Basic Baking and Cake Decorating (1 Viewer)

Marzipan comes in two colours, white and yellow (golden). The difference between them is white marzipan is pliable and can be dyed with food colour to make modelled fruits or vegetables etc., and yellow/golden marzipan is generally used to cover cakes, although white marzipan may also be used as a covering. The golden or yellow marzipan is used as a first layer to cover Christmas or Wedding Cakes giving you a smoother surface to work with, allowing the final layer of icing fondant to be applied on the top. The cake should be covered in apricot jam prior to the marzipan being adhered to it. The jam acts as an adhesive and allows it to stick to the cake. The marzipan acts as a protective layer, preventing the fruit cake from staining...

I'm all about having staple cake decorating items in my cupboard, and Piping Gel is definitely one to add to the list. You'll be surprised to discover how versatile this tub of clear gel really is, and how many things you can actually use it for. Having recently used the piping gel as a form of glue to stick my edible ladybirds to the side of my cake. It was great to find that not only did they stick without sliding, but you couldn't see any of the gel holding them in place either. You can make piping gel yourself if you wish, but for the amount you get in a tub and the price you pay, it's probably easier to buy it and have it in your cake drawer. That way, it's always on hand if you need it and you'll have the same consistency of...

Torting a cake is just a really posh way of saying that you need to level and slice your cake into even-sized layers and then fill them evenly to give you the height of cake you require. You must ensure that each layer is level so that when stacked and filled, the overall cake is stable, straight and upright. How do you torte a cake? To torte a cake, you would level it first, then select a specific cake height that you want your cake to be. From there, you would then torte (cut) the cake into even layers and then fill them. The thickness of the layers will depend on who the cake is for and how tall/filled the recipient likes their cakes to be. This is because some people prefer minimum layers and minimal filling, whereas others...

If you want to ensure that your cupcakes come out moist and fluffy each time, then why not try some of the following techniques to help you out. A little tweak here and there with your baking can lead to fabulous results. 1 It's all about creating air bubbles; therefore, if you're using a stand mixer, mix your batter on a very slow speed until the ingredients have just combined. 2 Try not to over mix; otherwise, you'll undo all that lovely work you've just put into it. Overbeating leads to tough and dense cakes, and we want to avoid that! If you over-mix your batter, you will pop all the lovely air you've just created, so to prevent that, you could use a hand whisk instead. That way, you can see precisely when the ingredients are...

I have provided a list of questions and answers below explaining how and why we knead icing/fondant and the reasons behind why certain things happen to it. How do you knead icing/fondant? To knead the icing/fondant, you would take the amount you wish to use and then start rolling and pushing it into your lightly dusted work surface using both hands. Why do we knead icing/fondant? We knead the icing/fondant to warm and soften it; thus making it more pliable and easier to work with. Kneading also removes any air pockets that may be trapped in it. How long does it take to knead? The amount of time it takes you to knead the icing/fondant depends on how much you are trying to soften it and the temperature/climate you are kneading...

If you're in the business of making custom cakes or you're starting out, then you may have come across people who want the earth but aren't willing to pay for it. Just remember, if you have the talent and people constantly come back for your amazing cakes, it's worth keeping in mind a few key details. As in life, you get what you pay for and sometimes, let's face it, in this industry, it isn't always the case. How many times have you done that extra few hours or made a mistake and started again? I have known people work through the night to finish a cake and know they won't get paid for those twilight hours. In light of the hard work endured, there is a lot of customer satisfaction with cakes, especially if you see it through to...

When making cakes, especially larger ones, you may have found it difficult to pick the cake and board up from the work surface due to the following reasons:- The size and weight of it. The cake board sits flat against the worktop. You're unable to get your fingertips underneath the board. An excellent trick to combat this is adding 'feet' to it. By this, I mean adding clear door stoppers to the base of your board before you add your cake to it. To do this, you simply peel the self-adhesive clear door stoppers away from the packaging. And then stick them to the base of your board. What this does is create a gap between the work surface and the board, allowing you to place your fingertips underneath it, enabling you to...

Hello everyone! My name is Emily and I am currently helping to develop packaging for the delivery of cakes. I am trying to find people to take part in a super quick survey which will help me to find out the main problems with packaging that is currently available. From this research we will be able to shape our designs to avoid these issues, in turn offering a more suitable, eco friendly and affordable packaging solution for bakeries and home bakers alike! Here is the link to the survey: Packaging questionnaire Thank you and wishing you all a lovely day :)

A traybake in the UK is a cake or sweet treat that is baked/made in a square or rectangular tin/pan and then cut into squares or slices. Examples of traybakes are Blondies, Brownies, Tiffin, Millionaire's Shortbread and Lemon Squares etc. If you'd like the chance to have a go at making your own, then here are a few recipes and guides below to help you. Chocolate Tiffin Tutorial Rich Chocolate Brownie Cake Squares Millionaire's Shortbread

A cake belt, cake strip, baking belt or magic strip, as it's also known, is a damp strip placed around the exterior of your tin before being placed in the oven. What do Cake Strips, Cake Belts, Baking Belts or Magic Strips do? They are used to help cakes rise evenly. How do they help with the baking process? They are used to reflect the heat, which prevents the outer edge of the cake from baking faster (thus preventing crusty edges) and help give a more even bake preventing peaks. In addition, the moisture in the belt keeps the tin cooler whilst baking and helps distribute the heat evenly throughout the tin. How do I make a cake strip or belt? Homemade cake belts or strips can be made in the following ways:- Using folded...

A cake ring is a tin that is made without a base. What is a cake ring used for? The cake ring is a multi-functional tin that allows you to shape, refrigerate, or bake perfectly circular desserts. They are particularly great for holding soft ingredients and can be used when making desserts, tarts, mousse cakes and ice cream cakes.

Ingenious Edibles Safety Seal is a food-safe barrier that creates a protective layer between your cakes, bakes and decorations. What is the safety seal used for? Fresh Flowers that need to be inserted or placed on top of your cake. Wires, picks and sugar flowers. It's great for the internal wired structure of cake models and toppers. It can also be used as a protective layer between different types of boards and structures. How do I use the safety seal on my cake decorations? To use, remove the lid and melt the pot in the microwave (see retailers website for full instructions); once melted and cooled, insert your stems into the pot; this will quickly cover them in a wax coating and seal them. Once set, they are then food safe...

Muslin cloth is an ideal piece of fabric/cloth that can be used for many purposes around the home; however, when it comes to food, it can be used for straining, steaming and preserving foods. What is muslin cloth used for in food? The muslin cloth can be used to remove the whey from cheese, draining buttermilk when making homemade butter, and straining fruit and pips from jam. It is food grade safe and can be washed after use.