AAw Jo so happy, I know its only cake but if it doesn't turn out right and you know your a good cook its so annoying. Let me know what you think of taste and texture.

Mine are settling on the table ready for crumb coating tomorrow, then I have to make a 9inch round lemon sponge for a hen party on Sat, it will be made exactly the same but with lemon zest in it

ACan I ask do you freeze your cakes ??

AYes, recently started, I've frozen sponge cakes and mudcakes, both fine.

AOk cool! Going to bake another two of these Nanny cook as just measured my one at 1" so want to achieve a 3" deep cake, still want be using as many ingredients as previous so that's a bonus! Also I really wanted to have a layer buttercream then one layer jam so it's all good !!

AI did once, back last yer, there I was happy in the kitchen making a christening cake, all crumb coated and just about to cover it, I had cut out the name, date etc, then my daughter me some details of her address, then said, what time week after next are you going over with the cake, talk about panic, I ever did til her I had the wrong date, Had to recut New dates,grrr

So obviously that ended up in the freezer all filled and coated. Nit wit I am!!

AFair enough Jo, the trainers cake had 3 layers, so sometimes I do sometimes I dont, guess it depends on how much they pay, god I'm getting hard!!

I guess you can always do a 4 egg mix, it would still turn out better then if you did one big cake I think

AYou have the chart now so you will find it easier hopefully?

AJean I'm so sorry it's not behaving for you :-(

Those little cracks appear if under kneaded ie the SP is too cold, also if it's too dry;if it cracks when you roll it Knead in a little trex.

Thinner is harder too! I roll mine to about 6mm.

Now bubbles for me come from 2 things, One:after you seal the cake in SP it becomes airtight, so if the air trapped inside all the cakes little bubbles is cold, once it warms up it'll expand, if it can't get out it'll bubble randomly, and if the SP has dried a bit it'll just crack when you pop the bubble, so I make a deliberate hole somewhere a bit of decoration will be going.

Two: SP is heavy, when you cover the cake the SP will actually compress it slightly, and the air squeezed out will bubble, so I put a dinner mat on top of my cake with the amount of sp I'll be needing to cover it on top and let that weigh it down for an hour or so, then I cover :-)

Tried not to make that all long winded.... Think I failed.... Lol

AHa ha !! Well now I know this way will work I'm quiting baking the 9" for a week or so as lots in this week! Have a horse themed cake to bake as 8" round for Saturday ! Will bake another two 9" next week for my trail at stacking my 6" choc on top! Thanks for all your advice everyone x

ABtw Nanny not charging much at this stage as still learning !

Nannycook the chart drops off just after the 9" could you please try another pic to include whole page ? Sorry to be a pest but the wedding cake I have to do is bottom tier 10" x

AGray, I'll have to copy paste all you've said for future reference! I did put a few books on top of the cake for about 1-2hrs to get the bubbles out. I guess it wasn't enough time. I've heard here on Cc about some pushing a skewer through their cakes as a matter of course. Don't know whether that's worth doing. I've recovered the cake in another batch of fondant, different brand. Looks great with just a few bubbles here and there which I can hide with decor. Poor hubby was wondering why I was in a mood this evening!

Nanny, I did the exact same thing- started on a cake two weeks early. Got put in the freezer too. What are we like lol

Here's a pic of the cake before I covered with more fondant:

[IMG ALT=""]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3227950/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

A[@]Kadesan[/@], good to know I'm not alone lol. did you figure out a solution by any chance? I've got 4.5 kilos left over!

A

I'm always waffling on here. Find it difficult to stop typing! I. Between pauses I'm looking at cake...:D

AWow the edges are so perfect, it's a shame if it wasn't for the bubble it looks great!

Even with all the stuff I said I still get bubbles sometimes it drives me bonkers!!

A[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3227979/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

There you go Jo, ha ha, that rhymes.

AGot one for choc cake too Jo, where you mix your cocoa powder to a paste first, happy to give it to you.

Are you making 3 tier cake then Jo? Your bound to be confident if your doing that though.

Believe me I'm learning all the time.

I've just turned down a Chance to be in a Cake off or Caerphilly food festival, you have to take your cake then design it in Caerphilly Borough council theme, in front of an audience then be judged, no way can I do that so I turned it down, was very chuffed to be asked though.

AHows it going Jean?, how come my edges are not as sharp as you and Bashini's then? What am I not doing?

Thank you by the way Bashini for lovely comments and anyone else I forgot.

Judging by FB Bashini your in for a busy night then?

Ah that sounds like a wonderful thing to be a part of, but understand your apprehension I'm sure i would be the same. However judging from your pics you really do have a talent NannyCook. I have to test my two tier next week as Christening is on 1st June, then my other friend gets married in a years time so have lots of time to practice the 3 tier cake !

AThank you Jo.

I had a consultation last Wed for a wedding on the 20th Dec this year, first time to do That and I was very nervous.

She's having a very Christmassy wedding and cake, poinsettias, holly and berries, not sure how to do it yet but got loads of time.

Then a 4 tier next Oct for my colleague, very simple with edible diamante`s and lemon ribbon.

AOK, where is everyone? How come I'm chatting away? You all busy are you? I'm chilling!!

AHi nanny, I'm here, I've been reading. I've been lurking on another thread today actually, really interesting. I'm off to bed now tho, G'nite all. :-)

Yes it is nice to keep learning new things, I hope that I can tier properly! Can I ask what you all secure each cake with between tiers, royal icing or buttercream ? If royal do you whisk up your own, only I have seen a packet mix for royal icing and thought this may be more handy for the small amount needed ?

Night Maisie x

ANight Maisie.

I make up my own royal icing, I have merriwhite, so not to waste it I make it as and when needed, I always use that between tiers as it drys solid

AEvening all, wow you lot have been busy. I can't keep up so I'm not going to try. I will say though, Maisie really glad you daughter is better and back at school. Kathy, nice to see you back, hope things have settled a bit for you. Nanny I love the trainers :)

Right that's all I can remember lol.

I have spent 3 days gardening during the day and working on my assessment piece in the evening so not been posting but have been reading. I spent ages last night paint the roses red, it's fun as per the story but I did two properly as they were so pretty I had to treat them nicely. Just got a couple more calyx's to do tomorrow and then tape them.

I don't remember the last time I had an early night but only 6 wks left in college and then it's done. Hopefully I might get on a bit tomorrow but out with my daughter in the morn and gardening in the pm again (I will have a pretty garden this year, weeds need not apply lol) and then more mad hatters, white rabbits and funky catapillers in the evening to model. Fun fun.

Night all x

AGood morning all!!! :)

Barbara, yes, I had a late night yesterday.. Had to make some roses. It's for a 40th birthday.:smile:

Jo, I also use royal icing between tiers when stacking. I don't make my own. I just buy the ready to use one. Add some water to a small amount of RI sugar and mix it to the consistency I want. :) And I use this to do really simple things on a cake such as boarders and scrolls and things like that. :smile: