Huge Cake....?!?!?

Decorating By lynnejgray Updated 15 Oct 2013 , 7:28pm by Sevacha

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lynnejgray Posted 13 Oct 2013 , 7:17pm
post #1 of 10

AI've just baked a 12"/4" vanilla cake which came out really well, but not sure if I could make it a sandwich cake I.e making another layer the same - would the sponge at the bottom take the weight of the top? Is there a good recipe for huge cakes which is a bit more solid and stronger? Please help....my little girl wants a huuuuuge pink cake got her 3rd birthday. Thanks Lynne x

9 replies
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Jenny BakesAlot Posted 13 Oct 2013 , 8:33pm
post #2 of 10

If you want the cake to be 8" high, you could put a cake board under the top half and use dowels.  

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lynnejgray Posted 14 Oct 2013 , 9:19pm
post #3 of 10

thanks v much for this-had heard about that but wasn't sure it was always necessary if the cake was a more dense sponge. 

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shanter Posted 14 Oct 2013 , 10:34pm
post #4 of 10

Usually, more dense = heavier. I would use the dowels or bubble tea straws and a cardboard cake circle at 4-inch height.

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lynnejgray Posted 15 Oct 2013 , 5:42pm
post #5 of 10

AGreat thanks for that. Also does anyone know how to successfully ice a cake with butter icing? When I tried it took lots of cake crumbs off the cake and looked awful....?

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Spireite Posted 15 Oct 2013 , 6:05pm
post #6 of 10

Hello Lynne, for Bubble tea straws you need quite a  thick bore...I have plain stripy plastic drinking straws that I just cut with scissors to 'just' above the depth of the bottom tier....the top tier sits on a card that is actually supported by these straws.  A small cake card or a paper plate cut to size works well.

 

The only time I've used plastic dowels is when I put a rich fruit on top of a chocolate sponge....it was fine.  I'm not very good working with butter cream.  The American recipes call for a higher ratio of icing sugar to butter/trex, which makes it thicker and it 'crusts' up which makes it easier to smooth.  Trex is vegetable shortening that is good as a non dairy substitute, and also good for getting a white coloured icing!  I am still learning the technique of 'crumb coating' which is a thin layer of butter cream before the main layer of BC or sugarpaste (fondant).  The crumb coat solves the problem of crumbs going everywhere.  Also putting the cake into the fridge or freezer immediately prior to working on it helps with keeping the crumbs down.   (obviously DON'T put a cake already covered with sugarpaste into the fridge)

 

Good luck :)

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Sevacha Posted 15 Oct 2013 , 6:30pm
post #7 of 10

Crumb coat the cake first by adding a thin layer of buttercream icing to the cake. This will prevent cake crumbs from being picked up by the finished icing. Don't worry if there are crumbs in the icing. The crumb coating will hold in all of the loose crumbs. Refrigerate the cake. Then apply the second coating of icing.

You can do it :)

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Sevacha Posted 15 Oct 2013 , 6:38pm
post #8 of 10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spireite 
 

Hello Lynne, for Bubble tea straws you need quite a  thick bore...I have plain stripy plastic drinking straws that I just cut with scissors to 'just' above the depth of the bottom tier....the top tier sits on a card that is actually supported by these straws.  A small cake card or a paper plate cut to size works well.

 

The only time I've used plastic dowels is when I put a rich fruit on top of a chocolate sponge....it was fine.  I'm not very good working with butter cream.  The American recipes call for a higher ratio of icing sugar to butter/trex, which makes it thicker and it 'crusts' up which makes it easier to smooth.  Trex is vegetable shortening that is good as a non dairy substitute, and also good for getting a white coloured icing!  I am still learning the technique of 'crumb coating' which is a thin layer of butter cream before the main layer of BC or sugarpaste (fondant).  The crumb coat solves the problem of crumbs going everywhere.  Also putting the cake into the fridge or freezer immediately prior to working on it helps with keeping the crumbs down.   (obviously DON'T put a cake already covered with sugarpaste into the fridge)

 

Good luck :)


Hello, Spireite. Sorry, I didn't want to repeat your words. I saw your post after I submitted mine.

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Spireite Posted 15 Oct 2013 , 6:53pm
post #9 of 10

Sevacha, you explained it all so much better than me!!!  I still haven't managed a crumbless covering of BC even when I've used a crumbcoat!

...and I just offered this week to do my Goddaughter's baptism cake!!!  Eeek! :shock:

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Sevacha Posted 15 Oct 2013 , 7:28pm
post #10 of 10

Try this. Apply a thin layer of buttercream for crumb coating and much thicker layer for the final coating. The crumb coat layer is so thin that you will see the cake and crumbs. Chill the cake.Than apply an additional second (final) coat.:)

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