Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Just a few beginners tips.

So I was thinking every good cake blog needs demos and tips. So since I am a beginner myself, I thought I would put on a few tips that helped me get started. And when I do my next things I'll take pictures of the process and try and show some cool ticks, but for now here are some things you should know :

1- Grease (with crisco) and flour your pans. (Everyone should know that one.)
2- When you're cake is done let it sit in the pan for about 10 minutes. (Don't do more than 10!)
3- Make sure your cake is loose before you try to get it out, then place rack on top, and flip it.
4- (Wait till cake is cool) Then with a serrated knife cut off your dome.
a. Some people use wet towel strips, or Baking strips on the outside of the pan, supposedly that helps there to be no dome. ( I haven't tried that yet, and just feel like I can cut off my dome. But I'm sure it really does help, and promotes even baking)
b. Some people feel you can push the dome down into the cake while it's still warm, I have tried this but feel like it doesn't work enough for me. (Maybe if you have a little dome.)
*make sure you get it flat, or your cake will not look as good. I never knew how people got their cakes flat. It makes your cake look so much better if you do this.
5- This is important to know. Then flip your cake over and use the bottom as the top. Then you will have a perfectly flat top. (It will look much better this way.
6- If you do not have a plate big enough, get a cake circle, or cut cardboard. (turn these over onto some foil, and tape the foil onto the bottom side.
a. If you put your cake right onto cardboard, you're cake will taste like cardboard.
p.s. you can buy fanci foil from Wilton if you want. Or some cakeboards are ready without foil, I like those.
7- one thing I never realized is, to make your cake look good, you really should have two cakes, on top of each other, to make one. Frost in the middle to stick them together.
a. If you're going to fill it with something yummy like preserves, first pipe a dam around the entire edged, this will keep the filling from coming out, and help glue the cake together.
p.s. Once I was in a hurry and skipped this step, and the top cake shifted, even with the fondant on it, and it looked terrible, lesson learned.
8- Also before you put your cake on your plate/ board "glue" it to the board with a good smoosh of frosting, so your cake doesn't slide later.

Most of these tips I did not know at all, so maybe there are those of you who do not as well. If anyone has any questions I will answer any questions, (if I know the answer.)
Happy cake making everyone.

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