the minefield that is icing!!

cord123

Thank you every one - loads of great tips! I cant wait for christmas now!! New Years will be cupcake central! xx

rachbc

I would add to your list a good book that will explain all this then you will have sometime to refer back to too.

Don't forget marshamllow frosting, 7 minute icing, swiss and italian meringue buttercream,
rolling buttercream, mashmallow fondant, boiled icing, ganache.....

VfM4meplse

evelyn-b wrote: »

Hello - I know I'm going slightly off-topic but I'd advise against getting too much equipment until you've found out what kind of cakes and decoration you prefer to make. I did a cake decorating course about 25 years ago and we were required to buy all sorts of stuff, much of which was used once during the course and never again!

I have to agree! I have a baking shelf in my pantry cupboard, that perhaps gets used once every 3 months nowadays.

OP, can I ask whether you plan to turn this into a business venture? If not, I would just forget the icing and concentrate on getting the baking right. A good cake does not require icing, it is of course delicious but eating sugar is very bad for you and can be very addictive, before you know it you'll be eating cake instead of food! Diabetes and caries beckon :eek:. I now bake rarely for the same reason, and try to eat raw foods instead - which is much better for me.

It is possible to make a healthy cake, but no good can come from eating icing...

Linda32

pinkteapot wrote: »

On a slight tangent, I have never managed to make buttercream using my hand mixer. I have one of these mixers:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4232173.htm?CMPID=GS001&_%24ja%3Dkw%3Ahand%20mixer%7Ccgn%3Ape%7C%7C4232173%7Ctsid%3A11677%7Ccn%3Ape%7C%7C4232173%7Cmt%3Ae%7Ccrid%3A8778577965&ctype=2

And use the main mixer attachments shown attached to it in the pic.

If I try and whisk butter on it's own (even softened), it just all ends up inside the cage of the attachments! And if I put it anywhere near icing sugar I just end up with a cloud filling the kitchen. :rotfl:It works great for making cake mix etc but I've never managed icing.

How do you make buttercream with a mixer? My arm would be eternally grateful for some tips...

Its one of those in your link that I meant It would have helped if I'd have shown a link, sorry for mix-up.

Oh and as Ceirdwyn says, everything at room temperature.

angeltreats

cord123 wrote: »

HA HA thanks!

So what would I use to cover cakes, roll out icing? I have seen sugarpaste and fondant adverstised? what would these be used for? While my mum has the purse open I may as well stock up hehe!

You need to cover a cake first with buttercream and then with sugarpaste/fondant. Otherwise it won't stick

Has anyone mentioned royal icing? You don't see it on cakes so much these days but I used to love the stuff when I was a kid.

rachbc

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I have to agree! I have a baking shelf in my pantry cupboard, that perhaps gets used once every 3 months nowadays.

OP, can I ask whether you plan to turn this into a business venture? If not, I would just forget the icing and concentrate on getting the baking right. A good cake does not require icing, it is of course delicious but eating sugar is very bad for you and can be very addictive, before you know it you'll be eating cake instead of food! Diabetes and caries beckon :eek:. I now bake rarely for the same reason, and try to eat raw foods instead - which is much better for me.

It is possible to make a healthy cake, but no good can come from eating icing...

I think its a fairly large leap from starting a new hobby to make her hubby a birthday cake to developing diabetes! Whilst icing is undoubtedly not a healthy food its all about balance - and I don't recall the OP stating she was going to replace a balanced diet with one consisting of nothing but cake and icing...

THIRZAH

angeltreats wrote: »

You need to cover a cake first with buttercream and then with sugarpaste/fondant. Otherwise it won't stick

Has anyone mentioned royal icing? You don't see it on cakes so much these days but I used to love the stuff when I was a kid.

I still use royal icing on my christmas cake as I don't like the taste of fondant icing.

Ceirdwyn

angeltreats wrote: »

You need to cover a cake first with buttercream and then with sugarpaste/fondant. Otherwise it won't stick

Or warm apricot jam, that's what your "supposed" to use, but any excuse for extra buttercream is fine by me:D

cord123

rachbc wrote: »

I would add to your list a good book that will explain all this then you will have sometime to refer back to too.

Don't forget marshamllow frosting, 7 minute icing, swiss and italian meringue buttercream,
rolling buttercream, mashmallow fondant, boiled icing, ganache.....

hahaha! eeeeeek the icing minefield has just blown up. Loving the sound of marshmallow frosting ....:p

cord123

rachbc wrote: »

I think its a fairly large leap from starting a new hobby to make her hubby a birthday cake to developing diabetes! Whilst icing is undoubtedly not a healthy food its all about balance - and I don't recall the OP stating she was going to replace a balanced diet with one consisting of nothing but cake and icing...

hahaha! tbh i am not really a fan of icing anyway!

I do bake cake alot.... love the new style cakes with beetroot and courgette etc in but I have never really tackled the icing stage - usally gets eaten before the butter has been taken out of the fridge.

I have succesfully mastered cake pops now but that isnt really icing its more candy i suppose....

I cant see anyone buying my cakes (well not yet anyway! ) but I do want to be able to make my neices and nephews cakes! I have made both of my sons birthday cakes... this year he had one from the train mold that lakeland sell and i was so proud of it but again that was mroe decorating with sweets... although the piped icing i have to say was worth atleast a 7 out of 10! hahaha!

Well watch this space and in Jan I will post some piccys!

really appreciate all the responses! xxx