What's new

Help with Cake No. 2 (1 Viewer)

clerahi

Active Member
Hi Angie, keeping you on your toes!

With the rainbow cake spec sorted... before our granddaughters birthday is our sons, which is an opportunity to practice a finished cake. We'd like to do something like this and buy a topper in the design of his favourite football team. Can you give any advice please?

tumblr_inline_n7a0gyTpIJ1qf7teq.jpg
 
Lol! Yes indeedy!

What you mean like this...here's one I prepared earlier. 🤣


Make whatever flavour cake you like, cover it in chocolate fudge spread like the above one you posted; they've used a Fudge Spread Icing like the below. Or use melted chocolate as I did in the tutorial and then press the finger biscuits into it. (I used Rossini Wafer Curls).

betty crocker.jpg

Then add your topper. Tie a ribbon around it to hold your fingers in place while they set and then either remove or make sure it's the same colour as the topper, so it ties in.


Just a note, when you're buying a cake board to go with your cake, always buy it about 1-2 inches bigger than the cake.

If you make a 6-inch cake for the above, buy an 8-inch cake board that way, you have room around the edges to add decorations etc. Plus, you have to remember that when adding decorations or layers of fondant to the cake, it will increase in size, so you need to make sure the board can accommodate that.
 
Last edited:
The birthday for this cake is 7th May so I need to crack on with sorting what I'm doing and a practice it.
Make whatever flavour cake you like, cover it in chocolate fudge spread like the above one you posted; they've used a Fudge Spread Icing like the below. Or use melted chocolate as I did in the tutorial and then press the finger biscuits into it. (I used Rossini Wafer Curls).
Melted chocolate is a safer choice all round. I'll give that a try using the tutorial.

If you make a 6-inch cake for the above, buy an 8-inch cake board that way, you have room around the edges to add decorations etc. Plus, you have to remember that when adding decorations or layers of fondant to the cake, it will increase in size, so you need to make sure the board can accommodate that.
I'm getting a request for a two tier chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream between the layers. Actually incorporating salted caramel somewhere would go down a storm.

A 6-inch cake is a better choice than the two 8-inch ones I've made so far. Birthday cakes you buy in a shop are that size. Just need to order a couple of 6-inch tins, good investment though as they will be used again if all goes well.

Good advice on the cake base. I was thinking of adding footballs and boots to place round the base..? Making them might be a step too far for my first cake, I need to concentrate on getting the cake itself right.

Just waiting for an Amazon delivery then I can have a practice 👨‍🍳
 
You can use melted chocolate if you prefer or ganache. Another option to cover the cake is to place it on a wire rack and pour the chocolate straight over it.


You could then use a cake lifter to lift it instead of the two knives.


As you mention the football and trainers, you could make them out of fondant, get some moulds, or buy the supermarket football chocolates like these.


Or you could buy the Wilton Football Topper.

Amazon Wilton Football Topper

I'm getting a request for a two-tier chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream between the layers. Actually, incorporating salted caramel somewhere would go down a storm.

When you say a two-tier, are you meaning two different sized tiers stacked on top of one another or two of the same size stacked on top of one another?

Regarding the 'salted caramel', You could use chocolate buttercream in one and have the salted caramel buttercream in the other layer. Or drizzle some salted caramel on top of it.
 
When you say a two-tier, are you meaning two different sized tiers stacked on top of one another or two of the same size stacked on top of one another?

Regarding the 'salted caramel', You could use chocolate buttercream in one and have the salted caramel buttercream in the other layer. Or drizzle some salted caramel on top of it.
Oh sorry I should have been clearer, more than one 6-inch diameter tier. Actually I'm wondering why I don't just use the tins I've ordered for the Rainbow Cake and just use say three tins? I like the idea of salted caramel buttercream :) .

You can use melted chocolate if you prefer or ganache. Another option to cover the cake is to place it on a wire rack and pour the chocolate straight over it.
Probably melted chocolate to cover the cake and use that to stick the fingers to the cake.

With the topper, the players would have to black and white stripes or there would be trouble 🤣. I'm playing very safe and going for a pre-made fondant club crest, there's a few places that do them. If I nail the cake in the next two weeks, maybe I'l ask you to help me make some footballs, the choc ones are a good Plan B. Maybe next year I can do something more adventurous as a topper.
 
Ah-ha! You're talking layers, not tiers. Are you just filling this cake and not covering the exterior like the tall chocolate cake with the rainbow piping below?

choc rainbow buttercream.JPG

If so, you could do a choc buttercream filling and then the salted caramel buttercream to sandwich the cakes together if you are making three layers.

You could then perhaps add a birthday topper to it.

Amazon Birthday Topper

These are tiers...

Beauty and the Beast by Help Me Bake (Medium).jpg

If I nail the cake in the next two weeks, maybe I'l ask you to help me make some footballs, the choc ones are a good Plan B. Maybe next year I can do something more adventurous as a topper.

If you want to make some black and white footballs, that's fine. (You'll need some black icing, though). You won't need white as you should already have it.
 
Last edited:
Ah-ha! You're talking layers, not tiers. Are you just filling this cake and not covering the exterior like the tall chocolate cake with the rainbow piping below?

View attachment 5889

If so, you could do a choc buttercream filling and then the salted caramel buttercream to sandwich the cakes together if you are making three layers.
Oh yes... layers 🤦‍♂️, you'll make a baker out of me yet :).

Here's the plan... 6-inch chocolate cake with three layers, salted caramel buttercream to sandwich the layers, outside of cake covered in melted chocolate, fingers round the side stuck on the chocolate, bought pre-made fondant football emblem on top (I like the idea of adding the "Happy Birthday" topper), black and white footballs around the base (on the cake base). Plan A for the footballs is to make some fondant ones, Plan B is shop bought mini choc footballs.
 
A couple of things with this, firstly be mindful of the height of the layers. You need to ensure that all three layers and the filling will not exceed the height of the Fingers if that's what you intend to surround them with. In all honesty, I think a two-layer cake will be ample. But try the three; I don't know how deep those Wilton pans are, so you may be okay.

As you intend to do them as individual layers and not one full cake, you will have gaps/ridges on the edge of the cake. Now, if you were surrounding them with buttercream, you would effectively fill in the gaps and build a wall to which the fingers can adhere.

As you said, you are going to cover it with melted chocolate. My concern is that the fingers only have certain points of the cake they can stick to rather than the whole thing, and I don't want them falling off on you.

cake no 2 issues.png


With the black and white footballs, are you wanting them 2D or 3D?
 
A couple of things with this, firstly be mindful of the height of the layers. You need to ensure that all three layers and the filling will not exceed the height of the Fingers if that's what you intend to surround them with. In all honesty, I think a two-layer cake will be ample. But try the three; I don't know how deep those Wilton pans are, so you may be okay.
Good point on the height... I was thinking just two layers originally but got carried away with the Wilton tins 🤣 .

As you intend to do them as individual layers and not one full cake, you will have gaps/ridges on the edge of the cake. Now, if you were surrounding them with buttercream, you would effectively fill in the gaps and build a wall to which the fingers can adhere.

As you said, you are going to cover it with melted chocolate. My concern is that the fingers only have certain points of the cake they can stick to rather than the whole thing, and I don't want them falling off on you.
Ok... Another good point! I'm so glad we are talking this through and avoiding it becoming a disaster. Buttercream sounds a much safer option. Learning such a lot with these posts 👨‍🎓. I'm pleased I found your website :).

With the black and white footballs, are you wanting them 2D or 3D?
3D preferably.

Here's the revised cake:
  • 6-inch chocolate cake with two layers (can review if 3 layers is low enough for the fingers).
  • Salted caramel buttercream to sandwich the layers.
  • Outside covered in buttercream.
  • Chocolate fingers round the side, stuck on using the buttercream.
  • Topper 1 - 2D bought pre-made fondant football club emblem.
  • Topper 2 - 3D bought "Happy Birthday".
  • Cake on 8-inch base.
  • 3D Black and white footballs placed around the cake base. Plan A - Made out of fondant. Plan B - Shop bought mini chocs.
  • Idea - Could add some of the 3D footballs to the top if using fondant ones.
What do you think?
 
Last edited:
Good point on the height... I was thinking just two layers originally but got carried away with the Wilton tins 🤣 .

Lol! All well and good, but master making small cakes first, then move on to the big ones. 😂

Ok... Another good point! I'm so glad we are talking this through and avoiding it becoming a disaster. Buttercream sounds a much safer option. Learning such a lot with these posts 👨‍🎓. I'm pleased I found your website :).

The structure of the cake is paramount, then everything after that is just window dressing. I'm really pleased that you are actually learning something. 😊

Here's the revised cake:
  • 6-inch chocolate cake with two layers (can review if 3 layers is low enough for the fingers).
  • Salted caramel buttercream to sandwich the layers.
  • Outside covered in buttercream.
  • Chocolate fingers round the side, stuck on using the buttercream.
  • Topper 1 - 2D bought pre-made fondant football club emblem.
  • Topper 2 - 3D bought "Happy Birthday".
  • Cake on 8-inch base.
  • 3D Black and white footballs placed around the cake base. Plan A - Made out of fondant. Plan B - Shop bought mini chocs.
  • Idea - Could add some of the 3D footballs to the top if using fondant ones.
What do you think?

Yep agree with the 2-3 layers depending on height restrictions. Lol! It sounds like we're building some kind of tower. 🤣

Fine on the buttercream to sandwich the layers. Is that what you are using to cover the outer layer also?

Chocolate fingers, yes, buy two packs (put them in the fridge that way they don't melt when you start applying them to the cake) and when sticking them to the cake, wear food-safe gloves that way, you won't put any smudges on them. You will also need to taste test these and take the best ones out of the packets for the cake.

Check the fondant topper's size against the tins you are using because you'll need to know if you are putting the topper on first or last. By that, I mean either before or after you surround the cake with fingers. If the topper is slightly smaller than your tins, you will need to place it on top of the cake and then surround it with fingers.

If it's larger than the tins, it will then be placed on afterwards and probably sit on the top of the cake and the tops of the fingers.

The last thing you want to do is surround the cake in Fingers and then have to start squeezing a topper into it!

Topper 1 and Topper 2 are good, but just because you've bought them doesn't mean to say you have to use them. Use your judgement. You don't want to over-decorate the cake or make it look too busy. When making additional decorations, always use odd numbers like florists do, either 3 or 5 or 7 of something.

If you can send me a pic of the topper, that would be helpful because that way I know what you're working with and it may give me a better idea for the rest of the decoration of the cake.

I think that covers everything. 🤓👩‍🍳
 
Morning Angie,

Fine on the buttercream to sandwich the layers. Is that what you are using to cover the outer layer also?
Yes, salted caramel buttercream to cover the outside layer as well. I am going to make a trial cake to practice covering the cake as I've never done that before. Also, to test whether using the same buttercream everywhere will result in a salted caramel overload. If it does, then I'll use chocolate for the cover.

I have a couple of questions on the buttercream, I'll start a separate post for that in case someone else is looking for the same help.

If you can send me a pic of the topper, that would be helpful because that way I know what you're working with and it may give me a better idea for the rest of the decoration of the cake.
Bit of a hiccup with the topper, the one I was looking at only comes in 7.5-inches, however I have found places that do edible toppers from photos, only website does 5.5-inches, which is ideal. I just need to find a high resolution image of the emblem, I'll send through when I've got one.
I think that covers everything. 🤓👩‍🍳
Yes it does, thank you again for working through this. Next thing is to get practising as soon as the tins come 👨‍🍳.
 
Last edited:
Morning

It's up to you if you want to make the caramel buttercream and use it on the inside, or you could use the chocolate buttercream throughout and then drizzle salted caramel sauce over the top to give it a hint of luxury flavour. That way, you get hints of indulgence without it being too sickly. Again, personal preference, so I'll leave that up to you.

I'm glad you've checked on the topper and realised about the sizing before you start the cake.

Yeah, have a practice and see how things fair as that will give you a better idea of what you want to do going forward.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top