Handbag Handles Help Please ....

Decorating By Nicki161 Updated 25 Jul 2013 , 11:52am by Nicki161

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Nicki161 Posted 25 Jul 2013 , 8:59am
post #1 of 7

A[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3063234/width/200/height/400[/IMG] My second cake ever. Omg what a nightmare nearly had me in tears had to shout hubby to help , all the research I'd done as well couldn't have gone more wrong , cake was nearly built and it started to collapse omg we had to repack it with more sponge and buttercream nightmare, piping was really hard, cc design on the front was hard . Then the handles did them from wire and fondant mixed with tylose powder took me four attempts as they just wouldn't work, either wire wouldn't bend or bent a weird shape, finally got them ok left then left over night to dry and this morning one is quite badly cracked sob sob haven't got time to remake so any ideas on how I can fix them? I was thinking of wrapping black fondant round the handles but like a blanket to hide this my worry is will it crack more? My cakes due out today, it's for a family friend she knows I'm learning still but I want to try my best to get it looking as nice as possible, great advise needed please :-) this has really dishearten me feel like I never want bake again so upsetting took me nearly 5 hours none stop :-(

6 replies
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Crazy-Gray Posted 25 Jul 2013 , 10:40am
post #2 of 7

AHandles can be such a pain :-(

I always make them a week in advance and make spares and I only use gum paste no wire as I find it too difficult to work with.

Maybe try a flat handle like a shoulder bag? Roll a good thick strip of black and lay it on, you can coil it slightly over your wire holes to hide them :-) I know it won't look like your envisaged but you might be happier with the end result :-)

Another wee tip is to make a few wee makeups etc to sit in front if you have time: they distract people from the things you don't want them to look too hard at! ;-)

Honestly I wouldn't suspect that you'd had so much trouble looking at the cake, you've done a wonderful job!

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Crazy-Gray Posted 25 Jul 2013 , 10:46am
post #3 of 7

ADon't be disheartened :-) want me to show you my 2nd ever cake??

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Nicki161 Posted 25 Jul 2013 , 10:46am
post #4 of 7

AThank you for your advise I will take it all on board :-) its so hard isnt it, I'm hardly sleeping worrying about doing cakes then worrying about what I've done when I try lol cakes !! X

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Nicki161 Posted 25 Jul 2013 , 10:47am
post #5 of 7

AYes please x

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Crazy-Gray Posted 25 Jul 2013 , 11:18am
post #6 of 7

AI've had the same sleepless nights dont worry :-)... And the aimless hopping from one foot to the other muttering 'oh no what do I do... what do I do...!! " as the cake slowly slides apart...

What helped me most was working out how to give myself more time, I've had my basic recipes tested by environmental health (basic pound cake and traditional buttercream) and so long as the cake is sealed in fondant within 24hrs from baking I can give a use by up to 10 days that's 7 nice long days for me to decorate and 3 for them to eat it :-)

I'll look through my pics tonight and see if I have one for you... It wasn't pretty! Lol

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Nicki161 Posted 25 Jul 2013 , 11:52am
post #7 of 7

ALook forward to seeing them, thank you so much for your advise feel like I've got no one to ask at all , I'm going to go night college in September to learn more ,the lady in the local sugar craft shop doesn't look the helpful type every time I go in and ask about what I want she points and doesn't get up to help grrr, I've so many questions its unreal Thank you for advising on the sponge life date when covered I hadn't got a clue think that's why I try do to much at one time and it gets to much and to stressful :-( Your a star

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