Presenting myself and a beginners problem...

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kim Hamilton on April 10, 2010 at 8:51pm

If your cakes are higher in the middle, you can level them with a knife or a cake leveler. I usually have a pile of "cake domes" at the end of any project. It's definitely better to have a properly cooked cake. There and bands and heating cores you can use to help cook cakes evenly. I've not made a cake large enough (biggest I've used is 10" square). I think anything much bigger than that and you need to use a core. I've also heard that you can wrap the cake pan with a wet towel while in the oven. This helps it cook more evenly - the outer edge of the cake will not cook as quickly, so the cake will cook evenly. I've HEARD this, but never tried it - I'm afraid of catching my oven on fire. Adjust your oven temperature and keep trying.

Slow down, and learn one thing at a time. Get your cakes to cook all the way through, then worry about getting the right icing/frosting. Then worry about the fondant. Slow but steady and you'll do just fine.

What specifically are you concerned about? This is a great group of people who are always willing to help. Ask specific questions, and someone here will know the answer.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Patricia Raposo on April 10, 2010 at 9:03pm

Hi Kim
thank you so much for your quick answer...
as to levellink cakes, I usually do that, but as you say, I end up will lots of remains...
As for the cores (don´t quite know what that is but I'll look for it) and bands, never saw it selling around here, will look for in the proper stores... about the towel, welll ... probably I'll call for the fire department before I'll try, lol
You gave me grat tips, thank you so much once more, I'll try those tips and soon will give a report on my progress :)
thanks
Patricia

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by jeri c on April 12, 2010 at 3:10am

I make cake balls out of the leftovers! Our staff at school loves them! Or I send them to the neighbors or the birds love them too!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Theresa Happe on April 12, 2010 at 6:56am

I use old towels all the time to wrap around my cake pans. Just cut strips a little longer than the perimeter of the pan, wet them and squeeze them out and wrap them tightly around the pan. You can pin them or use metal clips. The clips work really well. They won't catch fire. As a substitute for a heating core, you can place a metal flower nail upside down in the center of the pan or use a large cake decorating tip. I've had no problem using the wet towels with pans up to 12".

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Patricia Raposo on April 17, 2010 at 1:28pm

Thank you all for your help...
Well, I tried to do a lovely cake... turned out not so lovely, but not as bad as it could be...
I did Buddy's (CB) sponge cake recipe one of you ladies posted. 1st cake was baked with a wet towel wrapped around and turned out good... I only let it dry a little too much... the 2nd cake (2nd layer) was baked with alluminium foil (?) covering it and turned out just perfect!! and they are so yummy!!
ok, baking problem solved, let's go for the icing... can't find shortener here, so I looked for a recipe on the net without shortener... what a disaster!!!! too yellow, too sweet, too liquid, to "vaniiliish", lol fine! let's try another one next time...
filling... chocolate... I think I was too short adding cream, but not being too sweet just may match with the icing...
decoration: forget it, not even tried this time...
end result: its eatable, cake itself tastes very good
I have some pictures I'll post at my ning's page soon
thank you all once again!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dana Olson on April 22, 2010 at 1:27am

Hey, as long as it tastes good, you're half way there! If you're confident enough in your baking skills and just feel like you need to work on decorating, then practice decorating on sheets of parchment paper. I don't know if there are Wilton classes in Portugal, but they are a good place to start and learn the basics. Even YouTube has some great tutorials. Tonedna1 and SeriousCakes are a couple people I subscribe to on YouTube. They're both really good and very helpful when you have questions. Good Luck!!

Patricia Raposo said:

Thank you all for your help...
Well, I tried to do a lovely cake... turned out not so lovely, but not as bad as it could be...
I did Buddy's (CB) sponge cake recipe one of you ladies posted. 1st cake was baked with a wet towel wrapped around and turned out good... I only let it dry a little too much... the 2nd cake (2nd layer) was baked with alluminium foil (?) covering it and turned out just perfect!! and they are so yummy!!
ok, baking problem solved, let's go for the icing... can't find shortener here, so I looked for a recipe on the net without shortener... what a disaster!!!! too yellow, too sweet, too liquid, to "vaniiliish", lol fine! let's try another one next time...
filling... chocolate... I think I was too short adding cream, but not being too sweet just may match with the icing...
decoration: forget it, not even tried this time...
end result: its eatable, cake itself tastes very good
I have some pictures I'll post at my ning's page soon
thank you all once again!

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion