Hi...I just finished decorating my French cafe cake, and wanted to post it. I did all of the little mini food, and my husband painted the cafe scene on the front. (I am posting close-ups of both).
I did have a tremendous learning experience with it. NEVER EVER EVER EVER use crisco instead of corn starch to roll out fondant. I did for the top layer of the cake, and it was very loose, and extremely difficult to work with. It felt like it was "dripping" and did not want to cling at the bottom. I did my best on damage control, but it looks slightly wavy in the photo. I (thank-goodness) had planned on using the burgundy stripes anyway, so it covered up a bit of the waviness, but lesson learned!! It is not as noticeable in real life, but I am picky!!!
This cake is for an interview doing cakes for a French cafe. Mon Dieu!!!!! I just hope they like it!! It's the orange-marble fudge cake with grand marnier, so at least I'm confident it tastes good!!
Ellen
I think it looks great!!! You and your husband should be business partners...the painting is awesome!!!
traci
Good luck with the interview!!!!
Great cake Ellen!! Good luck on the interview too!! I agree w/ Traci... you & your hubby should open your own bakery~
What a fabulous cake. I love it. You both did such a great job.. I agree you and hubby should go into business. I think that interview will be a piece of cake.
Liz
Fantastic cake! I'm sure you'll get the job!
I had the same experience with Crisco & fondant, too. I was trying to make my first bow and it just kept stretching & wiggling and got wavy and didn't dry well. Scrapped it. Good thing the bow wasn't requested. You did a great job of hiding it, though.
Ali
Thanks, everyone for the vote of confidence! I am trying to get my husband in on the cakes. He has a Bachelors in Fine Arts and incredibly talented in sketching/painting/sculpture/cartooning, etc. You name it, he's an artist!! He loved painting the scene too, so hopefully, all of your postive comments will inspire him to get more involved!!
I am glad that I'm not the only one with crisco/fondant probs. I thought that since it works so well with gumpaste, that fondant would be the same! WRONG!!!
I am a little upset, because I wanted perfection on this cake, but it looks better live than in a pic. The lighting makes it look wavier than it is. Oh well, live and learn!!
That is just amazing kiddo, that is fine work, you should be proud!
Regarding the Crisco, how much are you folks using? All you do is slightly dab two finger tips in a wee bit and slightly smear it on your work surface, not like you are greasing a pan. Just maybe 1/2 tsp. for a work area of 24 inches square, if that much. You only want to see a slight sheen, no Crisco to notice. Almost like you slightly lemon oiled a wooden table.
I suspect you folks are greasing your surface like you would a cake pan?
Actually this is how bakers are taught, either to use Crisco or glycerine. I started off doing the cornstarch or powdered sugar dusting and it tends to crack your fondant or gumpaste but no problems with the Crisco at all.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes
It is amazingly gorgeous! And I agree the painting is awesome too! How did you get the fondant that lovely shade of gold?
Thanks, KayDay....the fondant is actually a beige color. I just mixed in brown food coloring with white fondant until I got the beige I wanted. The light from the camera gave it a glimmer, I guess!
Squirrelly....I used a s*** load of crisco!!! LOL Lesson learned!!! I'm stickin' to the non-stickin' cornstarch!!
the cake is so cute you and your husband are a great team good luck on your interview
Squirrelly....I used a s*** load of crisco!!! LOL Lesson learned!!! I'm stickin' to the non-stickin' cornstarch!!
Heehee, well you can use a s***load of Crisco, but only a mouse's s***load, not mOuse's, mouse's, haha! Hhmn, hope she doesn't see this, haha!
Meant to say that the art work was extraordinary. How much fun is that to do with hubby, that is so nice!
Heehee, my first date with hubby was painting, but walls, nothing artistic. Hhmn, been paying for that paint ever since!
Hugs Squirrelly
Beautiful cake.....I'm sure they will jump at the chance to work with you.
That cake combo sounds great...is that recipe posted somewhere?? My DH would love that combo of Orange and Chocolate for his birthday!!
Merci!
I hate fondant: the recipe is posted to a forum from the other day. I can try to also post it to the recipe section also.
Wow...super job ellepal.
I see a husband wife team in the making.
Good luck on your interview.
elle...must have missed it!!!
Do you remember which forum? I hate to put you to the trouble of posting it again.
that cake is AWSOME!!! wow! i would definatly make hubby vice president of your company...haha he could be your silent partner. (thats what i call my hubby....when he puts his two cents in about anything i remind him that he is the silent partner, so shhhh) haha
so, if you dont mind me asking? what kind of interview is this? are you interviewing to make desserts for this cafe? i am blown away at how wonderful your cake is!
squirly cakes, you crack me up, thanks for the laugh this morning!
melody
thank-you so much melody!! Actually, the interview is to do occasional cakes for a French cafe in my area. They were looking for people to do wedding and novelty cakes, so I gave them a call. I don't have all the details yet, but I hit it off with the lady who owns it, and I am going in today. If she likes my work, I will have an opportunity to expand my portfolio by decorating cakes for her shop on occasion. I don't even think I will bake; just decorate, since I am not a certified pastry chef.
Ellepal, your cake looks beautiful Don't forget to let us know how it turns out. Good luck
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