A Thread For All Uk Bakers!!
Decorating By hailinguk Updated 25 Aug 2017 , 10:29am by Magic Mouthfuls
Yes Jo most of the time I bake madiera sponge, I use a recipe out of my Carol Deacon no time party cakes book.
I have just had another look at your picture and re read you post and your cake is not horrid as you said it is just a little domed.
Awwww, thanks everyone, I'm crying now! again! Good tears though.
Jo, did I PM you? can't remember, my heads in the shed!
Sorry if I missed anybody else who asked about me, if I did, let me know and I'll PM you too.
Can I just say that everyone who's replied to me has offered their ear/shoulder/laptop/mobile and it really means the world to me. I've got lovely friends here and I'm more glad I joined now than ever. :-)
I absolutely do not feel like anyone's prying, in fact, quite the opposite, you've shown genuine concern and sympathy and that means so much.
And nanny wanted to fix it! :-D I knew you would nanny, you made me laugh!
Anyway, I probably won't be making too many cakes in the near future but I'll try to keep up with you all and pop in occasionally. I hope nobody minds if I don't reply to the PM's you've already sent but it would take so long so I thought this would be better.
Sorry again for worrying you and thankyou all for being such good friends. x
Oh and welcome to (hang on, scroll back up!) Aaargh! can't find it! I feel like I've been scrolling for hours! anyway, welcome frenchie (Ithink, apologies if that's wrong or incomplete), you'll love it here, they're the best bunch in the world.
Good luck with your interview natt and try to keep your chin up whatever happens.
can't remember whose are whose but the cakes 've seen are all fab! Roxylee, that 2 tier one is brilliant for your first one, I made my first 2 tier for my mother in January, I'd be embarressed to post it here though!
I'm off to catch up on the rest of the site now. x
Make sure you keep in touch Maisie you don't have to be making cakes to come on and have a good natter
Jo I think Sugarluva meant she had loads of milk chocolate in so used that, you do make ganache with cream.
APlease,please Maisie, try and pop in even if its non cake related as most of our essays are, I miss your sense of humour, your so funny!! Dont lose that whatever happens ok? Hope your little girl is ok too?
A
Original message sent by Jo Field
Sorry Sugarluva did you say milk ? I thought ganache was made with cream ??
Yes sorry I meant milk chocolate, was just too lazy to type chocolate haha. Shame I'm not too any to eat it too...
AOh I missed your message maisie please do make sure you pop in when you can you're obviously very much missed when you're not around!
AOk I'm off to bed now. Just found out I have a busier day tomorrow than I thought so just hoping I get plenty of time to finish the cake I hate being rushed!
Night all :D
AOK sorry my mistake Sugarluva. No Maisie didn't get your pm but never mind sounds like you have enough on your plate. I hope you do stay in touch and take care xxx
Natt so sorry to hear you so down. Struggling with similar in "real world" business but won't sacrifice quality for "bottom feeding" clients. I am so far a hobby baker who would love to do this full time. I know I can bake - I do bread, cakes as well as decorating but I am starting to feel that cake market is so swamped, that those who do the research, practice and training will find it hard to get any ROI.
I think you have to stick to your guns and tell yourself (cos you sound like you need a lift) that your pricing is justified because of your skill. Even cleaners get paid more than we do!
What about approaching some businesses in the area?
I agree with the pricing stuff for sure! And I never drop prices for the 'bottom feeders' as you say, the sacrifice in quality isn't worth it I so agree!!
I am already affiliated to a couple of wedding businesses, a couple of hotels, a photographer and a florist, a few I have contacted never responded and others are already affiliated with other people and so don't want to add any competition. I have a coffee shop owner interested in making a deal with me, but I don't want to settle anything until I know either way whether or not I would be able to fulfil the order.
Nanny - it would be full time, opt out of the working time directive kind of full time! I would be back to hobby baking in all honesty. It's literally a leap in the opposite direction, but the things it would allow me to do is kind of what is pulling me at the moment, the financial security, weekly routine, the ability to take a holiday which I now haven't done in over 2 years, and by holiday I mean I haven't been for a week away anywhere, not even to visit friends in the last 2 years due to not being able to afford it. It would be a lift to think if my car broke down I could afford to fix it... so many things...
Maisie - it is so good to hear from you!! You are so missed when you are not here! The thread is missing something without your wit and comedy!! Sorry to hear you have issues going on, but I hope they improve soon! If there is anything I can offer you, even just an ear, just let me know!
Thank you to all of you who have been so kind and helpful today! I am grateful to have you guys to rant to and actually have such nice responses! In the real world I just get people who have no idea about the industry telling me to do things that are unfeasible, or worse, just telling me I'm doing it wrong. It's uplifting to come here and have people also talking about things being tough in their areas and even struggles in other businesses with the same issues. So thank you all!
Thanks again everyone. :-) You've put a smile back on my face.
Yes it's lovely to be missed, quite overwhelming actually. Don't worry about me though, I can only be sobbing and wailing, sitting around it my pj's, with puffy eyes, a runny nose and emergency chocolate in short, pre-booked bursts! I've got to keep everything as normal as possible for my daughter, whatever goes on in my life she needs me to do everything for her and that's a good thing sometimes!
I'm off to bed now but I will look in when I've got time and say hello.
G'nite and take care. x
AMaisie sorry I missed you on here. Just remember to take care of you ok!!
I have spent the evening drowning in cakey paperwork for college. I am pretty bang up to date now though and my sampling assessment is done I think. Just my tea fancies to do.
Off to bed as my brain is exhausted, well it is until my head hits the pillow and suddenly it wants to contemplate the meaning of life lol
Night all x
Morning all! I spent most of yesterday trying to build my new work table for my new cake room! What a nightmare that was! Blisters on my hands and aching everywhere now 
Stood back admiring it and then popped on here to see what i had missed! I have to say I was feeling so positive about everything but now having looked through yesterdays posts im feeling a bit down hearted to say the least 
I cant believe that such talented people have had such a crappy time. Just sitting here in my new room looking at all the money and effort thinking what if? Dont get me wrong i have done my research etc etc but its just worried me having seen what you've all been saying.
I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that I dont have the same experience. Up until last year I was just making for friends and family but had so many comments about starting a business that I looked into it and here we are 6 months later. Done all the legalities etc....set up my room...orders waiting for me. Just waiting for EHO to visit and away I go!
Think it just scared me having seen the bad experiences on here. Ive put so much passion, time and money in to it that to think it may go pete tong has mad me sad
AJo, how his your cake this morning? Are you happier with it?
Morning all!
Jo I remember you asked for a ganache recipe last night here is one out of my book.
Dark chocolate ganache
200g (7oz) dark chocolate
200ml (7fl oz) double cream
White chocolate ganache
600g (1lb 5oz) white chocolate
80ml (2 3/4 fl 0z) double cream
I have used milk chocolate to make it and you just need to up the amount of chocolate if using milk instead of dark. Hope this helps
AMorning tiddy, no one knows what will happen in anyones lives but if you dont take some risks you'll never know, I made the choice 2 mths ago to go partime, it was a huge decision for me as I've worked there 18 yrs, ideally I would like to do what you're doing but as hubby retired theres no chance, I would still like more orders but its a waiting game isn't it? Hopefully you'll get what you want!
Tiddy don't get down hearted like nanny said you never know what will happen and if you don't try you'll always wonder what if.
Thanks ladies, sorry for the downer, just was so excited yesterday. I shall kick myself up the backside and get my positive head back on right now! 
AHi gang, here is better picture it's not too wonky I have pushed down a bit with cake card just hope dowels be OK, got choc cake in fridge trying to firm up so I can level and fill hopefully easier than the vanilla yesterday!
Haven't got cream was going to try ganache on it, but pouring with rain this morning on school run so didn't want to drag my 2 year old through even more rain!
My choc buttercream has melted choc in it so hopefully it will be OK!
Thanks for recipe roxy those amounts would do what size cake please? [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3232782/width/200/height/400[/IMG]
Hi Jo it doesn't say in the book what size cake it will cover sorry.Cake looks better today maybe it just needed to settle.Hope the chocolate one goes easier for you.
ABTW not sure if I found it difficult to crumb coat as I had three oddly shaped layers they were slightly domed so think next time I will revert to towels round tin then I know they will come out more level. Just need to decide whether to go with three for the real thing or two bigger ones?!
I wish I could just get it all right first time, this tier now iced is almost 4" so thinking Nanny that the splitting the mixture for 10" square and only doing two layers might be easier for me what do you think ???
Tiddy - It is exciting! I think it's perfectly normal to have some "jitters" - there will always be highs and lows in any business. My husband works for himself and sometimes it is very hard. But then on the other hand there are some great times. However, I think I personally tend to lean towards the glass half empty brigade sometimes. I think that what we all have is a gift - how many times do we hear "oh that's lovely - I couldn't do that!"? Then people try to emulate and realise it is hard. Shop cakes are a bit of an issue locally - I also hear "it's only £10 in ASDA"! Be ready with your reply. Mine goes something like this: You get what you pay for - and £10 with me would just about cover the board and the box. (Plus I would urge them to go to ASDA even if they changed their mind - for that is where they will find true cake happiness).
I am watching all of these comments with keen interest since I am slowly coming back to the fold - I don't have to buy much equipment - I seem to have almost everything (except a Dinkydoodle 
). All I need now is a new house with a cake room!!
So, please let me be the first to give you a bit of a shove up the backside - in a nice way, of course!
AOK Roxy thanks anyway, might be a safe to assume that's an 8" as most are based on that I think.
AYep Jo, I agree it looks better today, so is this the top or bottom tier Jo?
Jo - sorry can't offer any help but am with you all the way. Can't wait to see the end result!
Kathy
AYes I find 2 layers more than enough Jo, and you can always put next size mixture in there to get deeper layer its what I did last week for a 9 inch round then split each layer, if that makes sense?
I was thinking that myself Jo that I would probably be based on an 8" round. That's what I do Jo split the mixture and do two bigger ones. I think we all wish we could get it right first time Jo never seems to work out that way with cake 
Its looking good so far your doing well with it.
Quote:
Tiddy - It is exciting! I think it's perfectly normal to have some "jitters" - there will always be highs and lows in any business. My husband works for himself and sometimes it is very hard. But then on the other hand there are some great times. However, I think I personally tend to lean towards the glass half empty brigade sometimes. I think that what we all have is a gift - how many times do we hear "oh that's lovely - I couldn't do that!"? Then people try to emulate and realise it is hard. Shop cakes are a bit of an issue locally - I also hear "it's only £10 in ASDA"! Be ready with your reply. Mine goes something like this: You get what you pay for - and £10 with me would just about cover the board and the box. (Plus I would urge them to go to ASDA even if they changed their mind - for that is where they will find true cake happiness).
I am watching all of these comments with keen interest since I am slowly coming back to the fold - I don't have to buy much equipment - I seem to have almost everything (except a Dinkydoodle ). All I need now is a new house with a cake room!!
So, please let me be the first to give you a bit of a shove up the backside - in a nice way, of course!
hehe! thanks for the shove!
I think my problem stems from the fact that I ran my own business for 9 years then two years ago I had to close the doors (recession, family problems etc) It was a wedding business and I was so upset when I had to admit enough was enough. Guess thats at the back of my mind a lot more than I thought 
I also do have another side line that i'm hoping to continue with this as they kind of go hand in hand so if this doesn't work out I will still be doing that, but would rather be doing Cakes 
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