A Thread For All Uk Bakers!!
Decorating By hailinguk Updated 25 Aug 2017 , 10:29am by Magic Mouthfuls
Lizzy, true I should really be glad that I didn't end up with a LOAD of brownies for us to eat over the next few days...actually the worst case scenario doesn't sound that bad, except I'd be out of pocket LOL
Kuushi, sorry to hear about the weight gain x Don't feel too bad, just make sure you keep it up if it's what you really want!
I'm about to read that daily mail article...
Yep 
I did a Christmas fair Xmas before last, and the organiser flat out lied to me about another bakery being there. Now I don't mind a bit of like for like competition, but I knew this was a local (shop front) Greggs type bakery, who sell quantity not quality. I questioned this and was promised that they would be selling only savoury items.
When I got there with my 100+ highly decorated quality cuppies and my speciality brownies, I find the other bakery are all set up with their dreadful looking cupcakes and biscuits on sale. For about 70p each, packaged in plastic cases (can you guess the quality of the ingredients when they can sell them packaged and 'decorated' for that price 
). Now I don't know about you, but if I have a kiddie in tow who wants a cake, I'm not going to buy the better quality better decorated no hydrogenated crap cake for them to lick the icing off, I'm buying the one at less than half the price (this was half my reduced price btw!). By the time we'd been there for 3 hours we'd sold, from memory, 11 items. Every person who had them said they were gorgeous, but I completely get why people would buy the cheaper stuff. I went home after two days of full on prep, plus spending loads of money, with most of my stock. We didn't even approach covering the cost of the stall.
What made it worse was that we'd sponsored their previous event, but I believe because I said no to this one they thought 'bugger them' and royally screwed me. We (hubby was with me) left 2 hours before the end as we decided spending the day with the kids was a far better use of our time!
As it goes I found out later from a lady I gave a charity cake to, who was also at the fair, that this woman has done the same to loads of people, and as a result the charity is finding less and less business are willing to support them which is really sad.
I've got a slippers cake for Friday Kathy 
I'm just moaning because other people get pretty shoes to make, and I get old man slippers Just waiting on hubby to find out if I can do something a bit different otherwise I think it's going to be a bit boring. It's for the dad of an old friend of his luckily, so I reckon they'll let me play, especially as I'm doing it for cost for them (cos they're lovely )
AOh I didn't know you could set up a FB without selling. I didn't want to come across as being a professional and risk getting in to trouble. Same goes for a website. My boyfriend is fantastic at creating websites and I'd love him to make me a cake one but I didn't want anyone to accuse me of being a business when I'm not. I know I can say that I don't sell and that it's just a 'portfolio' kind of website but wasn't sure if I should risk it?
Ooh, I meant to post this
https://www.facebook.com/notes/carinas-cupcakes/the-big-pricing-debate/705120919502304
Very very interesting, and if you're having qualms about charging properly it might make you feel better
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Oh I didn't know you could set up a FB without selling. I didn't want to come across as being a professional and risk getting in to trouble. Same goes for a website. My boyfriend is fantastic at creating websites and I'd love him to make me a cake one but I didn't want anyone to accuse me of being a business when I'm not. I know I can say that I don't sell and that it's just a 'portfolio' kind of website but wasn't sure if I should risk it?
Oh do!
It's not risking anything, you can set up a portfolio site for pleasure not business. If you're not set up for/don't want to sell just say so. The only way you'd be risking anything is if you say 'I'm not a business really, but give me a call anyway and I might do you something'.
Also, if you ever did decide to go ahead with a business, you'd already have a web presence which is a big boost.
Go for it!
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Oh I didn't know you could set up a FB without selling. I didn't want to come across as being a professional and risk getting in to trouble. Same goes for a website. My boyfriend is fantastic at creating websites and I'd love him to make me a cake one but I didn't want anyone to accuse me of being a business when I'm not. I know I can say that I don't sell and that it's just a 'portfolio' kind of website but wasn't sure if I should risk it?
Yeah - do it! I'm not selling yet...nobody's said anything to me that I can't. I have a website but it's under construction. The only problem is that I need one of my kids to spare some time as I haven't a clue what Godaddy is or stuff like that! Lol. I have three years on the website - 6 months has already gone! I need to be more self-sufficient I suppose.
Lizzy that's a really interesting piece. I think pricing is the most difficult thing sometimes. Years ago when I did sell cakes professionally, I never had any issues. I would charge by weight and that seemed to be appropriate - and if it was intricate I would add a few more pounds on and charge for petrol to deliver. Nowadays, the world of cake decorating is so much more. It's a minefield for people like me who have little confidence.
Kathy
No, Oven Pride isn't from Lakeland - I got mine in Tesco for about £4.
Kathy - it's virtually odour free. However you DO have to wear gloves. There are some thin rubber gloves (like food handling gloves) supplied, but I wear thicker washing up gloves (I get really bad dermatitis from chemicals).
A
Original message sent by Lizzybug78
Is that the stuff they sell in Lakeland? Cos if it is I can tell hubby we have to go :D
Just googled Lizzy and yes it is the one, didn't know they sold it there.
Original message sent by DaysCakes
Nicola - I am only building my skills back up again with family and friends freebies but I still have a page. It'll get you on the right path if you set one up. You should anyway do that.
Re oven cleaners - I struggle with my breathing with some of these cleaners - I have to wear a mask and run out of the kitchen. I got one from Costco recently but was slightly underwhelmed by the end result. I can't recall what it was though. I might try Oven Mate - what are the fumes like with that?
What are you making Lizzy? Did I miss reference to slippers somewhere......?
Kathy
No fumes Kathy, that's why I won't but shop ones as they all stink but I don't notice any fumes off this one at all.
Lizzy, what a shame that the charity is affected by the acts of a horrible woman! There was a cupcake lady right next to me. Her stuff looked good and were quite colourful and very reasonably priced at £1.50 each, but when I last looked, there were still a lot of cupcakes left. I don't think she sold more than 20% of what she had poor woman, even though she had written 'now only £1' on her blackboard. Two of the cake stalls had a bit of a problem with the sun directly shining on their cakes so they had to move their tables back, which didn't help.
Mind you I was SERIOUSLY hawking!! I took the last tray of brownies and walked around to the groups sitting on the grass and people milling around and said 'brownies on sale only £1 each now' and so on. I think my daughter, who was handling the money for me, might have been a bit embarrassed if any of her friends were around LOL.
Sorry to hear about that horrible experience! I hope the charity find out about her. She's in the wrong business!
I've read the article before about pricing and read the other one about hobby bakers vs business bakers. Very good read. Wish cake muggles would read stuff like that. Instead, you get articles from the Telegraph (or whichever paper it was) that they can make their own wedding cake!
Sugarluva, yes definitely set up your own page, especially if you think that you might go pro in future. FB has various pages- some are 'fan' pages, some are 'business'. Have a look at the categories and you'll find the right one for you.
Yay! So, that's everything on my 'to do' list done (including the oven) completed.
Oh, except the sugar craft! ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!
But now I've run out of reasons to put it off! So once I've cleaned down the kitchen I'll get started.
I used something like Oven Pride when we moved into this house and accidently bleached parts of the clothes I was wearing at the time (luckily old clothes anyway). So, make sure you don't wear anything good whilst using it and I'd definitely echo someone else's recommendation to use gloves. I'm pleased to report it did the job and the oven is lovely and clean now, though!
The FB links about what constitutes a business and costing are really good. I ran a charity stall last year (I don't know if anyone here has heard of the Depressed Cake Shop?) and it was a nightmare trying to work out insurance. We found somewhere that didn't mind we hadn't got any in the end and lots of markets/venues tried to charge us, despite it being for charity!
Kuushi - I'd agree with everything that's been said. I once had different readings of 3.5kg in the same week with different scales! And that was in Boots and my GP surgery, so you'd hope they'd be reliable. We can fluctuate quite a lot because of so many reasons that aren't to do with eating or exercise. I had to gain about 20lb at the start of this year for health reasons and I've seen quite a lot of fluctuation in that time, even when I know I haven't been stuffing my face. Try not to be too disheartened.
The second attempt at the chocolate cake is in the oven at the moment. It hasn't overflowed this time, phew! The 8" said not to open the door for 90 minutes, so not sure what to do with a 6". I'm keeping a close eye on it after Monday's disaster, though.
AOk,I'm having a bad day :( Apologies for the me post, but I just need to vent, than carry on :/
Been procrastinating all week about getting these new dummies done, found a zillion other things that needed doing first! Then I finally get cracking, and have lost the ability to cover a cake in SP!! Granted, it's probably the actual SP itself that the problem, but I just can't seem to rescue it.
Normally I use a Renshaws, but a while back I tried Culpitts as it's a bit cheaper. Used the 1kg packs and it worked nicely for a couple if single tier cakes I've done, so thought that it would be good to use for these dummies, and save a few ££.
How wrong was I?! Got a 5kg tub that I really want to heave out the window at the moment, and I think I'm going to have to go and buy some Renshaws to redo them after all. Costing me twice as much. Honestly it's awful, kneading and rolling it seemed good, nice a smooth etc but the minute it was over the dummy - elephant skin, dinks, tearing, sticking to the smoother (never had that before!), unsmoothable lumps, you name it. Tried adding Tylo - worse elephant skin! Same with more icing sugar, and even cornstarch which I never normally use. I just can't fix it.....
Plus I'm now mega behind on the rest of my to do list.......grrrrr......a whole day and all Ive accomplished was doing the shopping and covering the kitchen in icing sugar :(
Ok, going to have a cuppa, feed the cat and then get back to it.
Will check in again later to catch up properly, hope everyone is having significantly better days than me! X
AI'm glad to hear the oven pride works well Relznik I've got some in ghetto cupboard but haven't used it yet.
ANot ghetto cupboard - lol the cupboard that should be. Blooming autocorrect.
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Ok,I'm having a bad day
Apologies for the me post, but I just need to vent, than carry on :/Been procrastinating all week about getting these new dummies done, found a zillion other things that needed doing first! Then I finally get cracking, and have lost the ability to cover a cake in SP!! Granted, it's probably the actual SP itself that the problem, but I just can't seem to rescue it.
Normally I use a Renshaws, but a while back I tried Culpitts as it's a bit cheaper. Used the 1kg packs and it worked nicely for a couple if single tier cakes I've done, so thought that it would be good to use for these dummies, and save a few ££.
How wrong was I?! Got a 5kg tub that I really want to heave out the window at the moment, and I think I'm going to have to go and buy some Renshaws to redo them after all. Costing me twice as much. Honestly it's awful, kneading and rolling it seemed good, nice a smooth etc but the minute it was over the dummy - elephant skin, dinks, tearing, sticking to the smoother (never had that before!), unsmoothable lumps, you name it. Tried adding Tylo - worse elephant skin! Same with more icing sugar, and even cornstarch which I never normally use. I just can't fix it.....
Plus I'm now mega behind on the rest of my to do list.......grrrrr......a whole day and all Ive accomplished was doing the shopping and covering the kitchen in icing sugar
Ok, going to have a cuppa, feed the cat and then get back to it.
Will check in again later to catch up properly, hope everyone is having significantly better days than me! X
Oh wow Mel, it's my day you're having. Although in my case, I was naive enough to think that tesco SP would work ok mixed with tylose to cover dummies. Didn't work. Added SPD SP to it, didn't work. I tried rolling it thicker. didn't work.
By that time I was seriously pissed off- thick or thin and mixed with tylose the bloody tesco SP will not cover a dummy! I went out to get some from Sainsburys but it is only marginally better.
I am going to get my money back from both tesco and sainsburys. Especially, tesco, because I colored 2kg of sp a dusky pink, which I doubt I can use for anything much!! Now I have to order proper SP from somewhere and have to pay postage too :(
I have tried to salvage the day by making a mango chiffon cake, which seems to have deflated somewhat. I have a 3" high cake rather than 4". Need to work on my chiffon making techniques! I really hope the mango flavour comes through both in the cake and buttercream, because mango is my favourite fruit.
Here's the little cutie (its 6" diameter)
LOLOL!!!!!
Your chiffon cake looks lovely. I've never had a chiffon cake. But I love mango.
Mel - sorry about your rotten day! I haven't even gotten around to colouring sugarpaste yet, so I hope it behaves when I finally get around to it. x
A
Original message sent by petitecat
LOL Very gansta storage you've got!
Lol. Oh definitely I tell you they're proper blinged out all chrome and blacked out. They're proper gangster. Lol. When you open them 2 PAC starts playing. Haha.
Sorry to hear of your sugar paste troubles mel and petit. Also petit love that cake, I love the style, they look so pretty and elegant. Really takes them to a whole other level.
Ghetto cupboard. *snort* :-D
Oh poor you Mel, you must be tearing your hair out! Have you got any trex in? I find it fantastic if I'm getting elephant skin. I work in a big glob (a good shell-on walnut size) and it helps me no end.
Yay, well done Suzanne :-D I bow to you as I'm currently cooking one of the cakes I was going to be doing this morning, and they've moved pick up to tomorrow instead of Friday :O
I love chiffon cake, it's one of the few I genuinely enjoy! I've only done orange with an orange glaze though, I've never been brave enough to layer it. Was it hard jean? I'd love to know how it turns out, mango sounds fab.
I did paragraph that, no idea why it's run on now :/
AIs a chiffon the same as genoise just made with oil instead if butter?
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Yay, well done Suzanne :-D I bow to you as I'm currently cooking one of the cakes I was going to be doing this morning, and they've moved pick up to tomorrow instead of Friday
Erm... don't congratulate me just yet. Have I coloured sugarpaste? Cut out circles? Made a start on the jewellery yet?
No! Have I 'eck!
So there's obviously no point starting *before* dinner. So I'll start afterwards, instead. Probably.
A
Original message sent by Relznik
Erm... don't congratulate me just yet. Have I coloured sugarpaste? Cut out circles? Made a start on the jewellery yet?
[B]No! Have I 'eck![/B]
So there's obviously no point starting *before* dinner. So I'll start afterwards, instead. Probably.
They're similar but not quite the same Siany. I think a genoise is a bit more 'eggy' than chiffon, and a little drier. They also have a different texture. I like both, but I prefer chiffon!
This explains it better I think http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/howtocook/primers/cakestypes
AOoh you guys are fab LOL! Suzanne I just want to give you a big hug - it's so nice to know it's not just me that does that! You're ahead of me with the rest of your list though, I've had to seriously revise mine after Culpitt-gate......
Still need to get 2 lots of buttercream made, plus a silhouette cut out, and some leaves done tonight though. Just as well hubby has gone for dinner at his parents!
Jean, I feel your pain, sorry you had the same day as me lol! Bloomin sugarpaste! Note to self - stick to what you know and stop trying the cheaper options, they are usually cheaper for a reason! Annoying thing is I really prefer the taste of culpitt. Oh well that's our birthday cakes sorted for the next few months! :grin: Your mango cake looks lovely! Could do with a slice of that about now! :grin: Never tried a chiffon cake.
Lizzy I always use Trex to knead my SP too, I actually cut back on this though as it was getting too sticky. How it went from sticky to elephant skin in about 10seconds I'll never know. Very bizarre stuff.....
Right, time for some dinner (see I told you I'm the same lol) then onwards.......
AOooh just realised it's Bake Off in 25mins!! Might delay dinner so I can watch and eat. Then start work again....
Buttercream only takes like 5 mins......plenty of time....... :grin:
A
Original message sent by sugarluva
Oh I didn't know you could set up a FB without selling. I didn't want to come across as being a professional and risk getting in to trouble. Same goes for a website. My boyfriend is fantastic at creating websites and I'd love him to make me a cake one but I didn't want anyone to accuse me of being a business when I'm not. I know I can say that I don't sell and that it's just a 'portfolio' kind of website but wasn't sure if I should risk it?
I don't have a website only a fb page and in the description I have wrote I am a hobby baker which is true as I only bake for family and friends but mainly for presents
AGah, got my cakes baked and ganache done (only 6 hours later than planned), then had to have dinner. And watch bake off (cos it's basically research for work, yes?). I've felt like poo all day though and want to go to bed now, not torte and shape.:-(
How's your sugarpaste coming on Suzanne? All done now I imagine... :-D
All on top of everything Mel? Super :-D
Cake seems to be fine (the truth will be revealed when I cut the layers tomorrow), but it's disappointingly short. I was hoping to get four 1" layers out of it - was I being a bit greedy? I wish I still had a fan oven. Everything I've done in the past has baked beautifully in a fan oven and this house doesn't have one. I don't want to sound like a bad workman blaming my tools, but it doesn't seem as consistent as the fan ovens I'm used to.
If I did want four 1" layers, am I better off baking them in two separate batches (that goes for 8" and 10" too)? Also, do you think 4x1" layers of cake + 3 layers of hazelnut praline buttercream + choc ganache coating is going to be too tall?
Last annoying question (for now, anyway) - do I need any of those baking cores/flower nails to bake a 10" cake evenly?
I was a bit disappointed with bake off tonight. It was supposed to be patisserie week, yet they did baklava and a German layer cake. Although, I did quite like the idea of grilling a cake, so might give that a go sometime!
A
Original message sent by Lizzybug78
Ghetto cupboard. *snort* :-D Oh poor you Mel, you must be tearing your hair out! Have you got any trex in? I find it fantastic if I'm getting elephant skin. I work in a big glob (a good shell-on walnut size) and it helps me no end. Yay, well done Suzanne :-D I bow to you as I'm currently cooking one of the cakes I was going to be doing this morning, and they've moved pick up to tomorrow instead of Friday :O I love chiffon cake, it's one of the few I genuinely enjoy! I've only done orange with an orange glaze though, I've never been brave enough to layer it. Was it hard jean? I'd love to know how it turns out, mango sounds fab.
Lizzy, I didn't actually torte the cakes because they'd deflated big time. They came out over 2.5" each in height then they just shrank! In the end i had two 1" layers and just filled and covered with mango buttercream. Chiffon cakes definitely need practice. Lovely mango flavour though.
Suzanne yoy crack me up!
Early night for me folks! Good night x
A
Original message sent by Sock Monkey
Cake seems to be fine (the truth will be revealed when I cut the layers tomorrow), but it's disappointingly short. I was hoping to get four 1" layers out of it - was I being a bit greedy? I wish I still had a fan oven. Everything I've done in the past has baked beautifully in a fan oven and this house doesn't have one. I don't want to sound like a bad workman blaming my tools, but it doesn't seem as consistent as the fan ovens I'm used to.
If I did want four 1" layers, am I better off baking them in two separate batches (that goes for 8" and 10" too)? Also, do you think 4x1" layers of cake + 3 layers of hazelnut praline buttercream + choc ganache coating is going to be too tall?
Last annoying question (for now, anyway) - do I need any of those baking cores/flower nails to bake a 10" cake evenly?
I was a bit disappointed with bake off tonight. It was supposed to be patisserie week, yet they did baklava and a German layer cake. Although, I did quite like the idea of grilling a cake, so might give that a go sometime!
Sock monkey, how short is your cake? You should go as high as you want to. Its all personal preference. I aim for 4" high cakes, sometimes they're a bit higher. I would use a flower nail for a big cake.
I nearly always bake in two batches, and each cake only comes to 1.5". If you want 4x1" layers I think you need more batter.
Thanks by the way to whoever said my cake looked nice (Suzanne? Sorry its so hard to go back and forth with a mobile phone). I've got this obsession with getting my piping to look better, so I practice at every opportunity!
G'night again x
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