AThank you everyone for the advice! I needed to know the consistency of the icing as well as practice methods. Y'all have answered all my concerns.
ebonyandivorie we teach our apprentices how to write using a template similar to when you are learning how to write as a small child. We just print one off the internet, tape it to something flat (we use a stainless steel cookie tray turned over, and use the bottom) and then cover it with plastic wrap pulled taut. Writing is just a series of straight and curved lines, we start them writing small straight lines over and over until they fill the cookie sheet, then pull the plastic wrap off, put a fresh piece of plastic wrap on and do it all over again. We then move onto curved lines and do it again and again. You then move on to joining the straight and curved lines to make letters, we start them writing Happy Birthday and their name. I should tell you this takes quite a few weeks of regular practice.
The way you write with either RI or chocolate involves a different technique to writing with a pen on paper. You start at the top of the straight line by attaching the point of your piping bag to the top of the line. You then lift your piping bag while gently squeezing and move it down to the bottom of the line, keeping the tip of the bag several millimetres above the surface of your line, and "drop" your RI or chocolate onto the line. You then attach the tip of the piping bag to the bottom of the the line which secures it there.
Once you can confidently and consistently write you can then start playing around with different fonts and curly bits. Regular constant practice, paying attention to your technique is the key. I have a young male apprentice whose writing on paper looks like chickens scattering all over the page, but his writing on cakes is perfect because I taught him using the above technique.
I spent two years of my teen life decorating thousands of cookie cakes at The Original Cookie Co. Not a great experience, but it certainly taught me how to write well with an icing bag. So, I guess the lesson is--practice, practice, practice! 810whitechoc's regime sounds great, to me.
AI can't thank y'all enough! ! I will definitely try the many tips and tricks you all have shared..This site is one awesome sharing machine! ! Lol Sweet hugs from Ebony and Ivories Creations! !
A[IMG][IMG][IMG][IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3162312/width/200/height/400[/IMG][/IMG][/IMG][/IMG]
Hello, my name is Amy and I am 14 years old. I just wanted to share with you a few of the cakes I have made and decorated over the past year or so. It would be great if anyone could give me some feedback on these cakes! Thanks a lot! Amy
APlease view. Take it easy on me, I'm an extreme newbie. http://cakecentral.com/g/a/3438720/gator-birthday-cake http://cakecentral.com/g/a/3438729/childrens-birthday-cakes Thanks!
A
Original message sent by Carmen19
Please view. Take it easy on me, I'm an extreme newbie. http://cakecentral.com/g/a/3438720/gator-birthday-cake http://cakecentral.com/g/a/3438729/childrens-birthday-cakes http://cakecentral.com/g/i/3162539/please-critique-this-is-my-first-real-cake-its-a-chocolate-with-cream-cheese-icing-and-covered-with-mm-fondant-all-the-figures-are-mm-fondant-how-could-i-have-made-this-look-better-thanks/ Thanks!
AHi everyone! I am pretty new to the cake world. I started when I made my sons first birthday cake. Here is one I made for my nephews birthday. He's a huge Oklahoma Sooners fan.
[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3163095/width/200/height/400[/IMG] [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3163114/width/200/height/400[/IMG]
".........Please view. Take it easy on me, I'm an extreme newbie.
http://cakecentral.com/g/a/3438720/gator-birthday-cake
http://cakecentral.com/g/a/3438729/childrens-birthday-cakes"
Your work is great - especially for a newbie :)
Hi Crystal72384,
That is a great looking cake & presentation-very clean & simple. Is the field also cake?
Quote:
Hi kakeladi,
I really cannot critique your work, for I have never tried sculpting a cake. For being a newbie to the cake world not bad, but as you do more cakes your details will become sharper. I give you a lot of credit to both of your cakes. Wish you well.
Quote:
".........Please view. Take it easy on me, I'm an extreme newbie.
http://cakecentral.com/g/a/3438720/gator-birthday-cake
http://cakecentral.com/g/a/3438729/childrens-birthday-cakes"
Your work is great - especially for a newbie :)
AThanks KarenK55! The football field is just the cake board. All edible. I didn't want to make to much cake as it was just a small get together.
AI would appreciate feedback! I feel pretty confidant in my fondant skills, but my buttercream cakes tend to look sloppy/rushed. Here are my two most recent cakes Fondant: http://cakecentral.com/g/i/3168190/a-traditional-buche-de-noel-a-yule-log-cake-that-took-first-in-a-high-school-competition/
And Butter Cream: http://cakecentral.com/g/i/3168192/simple-buttercream-cake-for-my-sister-in-law-all-she-wanted-was-a-vanilla-cake-with-something-purple/
Thanks in advance!
AWell (and keep in mind that I'm the guy who mostly bakes 9x13 single-layer sheet cakes, and serves them in-pan), my reaction to the Christmas cake is a flabbergasted "THAT's a CAKE!?!"
And I'd agree with you on the BC. It looks like it would be perfect if you're actually going for the "rustic stucco" look, but not if you're looking for perfectly smooth. (And when I end up with rustic stucco, it's never been by design.) I'll also say that the pointilistic decorating motif, extending to the lettering, is the best part of it. I'm guessing that "knitting" is the theme. Or maybe some kind of needlepoint. Or some kind of rug art.
There are dozens of different kinds of buttercream, and it's possible to vary the texture just by varying the way the ingredients are mixed. I specialize in a stiff, almost-fondant-like, hand-blended BC, using the recipe that's been on the back of the C&H powdered sugar box since before most of us were born (and variations thereof), but mixing everything with an ordinary dinner fork, rather than a mixer. Other people do various types of meringue BC. Some use all shortening and still call it BC; others say that it isn't BC without the butter.
If one kind of BC doesn't do it for you, try a different kind.
Another thing to consider is that if you trowel a pattern into BC (like the one in most of my cakes; there's a Flickr link in my signature), it usually loses the "rustic stucco" look.
A
Original message sent by hbquikcomjamesl
Well (and keep in mind that I'm the guy who mostly bakes 9x13 single-layer sheet cakes, and serves them in-pan), my reaction to the Christmas cake is a flabbergasted "THAT's a CAKE!?!"
And I'd agree with you on the BC. It looks like it would be perfect if you're actually going for the "rustic stucco" look, but not if you're looking for perfectly smooth. (And when I end up with rustic stucco, it's never been by design.) I'll also say that the pointilistic decorating motif, extending to the lettering, is the best part of it. I'm guessing that "knitting" is the theme. Or maybe some kind of needlepoint. Or some kind of rug art.
There are dozens of different kinds of buttercream, and it's possible to vary the texture just by varying the way the ingredients are mixed. I specialize in a stiff, almost-fondant-like, hand-blended BC, using the recipe that's been on the back of the C&H powdered sugar box since before most of us were born (and variations thereof), but mixing everything with an ordinary dinner fork, rather than a mixer. Other people do various types of meringue BC. Some use all shortening and still call it BC; others say that it isn't BC without the butter.
If one kind of BC doesn't do it for you, try a different kind.
Another thing to consider is that if you trowel a pattern into BC (like the one in most of my cakes; there's a Flickr link in my signature), it usually loses the "rustic stucco" look.
Thanks for the compliments and the input. I'll have to try another recipe and see if that's not the root of my issues. Your icing on the 50th cake is so smooth and glassy! Beautiful!
Hi Victoria;
Yes, your fondant Christmas log cake is very well done :)
Your b'cream work isn't all that bad for a beginner. The dots are well placed, straight and the color gratuation is well done. What you need to work on is getting your cake iced right :) The over-all icing is to thin (not in consistency but in amount) - there is cake showing through - those dark spots. You need at least 2 consistencies of b'cream - thin to cover the cake and (usually/mostly) medium for decorating. As another poster said there are many different b'cream recipes. Here is one of my favorites: http://cakecentral.com/a/2-icing
Some of your dots have 'tips' on them. This indicatesd you are still squeezing the bag slightly when you lift away so once the dot is the size you want it to be, stop squeezing, count to 3 before lifting the bag away with a comma movement. If there is a 'tip' that will wipe it away. Most beginners have a problem with this:)
Then the top edge should be smoothed by using the cake spatula to gently swipe the excess icing to the center of the cake. Also you didn't use any borders. They give the cake a real finished look.
Another tip: Make sure to clean up around the cake before you take pictures:) Later on in your decorating you will rue the fact you don't have a good, clean pic of your 1st work :)
Hope these tips help you better yourself:)
A
Original message sent by kakeladi
Hi Victoria; Yes, your fondant Christmas log cake is very well done :) Your b'cream work isn't all that bad for a beginner. The dots are well placed, straight and the color gratuation is well done. What you need to work on is getting your cake iced right :) The over-all icing is to thin (not in consistency but in amount) - there is cake showing through - those dark spots. You need at least 2 consistencies of b'cream - thin to cover the cake and (usually/mostly) medium for decorating. As another poster said there are many different b'cream recipes. Here is one of my favorites: [URL=http://cakecentral.com/a/2-icing]http://cakecentral.com/a/2-icing[/URL] Some of your dots have 'tips' on them. This indicatesd you are still squeezing the bag slightly when you lift away so once the dot is the size you want it to be, stop squeezing, count to 3 before lifting the bag away with a comma movement. If there is a 'tip' that will wipe it away. Most beginners have a problem with this:) Then the top edge should be smoothed by using the cake spatula to gently swipe the excess icing to the center of the cake. Also you didn't use any borders. They give the cake a real finished look. Another tip: Make sure to clean up around the cake before you take pictures:) Later on in your decorating you will rue the fact you don't have a good, clean pic of your 1st work :) Hope these tips help you better yourself:)
Thank you! I will try the technique you mentioned, I was definitely having issues with pointy dots haha :) I know the different people have different techniques when it comes to smoothing cakes, so I think I need to start going through and trying them until I get the right one for me. Also, I should mention, my kitchen was blazing hot when this was made and I couldn't deal with the icing any more. The dots were actually done while the cake was in the freezer and I stood on a chair to ice it... So conditions could have been better to say the least.
OK, I just finished a birthday cake for my little grand daughter who aspires to be a chef when she grows up. She wants to compete in a baking challenge--(she has a lot more nerve than I do!) She loves "helping" me in the kitchen, whether I need it or not. I encourage her efforts, although it is a lot easier without, as those of you with children know all too well. She loves my calling her my little chef so that definitely came to mind when thinking of her cake this year.
There are a lot of flaws I see in this effort. The table legs are wonky and I'm not at all pleased with the chef's hat, (can't remember the proper name---something that begins with a "T".) The BC border is uneven as the BC hadn't warmed up yet from the 'fridge. I seldom use BC anymore since my hands aren't as steady as they used to be. With a cold bag it was nigh impossible. That's why I am more comfortable with gum paste and fondant.
Anyway, here they are and I await your comments.
I tried to use the URL located under the photos rather than posting them here on this post. But it was refused saying that I needed to use the photo's URL--that it appeared I used the page's URL. If someone could help me, I'd appreciate it for the future. I have been successful in the past so don't know what I did differently this
time. Thanks, Jan
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