AThanks LisaPeps that is a great help on the what size cake for 100 people. Loving this site so many helpful tips. Just need to find my way round :-)

Thank you LisaPeps, I've heard about adding violet to the buttercream, and I keep thinking it's just not gonna work for me haha ....... but I think I will try it out and see if I can do that without messing it up :)    I was thinking of just using the trex and adding a flavour to it, do you think that would be ok? or would that taste horrible??

A

Honestly, do your normal buttercream. The violet works wonders!

This post explains about the colour wheel

http://www.lilaloa.com/2012/05/lets-talk-about-hue.html?m=1

This one mentions the violet too

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091221122326AATR7Lu

I wouldn't do all trex, if I'm making buttercream it's going to use all butter hence the name of it. But that's a personal preference. I have made indydebs all shortening icing (recipe on here) and it was sickly sweet and tasted greasy.

AI always use the Hummingbird vanilla cupcake and chocolate cupcake recipes. They have never failed me yet. if you are making a larger cake say 8 inch i just found a great recipe on BBC Good foood light lemon sponge. I just omit the lemon and use vanilla extract. its lovely and light and stays moist for days. happy baking

AGroupon are advertising a hand held steamer for £19.99 (+£5.99 p&p)

https://m.groupon.co.uk/deals/worcester/Product-Mania/16277764

That's the mobile link, you'll have to go to www.groupon.co.uk and look for it If you're on a laptop or computer.

Steaming fondant creates a shine, cleans off powdered sugar or cornstarch and sets any luster dusts or powder colours you have used.

I'm not affiliated with groupon or product mania, just like to share bargains!

Hello, it has took me 2 days to get to page 45, so i am going to catch up through the week,  but i had to peek at the end. 

So hello nice to see a UK thread, i am also new, very new to cake making a new hobby of mines, i have only mad 3 cakes to this date, lol so hoping to learn loads on here and make new friends.

xxxx

A

I've made 2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/74193933@N07/8398359427/in/photostream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/74193933@N07/8398359491/in/photostream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/74193933@N07/8398359471/in/photostream/lightbox/

They were quite easy actually. The white one I used Paul Bradford's online course and the red one I used this tutorial http://sugarsweetcakesandtreats.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/chanel-classic-handbag-cake.html?m=1

Just make sure you use a cake which lends well to carving. On each occasion I used chocolate mud cake.

AOh wow I love them!! Thanks for the tips :). I'll post pics when I've made it.

A

Just realised I didn't add a link to this... http://www.wilton.com/cakes/making-cakes/baking-wedding-cake-2-inch-pans.cfm

That's the link I use to work out what sized cakes I need.

Hi Lisa peps,was readind through the uk posts and very interesting and helpfull you all are,could you tell me how much cake mix to use on a 9x13 cake pan as i have just been given one.(second hand). Thank you.

A

I usually just double my recipe. You need about the same amount as a 12".

Thank you.

Hi everyone, its been a while since I posted here. I see loads of people are joining! That's fantastic! 

Lilmzbubbles

Like Lesapep, I am a self taught cake maker. I learnt from the books and the internet. I also don't want to spend so much money on classes. But I did learn to make few different flowers from Alan Dunn. I think that is well worth every penny. Then I bought some tutorials from Lorraine McKay on making people. That was also worth it. The rest from books and youtube too! The main thing is to practice and find what works best for you. HTH. 

Hi,

I am new to this thread - anyone got any good reciepes for MMF? :/ My head and eyes hurt from scrolling through the internet! x

AMFF (Michelle fosters fondant) is better than MMF, you can find the recipe on here. MMF is awful IMO

Hi, I have made a MMF ones but I didn't like the taste. And then one lady made MFF (Michele Foster's Fondant) and I tried it and it tasted nice!!! Not too sweet and tasted milky too.

Here is the link if you want to try it.

http://cakecentral.com/a/michele-fosters-fondant

HTH. 

AI especially like the white chocolate version. It adds a nice flavour and improves elasticity.

A

P.s rather than making your own, Asda's own brand RTR icing is really good. It's £2/kilo at the minute.

I had to make another bag for this weekend. I took some in progress pictures and made a little tutorial on my facebook page. Have a look and like if you find it useful :)

It was Mr Tumble's Spotty Bag. It was for my work colleague's sister who has learning difficulties. 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.407263816027546.97578.340201292733799&type=3

Its brilliant LisaPeps! 

Thanks for the info.

I am just alarmed at the amount of quite frankly terrible ingredients that go in these things. Thats why I want to steer clear from the likes of corn cyrup and stuff. Even the thought of someone consuming Trex makes me vom.

I tried it, I found it to be very very sticky and the more icing sugar I added the more it started to taste like conventional icing. I stabilised the mixture with a bit of corn powder instead which kept it tasting like marshmallows and not fondant.

Was sure I would through the first batch away but with so little ingredients I guess you can continue adding till something goes right!!

Now, onto my task of finding a non gross recipe that doesnt require refridgeration for crusting buttercream!

x
 

Hi  i'm  a UK baker i have try and tested this vanilla chocolate cake and is very nice.

makes 20 cupcakes or 9in.

150g butter

300g caster sugar

3 free rag eggs

250lm milk 

225g plain flour

pinch of salt

1tea of bicarbonate of soda

50g cocoa powder

1 vanilla pod

i hope you like it.

Hi  i'm  a UK baker i have try and tested this vanilla chocolate cake and is very nice.

makes 20 cupcakes or 9in.

150g butter

300g caster sugar

3 free rag eggs

250lm milk 

225g plain flour

pinch of salt

1tea of bicarbonate of soda

50g cocoa powder

1 vanilla pod

i hope you like it.

I always use 1:2 ratio of butter to icing sugar and for the chocolate buttercream, I make ganache and mix it with the normal buttercream. 

Fantastic! And that crusts just fine to be able to look like a matt fondant?x
 

Where is the best place cheapest place to get good bright pastel coloured paste, the gels i got from asda are rubbish, i want a lovely bright pink, lovely purple colour?

Thank you xx

AI get the sugarflair gel colours from eBay, or the Wilton ones again from eBay!