Making A Cake From Scratch

Baking By bika Updated 12 Apr 2013 , 6:46pm by Pyro

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bika Posted 11 Mar 2013 , 12:41am
post #1 of 24

I want to make a cake for DH's birthday this weekend and I don't know anything about cake making! Can someone help me out on how to make a cake just like in this picture. I want to know the following things:

 

1- what cake would be the best e.g mudcake, chocolate cake etc

2- what icing should i cover it with before covering it with fondant

3- how to make a stethoscope with a modelling icing

 

Any other advices and tips would be highly appreciated!! :D

 

 

23 replies
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BeesKnees578 Posted 11 Mar 2013 , 1:01am
post #2 of 24

If you have never made a cake before, I wouldn't even attempt this....it looks simple and it is for someone experienced in fondant, baking and icing.  I applaud your wanting to do this, but I'd leave it to the experts!  Unless you have a limited supply of patience, you will be in years, I'm quite sure.

 

But if you are super determined, as I would be if I were you...lol:

 

You would need a sturdy cake that will hold up to the weight of the fondant, flavor of your choice.

 

Buttercream will cover nicely prior to fondant.  Be sure to refrigerate to firm up that buttercream before putting on the fondant.

 

A clay extruder will produce nice clean, uniform tubes that can be shaped into a stethoscope (you can buy small metal models at the craft store in the clay section, make sure you knead in some shortening so that it glides through the extruder easily.  Circle cutters and good old fashioned hand modeling will do the trick on the rest.  Or you can hand roll the fondant, but it won't look as clean.

 

Please let us know how it goes and some pics.  If you find it easy, you may have found a new passion!  Good luck!

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bika Posted 11 Mar 2013 , 4:06am
post #3 of 24

Thank you so much for the reply!!

 

Well am pretty determined to make it. I have been watching lots and videos this week and reading lots of articles just to know what i would be doing, but I would never really know it unless I do it :)

 

Do you have a tried mudcake recipe which I could make, which is dense enough to carry the weight?

 

Also, I have read that we should let the cake cool down for a good 24 hrs, is that correct? I need the cake on sunday evening, does this mean that I should bake the cake on Thursday then crumb frost and Frost it completely on Friday and then fondant and modelling on Saturday?

 

I am thinking of just hand modelling the stethoscope, I dont want to waste too much money on buying equipment on an experiment. So, the less money spent would make it more reasonable to enjoy it if it is a success in the end! :D

 

cheers!
 

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Apti Posted 11 Mar 2013 , 4:53am
post #4 of 24

Welcome to the forum.   It appears that you are not in the USA.  UK?  Australia? 

 

Here is a CakeCentral thread with excellent mud cake recipes:

 

http://cakecentral.com/t/726071/august-scratch-off-mud-cake

 

In the UK/Europe, sugar paste is generally what we call fondant in the USA.  Are you near any cake specialty supply stores?  Many of them will sell pre-made fondant (sugarpaste) that you could use to cover your cake.  Depending on the flavor on the mudcake, you could use apricot jam on the bare cake before applying fondant.  Many of the UK/Aust. bakers use ganache as the base coat.

 

You could hand-model the stethoscope out of sugar paste fairly easily.  You will need the appropriate gel colors.  You could purchase tiny  cut-outs for the letters.  (Like mini cookie cutters.)

 

You tube has a wealth of information!   Also, if you do purchase supplies at a specialty cake supply store, bring a photo of your inspiration cake with you and ask them for help with your purchases.

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BeesKnees578 Posted 11 Mar 2013 , 4:53am
post #5 of 24

Yes, make sure you let your cake completely cool prior to putting anything on it.  I would bake it the night before.

 

A little trick I do, that I think I learned on here years ago, is allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes or so.  Turn them out onto plastic wrap, wrap well and put the warm cakes in the freezer.  Traps in the moisture, rather than letting it all out in the cooling process on a rack.  Make sure you use a toothpick or skewer to test for doneness in the center of the cake.  If you do freeze it, take it out of the freezer the morning you're going to ice it and put it in the fridge.  Cold cakes are easier to work with.

 

You can look up tons of recipes on here or on epicurious.  Most cakes will work for this, just nothing like angel food.  I'm a scratch baker, but you can try a box...they are difficult to mess up!
 

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bika Posted 11 Mar 2013 , 4:59am
post #6 of 24

yup Apti, I'm in Australia. I do have cake supply store nearby, will visit it tomorrow or day after.

 

BeesKnees578 I am also thinking of making it from the box so that I atleast dont mess up the cake.

 

Does one pack of box makes 1 layer or 2 layers? I know am asking too many questions but I just want this to really work!

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bika Posted 11 Mar 2013 , 5:58am
post #7 of 24

Also, should i use butter cream or ganache as a base coat as a first time user? Does any one know of a good butter cream recipe? I have made butter cream twice before for some cupcakes but it was very runny and not at all the type that i am seeing on youtuibe videos! :(

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BeesKnees578 Posted 11 Mar 2013 , 6:53pm
post #8 of 24

Buttercream

 

If you are making a buttercream that requires you to cook the egg whites and sugar, it has to be COMPLETELY cool to the touch.  Which ALWAYS took forever in my kitchenaides, even though all the recipes that i have tried in the past only said to whip for 5-10 min or until cool to the touch.  I have since started using Duff Goldman's French Buttercream recipe, which doesn't require the heating process.  Google that, if you can't find it, PM me and I will give it to you.  Not sure if it's a free-for-all recipe (i got mine in a food show brochure that he was attending in my area).  Don't wanna give it out to everyone for free if he doesn't offer it to all!
 

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seamusis20 Posted 11 Mar 2013 , 10:17pm
post #9 of 24

AReferring to "does one pack of box make 1 or 2 layers". That will depend on the box you are using AND how thick or thin you want your layers to be. DEFFINATELY work with a semi frozen cake & cut with a thin bladed knife or serrated bread knife. This will cut your frozen cake easily and the sooner you have your layers filled and back together, the less crumbs there wil be when you crumb coat. :-) Go for it. :-D

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kikiandkyle Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 3:02pm
post #10 of 24

I googled the Duff recipe, does it really use raw egg whites and no heat? That sounds a little crazy, especially for an American chef.

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 3:14pm
post #11 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by kikiandkyle 

I googled the Duff recipe, does it really use raw egg whites and no heat? That sounds a little crazy, especially for an American chef.

 

yes duff makes his from uncooked egg whites

 

i've used that for dummies before but not to eat or serve to anyone

 

but it must be fine--it's been all over the tv etc.

 

fine for them--not for moi ;)

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kikiandkyle Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 5:06pm
post #12 of 24

Well if its on tv...

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 5:19pm
post #13 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by kikiandkyle 

Well if its on tv...

 

 

wow

 

in the sense it's fully published and out there in the news cycle

 

not that it establishes the standard for everyone to follow

 

but yeah raw egg whites

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Annabakescakes Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 5:22pm
post #14 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by kikiandkyle 

Well if its on tv...

LOL!

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 5:28pm
post #15 of 24

.

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BeesKnees578 Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 5:28pm
post #16 of 24

I use Duff's mixed with my own.  His alone is just like eating slightly sweetened vanilla butter, which it actually is.

 

I have considered about the raw egg whites.  And yes because it's on TV, I assume it's OK, but in hind sight isn't the best option and will make a change.  Let me say why I chose that over say Italian or Swiss methods.  Every recipe I've tried (Whimsical Bakehouse - yummo, Nick Malgieri, others).  No doubt, they are DELICIOUS!

 

Each of these recipes say to whip the mixture until cool to the touch (which in a class that I took with Nick M, he said that means ABSOLUTELY no heat coming off the bowl).  About 5-10 min.  Really??!!  It takes my KA mixer NO LESS THAN a half hour.  No lie.  I guess I got fed up with the whole time-consuming process and the annoying buzzing of my mixer, that when I saw Duff's I just thought THIS IS THE ANSWER TO MY PRAYERS TO THE BAKING GODS!  Although the texture was so very thick, almost too thick to spread on a cake and the taste was like eating butter, I was right in thinking that mixing it with my american buttercream recipe would work.  It is a delicious blend of sweet, but not too sweet.  And it sets up so nice and firm, but doesn't crust, which I kinda think is gross!  IMO....

 

Does anyone else have this problem of the cooling taking so long.  The only time it works quickly is doing a half-recipe which would take a whole day to make enough to cover a large cake.  I have a 4qt and a pro600 KA. 

 

Do you think it's possible to cook the whites and sugars and then refrigerate?  Then add back into mixer and incorporate your butter?  I think it's worth the experiment for me as I hate most american buttercreams. 

 

I will attempt to repost this in the main forum so that others may comment, too.  But I am very interested to see if my idea works.  Maybe someone who's attempted it can verify!?


Thanks all!

 

And sorry Bika, for hijacking this from our private message!!  Hopefully this isn't confusing/frustrating you!
 

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kikiandkyle Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 8:16pm
post #17 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by -K8memphis 

 

 

wow

 

in the sense it's fully published and out there in the news cycle

 

not that it establishes the standard for everyone to follow

 

but yeah raw egg whites

Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. icon_redface.gif But we all know that there are people who think it must be ok if it's on tv. Like that commercial with the French model - bonjour. 

 

And I suppose, if I think about it, people use royal icing made with raw egg whites all the time. Or did, before someone (I'm guessing an American) came up with meringue powder. 

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 8:40pm
post #18 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by kikiandkyle 

Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. icon_redface.gif But we all know that there are people who think it must be ok if it's on tv. Like that commercial with the French model - bonjour. 

 

And I suppose, if I think about it, people use royal icing made with raw egg whites all the time. Or did, before someone (I'm guessing an American) came up with meringue powder. 

 

 

i don't use it like i said

 

it was on tv and i was kinda shocked by it

 

but there were no disclaimers and folks ate the cakes frosted with it

 

thank you for the apology

 

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bika Posted 11 Apr 2013 , 4:46am
post #19 of 24

This is the cake I ended up making

 

It does not have a very finished professional look but I was happy with it considering that it was my first time ever making and decorating a cake!

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Annabakescakes Posted 11 Apr 2013 , 5:18am
post #20 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by bika 

This is the cake I ended up making

 

It does not have a very finished professional look but I was happy with it considering that it was my first time ever making and decorating a cake!

WOW!!! It looks GREAT! Yes, there have been "more finished" looking cakes, but I have seen much worse coming from "professional" bakers. This is really fantastic for a first, or 50th cake. I can't wait to see how good you get once the decorating bug gets his chompers in you, and you get real serious ;-)

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Louiselovesbaking Posted 11 Apr 2013 , 6:44am
post #21 of 24

AI think that almost anything can be done with the right help and advice, I only started making cakes 10 months ago as I wanted to make one for my dads 50th. This was my first ever cake, I had done general baking before but no decorating what so ever, I research a lot, I had no idea about any different icings, had never heard of modelling pastes or flower pastes, but thanks to a lot of good advice this was the end result of my first cake

http://cakecentral.com/g/i/2416743/this-was-my-first-ever-cake-i-found-a-photo-on-here-of-this-design-and-copied-it-so-its-not-my-idea-but-not-bad-for-first-attempt-at-a-cake/u/888944/sort/upload_time/

Would love to see how your cake turned out :)

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Louiselovesbaking Posted 11 Apr 2013 , 6:45am
post #22 of 24

AFantastic! Looks really good. Well done.

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Annabakescakes Posted 11 Apr 2013 , 7:20am
post #23 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by Louiselovesbaking 

I think that almost anything can be done with the right help and advice, I only started making cakes 10 months ago as I wanted to make one for my dads 50th. This was my first ever cake, I had done general baking before but no decorating what so ever, I research a lot, I had no idea about any different icings, had never heard of modelling pastes or flower pastes, but thanks to a lot of good advice this was the end result of my first cake

http://cakecentral.com/g/i/2416743/this-was-my-first-ever-cake-i-found-a-photo-on-here-of-this-design-and-copied-it-so-its-not-my-idea-but-not-bad-for-first-attempt-at-a-cake/u/888944/sort/upload_time/

Would love to see how your cake turned out icon_smile.gif

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Louiselovesbaking 

Fantastic! Looks really good. Well done.

I was going to comment "scroll to the end, and you'll see it!" But then, I scrolled to the end and saw that you saw it ;-)

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Pyro Posted 12 Apr 2013 , 6:46pm
post #24 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by kikiandkyle 

I googled the Duff recipe, does it really use raw egg whites and no heat? That sounds a little crazy, especially for an American chef.

 

 

 

You can buy pasteurized egg whites. I haven't seen his recipe but im guessing it could be substituted and still not heated.

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