Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Cake Disasters › cake collapse after tapering--ever happened to you?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

cake collapse after tapering--ever happened to you?

post #1 of 20
5/12/11 at 3:27pm
Thread Starter 
just tried a tapered cake for the first time. used wasc recipe (DH yellow mix). was so proud of how nice the angle was looking (trimmed a 10 inch to 8 at the bottom). when i flipped it over, it fell apart! is wasc too soft for tapering? anyone ever had this problem?
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 20
5/12/11 at 3:53pm
I don't use WASC, but I think carving like that is best done with the cake frozen.
"Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop." Alice in Wonderland
Reply
"Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop." Alice in Wonderland
Reply
post #3 of 20
5/12/11 at 4:14pm
It deffinataly can be done. I've made tapered and topsy turvy cakes, and I use straight cake mix. I really don't like doing them because they are sooo much less stable. If you are having trouble you can pop it into the freezer to let it firm up a bit, but a firm scratch cake probably would solve your problem.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 20
5/12/11 at 4:52pm
Thread Starter 
was going to do one for an order, they requested red velvet. thought about trying the rv mix and doctoring it. now i'm afraid to try. any thoughts on that?
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 20
5/12/11 at 4:58pm
Thread Starter 
one other thought, i used three layers--is that perhaps too many? didn't know how many to use when tapering
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 20
5/13/11 at 8:33am
Yes, that's happened to me. I made my cake too moist, which is what I was going for, but I went a little overboard! LOL
Cleaning your house while the kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk while it's still snowing.
Reply
Cleaning your house while the kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk while it's still snowing.
Reply
post #7 of 20
5/16/11 at 10:12am
OMG!!! I have a 2 tier bday cake to do and its a tapered square cake!!! and I only work in bc...so now I can see it falling apart...

any ideas???
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
post #8 of 20
5/16/11 at 10:35am
chocolate ganache as the icing & filling icon_smile.gif or a stiff buttercream as the filling. I still ice with ganache then cover with fondant. chilling is your friend. i prefer to carve unfrozen but very well chilled.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 20
5/16/11 at 10:45am
Well heck!!! I dont work in fondant at all, we tend to fight...and Im not crazy about the taste...I use Indys recipe and it crust real good...

Am wondering if Im not gonna be able to do this cake!!!
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
post #10 of 20
5/16/11 at 2:32pm
in my photos, there's a huge topsy cake that was iced in pink buttercream. knowing what i know now, i have no clue how we made it in one piece, lol. given that same cake to do again, i would still ice in ganache and then cover in buttercream.

google planet cake and check out their topsy 'tutorial' (i use quotes because it's not a whole tute, just the how to cover in fondant part.) i paired that with a tute on flikr, and another on youtube and now my topsys are all like the hot pink & black '21st' bday cake in my pics. (much sharper lines/angles)
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 20
5/17/11 at 12:13am
You pink cake is gorgrous! icon_eek.gif well im gonna hurt making this cake, i cant work melting choc! I tried for the longest to make truffles and choc. Transfer and mine gets cold,hard and lumpy. Now you say ganache is my only hope, panic now! Im wondering if if have a chance freezing it after crumb coating and using a good crusting bc.......
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
post #12 of 20
5/17/11 at 8:10am
Ok, my last post was last night on my nook...and I was stressing at this point on the ganache...lol

Today I got up and decided to do as you said, research videos, and I did on how to make white ganache...I "think" I "might" be able to do this! lol...Dont get excited for me YET!!! lol

It looks simple making the ganache, but then again, it looks simple to do cake balls, truffles, and transfers in choc. and I CAN NOT FOR THE LIFE OF ME WORK WITH MELTED CHOC.! icon_cry.gif

So ok, the ganache, it holds the cake together? does it get hard? like a candy bar coating? how would it taste with SPICE CAKE?? she wants spice cake...lol After using gananche do I cover the cake in bc like regular?
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
post #13 of 20
5/17/11 at 12:28pm
I wouldn't use chocolate ganache without consulting the customer first-- esp with a spice cake. I havent made wite chocolate ganache, but i do know the ratio of cream to choc is different.
For success with making ganache, make sure you heat your cream but pour it over your chocolate that is in a bowl (i use glass)-- do not add your chips to the pot of hot cream-- you will get lumps. So, pour the cream over the chocolate, let it sit a few minutes, then use a whisk to combine. Also, let it cool gradually... Cooling too quickly can cause an off texture as well.
Yes, the ganache gets 'hard'.. But not too hard. You could use buttercream i guess and keep it well chilled. You'd want a 'stiff' buttercream and a good crusting recipe for the outside. Support is key for stacking as well.
As for carving, i use doctored mixes and This is a great tutorial http://tinyurl.com/Flikrtut

Eta: the ganache should not be pourable when you ice the cake if that's what ou choose to use-- it should be chilled/cooled to an icing consistancy. I have read that planet cake wont do topsys in anything but a dense mud cake with chocolate ganache. I will do them in any flavor, but will only cover in ganache + fondant or ganache + buttercream. (& i strongly prefer the fondant route)
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 20
5/17/11 at 9:21pm
Thanks so much for all the input!!! Ive made white ganache just now and tomm. I will see what I end up with. Ive read to whip it so that it can be fluffy, how long would I whip it and do I use my KA?

And I know I read somewhere that they cover a cake in it and then use bc, I use Indys recipe and love it!!! It crust real good, you think that would work or would it slide off? The party is outside.

Also can I tint the white ganache? example Pink or blue,whatever color I need?

Oh the customer is for my 17yr old daughters baby girl that is turning one yr old, she is a NICU Cardiac baby....so we are celebrating with a party.

Thank you so Very Much!!!!
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
post #15 of 20
5/18/11 at 7:26am
Ok, made the ganache and I let it sit over night on the kitchen counter....I went to check it just now and its still very soft.

Soft enough that if I move the bowl it moves, its a creamy texture....This means it didnt work, right?!

Oh gosh here we go again...lol, something so simple like melted choc and I cant do this....lol...hmmmm
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Cake Disasters
Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Cake Disasters › cake collapse after tapering--ever happened to you?