First Caketasprophy!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Teneisha Williams on October 2, 2011 at 7:47pm

hush Kim....luckily the cake was for fam and not a client

 

never make anything without TYLOSE on hand...it is a saviour!!!! I buy satin ice gumpaste and i still add tylose...so afraid of something falling apart at the last minute,

Permalink Reply by Faith Gealey-Brown on October 2, 2011 at 8:18pm

Hi Kim,

I'm so sorry this happened to you! I always try to do gum paste stuff at least 2 days before. I roll it out on cornstarch instead of icing sugar. I find it works really great. Just always keep an extra icing sugar on hand and give yourself a little time. What's your buttercream icing recipe? Is it a crusting or non crusting? Sometimes I put my cakes in the freezer if it's really hot. Do you have a/c? That helps a lot for me as well!

Chin up! It will come out better next time!

Permalink Reply by Kim Washington on October 2, 2011 at 10:00pm

well teneisha i will def try the tylose cause i do have so i will try

 

faith i did use  cornstarch but i think the problem was really the heat, because during the night they were starting to dry nicely. i have no a/c so i am at the mercy of nature. so i'm hoping for any suggestions for working with gum paste in this climate... 

 

the buttercream recipe is a crusting one, cause i have had great success with it before, dat part i'm not too worried about because i believe it was the shortage of icing sugar.

Permalink Reply by Faith Gealey-Brown on October 2, 2011 at 11:32pm

Oh no! Well definitely go with the tylose or gum tex (tylose is way better but gum Tex is all I can get here in cayman). Hopefully it won't happen again soon!

Permalink Reply by Teneisha Williams on October 2, 2011 at 11:44pm

the tylose will work...i made roses on Wednesday night for Thursday morning...nice and dry...u vary the amount based on the hardness you want and the short timelines...lol...if u add a lot...work fast it will start hardening while u work and difficult to use depending on what u are making...like for a ball it will have cracks and not be smooth...strips may crack...experience will guide you...:)

 

I'm so last minute it's not even funny...so i keep my tylose close by...lol

Permalink Reply by Kim Washington on October 3, 2011 at 6:49pm

thanks girlies...i will definitely give it a try. 

 

TenTen  I'm last minute myself especially since i bake part time and teach (which we all know consumes you)

 

will keep you guys posted

Permalink Reply by Kerry on October 4, 2011 at 7:28am

 

Teneisha, when I hear the word tylose I just smile. It might sound crazy, but I just love tylose powder, its such a life saver. Works well when you have to create flowers esp if its a last minute creation and dries really nice too :)

 

Faith, could you share your crusting buttercream recipe with me.

 

Kim, experience is a great teacher. I had a similar experience over the weekend took an order a few days ago to do a hand bag cake with gumpaste pair shoe. Did the order over the weekend and did not like how it turned out. The work was a bit sloppy and the shoes was taking forever to dry. Just to add, this is the first time I'm making this so was not quite not sure if I even dowelled and stack the cake properly - the carving well that was another story.

I came to the decision when I was completed to return the clients money, which is my coworker too. I came up with an exuse. I felt bad but I prefer to give something better - lesson to me only do something you are capable of,  get at least 2 weeks notice and do something I am capable of. I still feel terrible, but I think that's experience there fore me.

 

Have you ever tried gelatin and icing sugar mix Kim? Its a nice mix for making gumpaste items, but you have to be careful with it since it dries fast while working with it.

Permalink Reply by Kerry on October 4, 2011 at 8:09am

Oh & dont get discouraged Kim. I was also questioning my ability to do cakes. I was beating up on myself, thinking that I could not do cakes properly, that I'm a failure etc.

I was also comparing my work to other fellow local cake decorators whose work is like perfect, but then I said to myself that I am new to cake decorating so with practice I'll improve etc.

Permalink Reply by Faith Gealey-Brown on October 4, 2011 at 10:16am

Kerry - I totally agree practice makes perfect!  Do you make your own fondant with gelatin and glucose?  I've been wanting to try that method but I've been really slacking off with making my own fondant.  One of the local stores keeps it in stock most of the time - it's wilton so its really easy to use.  I'm going to order some satin ice before the end of the year - another caker on island that I know ordered some and it was so delicious!

 

Kim - don't give up you'll get there ;) it was probably just one of those bad cake days.  That always happens to me too whenever I try to bake something special for family - and that's the time the cake doesn't rise properly or the icing gets gritty LOL.

 

I think I posted my crusting bc recipe in the recipe section but I'll repost.

 

Smiles,

Faith

 

 

Permalink Reply by Kim Washington on October 4, 2011 at 5:03pm

thanks for the words of encouragement, 

 

i just keep reminding myslef i've only been decorating for one year and only for friends and family so i havent been doing it consistently.

 

ive tried the gelatin and glucose homemade fondant..urghhh lot of work, marshmallow fondant is so much easier or store bought. 

Permalink Reply by Teneisha Williams on October 4, 2011 at 5:04pm

Satin Ice baby!!!

Permalink Reply by Kerry on October 7, 2011 at 7:29am

I make my own fondant. I can post the recipe Faith. I heard satin ice taste great. I will purchase a bucket sometime and give it a try.