Making my first novelty cake... help needed!

[HanlHughes]

Hello, I am so pleased to find this group. I've learnt so much from reading all the forums! I am attempting to make my first novelty cake for my daughter's 'Disney' themed party. I don't want to be too ambitious but I am adamant that it will be a home-made cake.

I am thinking something like this is within my ability level (cake toppers, simple frosting, and maybe a few embellishments with frosting).

I am usually a basic sponge and standard-butter cream kinda girl, but I'm learning from this page that Madeira cake is the way forward. I presume I could make a chocolate madeira or 'rainbow' (with food die) if I wanted to push the boat out?
Is it necessary to chop the top off so the cakes stack easily or do madeiras not dome as much in the middle?

Then I gather that Swiss butter cream is easier to work with than standard butter cream (in terms of that smooth finish and structure), but on looking up the recipe I think it would be a stretch of my expertise (and patience ) so I'm thinking rolling-icing would be easier. Will standard buttercream in between the layers work? And if I did some piping work, can I use standard butter cream?

 

[Angie]

Hi @HanlHughes

Welcome to the site.

When making stacked cakes, I use Madeira because they are sturdier and hold the tiers better. With sponges, because they are soft, sometimes dip or bow under the weight depending on what you put on the top of them.

I love the design of the cake you have chosen, my daughter was also the reason I got into cake making because I wanted to be able to create something wonderful on all her birthday's. She's given me themes every year since being little and expanded and pushed the boat out on each and every cake we've made so hopefully you and you daughter may do the same. (She's 20 this year and we still do it!)

Anyway back to the help. Yes you can make the madeira chocolate if you wish or use dyes. If you do use dyes, use concentrated dyes like sugarflair and you only need a little, only use sparingly because they can alter the taste of the cake. Less is also more when using dyes as you can add in, but you can't take it out, so just be aware of that. With the concentrated dyes you would use a tiny bit on the end of a cocktail stick to add to your batter or butter cream and then build up the colour slowly.

Yes when you make a cake, you would level fill and cover it as Madeira cakes are renowned for doming. Meaning you would slice of the top of the cake, I use a cake leveller, and then flip the cake and have the top of the cake as the base of your cake. Then slice the middle and then fill the centre with your filling of choice. Not too much filling though or your layers can slide.

When making cake I use buttercream as in a standard pack of block butter (the rectangle shape one), and mix it with icing sugar and a touch of milk to soften it. You need block butter as this will hold the shape of any piping you wish to achieve. I'm trying to think of the piping tip no that will give you the ruffle effect. It might be the russian piping tips but they're very big so I'm trying to think of the smaller ones to give you the ruffle dress effect on the Disney dresses.

If you are stacking two same sized cakes on top of one another and piping the buttercream around the exterior I will also add the links to another thread I have with one of my other members. She does double stacked cakes like the picture above but actually come to think of it she actually uses my Vic sponge recipe. As a first timer though I would opt to use the Madeira for structure and then when you get more happy and experienced then you may wish to try the sponges. Up to you though, as some of my members jump straight in so it's all up to personal preference. (Scrap that I've just re-read and you're using rolled out icing so you won't need that).

You can buy the toppers you need off amazon or Etsy. I will now peruse the site and get you all the links to the cakey things I've mentioned. That way you can see it step by step and this may give you a better idea of what you need to do going forward. If there's anything else you need then please let me know.

Best wishes


Angie

 

[Angie]

@HanlHughes - Here are some of the links to help you with the cake going forward, I'm not sure what you know or don't so I'll just try and add lots of links for you.

How much icing/fondant do I use to cover a cake? (Ribbon Method)

In order to ensure you have enough icing rolled out, you can use a handy trick. Get a piece of ribbon and place it on the end of you cake board (before using buttercream or jam etc.) then place the ribbon across the edge then up the side of the cake over the cake, down the other side of the...

www.helpmebake.com

How to cover a cake with icing fondant or marzipan.

I've put together a step by step guide showing you an easy way of rolling out your icing fondant or marzipan and then applying it to your cake. Please note that for sponge cakes, buttercream, jam and frosting form an adhesive that allows your icing/fondant to stick to your cake. However, if...

www.helpmebake.com

The 100 year old cake shows me lining up the leveller to give you a better idea.

100th Birthday Cake Tutorial

My daughter recently asked me if I would make a cake for one of her close friend's Great Nan's 100th birthday, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to make the milestone cake and use one of the sparkly cake toppers at the same time. After being informed that the cake was for a...

www.helpmebake.com

Colour Mill dyes are also fabulous like sugarflair too. They work great with fats so can be used with chocolate, and cake mixture etc.

How to use concentrated Food Dye

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...

www.helpmebake.com

How and why we knead Icing/Fondant.

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...

www.helpmebake.com

You also asked about doming with your cakes, I'm not sure if you know this but if you put your cake tins next to each other on the same shelf the cakes gravitate towards each other and create a dome so if you do put them on the same shelf then leave space between them.

Also when I make a cake I make one cake and the cut it in half rather than making two halves. This allows me to have a better structure with the cake and ensure that it's the same size which makes things easier when erecting it.

One of my very older Princess cakes but may give you a little inspo.

Princess Castle Birthday Cake

Here is the delightful Princess castle Cake that I recently made. The cake is a Madeira sponge covered in buttercream and icing. The heart shapes are shop-bought decorations, and the Princesses in the windows were made from cupcake rice paper toppers. The flowers on the side were piped with...

www.helpmebake.com

 

[Angie]

@HanlHughes - I think the nozzle you can use to give you the ruffle effect is the 1M, if you look at my carrot and orange cupcake piping on the top you can just see the ruffle effect on the front left one. All you do is squeeze the piping bag and pull upwards to create the ruffle effect. I would practice your technique though first before putting it on the cake.

I do have another picture with better piping but I'm trying to find it.

Carrot and Orange Cupcakes Tutorial

Here is a tutorial with pictures showing you how to make moist, refreshing Carrot and Orange Cupcakes. Preheat your oven to one of the following temps: Fan assisted: 180°C Conventional Oven 190°C- 200°C Gas Mark 4 Fahrenheit - 356F Ingredients: Cupcakes 115 Grams Butter 115 Grams Light Brown...

www.helpmebake.com

Here's the other picture I found. (You may wish to have more ruffles so they're may be a better nozzle but this gives you an idea).



I do hope all of the above helps you out. I'm away from my desk this afternoon, so any further help will have to be later if you need it.

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

Angie

 

[Angie]

@HanlHughes

I don't know whether this is of interest to you but it popped in my head just as a filling for you.

How to make Strawberry Milkshake Buttercream

Here is the recipe and guide for making strawberry milkshake buttercream. This recipe will allow you to fill a 7-inch round cake or around 6-8 cupcakes, depending on how much buttercream you use. If you are trying to cover and fill the cake with strawberry buttercream, you may wish to double...

www.helpmebake.com

Just noticed as well that on the picture you sent there is a hint of pink through the exterior of the cake under the Amelie name, you could make the same mark using a touch of concentrated dye through the icing to make a very light marble effect if you wanted to.

Don't want to bombard you with too much info but like to give you plenty to go at so you can create something wonderful for your daughter.

 

[A Guy]

Welcome to HMB @HanlHughes I'm sure Angie will get you sorted

A Guy

 

[HanlHughes]

Wow thank you so much!

 

[Angie]

You're most welcome, I know it's a lot to digest but it should help you out going forward. If you get stuck or need anything else, then just let me know. If not, good luck!

If you do have the time though, I would love to see how it turns out.

Best wishes


Angie

 

[HanlHughes]

Returning to the icing- if I wasn't use rolling icing, would 'regular' butter cream work okay for the exterior? And the piping detail? I've often found it hard to get smooth, and I read that swiss buttercream is better, though I worry that will be too 'faffy' to make (given I'll be staying up late after the kids have gone to bed to make it).

 

[Angie]

@HanlHughes - Regular buttercream is fine to use for both the exterior and the piping detail. when you say you struggle to get it smooth is that the actual product or on the cake? A stand mixer or hand whisk can make it smooth, and a scraper will allow you to soften and smooth it on the cake.

The block butter will hold the shape for the ruffles on the dress and hold on the exterior of the cake. However, you can encounter a few problems with the buttercream in and out of the fridge with bulging sometimes which is what I mentioned above with my other member so here's the link to that. (That's only if you're stacking two cakes on top of one another but doesn't always happen either, it's just a heads up if you encounter it).

Buttercream bulge help

My buttercream cake was set perfectly last night, put in the box overnight to get to room temp, and this morning there was a very slight ring round the cake not really noticeable but I knew it was there, it's starting to maybe bulge, why does this happen? And how to prevent this from happening...

www.helpmebake.com

I know what you mean about the 'faffy' with the swiss buttercream, it looks beautiful and silky yet so many things can go wrong (cooked egg whites/splitting), or it can end up being grainy or too liquid, the lovely batch I made with my friend curdled so that's why I opt for regular buttercream because I know when I've mixed it, it's ready to go.

Rolled out icing will give you a quick smooth exterior, but the buttercream will have to be built up in layers. First your crumb coat and then another layer and then maybe another one depending on how thick/thin you build the layers up.

You will need a cake scraper/smoother and a turntable so that you can turn the cake while you scrape the excess buttercream off. Just remember the excess you remove from the first coat will need to be discarded otherwise you'll end up with crumbs on the exterior of your other layers.

The ratio I use for buttercream is half fat to the sugar for example 250 grams block butter to 500 grams icing sugar. Then add flavouring if required and milk to soften if needs be. As long as you get it at the right consistency, you'll be fine. If it's too stiff add a touch of milk if it's too soft add a touch more icing sugar. You want it in a nice spreadable consistency but one that holds its shape.

 

[HanlHughes]

Oh that's reassuring. I've never known to layer it up so perhaps that's where I'm going wrong! I may give it a go because it's much nicer than roll out icing, I think. Thank you so much!! I'll let you know how I get on

 

[Angie]

Yeah everything with a cake is layers and stages, apply the crumb coat and then chill it in the fridge, once the crumb coat has set you can then remove from the fridge and then add another layer. If you don't let it set first and added more buttercream, you'd be effectively just pushing the same amount of buttercream on and around the cake. When you build the layers of buttercream and let them set it has something previously to stick/adhere to if that makes sense and then becomes smoother and more covered (not correct English but you get the gist) giving you the exterior you're looking for.

Good luck with it and let me know how you get on.

 

[HanlHughes]

Thank you so much for your help! I'm so glad I researched and found this page before I started rather than following my usual slap dash style. Apart from a few last minute dashes to get yet more butter after underestimating the amount of frosting I'd need, it worked out really well, I'm really pleased! Here begins a new passion for novelty cake making!

 

[Angie]

Aww Fabulous @HanlHughes I absolutely love it! I bet you and your daughter are thrilled with it.

You're most welcome my dear, but you did all the hard work, I'm just glad I could help you out and you got the results you so clearly deserved.

Thanks for sending the pics over too, I do love it when I get to see the final results.

Enjoy your celebrations and here's to many more cakes going forward.

If you need me, you know where to find me.

Best wishes

Angie x