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Frosting a "birch bark" cake..

post #1 of 11
8/20/12 at 8:42am
Thread Starter 
I've been asked to make a version of this cake for a casual outdoor wedding. For under my fondant I always use this recipe: http://cakecentral.com/recipe/the-best-tasting-icing-ive-ever-had

This will be the first time in a long time that I will have done a cake with no fondant on it. This recipe is a crusting recipe. Will it be soft enough out in the air to use as regular frosting? It is so delicious that I would really like to use it...

Also, the bride has requested gumpaste flowers. She wants daisies, peonies, and roses. Will these be too heavy on the buttercream? Is there a method to making this cake that I should do differently than if it were fondant covered?

One more question: Should the writing on the cake just be painted on with a brush and food coloring gel? I did a sample of this and it seemed like it would work, but I want to make sure there isn't a better way.

Thanks!
LL
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post #2 of 11
8/20/12 at 9:30am
Thread Starter 
One other question about this:

The bride would like the cake delivered the day before the wedding. Normally I wouldn't worry about this at all, but the exposed buttercream has me a little nervous.

Are there any special instructions I should give her about how it should be stored?

I also usually have my cakes done one day ahead of the delivery schedule. This gives me a little leeway in case I'm running behind. If it do that with this cake, it will be ready for 48 hours before the actual wedding. Do you think this will be a problem?
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post #3 of 11
8/20/12 at 11:06am
Here is a link to another thread where someone was talking about doing a birch cake:

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=735331&highlight=brush

It is possible to do this in buttercream. What you need to do is figure out if your recipe can withstand whatever heat the cake will be in. I would think that if you kept it refrigerated and then pulled it out an hour before serving it should be fine. But I would be leery of leaving it outside in temperatures in the high 80s or 90s.

What I do for larger tiered cakes is put them in a moving box or another large box and use clean trash bags to cover the exposed cake.

Is there a reason she wants it delivered the day before? If you agree to that, you need to give her very specific instructions as to how the cake should be stored (hopefully they have enough refrigerator space) and definitely have her sign something stating the cake arrived in good condition.

Was that the sample cake you made? If it is, I would definitely use a thicker dam for your filling. I add a lot of powdered sugar so it is super stiff and my knuckles are white piping it. Also, don't put it right up against the edge of the cake. Just a couple of pointers if you wanted to correct that. I would also add more liquid to your recipe because it looks like the buttercream was kind of stiff when you applied it.

You should be ok with the gumpaste flowers on the icing. I have never had a problem with that.

The Dude abides.

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The Dude abides.

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post #4 of 11
8/28/12 at 9:51am
Thread Starter 
I didn't make the above cake. It is the picture she gave me of what she wants. I'm pretty sure she found it on Pinterest.

I'm getting really worried about this cake. The day of the wedding it is supposed to be 93 degrees and humid. It is an outdoor wedding and reception!

Would I be better off trying to convince the bride that this cake should be covered in fondant? Do you think fondant would hold up to the weather better than buttercream?

If I do end up using buttercream, what steps should I take to insure the cake will stay nice? My buttercream recipe does not have any cream in it, only butter. This will help with the whole "going bad" issue!
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post #5 of 11
8/28/12 at 9:58am
Use your crusting buttercream recipe and keep the cake refrigerated while it is in your hands. Driving with a well chilled cake is safer.

If the bride insists on buttercream, then negotiate with her for an indoor cake table. Seriously. And delivering a day ahead? The venue makes that decision. They should only accept cakes that they can store in a walk-in fridge.

If you deliver ahead of time then you seriously have to protect yourself against the possibility that the venue will move the cake without your permission, like they did with mine...and trashed the custom base plate. GET THIS IN WRITING.

Put all the flowers onto wires and make then up into clusters with floral tape. Then you will need to stick pieces of plastic straw into the cake for the places where the wires need to go.
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post #6 of 11
8/28/12 at 10:06am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the tip on the straws. I hadn't thought of that.

The bride's family owns a large ranch. The venue is their property. There will be nothing inside at all that day. I would assume that the food will be in some sort of tent.
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post #7 of 11
8/28/12 at 10:26am
In view of the weather, it would be a good idea to ask.

Maybe they also had a backup plan to keep the food indoors if it really got that hot...because nobody wants guests with heatstroke or sunburn. Or food poisoning.
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post #8 of 11
9/7/12 at 8:01am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all of your help with this cake. I posted a picture of it under my photos in the gallery. Everything turned out great!

I did have a surprise on the night before delivery when the bride asked me if I needed the cake topper ahead of time. Ummmmmmmmm...... YES! It would have been nice to know about it more than a few hours in advance! Oh well. All's well that ends well! icon_smile.gif
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post #9 of 11
9/7/12 at 8:02am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all of your help with this cake. I posted a picture of it under my photos in the gallery. Everything turned out great!

I did have a surprise on the night before delivery when the bride asked me if I needed the cake topper ahead of time. Ummmmmmmmm...... YES! It would have been nice to know about it more than a few hours in advance! Oh well. All's well that ends well! icon_smile.gif
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post #10 of 11
9/7/12 at 8:03am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all of your help with this cake. I posted a picture of it under my photos in the gallery. Everything turned out great!

I did have a surprise on the night before delivery when the bride asked me if I needed the cake topper ahead of time. Ummmmmmmmm...... YES! It would have been nice to know about it more than a few hours in advance! Oh well. All's well that ends well! icon_smile.gif
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post #11 of 11
9/7/12 at 8:08am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all of your help with this cake. I posted a picture of it under my photos in the gallery. Everything turned out great!

I did have a surprise on the night before delivery when the bride asked me if I needed the cake topper ahead of time. Ummmmmmmmm...... YES! It would have been nice to know about it more than a few hours in advance! Oh well. All's well that ends well! icon_smile.gif
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