I am attempting to make a small birdcage cake for my sister who is coming up to stay at my mum's for a few days and it was her birthday yesterday. So far I have baked the cakes which spilled out all over the oven then sank when they came out, I then realised with rushing I had used self raising flour by mistake instead of plain. The mixture had both bicarb of soda and baking powder in so that is why it's happened. the next lot of cakes came out fine but were not tall enough so I had to go shopping to buy more stuff and bake more, I'm sorry I bothered at the moment. I am waiting for the ganache to set up so I can SP it.

AI'm a little bit in awe of anyone who makes cake pops sugarluva. I tried once, too fiddly for words! So much effort for such a tiny bit of cake! Cupcakes do my head in a bit but cake pops took the, erm, biscuit.

Yes I've got private messages missing too, I've got older ones and more recent ones on there. Very odd. The ones missing have nothing to do with cake either. But then I've got some left that have nothing to do with cake do maybe that's not the reason they've gone.

AAw roxy, it'll be worth it in the end, you know it will. I love birdcage cakes, I'd live to have a go one day.

AOh my goodness! The dining room!!! [IMG]http://www.cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3275856/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

I've got half of conversations and recipes missing Maisie, My daughter and my brother love cake pops so I make them for them now and again. I don't bother with the sticks though just put them in mini cupcake wrappers and some sprinkles on top. They look nowhere close to professional  

Wow Marvel that's a lot of cake going on there 

Thanks Maisie let's hope so.

AJo, I did the same as you, remade but only used the mixer up to the eggs being beaten in the switched to elbow grease to stir the flours and buttermilk in. I now have perfectly flat, beautifully risen cakes.

Personally I don't think red velvet is all that. It's really just a lovely moist cake with a light cocoa flavour, it's only the colouring that makes it interesting beyond just being a good cake. Maybe I'm expecting too much, but I wanted it to be a really different tasting cake, and after trying several recipes I've come to the conclusion that it's a red vanilla/cocoa cake. It's a lovely flavour, don't get me wrong, and it's massively popular (both my wedding cakes have a tier of it) but if I was doing it for us I wouldn't bother with the colouring, I'd just have it as a lovely normal coloured cake!

Maisie, I don't know why you're fretting, you'll be fine! It's not hard to make them look good, just tedious!

Right, off to cook some chips. I bought Tesco homestyle crinkle cut ones the other day and they're soon nice. Big thick chips that go nice and crunchy on the outside, not soft and pale like the mccains ones. I've been craving them for days now :-) It's a good job my deep fryer is in the loft or it'd be extra fattening home made ones instead :-D

AHi all. Blimy Charlie, I've been to work and there loads to catch up on.

So I'm not going to answer to everyone, just well done to everyone.

Oh dory Lynne, yes I bought that yrs ago, it was recommended by the hospital I booked into for, wait for it, can anyone guess what I had done???

AHio Roxylee, thanks. It was me who did the starfish cake,:-)

Maisie, not only you, I am a bit nervous too!!!! :oops:

AWow Marvel, that's a lot of cake :)

Bashin, there is one bit on the mat that you have to be cautious of otherwise is really easy to use.

Maisie, sorry, don't mean to sound preachy :( I just think you could knock out an awesome MC cake, when you doubt yourself is when it goes wrong.

Well stage one of the upside down method done, just setting up then I'm going to stick a bit more ganache on and set it and the take the top off eeekk lol

AHey all. Decided to keep it mega simple with the Vegas cupcake toppers. Thoughts?

[IMG]http://www.cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3275871/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

I bloomin' hate cupcakes...

ADid you know there is a Butterfly Exhibit at the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Las Vegas? Cos there is! And I have the cutters. So she gets butterflies! ;)

AWow m4rvel that's a lotta cake!

What did you have done nanny? How was work? Knee ok?

Roxy I'm sure they'll be lovely. I haven't checked the conversations I've still got but some whole conversations have gone.

Oh my days, if you're nervous bashini, I'm terrified!

I want chips now, thanks for that Lizzy! I've got an old fashioned chip pan but I don't use it often (cos it usually needs cleaning and that's a job I put off as long as I can!)

No, no Siany, you didn't sound preachy, you sounded "pull yourself together girl, you can do whatever you want to do" I appreciated it. :-)

ALove them m4rvel. I didn't know about the butterflies so if I wanted Vegas themed cakes and you gave me those I wouldn't get the connection. Correction, I wouldn't have. I would now. :-) I love the dice, how did you do them?

ASorry maisie :-D They were lush - cheese on top with mayo. Yes, that sound you can hear is my arteries clogging and my jeans buttons popping :lol:

AI'm hungry, I want chips,with cheese, and coleslaw, holiday in 2 weeks, mmm, maybe not.

No Maisie, you have to guess!

Marvel, striking toppers.

A

I will make sure they get the connection. The brief was glitzy, so I've put glitter and pearls on. The butterflies were literally just because I have the cutters!!! ;)

AYikes bashini, I just had a look at that tutorial and the first line us " let me present you with one of the hardest cakes I've ever made"! I see how to do it but I also see so much room for error. I might be brave and try it but I'm leaning towards one like jo's I think.

A

I'll let you into a little secret: [IMG]http://www.cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3275874/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

Went to my suppliers looking for plunger cutters for the deck of cards symbols, which they didn't have - they had those instead... ;)

Think they're just fondant with ultra fine piping over them though... xx

A

I think, if I was in your shoes, I would ice it in green, then cut out all the squares with plungers and leave them overnight to dry a bit. Then they'll be easier to handle and you can just glue them on the base icing with some tylo glue.

AShe'll be impressed m4rvel, you had free reign anyway didn't you? How did you do the dice? I couldn't do dice, I tried 3D but gave up. Didn't even think of flat ones. And then I cut hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades freehand and they looked really good, can't make a cube but a club's no problem!

Aw come on nanny, give us a clue!

Omg Lizzy, you're getting me back for spoiling bake off for you aren't you?! :-D

Btw bashini, that tutorial has helped me already, I think my figure is ok now. That sounds like I don't think the one on the tutorial's good, what I mean is, hers is good and mine looks similar enough I think.

AAha! I like your secret m4rvel! :-)

AOh sorry Maisie, by the end of the day have to be honest I wanted to come home, just aches but nothing major.

Have you guessed yet?

AAll in the name of vanity Maisie!!!

AI literally can not keep up !!

Our house guests are so demanding of my attention !! I will promise after holiday to comment better on other people's posts but I'm so manic at the mo I can't keep up.

Maisie you go girl if my cake is for you go for it I'm sure yours will be better anyway !

Nanny hope the diet going well mine certainly is not family that are here keep buying alcohol and treats all on the run up to holiday - what can you do ?!!

Roxy sorry about your cakes, seems I'm not the only one have a crap ride at the mo. Look forward to seeing the bird cage :-)

AI'm on holiday tomorrow nanny. Luckily they don't do whaling in Taunton so I'll be ok:-D

I'm with maisie, what have you been up to nanny??

AWell at least your all making cakes!! I haven't made one in 3 weeks, whats that about? Saying that I did have an inquiry for one tonight, sports car on top of a cake.

Nah, not nose job, John calls me puggy nose, but no to that, try again.

AEars pinned back?!

Hee hee, thankyou jo. I love your animals on the side. I loved that cake ages ago when you first posted it.

Show us a photo Siany.

AWhere are you goin lizzy?

Not told bad Jo, although didn't lose anything this week well dont think I have, Sarah told me to stop weighing as it messes with your head and she is right.

Big difference between me and you Jo, you dont need to lose it, you look lovely as you are.