How to make Birthday (and other celebration) Cakes!

ragz_2

TrulyMadly wrote: »

Sorry forgot to mention - will Royal icing be ok on the sides of the chocolate cakes. I know it covers marzipan fine which is smooth but will it be ok on the sides of the chocolate cake which might be "crumby"?

I'd buttercream it first, under the royal icing.

rachbc

To stop crumbs showing through the icing you need to do 2 layers - a thin crumb coat that sticks all the crumbs to the cake, leave it to set then to another layer. I wouldn't buttercream the royal ice - either 2 layers of butter cream, buttercream then fondant or 2 layers of ganache

Owain_Moneysaver

flea72 wrote: »

asda sell a large traybake cake for just under £10 - its about 1ft x 2ft long - serves 50 people

I'd take those portion sizes with a pinch of salt.

Actually I'd take those portion sizes five at a time with a serving of squirty cream on the side and still go back for seconds ...

TrulyMadly

Some great ideas. Thank you. Do you really think i need to support it though. It's only light sponge. Has anyone experience of this type of cake collapsing?
Rachbc that lovely fingers cake was it supported with dowels?

Thanks againx

angeltreats

You will definitely need dowelling to support those layers or the cake will most likely collapse. A light sponge would probably be even more likely to collapse if not supported as it's not strong enough to hold any weight.

lucasmum

Yep definitely dowels needed. The cakes would be easier to handle if you put the middle and top layer on thin boards the exact size of the cake with 3 or 4 dowels to sit on cut to the height of the cake below. The bottom layer will just collapse under the weight of everything else and you will struggle to keep everything level if you don't, it would be awful to put all that hard work in to see it collapse before your eyes!!

Moominmamma

Fab cake rachbc!!

Just wanted to say if you don't want to buy dowels you can just use straws, I did this for dd's birthday cake and it was fine, was quite a dense cake too.

zippychick

scottishminnie wrote: »

It's not very MSE but you can buy tubs of Betty Crocker frosting (like this) at Asda which may work out quicker and save you ending up with some ingredients you won't use very often. I'm thinking it may also be easier to spread over the sponge. I've never put royal icing on sponge cake, only fruit cake which is much more solid if you see what I mean so, like you, I would be worried about it disintegrating.

My best friend bought that and said it was sicky sweet and that she was furious she didn't make her own!:rotfl:

ill merge this with our celebration cakes thread later on

How would you use straws to support it? My brain is conjuring up all sorts here.

Zip

rachbc

That wasn't my cake - just an idea for decoration I googled - the choc fingers hide a mulititude of sins of wonky icing.

You will def need dowels to support a 3 tier cake. I'd do a madeira/ choc madeira rather than a sponge as its sturdier- and keeps better than a sponge - improving with a little age!

Bake the cakes - allow to settle for 24 hours then trim level and put on the thin cake boards, do the crumb coat (can refridgerate overnight at this point) insert dowels and stack the cakes, do the second coat of icing and decorate!

rachbc

an alternative to stacking the cakes is to hire a stand that makes them looked stacked - something like this


http://www.cakecraftshop.co.uk/shop/images/thumbs/t_standoffer1.jpg