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Basic Baking and Cake Decorating (5 Viewers)

Helpful info for any kind of baker and decorator.
Baking Soda, Bicarbonate of Soda and Baking Powder are raising (leavening) agents which are added to your recipes to assist with the ‘rising’ process of your baked goods. Baking Soda or Bicarbonate of Soda as it’s known in the UK is the pure form of sodium bicarbonate, and when combined with an acid, it produces bubbles of carbon dioxide. (If you have ever added bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar to clean your sink/drains then you’ll know about the bubbles and fizz I’m talking about). If you add bicarbonate of soda to any ‘acid’ ingredient such as lemon juice, buttermilk, yoghurt etc. in your cake batter and then infuse heat from your oven, this will create a chemical reaction which allows your baking to rise. Tip: Anything that...
If your buttercream is too dry or stiff, add a teaspoon(s) of milk/boiled water to the mix and whisk in. Do this until you reach the required consistency. If your buttercream is too cold, this can also cause problems therefore use additional whisking to soften your batch or leave at room temperature so that the butter will soften and become more pliable to use. Basic Baking and Cake Decorating Hints, Tips and Tools Recipes and Guides Tutorials How to make Buttecream
In the event, you are short on time, and you have to make some kind of birthday cake. Why not make a batch of cupcakes and then cut out the letters that say 'Happy Birthday' and add them to your cakes. :D 1. Make a batch of cupcakes of your choosing; I made chocolate cupcakes https://www.helpmebake.com/threads/chocolate-cupcakes-tutorial.296/ 2. Either buy some ready-made chocolate topping or make your own buttercream and place it into a piping bag with a large nozzle. https://www.helpmebake.com/threads/how-to-make-buttercream.53/ 3. Pipe some whirls on the top of your cupcakes. 4. Roll out some icing fondant and then cut out the letters to spell Happy Birthday. 5. Place a few of the letters in each of the cupcakes. 6...
If you are using letter cutters and you are trying to remove your icing/fondant from the cutter, simply push the icing/fondant out using a slim soft paintbrush. This ensures they do not break and that there will not be any indents or marks in the icing/fondant. If you are using a knife or cocktail stick to remove them, this will leave marks in your icing. Basic Baking and Cake Decorating Hints, Tips and Tools Recipes and Guides Tutorials
To create an even rise whilst baking, simply surround your tin with baking paper before placing in the oven. See illustration below:- After being baked you can see the cake has risen equally. After removing the baking paper you can see the final result. Basic Baking and Cake Decorating Recipes and Guides Tutorials Hints, Tips and Tools
I lightly spray Bake Easy in my tins prior to placing in the batter/mix as it ensures the quick release of cakes after baking and prevents them from sticking to the tins. Other greasing agents such as butter or a light coating of vegetable oil may also be used. Please note that I still line the bottom of my tins even though I use this product except when using a Bundt Tin/Pan. Basic Baking and Cake Decorating Hints, Tips and Tools Recipes and Guides Tutorials
To make the same-sized cupcakes, simply use an ice cream scoop to measure out your batter/mixture into muffin cases before baking; it’s more accurate and less messy. The diameter of my ice cream scoop is approx 5 cm in diameter, which is a medium-sized scoop. https://www.helpmebake.com/threads/how-to-make-even-or-level-top-cupcakes.596/ How to make Even or Level Top Cupcakes Basic Baking and Cake Decorating Hints, Tips and Tools Recipes and Guides Tutorials
If you wish to mix fondant or icing together to make different colours or maybe a marble effect, then always make sure you use the same brand. The reason being is that some fondants/icing do not mix well with others and have been known to alter the consistency making it difficult to work with. Basic Baking and Cake Decorating Hints, Tips and Tools Recipes and Guides Tutorials
If you are making a cake for a party or a little one then always try and remember to incorporate a little of the design on the back of the cake. This makes it interesting to the other guests who only generally get to see the back of the cake whilst it is presented to the birthday boy or girl. Basic Baking and Cake Decorating Hints, Tips and Tools Recipes and Guides Tutorials
Icing sugar, or confectioners sugar as it’s also known in the US, can have multiple uses. Firstly it can be used for lightly dusting your work surface; this allows you to roll out your icing, fondant or sugarpaste, ensuring that it doesn’t stick to it. It is also used in the ingredients to make a batch of buttercream. Icing sugar is also one of the main ingredients in Royal Icing, and it is also used as a light dusting to decorate cakes. Basic Baking and Cake Decorating Hints, Tips and Tools Recipes and Guides Tutorials
If you want to try and avoid fruit sinkage whilst baking, then try one of the following. Firstly toss small dried fruits such as raisins, sultanas, cranberries etc. in flour prior to baking then add them to your batter as normal, the flour should bind the fruit to your batter and hold it in place whilst baking. For wet/ fresh fruits such as apples or peaches, etc., try cutting them into very thin slices or try dicing them. For glace cherries don’t bother dusting them unless you are baking a cake which has almonds it in as this seems to be the only recipe that will possibly hold a cherry in place. Unfortunately due to the size and weight of the cherries even cutting them into small tiny pieces won’t stop them from sinking. Basic...
When dying your icing fondant, apply small amounts of the dye using a cocktail stick or plastic pick, then knead into the icing on a lightly dusted icing sugar surface. Continue adding the dye (and kneading) in stages until you build up to your required colour. Once your desired colour is reached, try and leave it to rest for at least 24hrs or as many hours as you can so that it has settled down and is easy to work with; freshly dyed icing is very soft and difficult to work with; hence the reason a 'Rest' time is required. It is the same principle to dye cake mix or buttercream; Simply dip the cocktail stick into the dye, then swirl the cocktail stick around your cake mix or buttercream and then stir in using a spatula. If you...
There are two ways you can cut your excess icing fondant easily. The first is by using a clean sharp knife when cutting through the icing or fondant continually wipe the knife with a wet paper towel to ensure the knife is clean and you get the best cut/edge possible. The next is by using a pizza cutter, simply roll the pizza cutter around the base of your cake and remove the excess icing in one go. Basic Baking and Cake Decorating Hints, Tips and Tools Recipes and Guides Tutorials

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