
Hope those links work,lol. But if you like doing whimsical cakes, you might find it fun. I was anxious to try one so that's why I did the first one, should have given myself more time, but it was fun.

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taliascott Posted 26 Apr 2010 , 7:35pm
post #6 of 14

Even if you don't cut the top "off" youstill torte and flip it so if you only use two layers to begin with the person getting the short side is still only getting basically one layer.

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l80bug79 Posted 26 Apr 2010 , 7:40pm
post #7 of 14

what size do you guys use for the top tier? i've got free reign for my niece's bday cake this weekend and wanted to do one for her. i'm at odds as to use a 6 or 8 for the top tier.

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Sassy74 Posted 26 Apr 2010 , 7:54pm
post #8 of 14

I just did my first "official" topsy (meaning it was for real, for someone else lol). I learned A LOT, but mostly I learned they're not so tough if you approach it methodically, and have a plan going in. Oh, and I would absolutely charge an extra $1/serving! It's a lot of work...

I did mine 3 layers. I think it just looks better...the proportion is more pleasing to the eye...not squatty and smooshed looking. I also tapered my tiers down, which also adds to the visual appeal. I think they look really good tall and tapered. On my bottom tier (10"), I tapered down about 2" and on the top tier (6"), I went down about 1 1/2". Also, on the bottom, I flipped my torted slice over and added it to the top of the cake to give it an even steeper angle.

I did mine with ganache and MMF, but I'm sure you could do it with BC. I would prolly do a crumb coat, stick it in the fridge till set VERY good, and then put on my final coat of BC. I'd use that crumb coat to get really sharp angles and edges. It just doesn't look good when your edges/angles are soft and rounded IMO.

All that being said, you can do whatever you want lol! Just be sure you have a plan when you get started and give yourself PLENTY of time. I mean like, LOTS of time. It took a while to bake, clean, carve, clean, fill/stack, clean, etc haha!

Oh, one more thing...if you're doing it in BC, just make sure you give your cakes plenty of time to settle. I baked mine and let them cool completely, then filled them and let them sit overnight filled but not iced. If you don't let them settle before icing and stacking, you might have some bulging/compressing, especially on that bottom tier...it's really heavy and it's a lot of cake. Also be sure you give that top tier plenty of support, for the same reason.


Hope it turns out great! Post pix when you're done!

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paulstonia Posted 26 Apr 2010 , 8:01pm
post #9 of 14

It will depend on how much you are going to taper the sides. And you usuall use different size pans in each tier. Like the bottom tier would be a 10 tapered down to an 8, and then the top tier would be an 8 tapered down to a 6. I hope that's clear.

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ajmccray Posted 26 Apr 2010 , 11:41pm
post #10 of 14

Just wanted to say that I did my first topsy turvy this weekend for a friend's going away party. I did it in buttercream, 2 tier with 3 layers of cake in each tier. It actually wasn't quite as bad as I thought, but I did the cut out method and didn't take into account what the icing would add to the circumference so when I stacked it, it pushed out the side of the bottom tier a bit. I refrigerated it over night and delivered it the next day and had no problems. It made it thru my cutting of the cake that night. I was worried but I think if I had made my cut out a little bigger, I wouldn't have worried as much as I did. My top tier was a 6-8-8 (I don't have a 7" pan) and my bottom as an 8-9-10. I did taper the sides a bit. I will attach a photo so you can see. Good luck and feel free to PM me if you have any questions (not that I am an expert on this!).

Angela
LL

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paulstonia Posted 27 Apr 2010 , 4:06am
post #11 of 14

ajmccray I did the same thing with my first one. Mine held up too, but I didn't have to travel with it. Your cake is very nice.

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Carmen7 Posted 28 Apr 2010 , 8:06pm
post #12 of 14

Just how much extra support are you putting in the topsy turvy cakes compared to the regular rounds? I did a 3-tier and drove it to work. It was on my back seat, which is pretty slanted and which I never do for that reason, but when I got to work, the two top tiers were entact but had slid off the bottom tier. Help. I've never had any kind of support issues and I've done tons of BC cakes - all different sizes. Thanks for any advise!

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ajmccray Posted 28 Apr 2010 , 9:37pm
post #13 of 14

Well, this one I put a circle in between, which I do on any tier cake, and then I drove a sharped wooden dowel down thru the center of both tiers (with it going into the bottom circle). I don't usually do that part for tiered cakes (I usually just lower the top tier down on a tier and it doesn't go into the bottom circle). I just wanted a little extra support. And the refrigeration I really think is what helped the most. And I did transport it in the floor board so it was level. Don't know if any of that helps you. icon_smile.gif

Angela

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Carmen7 Posted 29 Apr 2010 , 12:41am
post #14 of 14

Well, this was fondant so I didn't want to refrigerate it because I heard that wasn't a good idea. But, I stacked it after icing it Saturday night and didnt decorate it until Sunday night so you'd think that would have stablized it too. I plan to make another 3-tier and just put extra dowels in it and see how it transports. Thanks for the advice.

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