Red Velvet Cake Meltdown! Please Help!
Baking By CupCake.Goddess Updated 1 Aug 2017 , 1:58pm by CupCake.Goddess
I'm doing a birthday cake for a friend and coworker's daughter. She's a very dear friend and I really want it to be perfect. Its going to be my first two tiered cake, fondant on the top cake and buttercream roses covering the bottom layers inspired by a Beauty and the Beast theme). Well, I tested two red velvet cake recipes over the weekend (not my usual recipe). One, made with butter, it was okay but I wasn't wowed by it. I tested another one on Sunday (Martha Stewart) to the LETTER! It came out dry as a board and I panicked.
I looked up the recipe for sugar syrup and put it on the cake layers (9 layers--5 9 inch and 4 6 inch). I think i might have used too much in my attempt to moisten them because when I took one out of the freezer this morning (a 6 inch) it felt very soft. I don't have to deliver the cake to her until Thursday but I'm scared a couple of the smaller layers may crumble when I defrost them. I can't redo 9 layers! I had a stellar red velvet cake recipe everyone raved about but I recently moved and lost it. I can't find it anywhere! I'm panicking!
I haven't had to use simple syrup, so I might be ignorant on the subject, but I've never seen anyone apply it to a plain cake layer and then freeze it. I've only ever seen simple syrup applied right as the cake is being constructed and decorated. Hopefully someone more familiar with it will weigh in, but my instinct is saying that the syrup may have affected the cake in the freezer.
@Cake-Monster I'm not familiar with it either. Yesterday was my first time using it. As long as the cakes will hold their shape, then it will be okay. I used vanilla in the syrup and it really made the cake moist and tasty. I just don't want the layers to crumble as I'm putting them together. I've read both fondant and icing holds in moisture. I'm hoping they won't be too moist.
I really don't have the energy to make 9 more layers.
I'm not sure how much syrup you applied and how much sugar was in the syrup. I do know that when I put raw meringue or certain bases in the freezer which have a high percentage of sugar they don't freeze and just get a little thicker. The sugar keeps the product from freezing solid. Maybe that's why your cakes are still soft? I can't imagine that the syrup would be enough sugar to keep the cakes from freezing solid though.
@Paola__ I poked holes into each later and doused them with at least 2-3 TB of SS. It made them moist and they tasted so much better. I agree with you. They should've frozen solid and I'm not sure why. :( Come to think of it...the layers did get thicker...
I'm seriously thinking of trying a doctored mix if this doesn't work out.
It was 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water exactly @Paola__
Simple syrup should be equal part sugar and water - brought to a boil, then cooled. Not sure how 'soft' your layer is or how much syrup you put on the cake.....but fzing it should not have had a bad influence on it - instead it should have helped spread the syrup/moisture throught the cake. Maybe you need to take the layers out of the fzr/frig and let the dry out a bit? Yes, icing a cake - with either fondant or b'cream will hold in some moisture. Making sure the layers are level should help keep the layers from crumbling apart.
Hi @ Paola__ I responded to you but for some reason my posts keep getting pulled. I'm not sure why. Its very confusing to me. Yes, I did use 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water and I checked them again last night and they came out great!! Super moist and I was able to stack and crumb coat them. Now mind you, this is after I went out and bought cake mix and pudding! lol I don't need it but I'll keep it around for another order.
@Kakeladi I added 3 tablespoons of syrup on each 8 inch layers and 2 tablespoons on the 6 inch layers. After they were iced, I placed them in the fridge to firm up. The top layer gave me the most difficulty due to the crumbs getting mixed in with the icing. But this morning it was very firm, so I covered it with plastic wrap and placed it back in the fridge along with the larger layers.
You are so right! I had to trim a bit of the edges so they would be level. It really helped. : )
This morning I found got a deal! Walmart had Fondarific fondant in the wrong isle price at $3.84 cents when it should have been $6.97. I say that's a sign this cake is on its way! lol I underestimated how much frosting I would need for the buttercream roses. I have six stacked 8 inch layers I need to cover with rosettes.
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