I've always lived in areas with hot summers, so I thought I'd be used to it, but I've just moved to Texas and I was a little surprised at how warm it is, especially so early in the season. I keep looking at the weather back where I came from and they are still having occasional 60, 70 degree days, and I don't think we've had a day not in the 90s for a month or more. Sigh.

So I haven't baked much since I came, and I know with the heat and the humidity I would be more frustrated trying to decorate than is good for me. I just do this for fun, and for my kids' birthday parties and such. But I really do enjoy it and I miss it. So, my question is what else can I do? I've thought I would try some chocolate making, you know with fillings and everything, but then I realized that chocolate likes to melt as well.....I could practice fondant figures, just without the cake, but does fondant dry when it is so humid (and I know I probably haven't even seen the worst of the humidity so far, ugh). Where I lived before I would just not much for the 6-8 hottest weeks, but it seems like it is hot here for like 6 months, not weeks. I'm not complaining, winter will be lovely I'm sure, but what do you hobby-ests do in the warm season to keep entertained when you can't bake and decorate?

Ice-cream!!!
Fill a pretty clear dish with ice cream (homemade or yours) and freeze very firm. Make a yummy icing, or cookie crumbs or whatever decorations, then pull out and decorate the top! Serve like cake!
Or make round scoops and set them out on a tray to harden then decorate like heads, or sports balls or fruits or whatever! Freeze again til firm and serve as a cute dessert!

I also love playing with marzipan, hard candy/pulled sugar, and experimenting with cakes over my grill and firepit.

Course, I can't fuss, I live far north of you and we don't get too hot for awhile yet, but I do hate running the oven when it gets over 85. Ugh.

I just figure that's why God made air conditioning.......

Ugh, I agree, but unfortunately God made electricity bills too.....

I'm up in Dallas, and I bake late at night, after 8, and done by midnight. I run every fan in the house, and have the thermostat at 75, and it hasnt been to bad.

randipanda

I live in Texas all my life and I bake year around I just bake at night in fact thats when I do my best work I do most of my pep work in the day time and bake at night I also have a big cake order every July (my little nephew B-Day) and I travel with my cakes about 130 miles away (in Texas) I just leave early morning and arrive before it get to hot with his cake

Molly2

We have had a lot of much warmer than normal weather here the past few weeks, to go with the flooding about 25 miles north of me. I do not have central air, but I use a small window unit and fans. I did 3 cakes last weekend in 95 degree weather. I baked late at night when it was coolest. Just keep a fan blowing in the area of the cakes, and make sure and freeze them overnight before decorating. I had a few heat related issues but got thru it.

When its too hot to bake, I sketch new designs, and sculpt figures out of clay instead of fondant to practice.

Huh, that isn't a bad idea. I've used alot of polymer clay instructions to practice making fondant figures, but for whatever reason never thought of doing it the other way or actually using the clay instuctions for actually shaping clay...I can't use actual polymer clay though can I, unless I buy all new tools. Oh well, I'm sure I can find a non-toxic substitute. That is a great idea!

I hear you on the heat. Here in Phoenix it's been 110 plus all week. Ugg! (not a great time for the AC to go out in my car) You can always practice on cake dummies. Or, if you like to do cupcakes you could bake a large batch in the morning when it's not so hot, and freeze them. Just pull out a few when you feel like trying a new technique. Then you can practice in little spurts. Or if you feel like brushing up on royal icing flowers you could do those all summer and have them stocked for the fall!

All this talk about the heat. I love it! I've seen 3 "new" (to me) Phoenix people on here in just the last 2 days!

What about cookies?

You could bake at night, they keep for days at room temp or you could freeze and just pop them out when ready.

That way you could decorate since royal isn't affected by the heat like bc. Just a suggestion.

Good luck with it. My husband and his family are from TX. It gets hot and humid here but they always tell me there is nothing like Texas heat.

I think the idea of decorating cookies is great. It is 103 here today and to get hotter.

It is definately too hot and I have to make a cake for a Bday Party so I have no choice . Wish me luck ladies

hi. not to burst your bubble but Houston is hot all year round. I lived there for 5 yrs. before moving to west tx. 2 yrs. ago and let me tell you how much I miss Houston. (not the traffic though, nor the humidity) Anyway all I can tell you is to try to adjust because don't be surprised in winter having 90 degree weather (say for ex. Dec.) Good luck!

I love the cookie idea too. Cookies are a little too time consuming usually, because I am usually doing them for an occasion that needs a cake too. I can definitely do that much baking at night. Truthfully, I don't think it is the baking that bugs me that much, just that I know my buttercream will melt and my fondant will melt and nothing will work and everything will wilt and fall apart and I would go crazy. Cookies are a wonderful option- and they are so easily pawned off on my husband's coworkers. I could never quite send off half a cake off to work with him but I have no qualms about cookies. I also like the idea of practicing my flowers in royal. I haven't done that in forever. Thanks guys!

Welcome to the great state of Texas.

I live in east Texas where the weather is hot and humid. When I bake, it is usually early in the morning. We do appreciate our A/C.
You will adjust over time. Run to the store and buy a container of Blue Bell ice cream. It is a Texas tradition. They make a wonderful peppermint flavor in December, but any flavor will be the best ice cream you have ever eaten. Next, make a gallon of sweet tea, and a gallon of sweet fresh lemonade. You will be amazed how much better the day will go.

-Debbie B.

You are so right. We've already discovered the wonder that is Blue Bell. We bought the Neapolitan first and I couldn't decide if I like the vanilla or the dutch chocolate or the strawberries in cream part best....kept eating one part and saying this is my favorite, then eating the next part and deciding no, that one was, and on and on. That is almost my favorite thing about texas so far. I think my favorite is the really beautiful songbird that lives outside our apartment. No clue what kind it is, truthfully, I've never even seen it, but it sings so pretty. Maybe I'll just become a birdwatcher in the off-cake season.

Everyone complaining about hot weather can come visit me, if we're lucky we'll hit 80 today and I don't think we've hit 85 yet this year.

If you ever want to tour the Blue Bell facility, they are just down the road from you in Brenham, TX. I would call ahead for the days and hours that they are open to the public. When we went many years ago, they had a cute little ice-cream shop at the end of the tour route. Surely they still have it. It would be a shame if they weren't open to the public anymore.

One way that I like to fix my ice-cream (when I treat myself to caffeine and ice-cream) is to buy the Blue Bell Jamaican Almond Fudge. Put some in the blender to make a shake. Add a small amount of espresso, or strong brewed, cooled coffee, then add whole milk or heavy cream to blend.

Their homemade vanilla is fantastic on cobblers!
I could just go on and on.

-Debbie B.

if the heat keeps up, I am going to have to bake in the wee hours. i have a huge company cake to make for next week and New England is hot, hot, hot! I don't have air cond! I love going to work just to escape the heat.

I'm probably going to wake up tomorrow morning around 4am to make cookies that I need for this weekend. I need to make 2-3 different kinds. I would have been making a cake, but my boyfriend's aunt (not the one who's throwing the party) has a baker friend who is making a beautiful cake for free, which they didn't find out about until after I came up with a design. I'm kind of okay with it though, since it's so hot, and I would have to take it 2 hours... The other baker has to go 2 1/2 hours or so... I think the cookies will be much easier.

I'm probably going to wake up tomorrow morning around 4am to make cookies that I need for this weekend. I need to make 2-3 different kinds. I would have been making a cake, but my boyfriend's aunt (not the one who's throwing the party) has a baker friend who is making a "beautiful" cake for free, which they didn't find out about until after I came up with a design. (They don't know what he's planning on doing.) I'm kind of okay with it though, since it's so hot, and I would have to take it 2 hours... The other baker has to go 2 1/2 hours or so... I think the cookies will be much easier.

Turned the air to 65 last night. I held off baking as long as possible. Big weekend cake orders. Well oven just shut off. and its 89 in here. 102 outside.
My DH brought a portable air conditioner to help. at least my decorating area is getting cooler now. Huh! Sometimes he does worry about me. lol.
I know the power company loves me

I live in arizona as well and pretty much the only time I dont bake or cook is when the complex is between the times they turn on the A/C thankfully my utitlities are included in my rent so during the summer I am down to 65 all day long.. I will be sad when we move out LOL I dont plan on living here forever but we plan on moving to colorado so it will be much better all year round.

I live in the great humid state of Florida! I close all of my blinds, turn on the range fan, lower the A/C & use a box fan if necessary. I agree with the consensus to bake either early morn or late at night. It also helps to keep your hands cool (stick in the ice bin every now & then). HTH

Ladiessss, please send some of that 105 degrees to the St of WA pleaseeeeeee...it's 58 here today and raining buuuuuu... I took a walk during my lunch hour and came back with my feet wet
So far, we've had 72 hours (yeah, hours!!) of 80 degrees so far this summer

I live in Saudi Arabia where it is HOT! We have temperatures as high as 120 F during the day. Luckily, most homes are fitted with central air conditioners. However the problem is with humidity (85-100%). As soon as the cake leaves the house, water droplets form on it's surface and fondant starts to droop.