Cake Decorating Community - Cakes We Bake

Hello all! This is my first day on this site and I love it!!! I just started making cakes...and by just started I mean, my profile picture is my first one. HA. I've done decorations on cupcakes so I figured I'd go bigger. :)
Tell me your secrets!!! Tips....anything I need to know.

I'm sure I do EVERYTHING not by the book, but whatever works right.
NOW...MY QUESTION
I'm getting ready to make a 2 tier anniversary cake! ARGH! I have worked with fondant and simply prefer icing. I was told I needed to get supports for the cake, so I bought dowel rods...how do I cut them?? I also heard people use straws?? Does that really work??
I was thinking about doing strictly white with a cream ribbon around the bottom of each tier. Can I put ribbon on an iced cake?? Will it stick too much? Then I was hoping to get some cream fake roses (cut them down to bud) and put them on top...maybe adding dots around cake. Does this sound realistic? Should I not do something??

Sorry, I know this is long, and I'm very new and making everyone laugh. SO PLZ HELP! HAHA

.........can't wait to visit more often

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Hi Jessica...I'm new to cake decorating myself...but i will tell you whta i know..

Dowel rods: i normally use 5 rods in each cake that a cake will be sitting on...you can use the cake tin of the 1st tier to determine where you should insert the rods...i normally make a square right under the cake...drive the 1st rod in the cake...mark where it reaches the top of the cake...remove...cut where the marking is...then use the cut piece to measure the other 4 that will be needed so you will have the same size.

Ribbon: you can use the ribbon around and iced cake as long as it is nicely crusted. double faced ribbons works best where grease is concerned.

Will get back to you on the design...i'm not a "dsigner" just yet...still do a bit of copy cakes...it's really practice for me...soon I will design my own...actually the baby shower cake on my page i designed it...is it an original design...NO...but I didn't look at a cake and say i'm gonna make you...lol
the fifth dowel goes in the middle of the square...

if you will be travelling with the cake assembled....you may want to sharpen a dowel (like u would a pencil) that is taller thnt the stacked cake and drive it thru the 2 tiers...for additional support. Use the same principle as i mentioned before...but be sure to keep the dowel from showing on top.

Teneisha Williams said:
Hi Jessica...I'm new to cake decorating myself...but i will tell you whta i know..

Dowel rods: i normally use 5 rods in each cake that a cake will be sitting on...you can use the cake tin of the 1st tier to determine where you should insert the rods...i normally make a square right under the cake...drive the 1st rod in the cake...mark where it reaches the top of the cake...remove...cut where the marking is...then use the cut piece to measure the other 4 that will be needed so you will have the same size.

Ribbon: you can use the ribbon around and iced cake as long as it is nicely crusted. double faced ribbons works best where grease is concerned.

Will get back to you on the design...i'm not a "dsigner" just yet...still do a bit of copy cakes...it's really practice for me...soon I will design my own...actually the baby shower cake on my page i designed it...is it an original design...NO...but I didn't look at a cake and say i'm gonna make you...lol
Watch this video by Edna De La Cruz. It shows you how to stack a cake...

http://www.cakeswebake.com/video/how-to-stack-a-cake-my-way
Check my tutorial on how to stack cakes. Just keep in mind that for fondant you
need to do the straws the same level as the fondant and not below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvaCSW78ybc
Edna :)
Ednas tutorial should cover most questions for you. If you are new... spend time searching out various websites and never be afraid to ask questions! That is how you will learn! Sharon Zambito also has some great DVD's as well as Jennifer Dontz. As. for the straws... I have never used them. I know how heavy my cakes are and have never wanted to trust that a plastic straw will hold them up. As for cutting your dowels... I have a pair of garden pruners that I bought and keep in my cake supplies so hubby won't steal them for the gardens! They work fantastic for cutting the dowels to the right height... and be sure you cut all the dowels the same size. Cut the first one to the height of your cake then remove it and cut the rest to the same size as the first. This way if your cake is off at all the dowels will keep the next tier level.
Yeah, I do explain show how to cut the dowels. I dont trust straws all the way
on a cake, just on the top tiers!
I watched lots of edna's videos! Thats actually why I went ahead and bought dowel rods :) thx edna!!!

also....how long does it usually take to "crust" a cake?

I thought about sending to all my friends/family that I will do their first cake for $20 so I can get some practice...otherwise I will have to go on a diet haha! Does that sound like a good idea? Or do you think I'd have my hands full?

THX AGAIN....I CAN TELL I WILL BE ADDICTED TO THIS SITE :)
I guess it depends on how many friends and family members you have! I always give cakes away when I want to practice... just can not eat that much cake!
The icing is supposed to crust fast. If its not crusting fast, your icing is too wet.

JESSICA said:
I watched lots of edna's videos! Thats actually why I went ahead and bought dowel rods :) thx edna!!!

also....how long does it usually take to "crust" a cake?

I thought about sending to all my friends/family that I will do their first cake for $20 so I can get some practice...otherwise I will have to go on a diet haha! Does that sound like a good idea? Or do you think I'd have my hands full?

THX AGAIN....I CAN TELL I WILL BE ADDICTED TO THIS SITE :)
i've watched all of Edna's videos on u-tube she is so helpful, i'm doing really well on getting my bc really smooth with the viva method how to hold my scraper ect, i like cake central, wilon and i just found this site and i also like it Thank you so much Edna, for sharing your secrets
i've read a lot of info on using real ribbon on cakes bc and fondant, what they do is take double stick tape put on the back of the ribbon, and attach saran wrap, glad wrap, or parchment paper to the tape, that way the grease from the bc or fondant will not show through. you can use bc in spots to hold it in place and pull just enough in the back to stay on cake hope this helps
cake central has a formula for how much cake you'll need for the number of people and how much cake mix and bc to use very helpful
"fake roses" Are you still not sure of yourself to make your own fondant/gum paste flowers? I have seen some very pretty cakes that have silk flowers on them. What type of dots? The design sounds very pretty. White and cream can be very elegant! Good luck! keep us posted!

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