When to make the cake, when to ice it and when to make gum paste decorations- help please

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Permalink Reply by June Kowalczyk on August 31, 2012 at 8:57am

Susan

I have baked my cakes as much as a month ahead. When I was working, this was a real time saver. The cake actually becomes much moister when it has been frozen.  I would bake the cake at least the week before and freeze. Saves time & effort. I have baked, and decorated all in one day, but that is way too exhausting, physically & mentally. Everything done in stages works best. Doing one of each of these everyday. Baking the cake, making icing, making fondant, gumpaste. I generally take my cakes out Thur eve if needed for a Saturday.  Friday morning, crumb coat, if not already done when I froze. Then ice, wait till icing hardens, place on fondant/marzipan. Then add decorations.

Your decorations will depend on what you make them from as they need time to dry depending on the humidity in your area at the time. 100% gumpaste dries the fastest, next 50/50 fondant & gumpaste mixture, then fondant with tylose powder mixed in, then lastly 100% fondant takes the longest to dry and get hard. We all have our own preferences as to what we use based on our experience.

So based on that, you have to decide when to make your decorations. the bigger/thicker, the longer they take to dry.

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Permalink Reply by susan littlechild on September 1, 2012 at 11:28am

Thank you June for your advice. I didn't know I could freeze the cake, if I can clear enough space in my freezer I will certainly make in advance and freeze. I am going to experiment one day next week with making gum paste  decorations as I have never made them before, I can then see how long they take to dry out and if I can actually make them at all !!! Maybe if they come out ok I will post some pic's.

June Kowalczyk said:

Susan

I have baked my cakes as much as a month ahead. When I was working, this was a real time saver. The cake actually becomes much moister when it has been frozen.  I would bake the cake at least the week before and freeze. Saves time & effort. I have baked, and decorated all in one day, but that is way too exhausting, physically & mentally. Everything done in stages works best. Doing one of each of these everyday. Baking the cake, making icing, making fondant, gumpaste. I generally take my cakes out Thur eve if needed for a Saturday.  Friday morning, crumb coat, if not already done when I froze. Then ice, wait till icing hardens, place on fondant/marzipan. Then add decorations.

Your decorations will depend on what you make them from as they need time to dry depending on the humidity in your area at the time. 100% gumpaste dries the fastest, next 50/50 fondant & gumpaste mixture, then fondant with tylose powder mixed in, then lastly 100% fondant takes the longest to dry and get hard. We all have our own preferences as to what we use based on our experience.

So based on that, you have to decide when to make your decorations. the bigger/thicker, the longer they take to dry.

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Permalink Reply by June Kowalczyk on September 1, 2012 at 11:56am

I have a cornstarch/cornflower based gumpaste recipe if you want it Susan. Easy to make, takes food colouring well, & you can use it right after you make it, instead of waiting 24 hrs. for it to "mature". Do you have access to decent cake decorating supplies? Buying a flexible silicone mold with several designs in one mold is $$ well spent. I have a couple. You only need to use fondant. Fill em, pop in the freezer for 5 min, design pops right out of the mold. You can "paint" them with diluted coloring, brush with lustre dust. Big bang, for not a lot of work!!

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Permalink Reply by susan littlechild on September 2, 2012 at 9:27am

Thank you June,

will gladly accept any recipes !

I have got most of my supplies from E bay so far, am on a tight budget so buying things gradually to build up my collection. Have watched video's where they use silicone molds, if you recommend them then will add to my list of 'wants' which is growing by the day lol.

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Permalink Reply by June Kowalczyk on September 2, 2012 at 11:35am

Ah yes
The decorators tools & gadgets list. There is always something to add!
Just home from church & off to visit for the day. So will post gumpaste recipe later. :0)

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Permalink Reply by Katy Nott on September 2, 2012 at 2:58pm

Hi Susan, I'm with June on the making of the cake and freezing it.  It gives you plenty of time to redo in case the cake is a disaster for any reason!  Takes so much anxiety out of it.  I bake, fill it if I'm going to do so (jam, buttercream etc), crumbcoat, freeze in a drawer on its own until crumbcoat is firm then wrap in cling film and foil to protect it in the freezer.  This can all be done way ahead of time.  Personally, I then take it out of the freezer just before I go to bed, unwrap it and cover it loosely (just to protect from dust etc), or put the bottom of a cake box over it.  Next day cover with fondant, and leave that to dry.  I use either fondant mixed with tylose or ready made flower paste for decorations, depending on what I'm doing.  If you need advice on best medium to use, just let us know what decorations you are planning on making.  As these need to dry you can do them well in advance too.  I made a flower spray 2 weeks before it was needed from flower paste and when it was dry, just wrapped it in a plastic bag and put it in a tin to keep it safe. When your fondant covering is dry (later that day or next day), add your decorations and Bob's your uncle!

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Permalink Reply by June Kowalczyk on September 3, 2012 at 3:08pm

Ok Susan

Posted my Quick Gumpaste recipe on a blog on my page if you want it.  :o)

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