A Thread For All Uk Bakers!!
Decorating By hailinguk Updated 25 Aug 2017 , 10:29am by Magic Mouthfuls
Crikey, I've missed loads!
Hello Julia! I LOOOOOOOVVVVEEE your Mary's retirement cake. And I notice your other cake was featured in CC's favourites in the home section, you lucky thing!
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Thanks for the reply. I will have to have a look here for the cake flour alternate, i did look before but all I seemed to find was mixing AP (or plain as it's known here) with corn flour and sieve it several times. I'm not worried about ounces as I can just use English ounces and the difference is minimal.
If I can crack the cake flour part then you have another customer as I really need a good base white cake recipe.
Have to add, cake goddess bat signal is one of the greatest lines I've ever heard
Siany, I have bought sponge flour in tesco. It is cake flour- just called sponge flour. HOWEVER, it is self-raising!! You have to reduce the baking powder in your recipes. So for every cup of cake flour, reduce the baking powder by 1 1/2 teaspoon, and the salt by 1/2 teaspoon.
Be warned this is not a perfect solution. I tried sponge flour in an american recipe for vanilla cake and the batter was supper runny. I tested it by baking one cupcake and the cupcake sank a LOT in the middle. I added regular flour to the batter and kept testing one cupcake at a time. Eventually I found that I had to add 1/2 cup of all purpose flour to the batter but even then it seemed to sink just a little bit in the centre, and by then the batter was a bit 'floury' in flavour. Also, the cake always came out looking like it was uncooked in small areas all over the cake. I started a thread all about that on CC, but didn't really achieve a solution or find out why. Had a wonderful texture though!! Really melt in your mouth. However, because I didn't like the floury flavour and the fact that it looked uncooked in places so tried and found another recipe using all purpose flour.
Mixing AP with cornflour and sieving doesn't alter the protein content of the flour, which is what cake/sponge flour is all about. Lots of threads about this fact on CC too- I think I may have read them all!
I spent ages looking for non self raising sponge/cake flour here in the UK. I tried most of Cheshire with no success. Flour Bin (online company) sell them but the postage is over £7 so not an option. They don't sell US style cake flour here because the food agency has banned the bleaching process that they use in the US (why? the Americans aren't dropping dead from using cake flour...?).
Oops I've rambled on.. sorry!
On another topic- I don't like fruitcake! When I was growing up in the Philippines (my mom's English, dad is Filipino), Ma baked fruitcakes every year and forced asked me to help every time. I don't mind the smell, but couldn't stand the taste. I need to get over this though and bake some myself. I find if I make something myself, I start to like some things. I'm hoping this will happen with fruitcake, because I want to make them for wedding cakes.
My Ma's mince pies, on the other hand, are fabulous! I don't even mind the raisins in them...
ACakejeanie, I have a fab Alan Dunn,rich fruit cake recipe, I made a 12inch for a bottom tier wedding cake last yr and 4 xmas cakes, I changed a few things, like I use merrelo cherries, mmmm they are do much nicer than glace cherries. I'd be happy to give you the recipe if you want.
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Cakejeanie, I have a fab Alan Dunn,rich fruit cake recipe, I made a 12inch for a bottom tier wedding cake last yr and 4 xmas cakes, I changed a few things, like I use merrelo cherries, mmmm they are do much nicer than glace cherries. I'd be happy to give you the recipe if you want.
Yes please :)
Cakejeanie, I have a fab Alan Dunn,rich fruit cake recipe, I made a 12inch for a bottom tier wedding cake last yr and 4 xmas cakes, I changed a few things, like I use merrelo cherries, mmmm they are do much nicer than glace cherries. I'd be happy to give you the recipe if you want.
Ooohhh Nanny - me please too!! 
(Pretty) Please PM me?
Aah....ahem....errr....she's not really my pal ... that post was the result of a late night espresso and too much excitement at the thought of seeing her in action on Friday - that bit is true! Anyway, I'm sure whe will like me.....if not I will have to make her like me! (Soirry - did that come across a bit cake-stalker'ish?).
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Sugaluva - I think the boiled cake will be right up your street - especially with Easter being next week! One tip I learned years and years ago from my first tutor was to listen to your cake. It's not quite "talking to the trees" but when you get to the end of the cooking time, sometimes you are not sure if it's done even with the skewer. Your cake stops "singing" when it's done - I have used this technique for years (family are used to it now!). Remember to feed it a little when cooled with your spirit of choice (Malibu doesn't work - thought I would mention that!).
Kathy
AOh Kathy, my mam taught me the same many yrs ago, so after the skewer test I always stick my ear down to see if its still crackling as I call it.
AAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!!!!! I've just typed the entire recipe out and right at the end, right at the very end, after feed every 2-3 weeks, I got a pop-up, tried to get rid of it and it all went! Gone! Vanished! I'm furious!
Oh Maisie - I share your pain. I am at work at the moment and just been fitted with a new keyboard - I was in the middle of a document and have lost all the changes.....grrr.
AThanks Kathy.:-) I've just finished doing it again, hope it's worked! Did you get it Sugarluva?
A[quote Aah....ahem....errr....she's not [I]really[/I] my pal ... that post was the result of a late night espresso and too much excitement at the thought of seeing her in action on Friday - that bit is true! Anyway, I'm sure whe will like me.....if not I will have to make her like me! (Soirry - did that come across a bit cake-stalker'ish?). [/quote]
Good morning... Kathy, that explains it all!!! :grin:
AYes I have it maisie thank you so much! And sorry you lost the first draft I hate it when that happens. Thank you for typing it out twice for me! Can't wait to try it.
AMost welcome. :-) It really is easy and yummy!
Look what the postman brought me today!
Some flexi smoothers for when I dare to do a ganache cake; a hanging basket mould for my upcoming garden cake in the summer; and wood and brick impression plaques! I got some stencils the other day too but there were so many of them that I didn't photograph them.
ACakejeanie and Kathy.
This recipe is for a 12inch square or a 12 round with enough for a smaller cake to.
1 kg raisins sultan
500grm dried prunes,and chopped apricots
250g cherries Dried peel if you want Zest and juice o 1orange. 8FL oz brandy 500g butter 250g each of light and dark muscovada sugar 4 tsp apricot jam 8tsp golden syrup 1 tsp each of ground ginger,nutmeg,cinnamon,cloves and allspice and half tsp of ground mace
500g plain flour 250g ground almonds 10 large eggs 6 or more hrs gas 2,140c,275 gas.
Obviously usually method of mixing t all together Oh one more thing I always do is add a good few spoons of gravy growing, I love it dark.
AOh oh oh, I want the flexi smoother, was looking at it just last night, I have the wood, but not the brick one? So jealous now!
Hi Nanny - I put the ruler there because I thought they were all going to be bigger!! I was surprised at the size of the flexi smoother - and, to be honest, I think you could probably get the same effect with a plastic folder cut up neatly - since they remind me of the stationery we have in the office!!
And THANK YOU for that recipe - my husband absolutely detests currants so I am always looking for alternative fruit cakes.
Kathy
Ooh days cakes I have those impression plaques. I used the wood one on the crate for my last cake but I haven't used the brick one yet. I need to find an excuse. They were smaller than I thought they were going to be when they came but they work well.
AAw really, they do them in large, medium and small I gather. This really is a nice cake, not the cheapest one to make and probsly can adapt it to your own needs, hubby loves this dD does, yummy, a special occasion cake this. Like Easter!!
AI meant 1kg each of raisins and sultanas, loads of fruit in this cake.
AHoly cupcakes nanny! That's the grandaddy of all fruitcakes isn't it?! Question for you all: why doesn't my postman bring me nice things? :-( Another question (not at all cake related mind!): how can I get a car insurance renewal quote from the company I'm with for £376 in the post today, then go online immediately and get a quote from the same company for £252? Don't they think we check before we let em take the money?! And guess what the date on the letter was?
That is exactly what they hope we don't do Maisie - they might as well try and get more money from us on the off chance that we don't check. And then when we ring up to say I've found a cheaper quote they get to come across all nice by letting us have it for the same price!
And if you want the postman to bring you nice things you'll have to do some more talking to nanny and get her to recommend some more goodies to us all!
AI have been playing with my assessment stuff today. First time making white ganache and colouring it. All of these apart from the hearts are coloured white ganache. The hearts are hot fondant. [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3218738/width/200/height/400[/IMG]
Oh they look really bright - what colourings did you use Siany on the ganache? I am still a ganache virgin but I will try it one day.
AWell Siany, I made some white ganache today too, first time ever, not sure I put enough white choc in it tho, never mind its wonderful on its own with a spoon!!
Yes Maisie, that cake isn't for the faint hearted or the frugal purse, like I said its to expensive for an everyday cake.
Ha ha, Sugarluva, the purse came out tday, I bought ( always wanted, the lace mould) a moment of madness on my part I think.
Oh and for anyone interested, I chickened out making my steel works, and got it printed out instead, dont think to bad of my please, I knew it would be hard for me, and the rugby shirt too.
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Oh they look really bright - what colourings did you use Siany on the ganache? I am still a ganache virgin but I will try it one day.
I used sugarflair paste colours. I also like house of sugar powder colours. Ganache is not something I like to eat unless its whipped but I am enjoying playing with it.
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I only wanted to make a small amount so used 200 grms of white choc to 66 mls of whipping cream. It was the perfect consistency for what I needed. I need to pour it straight away as a covering so need it to be a bit runny. Just going to wait and see how they firm up as I have to decorate on them now. Thinking I might get a choc transfer on the outside of the hearts to get another skill in. I need to go the extra mile as I want another distinction for this assessment.
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Hi Sugarluva, I always use Nigellas Choc Fruitcake (recipe is in Christmas, and online I think) and it's delicious! The Choc flavour is not actually very evident so don't worry about that, or the huge qty of prunes lol, it's a lovely moist rich cake and very easy to make! I've made this a couple of days before an event and it's fab, no need to mature at all as the boiling does all the work! Oh andi mix in different dried fruits to my tastes, not a fan of dried peel so sub in cranberries and cherries etc
I'm waiting for my first delivery of SPD, looking forward to having a go with it!
Hi Julia, welcome to the thread!
Helloo - thank you! I hope you like SPD - apart from it being great stuff, I love that the delivery is free and that I don't have to drag it home from the supermarket! I also hear that when mixed with CMC it makes wonderful flower paste and thank you too @Cakejeanie for saying that about Mary's cake. I never got to see any of my cakes on the home page but I can see that some of them are in this weeks favourites - I was so excited to see them there but I doubt they will stay there long; there are way too many far more amazing cakes out there. Thanks again :-)
AThose looks really good Siany. I love the sugarflair colours they're my favourite. I've not made white ganache yet but it's on my to do list.
And I don't think bad of you nanny, spend away! Just remember to show your purchases (so we can probably all drool over it and then buy it ourselves!)
A[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3218796/width/200/height/400[/IMG] These are my purchases from today, abit expensive but thats it for awhile.
Ooooh Nanny I like! I am heading for Claire Bowman's stand on Friday - I have been looking for some lace moulds. Bit nervous of Sugarveil though - it seems an expensive experiment so I think moulds will be my choice. I just realised that I have those same bunnies! How did you find making the ganache? I am nervous about making it - can I ask what chocolate you bought? Thanks!
Kathy
AOh I only bought cheap white choc, seems ok but either less cream of more choc, its in the fridge setting and if its OK I'll use it to crumbcoat on Fri, if it lasts that long, ha ha.
I saw sugarveil being used in the NEC, wasn't impressed and it wa so expensive,however lots of people seem to like Clair Bowman's cake lace and I am soooo tempted.
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