For Those Who Stick Wires In Cakes
Decorating By Cakepro Updated 25 Jan 2019 , 5:11pm by SandraSmiley
Some people advocate dipping wire in candy melts or chocolate. I do not. If the wire flexes, the chocolate breaks off. Can you be sure that no lead leached into the chocolate that remains in the cake?
Please use posey picks, flower spikes (even Wilton makes these), or straws. Place your straw in the cake, trim so it is just inside the icing, pipe some royal icing in the straw, then insert your wires. The royal icing gives you some working time so you can arrange the wires and then it dries, so your wires stay in place.
I am 110% behind your no wires in cakes info! I just graduated pastry school last May, and can you believe they taught us to tape wires and stick them directly into the cake??!! I had no idea there was anything wrong with that! I'm shocked that these professional chef's are teaching something that is so unsafe!
I do have a question about your straw w/royal icing suggestion:
If lead can leach into the candy melts & remain in the cake if the wire bends and some of the melt brakes free, couldn't that happen with the royal icing inside the drinking straw? If the wire bends enough, the icing could crumble and fall out the bottom of the straw, couldn't it?
Other wise, I'm in! Thanks for the great info!!
Happy caking!
Sarah
Royal icing is very strong and would not just crumble out of the straw. When it dries, it is like cement. If this concerns you, I would suggest you use melted chocolate.
Congratulations on your graduation from pastry school! I have a kid in culinary classes right now with another one considering switching her major from biology to pastry. LOL
I am sure plastic carries as much toxins as metal wire does to be honest. Everything you buy carries a risk nowadays. I buy my wire from a cake supply store. It is coated in plastic.
I just read alllllll 13 pages and I am still not 100% convinced that wires in cake are not "safe". If "the big dogs" use them, why shouldn't we?
My disclaimer is that I'm not trying to be a smart ass here....just trying to nail this down in my mind.
If in fact, it did leach into the cake, how quickly does that happen? The wires are in the cake for maybe 24 hours, sometimes less. Perhaps someone has some research or information on this?
The baby bottle issue came about due to the heat. Is it the ingredient in the cake that causes the wire to errode and therefor give off the poison?
I'd be interested to see if these fears are somewhat unfounded or if they are actually under noticed.
I also think we put so much bad stuff into our bodies as it is, this minuet amount is not even worth the worry. However, maybe it is and it's just one less thing we can worry about poisoning ourselves with.
I was taught and still use spaghetti to make my decorations on so it can go directly into the cake. For the finer items I use Angel hair. I have had no problems so far.
what about placing ribbon around the cake? Just use the ribbon without wires?? Sorry, new to this aspect of decorating.
Thank you very much for the info. It just never occured to me that the wire would be a danger. Not to mention I just learned to do the wired decos. I like the idea of the straw and the royal icing to keep them where you put them. The wires moved and tore my frosting this weekend on a cake. The straw and icing would stop this from happening.
I'll never stick wires directly into the cake again. Thanks again!!
I agree. In recently saw a tutoraila and they said use coffee straws. I concur with the lead etc......... we have to be mindfula d as cake decorators of some things. when in doubt ask questions..........
just a thought........
what do they make celebration/birthday candle holders that are inserted into cakes from? are these food safe?? also does anyone know where i can order large posy picks from about 15mm wide for large cake topper displays?
I wrap my wire ends in paper bandage tape. Its latex free. Someone let me know if this is a problem.
Planet cake sticks wire directly into their cakes, also.
If you knew the affects that plastic were having on our bodies, you'd probably be just as concerned, if not more concerned, about straws and posy picks.....
You can buy a parafilm that's made of paper... Not latex. A lot of people use that to wrap their wires first, in Australia. I do this also. No chance of it coming off when you pull it out.
Or better and inexpensive way, cut aluminum foil in strips and wrap around the wires, this will cover the wires and still hold its shape even when bent.
just a thought........
what do they make celebration/birthday candle holders that are inserted into cakes from? are these food safe?? also does anyone know where i can order large posy picks from about 15mm wide for large cake topper displays?
If I do a bouquet for the topper of a cake I use the Wilton hollow columns and cut them down, it works perfectly and if the bride uses the bouquet topper as her "throwing" bouquet there is no grease. I usually wrap this bouquet with floral tape and then a layer of stretch lace (sold where sewing notions are sold).
Has anyone else thought to worry about them?
They are so slick for attaching ribbon to cake. The coffee straw method would work with them too.
Great suggestion.
Hi !
What about the wire and tape that Wilton sales? I just bought it yesterday at Michaels and it is for cake flowers. I try several options for my roses and they are to heavy to stand and you can't hang them on less it's wire.
Regards,
I haven't read through every page of this thread, so maybe this has already been mentioned... but I saw on a different website that someone suggested getting the wires orthodontists use for braces since they would have to be food safe. I have no idea what the cost would be or what gauge wire is available, but thought it was an interesting idea to look into
We used the straws at our shop. Sometimes, we rolled gumpaste for the bottom to plug the straw. And, in order to full up space you can wrap heavy-duty plastic wrap if youn still have a little too much space.
I, also, used straws for tiered cake for stability, easier that wooden dowels.
I actually read the whole 14 pages lol
Ok I may have some haters for this, but I do insert my wires directly into my cakes as long as it is not a fruitcake. The wires I buy are intended for cake use and I buy them at a well known cake shop that also inserts them directly into their cakes. They are covered in paper. I understand that IF it is illegal in your country to do so (like in the UK) then of course you shouldn't. For myself though, I do not believe that having paper covered wires in my cakes for less than 24 hours can cause poisoning. As for someone cutting them up and choking on them, I think that is totally unfeasible. They need to be cut with wire cutters so I don't see how a knife would get through them without being noticed. I tell my customers everything that needs to be removed from the cake including dowels, ribbon etc etc and any wires of course. There are ALOT of ways that a cake can be contaminated...most edible products can have a % of foreign matter in them before they are considered dangerous - even things like chocolate. I appreciate all the ideas you have given - and am not against using them at all if the circumstance called for it...but i do not believe that inserting my paper covered wires into my cakes will EVER come close to poisoning anyone.
Thanks for the straw info. I'm actually making cake this week with tulips to be placed in the cake. I was wondering how to secure them in place in the cake without just sticking the wire directly into the cake. Very helpful.
When using wires I always put them into coffee stirrers or straws.... I have a cake to do this weekend that calls for stars shooting out of the top of the cake. Can anyone give me advice on how to make these? Do you make them thick and insert the wire into the star or attach the wire with candy melts? Thanks for your help! (I am making them a couple of days ahead so they can dry.)
If you've ever taken the gum paste flowers class from Wilton, they tell you to make your flowers on short pieces of uncooked spaghetti. I had a bit of a problem with heavier flowers breaking the spaghetti (might be able to use shorter pieces), but for smaller ones it's really pretty perfect. Toothpicks work well for this also.
Thanks for this post!
Wow! I have used craft wire on a few occasions! Thanx for opening up my eyes! Great ideas and suggestions!
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