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Help Please?

post #1 of 16
6/4/12 at 9:41am
Thread Starter 
Hi Everyone,

I've been a hobby baker for a few years, and I'm going on a Cake Decoration course in September, but I wanted to ask some questions about types of cake.

I'm based in the UK, and I've always made a "Victoria sponge cake" which has always been moist and tasty. Here's the problem, I know that you had a firmer cake for stacked cakes, and carving, but on every cake recipe I've seen the cake looks like a brick and dry!!!

Is there such a thing as a moist light, tasty cake that is good for carving??
I made a cake last year that was dense and "foam like" and we couldn't eat it, it was horrible.
So what types of cake are good for carving, and tasty and moist at the same time? What cakes are popular? Any responses from UK bakers is great too!
Thanks icon_smile.gif
My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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post #2 of 16
6/4/12 at 9:52am
Pound cake is usually the cake for carving and they can be flavored any flavor you like. Also you can use a simple sugar to brush the cakes with that helps keeps the cakes moist. Hope this helps
Beth Groman
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Beth Groman
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post #3 of 16
6/4/12 at 10:01am
You can carve just about any cake. I use my regular scratch hi-ratio butter cake. Some people prefer mud cakes. Some prefer modified box. It's a matter of preference.

If your cake is on the softer side, just refrigerate or freeze it. When it's cold carves nicely. If it starts to warm back up and you still need to do more carving, just pop it back in the fridge.
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post #4 of 16
6/4/12 at 10:08am
Thread Starter 
Thank you for the replies,

When I "dirty ice" the sponge cakes I make with buttercream, I just use a knife, and it starts to rip the cake apart, I've been watching Buddy from Cake Boss like a hawk, and I've noticed that he doesn't actually touch the cake when he's dirty icing it, he pipes the buttercream on and then just smooths the buttercream out, so that's probably what I'm doing wrong there.

Do you think a sponge cake would stand up to being stacked, like a wedding cake?
My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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post #5 of 16
6/4/12 at 10:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JamAndButtercream

Thank you for the replies,

When I "dirty ice" the sponge cakes I make with buttercream, I just use a knife, and it starts to rip the cake apart, I've been watching Buddy from like a hawk, and I've noticed that he doesn't actually touch the cake when he's dirty icing it, he pipes the buttercream on and then just smooths the buttercream out, so that's probably what I'm doing wrong there.

Do you think a sponge cake would stand up to being stacked, like a wedding cake?



Your cake is at room temp, right? That's why it rips apart. Freeze it first and then dirty ice it. SO much easier and less mess. I actually learned this when I worked at a bakery and that's how they did it. After doing a dirty ice, pop it back in the fridge to set up and you're good to go start frosting over a firm surface.
A closed mouth gathers no feet.
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A closed mouth gathers no feet.
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post #6 of 16
6/4/12 at 10:19am
Thread Starter 
Thank you for the tips, I still have a lot to learn! icon_biggrin.gif
My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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post #7 of 16
6/4/12 at 10:23am
Your victoria sponge is exactly what North American bakers call "firm" or "pound" cake (I am looking at the BBC recipe but I have baked from the Marguerite Patten book several times). For any style of tiers it would need to be supported with dowels. Stacking 3 layers (to about 6" deep) for carving should be OK unless the cakes are more than 12".

Cake to be carved needs to be chilled overnight after stacking with buttercream or ganache (no curd, no jam, no fruit). Then use a good serrated bread knife knife to carve with a light pressure and a sawing motion.

Use softened buttercream for the crumb coat if you have problems with that step. Mix a spoonful of milk into a cup of regular buttercream and you should have no trouble crumb-coating. I use a palette knife, not the cranked type, for spreading all icings.

Then chill the cake again for an hour before icing.
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post #8 of 16
6/4/12 at 10:31am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the tips BakingIrene! thumbs_up.gif
My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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post #9 of 16
6/4/12 at 8:27pm
I was going to suggest pound cake myself, even though I've never done any cake carving, nor frosted over any surface but the cake's natural crust.

I wonder if anybody has come up with a way to spray on a crumb-coat?

Didn't think about freezing the cake before carving, but I can certainly understand the principle involved (and I did the same thing to get "chip steak" for homemade Philadelphia steak sandwiches, before a transplanted Philadelphia family opened a local steak shop that's as authentic as Pat's or Geno's in the Italian Market [I've made the pilgrimage twice; my order is always a "plain steak, with"], which eventually grew into a local chain).
James H. H. Lampert
Professional Dilettante
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James H. H. Lampert
Professional Dilettante
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post #10 of 16
6/4/12 at 9:05pm
RLB's butter cakes. Moist, light, delish. Chill cake before carving.
Life is short. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now. -quotebites.com

http://m.facebook.com/Edible.Elegance.cakes.Zimbabwe
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73178569@N05/
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Life is short. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now. -quotebites.com

http://m.facebook.com/Edible.Elegance.cakes.Zimbabwe
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73178569@N05/
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post #11 of 16
6/5/12 at 6:09am
Thread Starter 
Thank you! thumbs_up.gif
My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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post #12 of 16
6/5/12 at 1:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rosech

RLB's butter cakes. Moist, light, delish. Chill cake before carving.



Ignorant baker here: What/who is RLB?

I hope I die before "your" is the official spelling of the contraction of "you are."

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I hope I die before "your" is the official spelling of the contraction of "you are."

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post #13 of 16
6/6/12 at 2:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by shanter

Quote:
Originally Posted by rosech

RLB's butter cakes. Moist, light, delish. Chill cake before carving.



Ignorant baker here: What/who is RLB?


Rose Levy Beranbaum. You may google her name to find out more.
Life is short. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now. -quotebites.com

http://m.facebook.com/Edible.Elegance.cakes.Zimbabwe
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73178569@N05/
Reply
Life is short. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now. -quotebites.com

http://m.facebook.com/Edible.Elegance.cakes.Zimbabwe
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73178569@N05/
Reply
post #14 of 16
6/6/12 at 3:25am
Jam and Buttercream - as an Aussie who is very familiar with Victoria sponge, I can tell you it is NOT the same as a butter cake.

Look up recipes in the UK for Madeira cake...it's the perfect density and very moist for carved and stacked/tiered cakes. It works well with buttercream and under fondant.

Also try out some mud cake recipes...I use mud cake almost exclusively for my 3D carved cakes. Carve, cover and contour with ganache, then apply fondant. Can't do that with sponge!
Life's too short to make cake pops.
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www.sweetperfection.com.au
www.facebook.com/sweetperfectioncakes (come visit sometime!)
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Life's too short to make cake pops.
___________________________________
www.sweetperfection.com.au
www.facebook.com/sweetperfectioncakes (come visit sometime!)
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post #15 of 16
6/6/12 at 8:39am
Thread Starter 
@Evoir

I made a Butter Madeira cake yesterday, absolutely delicious, moist and firm enough to carve!
I think I've cracked it! icon_biggrin.gifthumbs_up.gif
My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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My cakes are never level. . . . .its because my damn cooker is wonky!!
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