AMaisie, are you doing a minecraft cake? I did one last year for my eldest, took hours. I realised I would have been way more sensible to take Jessica Harris' idea of wax paper transferring and use it for the squares. Honestly, I think it would have saved a monumental amount of time and provide a neater result.

A

LALALA, fingers in ears, haven't watched it yet! :-D

AI hate lining tins too Lizzy. That's the worst thing about fruitcake, double thickness of paper inside, double thickness of newspaper outside, string, greasy fingers, scissors, a aargh! Reusable liners? Precut liners? Why have I never heard of these til now?! I use cake release spray for my giant cupcake tin, I worry it won't come out cos of the ridges and since I've used the spray I've never had a problem.

Aw Gray, poor lady. And if she thought she'd left a message with the person she thought she was ringing she wouldn't have tried ringing them again would she. I hope she didn't stay there all night. Saying that she must be ok if she answered the phone to you this morning. Can I have some honest opinions please? Don't be kind, be honest! This is my nephews minecraft avatar. [IMG]http://www.cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3275710/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

This is what I've made. [IMG]http://www.cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3275711/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

I'm not very happy with it but I don't know if I can do any better tbh, this was my second one and it took me three hours.

AOmg it looks even more rubbish now with the photos next to each other!

Yes my plan a is minecraft Lizzy my plan be is kitkats and maltesers! I'm really struggling tho, I think it might be beyond my capabilities. That's why I want to see the round one again, to shamelessly copy, erm, I mean, uh, oh yes, to get some inspiration! :-D Oops, sorry for the spoiler.

ALol, we all do that sometimes :-D

Well I really like it maisie, honestly. For true criticism though, I've just shown it to my minecraft obsessed eldest.... He said that the arms need to be straight rather than have the slight kink in them, but apart from that it's really good. He doesn't pull any punches, so you can be sure that's his honest opinion (I've lost count of the amount of times I've been happy with something and he's picked up on some little thing!)

I don't think it'll be beyond you. Have you seen the Jessica Harris technique? For minecraft, you'd just cut out the squares and place them onto a trexed piece of greaseproof cut to the size you want. I used a ruler and a scalpel on a slightly leathery feeling sugarpaste/tylo mix to cut squares to the size needed (it does need to be a bit leathery or you'll end up with misshapen squares) and stuck then on individually. That is not smart. Doing it her way, you build up your pattern on the paper, on a nice flat surface so no working at odd angles, then lift the whole thing up and place it on the cake using the greaseproof as a backing sheet which holds everything exactly where you placed it.

Go on, it'll be great! :-)

AAw thankyou Lizzy but mostly thank your son. :-) I know the arms are rubbish but I couldn't think how to make them look like arms if they didn't come out away from the body. I've just got it out again and I'm hoping it's soft enough to push the arms back tight to the body. I didn't do the sleeves all the way down (it was too fiddly, I was nearly crying tears of frustration!) so now she's got bare arms they can be tight to the body and look like arms. :-) I know what I mean! My son is exactly the same, he's brutal! Everyone else in my family says it's wonderful, I'm so clever, etc, etc, except my son. And if I look a bit disappointed cos I've worked so hard and I'm quite pleased he says "what? Well you asked, don't ask if you don't want to know."

Btw, well done Kathy, told you ganache is easy didn't we? :-)

ALizzy the squares on greaseproof paper thing scares me! You don't know me, you don't know what a doofus I am!

AHi Maisie - I still haven't a clue what Minecraft is! But I like what you have done. My first instinct was that it was a girl but I see it's your nephew's avatar. That's my only comment. Lizzy's boy sounds like the only one on here who can give a true comment!

Oh Gray - that's awful. A few years ago I got a call from the London Transport Police to say that there was a man at the station with no money and could I come and pay his fare! That was the start of an 8 month saga. Basically, the old guy had alzheimer's and thought my phone number was his. He generously gave my number to a lady in the same home and same circumstances as him and she then started calling me up. 5am usually. I couldn't get angry but I also couldn't get anywhere with it either. Until one day I got a call from somebody asking if they could call us about their mum. And then it all fell into place - the respective daughters had no idea of the scale of the phone calls and the troubles they had gotten into. Then it all stopped. And I felt very sad for a while but I will never know what happened to either of them.

Kathy

AThanks Kathy, yes it is a girl and he is a boy, I'm just relieved it's not the squirrel/ fox thing he had as his first avatar! If it was he'd be getting a Steve! (The most popular avatar I think. Or maybe the default one) and yes lizzy's son is the best person for advice, the only minecraft fan I know is my nephew and his cakes a surprise so I can't ask him. So sad about the old people. Stories like that break my heart, but at least they have family, some don't and they're the ones I really feel sorry for.

AOh this is one heck of a storm!!! The lightning is terrible and there are still planes landing at City Airport!!! I would not fancy being on one of those right now! Kathy

AAh I've just started baking a cake and realised I've got no plain flour. I thought I had a bag but it's SR. Can I use that and eave out the baking powder or will that be a disaster?

AYou'll be fine with SR and no baking powder :)

Kathy that's so sad... I feel the same, can't be annoyed at the poor dear I just feel sad for her :(

Maisie I love your minecraft person... all those neat squared scare me I don't know if I could do it, especially standing!

...I might have an order for a 3D accordian! fingers crossed cos that'll be so much fun! :)

A

 

I just had a wee look and there's a good black one from december! I love detailed cakes like that.... I might have dropped the price slightly in the hope of getting it lol

How you getting on? you managed with the heat this year? thankfully I had no orders during the hottest times- last year was soooooo difficult!

Ok just back from Bicester - I couldn't help myself.

 

FYI Mel the Hobbycraft there had never heard of colour shapers so I guess it will have to be an online order. Had to hit Lakeland though to quell my disappointment!

 

Has anyone found anything useful for storing flower wires? I would love to find something deep enough with slots so I could have each gauge of wire separated.

AThanks Gray, the squares scare me too, one thing I could never be accused of is neat! And as for standing, it isn't yet and I wouldn't hold your breath if I were you! An accordion sounds fun, hope you get it, you'll do a brilliant job.

Kathy we've had rain and thunder on and off all day but it's just got really bad, sounds like it's right on top of my house, I love it, my heating's clicked on and it's really dark, starting to feel like winter. :-D

ADon't use them catsmum but what about the cardboard tubes glow sticks come in?

ACatsmum I use a jar with little bits of wool held in place with an elastic band as separators :-) I do tend to cut the wires in half tho... Never used one full length.

AKathy thank you! I forgot to get my ganache out the freezer and your post reminded me. I'd of been peeved later :)

Maisie one (well 3) words for you GOT cake. Stop underestimating yourself.

To all those mentioning Lakeland and hobby craft shhhh I'm trying to stop spending lol

I'm going to be having a play tonight to cover my cakes in ganache using the upside down method. Going to find some videos to make sure I know what I'm doing. I was up and 6:15 this morning as the smallest small decided to get up, perfect time to have a play with my new cake lace mat. It's very sweet, funnily enough it's called sweetheart and I think it's going to feature on my birthday cake :)

AThanks my cake survived. Never made so many mistakes in one recipe before! SR instead of plain, used the wrong sugar, only added 2 eggs then realised at the last minute I needed 3! Told you I couldn't be bothered with this cake today but surprisingly it came out perfectly and smells yummy - I need to mess up more often!

An accordion cake sounds great gray, that will be fun to make.

And your mine craft figure looks fantastic maisie stop doubting yourself.

Everyone needs to stop talking about Lakeland! I haven't bought anything from there for at least 2 months and I need to refrain so I can save my hols!

AThanks Siany. I don't think I underestimate myself, I think I just know my limitations. Even the things I can do take me soooo long compared to everyone here. I really wish I had more time to practise but I'm doing well this time, the cake is for the 26th, I've started early - more time to flap! I watched an upside down ganache video, it looks like hard work to me but apparently you get a much better finish. Can't wait to see it. :-)

AThanks sugarluva. :-) what's your cake for?

A

You limitations are only set by you. Yes it may take you longer but what's wrong with that? I made my rabbit for my college exam 4 times before I was happy with him and absolem took hours to make. It's all a learning process. I have no doubt you can do this cake!!

AI take forever to do things maisie. Not just with baking, normal cooking too. I can cook well enough, it just takes ages. My sister on the other hand cooks like she's on speed.

ACrikey one day out and about and I've missed loads !!

Marvel and lizzy my problem is the flour part in the KA. I tried recipe same as usual up to flour and folded it by hand and got this....

[IMG]http://www.cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3275831/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

Then using the flat edge beater on low setting for flour got this...

[IMG]http://www.cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3275832/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

Which was dense and greasy and vile !! Sorry to hear about your red velvet cake lizzy, I have never tried one and want to bake one soon to know what it tastes like.

Hi Maisie :-)

Great figures !! My minecraft cake was simple in design but took ages lol !! I used the bottom of a cocktail stick tube for the squares using a sprinkle of icing sugar worked like a charm !

[IMG]http://www.cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3275833/width/200/height/400[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3275836/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

AHi all!!! :-)

Maise, you minecraft figure is great. My second son's friend's birthday is on Sunday and his mum invite all of us to Dinner next Tuesday. I told her I am going to bring a cake and all these minecraft discussion reminded me that he is crazy about minecraft. So I will be making one for next week too!!!! :smile:

Maisie, I found this tutorial and she uses the technique that Lizzy explained.

http://homemaydecakes.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-making-minecraft-cake.html

Gray, wow!!! An accordion cake. It certainly a fun cake to make.:smile:

Jo, your cake is fabulous!! :smile:

Siany, I got the Sweetheart lace and I'm going to use it on a dummy cake for the fair. :smile:

Catsmum, I saw in Wilko a container for nails. It's got compartments and dividers which you divide the compartment for nail. So without the dividers, you can use it for wires. I was thinking buying one...

A

I'm making cake pops tomorrow for a baby shower at weekend. It's for my cousins friend, she's hosting the baby shower. She wants baby face cake pops which I've made a few times before. I really need to go out and get some candy necklaces which I use for the dummies though.

Hi everyone

 

Haha Lizzy it was me who said about the books on the works I sincerely apologise

 

Speaking of the works I bought shapers from there they are a large size, but just thought I would get them to try as Tiddy said they were good, also the pretty witty cakes book uses them for modelling. These are the ones I got

 http://www.theworks.co.uk/p/paint/set-of-4-colour-detailers---essential-art-accessories/5052089017009

 

Maisie I didn't know what minecraft was until I saw cakes posted on here but i think your avatar is fab it looks like the picture, you've done a great job. I have used the wax paper transfer method before maisie and I think Lizzy is right it would probably be easier to do the cake like that.

 

Kathy well done on the ganache.

 

Catsmum what about using a poster tube and putting a few rolls from the inside of a roll of tin foil in it so the different wires can go in different tubes. I think you can but the cardboard poster tubes in the post office. I use them to store my rolling pins in as the won't fit on my shelf.

 

Starfish cake is so smooth and perfect, I think it was Bashini who made it sorry if it was someone else I have tried to check but all the photo's have dissappeared.

 

Has anyone else got some messages missing from their private messages?

 

Awww all those poor older people phoning for help, it's so sad. 

AYay! Thankyou jo! I knew it was yours. Mind if I shamelessly copy/ use it for inspiration? I don't know why you're having trouble with the KA but it does seem to be causing the problem doesn't it. If you're getting good results folding the flour in by hand I'd just carry on going that if I were you.

Thanks Siany, I'll consider myself told! Your Alice figures were amazing, I was exhausted just watching/ hearing about them!

Cooks like she's on speed! Lmao Lizzy! I'm ok cooking, what I cook for my little piglets doesn't have to look pretty on a plate tho. And if it did they wouldn't notice!

AThanks roxy and bashini. I'll have a look at that tutorial when Leah's in bed.

Yikes! I'm really worried now you're making one too bashini!