How to make Birthday (and other celebration) Cakes!

zippybungle

Loving the Cakes! :T

To answer the OP's question, I have only ever used 'food colouring' - the liquid type that you get in tiny bottles from the Supermarket for a few pence.

I colour 'roll out icing' by dipping a cocktail stick into the food colouring and them sticking it into the roll out icing and kneading it till I get the desired colour. Obviously, the more food colouring you add, the darker colour you will get. If the icing gets too sticky, then use some icing sugar on your hands and on the worktop.

Good Luck

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PS, there is a cake I made for my daughters 1st Birthday (on my avatar)

Zippy x

Paulie'sGirl

Hi all!

Its me again...

The anniversary meal is a week today, so its all systems go. I was wondering though, how soon can I marzipan the cake if I'm making the marzipan myself? I understand there's a concern about the raw eggs in it.

Many thanks!

An increasingly nervous PGxx

Penelope_Penguin

Paulie'sGirl wrote: »

Hi all!

Its me again...

The anniversary meal is a week today, so its all systems go. I was wondering though, how soon can I marzipan the cake if I'm making the marzipan myself? I understand there's a concern about the raw eggs in it.

Many thanks!

An increasingly nervous PGxx

Relax :beer: What sort of icing are you using; ready roll or Royal icing (my personal choice ).

If you use Royal, you need to leave the marzipan a few days to dry out before icing.

Penny. x

Paulie'sGirl

Hi,

It's fondant, ready to roll. Regalice I think its called (confusing, regal and royal are too mentally close for me!)

So I could marzipan it tomorrow? Does it matter that I've fed it tonight?

Thanks so much, you've all been wonderfully supportive

PGxx

greenbee

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

Relax :beer: What sort of icing are you using; ready roll or Royal icing (my personal choice ).

I always knew you were strange :p

Paulie'sGirl wrote: »

Hi,

It's fondant, ready to roll. Regalice I think its called (confusing, regal and royal are too mentally close for me!)

So I could marzipan it tomorrow? Does it matter that I've fed it tonight?

Thanks so much, you've all been wonderfully supportive

PGxx

With the regalice ready to roll (this is sugarpaste or rolled fondant, both the same thing) you can marzipan and ice the same day.

Make sure you glaze the cake with apricot jam first (helps it stick, stops crumbs coming off). You have to heat the jam (one with as few bits as possible in it) first to sterlise it (bung it in the MW till it gets hot), then brush a thin layer on.

If you leave the cake before icing it, then you'll need to moisten the marzipan with clear alcohol (vodka or gin ideally) so that the icing sticks. Alternatively, do them one after the other then you can forget about it and the sugarpaste will be nice and firm and won't mark by the time you come to transport it.

Penelope_Penguin

greenbee wrote: »

I always knew you were strange :p

Love you too, sweetie :kisses2:

There aren;t many things that I won;t eat, but ready roll icing is one _pale_ I enjoy making Royal icing, so there

Paulie'sGirl

Thanks Greenbee and PP!

Ready roll is safe for now, I might attempt royal next time Gently gently for the cake virgins!!

greenbee

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

Love you too, sweetie :kisses2:

There aren;t many things that I won;t eat, but ready roll icing is one _pale_ I enjoy making Royal icing, so there

To be fair, I'm picky about which sugarpaste I use (regalice is pretty much the best you can get commercially), and I definitely prefer to make my own (but am usually too lazy). Royal icing is just so much hard work to get a good finish on... but if it makes you happy

Paulie'sGirl wrote: »

Thanks Greenbee and PP!

Ready roll is safe for now, I might attempt royal next time Gently gently for the cake virgins!!

If you're enjoying it, see whether your local sugarcraft shop or guild have classes on cake covering, piping etc

jillymit

Paulie'sGirl wrote: »

That looks amazing. Well done.:T

Paulie'sGirl

I can't get the pictures to load from Facebook

It's marzipaned, but its a bit amateur looking. Hoping the fondant covers the flaws!

PGxx

PS. Will try again with photos later