First attempt at cake making/decorating

I consider myself a baker…but only at certain things. Bundt cakes? Absolutely! Coffee cakes? Working on it. Cookies? Not really. Cinnamon rolls? Trying. Cakes? Intimidating.

Making the frosting

I learned that if something is intimidating, I should just try it (see Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake)! If I find a reputable recipe, read it through, and take my time it should come out just fine. Mistakes tend to happen to me when I don’t read a recipe thoroughly. It’s like reading notes before a test…if you don’t read and study the notes you’ll be sure to get a few questions wrong. The dilemma is when missing a “problem” results in a Cake-tastrophe and not just a poor grade.

Putting a “border” around where the filling is going to go

Things that I have learned since “Cake-tastrophe” and other useful information:

• Don’t wait until the cakes have cooled before removing from pan. Invert pans when they are still warm.
• Use a serrated knife or special gadget to cut the tops off the cake to make them sit flat.
• Pipe a border of frosting around the edge of the bottom layer to prevent the filling from mixing with the icing.
• Don’t use an entire jar of frosting/filling for the middle…
• Pipe frosting onto the cake when you are ready to ice, instead of plopping the whole bowl of icing on top.
• Maybe take a class.

Look at how nicely the filling sits in there. It belongs there, not on the outside

I made two layer cakes in a week and let me tell you something, boxed cake mixes are easier, save time, and energy. However, I think you miss out on other things that come with a cake from scratch. I noticed that the first cake I made was extremely crumby. It was difficult to ice and when you cut it the crumbs got everywhere. I won’t name brands or anything, but I think I will try making cakes from scratch next time.

Ready to be iced!

The icing. My first cake was made with a buttercream icing recipe from Wilton. I’ll just say that I don’t I will be using that recipe again. It was way too sweet for my taste buds, even my sugar-holic husband thought it was a little too sweet. It also got pretty hard as the day wore on, which I understand is necessary for decorating, but not for a simple cake.

You can see the crumbs…I still need practice!

I did have some difficulty icing with this buttercream, but I think it turned out pretty good in the end! I think I may just need some practice and find a better buttercream icing!

Finished product! Looks great!

I decided to go with stencils because my decorating skills are that of a two-year old. I think this was  a nice, simple cake and the newly engaged couple enjoyed it, I think!

Happy Engagement bro-in-law and future sis-in-law!

I’ve got one more cake to share with you guys, which I will do in the next week! Keep your eyes peeled!

Cake – classic yellow cake

Filling – Bavarian chocolate filling purchased from a cute local company called Cake Crafts

Buttercream Icing – Medium consistency – Wilton Buttercream Icing

For suggestions on how to make and decorate cakes I suggest taking a course, doing lots of research, or just by doing! Wilton has some excellent books on how to ice cakes, decorate cakes, types of icing that is needed, and how to pipe icing onto a cake. I got this book as a gift even though I never took any classes and it is a great resource!

Most of all, don’t get discouraged! Just have fun and laugh at your mistakes!

Print this Post

Advertisement

Tags: baking, Buttercream icing, cake, cake decorating, engagement cake, recipe, stencil, Wilton