Last nights cake disaster!!!

So I worked from 8pm to about 12:30 last night on my cute batman pullapart cupcake order. I baked a dozen chocolate cupcakes, a dozen vanilla cupcakes...made white buttercream, blue buttercream, and gray buttercream. Lined them all up on a 13x9 inch cardboard board to go in their box...frosted them, and put the colors in the pattern that they were meant to go into. Then thought I'd try out this 'hot knife' technique that many mentioned on here yesterday to smooth my buttercream. I heated up water in a bowl and was at the table...it was working but the water wasn't staying hot enough...so it was getting late and I wanted to speed it up...I remembered someone saying they use boiling water - so I boiled water.....went to bring my cupcakes to the counter by the stove -and took 3 steps...the cardboard buckled and 2 dozen cupcakes slid to the floor, landing upside down!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sigh..... of course the lady is coming after work to pick them up today - I was supposed to run home and add the fondant accents to them and be done!

Now I have to order 2 dozen unfrosted cupcakes from a local bakery- go home and just do a standard swirl with blue and gray frosting...and regular fondant accents- I will not have the time to do pull-apart cupcakes - in the supercute design that I had

So the lesson to be learned here....cardboard is definitely not strong enough to carry 24 cupcakes frosted with buttercream...a tray underneath would have been better! -Had it not happened then, it could have happened when the design was complete and I was trying to put the board in the box!! Then we would have had tears!

Luckily these are for a close friend - and it's just her son's cupcakes to bring into school - - I will be doing his birthday cake this weekend------ever so carefully!!

Ack! I'm so sorry this happened to you! I'm sure your friend will be forgiving.

I use the hot-knife method, but not next to the stove. I bought a $12 electric kettle just for this purpose. I fill a stainless steel bowl to hold my bench scraper and a 2-cup measuring cup to hold my spatulas. The water stays hot long enough, but if, for some reason I need more, I just keep that kettle percolatin' and pour more into my bowl.

Aside from heating the water lightning fast, it saves you from heating up a burner on the stove and taking away valuable flat work space!

Funny thing is, when I need boiling water quickly for other purposes (tea for guests, for example), sometimes I forget I have the kettle.

Foam core would be a much better choice then cardboard, it wont buckle on you. Can be purchased at Michaels or any are supply store.

OMG! I am so sorry that happened to you! I hope you have a chance to try that technique though. It does work well. I have used the stove but I also have a "buffet burner" that I use to put a pot on when I have multiple cakes to do and need the space. As far as the cardboard goes, I use the double thick ones on some items (cookie cakes) and cake drums on others. I use foam core when I need a special size (like under my chicken!) I did have problems with one cake drum I purchased (1/2 sheet cake size) where it had the corrugation on all of the layers going in the same direction! It flexed when the cake was moved. I have a whole case but will find another use for them! I hope you post pictures of the cake you do for him! Good luck!

Thanks, I'll have to pic up an electric warmer then...and some foam core. That was the first time I've tried the hot knife method- and it was working well, so I will definately get more use out of a kettle thing. I am still very new with buttercream- I prefer fondant much more...which just means I need to practice with buttercream a lot!

And as long as I don't have any more disasters this week- I will definately post pics of the batman cake

Just an FYI, you need to cover the foam core with a food safe wrap. When I use it, I do it in foil (if it will not be seen) or the Wilton foil. I can get those at a regular store if I am not making a regular supply order. Foam core also comes in different thicknesses. Make sure you have one thick enough to do the job! Best wishes to you!

I'm sure the swirl cupcakes will be easier for the teacher to serve than the pull-aparts would have been, although not as cute.

I guess the vanilla and soy wax replaces the wrapping? That sounds good on some designs that I have done where it is hard to wrap. Is there something that you use to replace the soy wax if you have a soy allergy? Do you have to special order the wax? I haven't run across it, but then again, I have not done a search. It does sound interesting though!

I don't accept orders with any dietary restrictions, so the soy hasn't been an issue. You could use beeswax, but it's much more expensive.

http://www.lonestarcandlesupply.com/products/candlewax_golden-brands-402-soy-container-wax.html


Rae

Okay so I have to ask, how do you get the wax on there? I see you have to melt it, but how do you get it on there evenly? Thank you.

I rub it on with a paper towel. It's a very thin coat--barely enough to raise a flake if you scratch it with your fingernail.

Rae

That sounds pretty easy. I've got to try it. Thank you!