A Thread For All Uk Bakers!!
Decorating By hailinguk Updated 25 Aug 2017 , 10:29am by Magic Mouthfuls
Zippy Cake:
I hope this isn't too late.
I *knew* I'd seen one somewhere...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairescakes/2426329320/
Awh that it fab, just saw it today and have already done the cake! At least I will know how to do it for next time, in the end I just did him popping out of the cake like a surprise with a rainbow on the front...will post eventually!
Thanks to you all for ideas and advice!
Sabz, try this site,
http://www.cherryonthetop.net/index.html
cake chaos, not really sure myself of the answer on the copy right thing as I have seen lots of websites here that do obviously sell character cakes. It's a tough one as you don't want to turn away business if someone wants Mikey etc.. I actually studied law at uni and still not sure of the answer!!! I think probably the same rules apply here and in the usa, so maybe if you want to do them don't advertise the fact, e.g. don't put it on your website etc, and then that may reduce the risk of getting spotted!
In terms of portion sizes I have done the Thomas tin a few times, a horse, and a beer mug of the shaped tins. Only the horse was smaller. I torte and fill with BC and jam, then cover in BC and fondant, so it is quite rich and I found for kids party sizes they easily do 20+ but sorry have no exact figures. I don't really follow the portion size thing and charge basically cost of cake, but when I do sort insurance etc I reckon I will charge approx £40/50 for a shaped tin cake depending on detail required...e.g. horse was easy so £40 Thomas took a while so £50...no science other than the cost + my time. Hope that help you a wee bit!
Eilidh x
Hi everyone
I've done several tiered cakes (dummy ones) for my portfolio, but now am starting to think about my first wedding cake order and am worrying about baking all the three tiers the same height and deep enough. I like the depth of the dummies. Do I bake each tier twice and sandwich together or bake them deep in the first place and then cut??? I have deep tins but I'm just not sure what the best way is. Any advice would be most appreciated.
I'm also thinking of investing in the SSP system, what do you think?
Thanks Claire
Hi Claire
I usually bake just one of each and level them in the tin to get them the same height. I have a problem with doming (sp) though, and would love to ba able to bake a bit flatter. I find 12" cakes the most awkward and have read a lot on here about wilton bake even strips (made my own and it worked really well on a practice 8") and using baking cores or flower nails to help with baking evenly throughout and to get flatter tops. I haven't done many tiered cakes though.
cake chaos, not really sure myself of the answer on the copy right thing as I have seen lots of websites here that do obviously sell character cakes. It's a tough one as you don't want to turn away business if someone wants Mikey etc.. I actually studied law at uni and still not sure of the answer!!! I think probably the same rules apply here and in the usa, so maybe if you want to do them don't advertise the fact, e.g. don't put it on your website etc, and then that may reduce the risk of getting spotted!
In terms of portion sizes I have done the Thomas tin a few times, a horse, and a beer mug of the shaped tins. Only the horse was smaller. I torte and fill with BC and jam, then cover in BC and fondant, so it is quite rich and I found for kids party sizes they easily do 20+ but sorry have no exact figures. I don't really follow the portion size thing and charge basically cost of cake, but when I do sort insurance etc I reckon I will charge approx £40/50 for a shaped tin cake depending on detail required...e.g. horse was easy so £40 Thomas took a while so £50...no science other than the cost + my time. Hope that help you a wee bit!
Eilidh x
Elidh, thank you for your reply. 
Yeh the copyright thing is a big issue, cos kids see the tv and their favourites characters and thats what they want in cake.
I haven't used a shaped tin before so that information is useful to know. I usually carve my 3D cakes out of 'normal' shaped cake, so I find it difficult to estimate how many because each one can be slightly different in size even though they may be the same cake. Could do with a mathematical genius to help 
I just had a request for a number 2 shaped cake to feed 50. I asked at a cake shop how many servings would come out of a 2 shaped tin (in the night garden theme) and was told about 20 2x1 pieces. Looks like its back to the drawing board and the carving knife 
I went with BSG for public and product insurance - it worked out really well for me
Thanks x
CakeChaos, i used to have trouble with my cakes doming but someone gave me some advice thats works a treat for me so i do this everytime now. When you put the cake mixture into the cake tin, make a big hollow in the centre (when i do it, it goes as deep as nearly the bottom of the tin and a couple of inch across). I then smooth the outside edges around and bake in the oven. When it comes out there is hardly any and in some cakes no doming at all. Hope this makes sense and doesn't just sound like waffling lol.
Hi
have posted zippy now if any of want to see what I did in the end in my pics.
Cakechaos if you don't mind me asking how much were the two insurances?
Eilidh
Hi Eilidh
To get the insurance through BSG you have to be a member which costs £22 per year and starts form 1st April. I took individual membership as there isn't a branch near me (although I hope to visit one in the future). You get all the member benefits with this as well. The insurance was £13.50 for 12 month and starts 1st May. There are certain exclusions that apply though so it would depend on your circumstances as to whether it would be suitable for you.
I also contacted my home insurance provider as this can be affected as well. HTH 
I would like to know the UK Prices written in English, I got to the web site, They have lovely things, But, I'm not able to read your Prices, Can someone, Please, Teach us, Thanks for your time... Margie from Ct
olsjhs
I was wondering if you (or anyone else) could help me. I noticed you said you use a cmc type powder.
my mum got me a bagful of the stuff and I don't have exact directions.
I've just been adding a pinch or so to regalice to make gum paste.
do you have exact instructions?
Hi, i know I'm a bit late and Bashini has already given you the answer and yes I do what she said and use approx 1/2 teaspoon for 250g but if im using a smaller bit I kinds just sprinkle it on and kneed it in and it worked fine last time, in fact last time my scales wouldnt work properly and so I did that for the whole lot and it was just fine!
Thanks Sabz, she'll see the cake tonight so I hope she is happy!
Cakechaos, that helps a lot, will maybe join in May and then ask there at the meeting about the insurances etc. But first really must call environmental health and ask what they require of me as if that involves loads of tiling and separate sinks etc then it just might not be viable to take this beyond hobby level.
Eilidh
thanks olsjhs!
That was basically what I've been doing til now I just wanted an exact amount as I had absolutely no idea how much to use.
my mum bought it from abroad for me and they told her 1/2 cup to 500g!! you can imagine I was kneading the stuff in and it was popping back out all over the place!! then i worked out it needed just a tiny bit.
does anyone know if it is illegal to work without insurance or is it just a bad idea? I've only just started and I son't know how well it's going to take off is it worth just getting it anyway?
does anyone know if it is illegal to work without insurance or is it just a bad idea? I've only just started and I son't know how well it's going to take off is it worth just getting it anyway?
It isn't a legal requirement to have insurance if you are working from home on your own, if you have staff then the situation changes Employers Liability Insurance is compulsory.
Cakechaos, that helps a lot, will maybe join in May and then ask there at the meeting about the insurances etc. But first really must call environmental health and ask what they require of me as if that involves loads of tiling and separate sinks etc then it just might not be viable to take this beyond hobby level.
Eilidh
It has taken me the best part of 2 years to finally pluck up courage to do this as a small business from home. I finally got in touch with business link and went on one of their business enterprise days which I found really useful in giving me the motivation to go ahead. I then panicked about calling EH, and there was no need for panick. The guy that I spoke to was lovely and basically gave me the go ahead and wished me luck. I was told that I may have a visit from them at some point or it could be a self assessment form. Again circumstances will vary in different areas and this was just my experience. I certainly don't think you will have to refit your kitchen (which is what I thought before I phoned them )
does anyone know if it is illegal to work without insurance or is it just a bad idea? I've only just started and I son't know how well it's going to take off is it worth just getting it anyway?
Hi Slush
I don't know about the legalities, but I work out of my home kitchen, and I do know that since I took the insurance I feel a whole lot happier and have peace of mind. I think if you are just baking for family and close friends than it probably doesn't matter as much. I was starting to get enquiries from people I didn't really know, so felt that this was right for me to do, for my sake as well as theirs. It is quite a substantial amount of cover for what I considered to be a very reasonable cost.
Hope this helps. x
Have any of you had edible printing done? None of the bakeries near me offer that service. Tried Asda, Tesco and no joy!
I made a cake with an edible image for the first time today, I paid £6.50 for about an A4 sheet from my local cake shop. It wasn't like I expected...I thought it would be like old fashioned sugar paper but it was stuck to a shiny backing paper that you peel off, which stops it from ripping.
They told me to pop it in the freezer for a minute and it comes away from the back easy. Mine was an image that needed cutting around, I found tiny scissors easier than a scalpel because it was dragging.
Good luck
Lyndsey xx
Hi
I'm in the UK too, but more of a serial lurker (how glamorous!!!), but somehow I managed to miss this until now. What a fab idea for a thread!
CakeChaos, I found a great tip on here a while ago to help with domed cakes: when you take them out of the oven cover the cake with a clean tea towel and gently push down. It sounds so unlikely, but it works!
I have a question, if anyone can help. How do you get your buttercream really white? I know in the US they use white Crisco, and I think our equivalent is something like white Flora, but you can't use that for buttercream can you?
Many thanks xx
Hi
I have a question, if anyone can help. How do you get your buttercream really white? I know in the US they use white Crisco, and I think our equivalent is something like white Flora, but you can't use that for buttercream can you?
Many thanks xx
The whitest buttercream I have managed to get was by using spreadable butter and beating it for over 5 mins. It isn't pure bright white but it is closer to white than cream. I've never been able to get it really smooth there are always air bubles. I'd be interested to know if anyone else knows how to get a white and smooth buttercream.
Sara
Sorry, and I should have said, mine is usually quite smooth (just not white!). To get it smooth, I keep beating in the icing sugar until it is much too stiff and then add a splash of milk and beat it until it's smooth.
I'd be interested to hear any other tips!
For my buttercream, I use half normal butter, and half Trex vegetable fat. Because in theory, Crisco (shortening) is fat. And mine turns out pretty white. And if I want it whiter, I add slightly more Trex. It says in the Wilton recipe; if you want brilliant white buttercream, use all shortening and add butter flavouring coz it doesn't have any taste on its own. I don't have that flavouring available so I've not tried that.
HTH!
Public liablity insurance covers you against any liability you may have from a member of the public which can range from someone becoming sick after eating something you made to you tripping and covering a customer from head to toe in cake or if you deliver a cake to a customer and accidently knock over a priceless vase in their home. Different policies provide different levels of cover and I understand that the BSG insurance is organised by each region independantly so there could be different levels of cover depending on the region you are in.
For my buttercream, I use half normal butter, and half Trex vegetable fat. Because in theory, Crisco (shortening) is fat. And mine turns out pretty white. And if I want it whiter, I add slightly more Trex. It says in the Wilton recipe; if you want brilliant white buttercream, use all shortening and add butter flavouring coz it doesn't have any taste on its own. I don't have that flavouring available so I've not tried that.
HTH!
Hi Sabz, what is the texture like when you use trex, I have an idea in my head that it would be really greasy in your mouth, leaving a film of grease on your teeth - but the ideas in my head often turn out to be wrong! Thinking about it some more I'm not sure why I think it would be any greasier than butter, both are fats.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%