What is crumb coat and how do I do it and what is piping gel?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bunny Flowers on October 20, 2010 at 11:47pm

I do use the 789 big icing tip and like it, but also sometimes I found out on some cakes that I'd slathered icing on too thick without realizing it. Probably worst at the corners.

This is just one of my "beginner's woes" I suppose -- needing to develop consistency in my baking and use good quality pans, get the cakes to come out of the pans cleanly and be able to level them accurately, all of those things that take practice, practice, practice.

As far as the crumb coat part, though, I do think cooling of the cake is what I need to do. I'd heard of the idea, and since at this time I don't have to do a bunch of cakes at once, I'd have the time if I plan ahead.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Lynne Salmon on October 21, 2010 at 8:14am

........ needing to develop consistency ........get the cakes to come out of the pans cleanly and be able to level them accurately............

Yup- We all have to do that:) Getting them out of the pan should not be a problem when yhou grease and flour them well. I like Wilton's PanGrease. If you'd rather, for yrs and yrs I used equal parts of salad oil, flour, and Crisco whipped together until light and fluffy like marshmallow. I found a round pastry brush (about 1 1/2" in diamater) and use it for nothing but greasing my pans. Put on enough that there are NO shiny spots and you can tell it's been greased.
As for leveling - I haven't had to level in years. I bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes (for any size/shape pan that holds one cake mix), then turn the oven up to 325 for about an equal time - until my nose tells me it's done:) Yes, I bake mostly by smell. When you can smell that wonderful aroma in the next room usually the cake is done. Baking at a lower temp prevents that horrible hump and dry cake! The finished cake will be moist and level (well, like 99.9% of the time). Another trick many use is to put a cake board (or anything flat) on top of the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven and gently push down until the board is level with the top of the pan. Now you can turn it out to cool. Unless the cake is terribly dry the hump will stay down. I don't like this because many times I found cracks on the edges which of course will weaken a cake that is going to be a tier - especially for stacked cakes. As many wedding cakes as I made this was not something I wanted to deal with on a regular basis:)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bunny Flowers on October 21, 2010 at 6:31pm

Lynne, those are fabulous ideas! I'm going to try them!

I was having trouble with some cakes back in the spring and my instructor said my oven was too hot, so I think the 300 for 20 minutes might be just the ticket with my particular oven.

Thanks again! Bunny =:-)

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page