Had an interesting weekend baking cakes, namely a cake for Ma Bucket for her 70th. It was suggested to me by Pa Bucket but thought it would make a good present. So I set to work.
Three cakes later I decided that I hated silicon 'tins' and I'm going back to using my old ones again. I thought the point of the silicon ones is that things don't stick? I had a complete nightmare.
I also decided to use fondant icing (I usually use nice, messy buttercream) for a good finish. Several attempts later I finally got some on a cake...note to self:- use LOTS of icing sugar under the fondant icing, not a light amount that the packets suggest. Also, I need loads more practice with this type of icing - I needed to patch up some holes and then it didn't look neat enough for me.
Finally went to bed about 1am, totally fed up with the cake. So the next morning I made another one just in case I really did not like the first one. But after putting the decorations on and placing a huge ribbon around the cake to hide the imperfections it didn't look too bad. Although Mr Bucket had to keep reminding me that "it is homemade and if they wanted a shop perfect one then they would have bought one".
Ma Bucket loved it and it tasted good so that's the main thing.
One of the spare cakes that we'll have today
But I learned a couple of new things doing this:* Instead of using icing sugar to attach a ribbon to a cake, measure and then wet the ribbon (gently squeezing off excess water), then wrap around cake. Press and hold for a few seconds and then presto, the water and sugar bind together and the ribbon is held onto cake.
* To cut a big cake in half evenly, lightly score around the cake; wrap cotton thread around and cross over then pull slowly. This works, I tried it and the cake was cut really well.
I don't know if everyone knows these things but it was news, to the few people that I spoke to, about the ribbon trick.
Hope everyone's having a good weekend. Sam xx
I know what you mean about the silicone cake containers! I bought some pumpkin shaped ones last year and they were a disaster. Back to normal ones for me I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that your cake will have gone down a treat, I agree with your hubby, if they had wanted a perfect cake they would have gone for a shop bought one, home made does it for me everytime!