If you'd like more information on anything you see in this post and would like me to demonstrate everything you see below, take my Craftsy class! Check out THIS post for more information and pictures on all the things I cover in that class!
I get a lot of emails from bakers
and cake makers with lots of questions. They range from "how I do "x"
technique" or "can I have your "x" recipe?" or simply sweet emails with
cries for HELP! :) I try to get back to everyone as soon as I can, but I
thought I'd post a list of the most commonly asked questions so you can
get the info you need super fast! - and not wait on this busy mama! :)
I'm going to keep a link over on the side so it's easy to find the
FAQ's page! :)
What fondant do you use?
It
depends...I have two recipes I use. I've found both on Cake Central's website. One
is a marshmallow base fondant and the other is a cooked gelatin base.
The marshmallow is super quick to use, a little stickier, a little
softer, but tastes great! It's called Rhonda's Ultimate MMF...click
here. The only change I made in her recipe is I don't use the lemon juice, only the extract, and I boost the vanilla extract to compensate for that and use 2tbsp of corn syrup.
The
other gelatin base fondant is amazing to work with...not sticky, sets
well on the cake and lasts for a while. It's a bit more labor intensive
to make, so you have to have the ingredients and a bit of time...but
it's worth it! :) Click
here
for Michele Foster's Fondant. The only change I made to her recipe was
to use whatever milk I have on hand. I hardly ever have cream in the
house, and the recipe works just as good with regular milk.
If you want to make black fondant, I've used
this recipe before and it worked great! Use 16oz marshmallows and 2lbs powdered sugar.
If you want to make red or black without adding chocolate, then use
Americolor Super Red or Black and add it right to the marshmallows after
you've melted them.
Remember
a few things for any fondant recipe...Let the fondant rest after you
make it for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight), use cornstarch to
roll it out (not powdered sugar), and cover a chilled cake that you've
spritzed with water or a 50/50 water-corn syrup combo...and have fun! :)
How do I get cornstarch off my fondant?!
There
are three ways I've found that work. I usually use Crisco and rub a
small amount evenly over the entire surface with my fingers. Then, I go
back over it with a really smooth clean towel or tissue and buff it out
to leave a satin-like surface. I've found tissue works great because
it's so smooth and soft and leaves a great finish.
The second way is
vodka. I'll use a small paint brush on flowers, decorations, etc to get
rid of the cornstarch. The alcohol evaporates to leave a very clean
finish.
The third way is to take another piece of fondant (from the
left overs) and put a ball in your fingers and buff the cake with the
fondant. It works really well to remove any left over cornstarch and
buffs the surface a bit.
What's modeling chocolate? - do you have a recipe?
Modeling
chocolate is my preferred decoration medium because it cuts so
beautifully, is quick to make, hardens to hold it's shape (as long as
it's thick enough), and tastes amazing...better than fondant! I never
use it to cover a cake (that's what fondant is for) because it's too
firm and hard to smooth without tearing. But it's perfect for most
decorations after you cover your cake in fondant! :)
Basically it's a mixture of chocolate and corn syrup. There are two recipes...one for using real chocolate (click
here) and one for using Wilton candy melts (click
here). For darker color candy melts (like black, red, purple) I use a .15
multiplier for corn syrup to candy melts. So, if you have 10oz of candy
melts, multiply that by .15 and you'll need 1.5oz of corn syrup in it (by weight).
For lighter candy melts (like pink, yellow) use a .21 multiplier. Now,
after you add your corn syrup to your candy melts, only give it like 20
slow stirs...maybe 25. Don't over mix. Let it sit out like I do on my
class for an hour, then knead it till it's smooth...a minute or two.
Wrap it up and let it sit overnight before using it on your cakes or as
decor. Modeling chocolate naturally hardens as it cools, so if you're
rolling it out and it's firm and cool, it can crack a bit. Just make
sure before you roll it, it's nice and warm and soft so you won't have
those issues. You also can't get it super thin like you can with
fondant...due to that reason of cooling then cracking. Also, the more
you knead it and play with it, the more cracked/broken it can become.
So, try kneading it to begin with just to warm it, then get it rolled
out and cut out quickly.
I mix my fondant/modeling chocolate in
all different ratios...there's not set amount. The more fondant, the
thinner you can roll it and the more elastic/stretchy it is. The more
modeling chocolate, the less elastic, but more stable and easier to cut
since it won't stretch as much. So, you'll have to play with it. But,
adding fondant does help to smooth out the modeling chocolate. You can
also try adding a little crisco to the modeling chocolate and see if
that helps! :)
Here is a video (click
here)
for making it...it can be a little tricky because it seizes...but
that's okay! :) Once it cools and hardens slightly you can knead it
together like play doh. Make sure when you're mixing your candy melts/chocolate and corn syrup you mix very slowly and only 30-40 turns of the spatula...don't overmix! A little trick...after I mix the chocolate and
corn syrup together, I pour it out on wax paper or saran wrap, and dab
it once or twice with a paper towel because sometime it releases wax (if you're
using candy melts and if you over-mix it slightly). After it begins to firm up (but is not completely
hard...say 1 hour + later), I begin kneading it and getting it really
smooth. It's easier to do that when it's not 100% hard and you can incorporate the wax and chocolate together! Then, when you
store it away, it'll be ready to go. All you have to do is just warm
it up by kneading it on the counter for a bit.
I've recently found that you can
use regular gel colors (Wilton or Americolor) when making modeling chocolate, in order to color it...but you have to add it to the corn syrup first - NOT the chocolate!! You need to
mix it into the corn syrup, then, add that mixture to your melted
chocolate. It works perfectly! If you want to color the modeling chocolate AFTER you've made it, then you can use regular gel colors too...the more concentrated the better. Because the chocolate has already seized, it won't seize again when adding standard gel colors. If you want to color the chocolate BEFORE you add the corn syrup, then you have to use candy/chocolate colors. But, I always recommend coloring it after so there's no issues and it'll save you from buying a ton of candy colors! :)
NOTE: If you want to color or paint or write on something you've made from modeling chocolate, you have to use candy colors...or gel colors made for chocolate. The standard Americolor or Wilton gel colors will just bead up on the modeling chocolate. So, make sure if you intend to paint on it or write on it, you get the right colors or pens! :) Also, you can use luster dusts mixed with vodka or PME luster spray on modeling chocolate to get gold finishes.
EDITED 5/15/2014: I added a single, thorough, post about modeling chocolate...see it HERE.
What's ganache? - when do you use it?
I
LOVE ganache! The flavor is beautiful! Basically ganache is the
inside of a truffle...the better the chocolate you use, the better
tasting the ganache is. I buy the pound plus bar from Trader Joe's. I
think you get 17.5 oz for $5. It's imported chocolate from Belgium and
is smooth and beautiful! To make ganache, you use 1 part heavy cream to
2 parts dark chocolate (over 53% cacao). So, for every 2 oz of
chocolate you use, add 1 oz of heavy cream...or for every 2 cups of dark chocolate, you use 1 cup of heavy cream. If you're using couture white
chocolate (at least 25% cacao) then the ratio is 3 parts chocolate to 1 part heavy cream.
To
make it, simply heat up the cream in a microwave safe bowl (don't boil
it). In another bowl, measure out your chocolate and make sure it's in tiny chips/pieces. Add the hot cream to the
tiny chocolate pieces and let sit for a minute. Slowly begin wisking/stirring until the chocolate is melted, incorporated and smooth. Let sit at
room temp until you have the desired consistency for spreading on a
cake or crumb coating a cake before fondant. You want the consistency
to be like smooth peanut butter or tooth paste. Once it sets up
overnight, it creates a beautiful firm shell on your cake that makes it
super easy to apply fondant. Make sure you brush on a 50/50 corn syrup-water mixture so the fondant will stick to it! :)
Click
here for a few videos that you might find helpful!
EDITED 5/15/2013: I did a post called, "How much ganache do I need?". See it
HERE.
What buttercream do you use?
Again,
I have two recipes! :) I guess all great things come in two?! ;) I
LOVE my Swiss-meringue recipe. I use the SMBC (Swiss Meringue
Buttercream) for pretty much everything. I used to use it for a crumb
coat on all my cakes, but have since switched over to ganache. So, it's
not very often I use it as a crumb coat now...mainly always as a
filling!! YUM!
Here are the quantities:
5 oz pasterized egg whites
10 oz sugar
12.5oz unsalted butter
3 Tbsp vanilla
It's a 1 : 2 : 2.5 ratio that works out beautifully! The mixing method is the same on all Swiss-Meringue Buttercreams, so click "
here" on how to make it. This video explains everything beautifully!
I
also use a powdered sugar based frosting when I'm in a hurry and making
cupcakes!! :) I don't usually use this for cakes as it's not as stable
as the SMBC. It is NOT a crusting buttercream because there's too much
yummy fat in it! :) Here it is:
1 lb unsalted butter at room temp - whip for 10 min on high
1 - 7oz jar of marshmallow cream - whip until incorporated
1 lb powdered sugar - whip on high for 5 min
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (add a tbsp at a time until right consistency) - whip on high for 5 minutes
3 Tbsp vanilla - whip until incorporated.
This
makes a really light amazing buttercream. You can add more heavy
whipping cream (the liquid, not actual whipped cream) if you want,
depending upon the consistency you're looking for.
*You can also
throw in a block of room temp or softened cream cheese at the end to
make it even more yummy! - remember to use full fat cream cheese and not
let it whip too long or it can curdle it.
EDITED on 5/15/2014: I did a post called, "How much buttercream do I need?" to help you know how much to make for your cake project. See it
HERE.
What cake recipes do you use?
Unfortunately
I keep just a few to myself because I've spent soo many hours trying
recipes out, tweaking them and testing them. BUT, I have shared a few
amazing recipes...here is a link:
Jessicakes Recipes
A
good place to look for recipes is food.com and foodnetwork.com. Search
for whatever cake flavor you want, and click on "most popular" and
you'll get some wonderful recipes!
If you need a great vanilla cake recipe that is good for carving, try this one:
Mermaid Vanilla Butter Cake
How do you support/stack your cakes?
If
I'm making a tall tier/double height cake, I will only stack 4 layers
high before I add support and a cake board. I use cardboard circles or
foam core for the base of all my cakes. After I stack 3-4 layers of
cake (or half the height of the final cake), I place
bubble straws into
the cake in a circular pattern with one in the middle. Then, add a
little frosting, melted chocolate or royal icing on top of the straws
and place a cake plate on top and continue stacking. Easy! If it's
just a regular height cake (up to 5"h) I don't use any internal support. If you want more info, I did a post about bubble straws...you can see it
HERE.
Better to use more straws than less! - a good rule of
thumb is use how ever many straws as the diameter of your cake. A six
inch cake needs 6 bubble straws. You can find them at Bed Bath
& Beyond, grocery stores, Asian stores. I love bubble straws
because they don't displace the cake like dowels, no worries of
splinters (from wooden dowels), easy to cut and store.
How do you paint on your cakes?
I
use Americolor or Wilton gel colors. Mix them like acrylic paint to
get the right consistency...but use vodka instead of water. You need to
use an alcohol base medium to thin...never water! Water will make your
fondant sticky whereas vodka won't...the alcohol evaporates leaving the
paint to dry nicely. No worries about the alcohol being left...it's
okay for kids! :)
NOTE: If
you want to color or paint or write on something you've made from
modeling chocolate, you have to use candy colors...or gel colors made
for chocolate. The standard Americolor or Wilton gel colors will just
bead up on the modeling chocolate. So, make sure if you intend to paint
on it or write on it, you get the right colors or pens made for chocolate! :)
How do you take such nice pictures?
Here's a post on my DYI photo booth (click
here).
The trick is that no matter the camera, try not to use a flash! Try
to get up against a window, or outside in a covered area. Also, get
some photo editing software to help boost the lighting levels and
sharpen the pics a bit. I use Photoshop Elements 7.0.
What is your process in building a cake?
After
baking my cakes, I remove them from the oven and press any dome down
with a wet paper towel thus making the cakes nice and flat. See pics at
bottom of
THIS
post. I then turn the cakes out onto a wire cooling rack and let them
cool for 5-10 min. or so. Usually, not longer. I wrap them (still
warm) up in plastic wrap (I love using Glad "Press and Seal" because it
doesn't shrink and change the shape of the cake but still seals in all
that moisture) and place them in my freezer. I let them sit in there
at least over night or up to two weeks. I've done some experimenting
with this...honestly, every cake I've frozen was more moist than the
non-frozen one! So, that's why I do it. And, being a busy mommy, it
helps a lot with planning ahead! I usually don't have 2 or 3 solid days
to work on a cake. I have to work in a small spurts! :)
Once frozen and I'm ready to start decorating,
I put them in my fridge with a light weight on them (usually a book or
something weighing at least a pound) to help them settle as they
un-thaw. This helps with bulges. You can also use a cookie sheet with a
few pounds of something on it. After they've sat another 10-12 hours
un-thawing, I take them out, torte the layers while they're nice and
cold (cut them in half to give me two layers of cake) and begin
stacking my cake. I weigh out each layer of frosting. I place my
first cake layer on a board, then on the scale. I add my frosting and
weigh it out to see how much works with that cake. Usually it's about 4
oz for a 6" cake and 6 oz for an 8"cake. I use SMBC (see recipe
above) so, I'm not sure how it weighs compared with other types of
frosting. You might have to experiment with that yourself...but I like a
lot of frosting! :) I then add my next layer of cake, put it back on
the scale and measure out my frosting again so it's the same as the
first layer. I do this up to 4 layers of cake or 5 thin layers of
cake. If I need anymore (for a tall or double height cake), I add
bubble straws and another board...then continue to stack my layers.
Once the cake is stacked, I place it back in the fridge for 30 min or
so until it firms up and put a small weight to the top to help it
settle/smoosh a bit if necessary. I do this because when you add
fondant to the cake, you're adding a few pounds to it depending upon the
size of the cake. If you can get it to settle under that weight, you
won't get buldges in your fondant. Once it's sat in the fridge for a
bit (sometimes overnight depending upon my schedule), I take the cake
out and I carve the bulges/edges off the cake all the way around to
make it nice and straight and to make sure it's about 1/8" in from the
cake board...so that when I put the crumb coat on, there's at least
1/8" thick coat of ganache/buttercream on it. Then I add my crumb coat
(ganache or buttercream). Once the crumb coat is on and it's nice and smooth, it goes back in
the fridge to firm up...sometimes for only 30 min. and sometimes
overnight - again, depending upon this busy mom's schedule. At this
point, if it's a buttercream covered cake, I cover it in fondant right
from the fridge because I want sharp corners and the SMBC is nice and
hard from the fridge. However, you have to be quick because the fondant
will get tacky. If it's a ganache covered cake (which I almost use
exclusively), I let it sit out for a good hour then cover it in fondant
and begin decorating it. I want it to not be super cold, but closer to
room temp so I have time to smooth the fondant and play with the edges
to get them nice and sharp. Then, decorate as usual!
What program do you use to design your cakes?
I
am a commercial interior designer who specializes in Dental Office
design. Yes...it's a funny niche' but I love it! :) I use AutoCAD for
my profession so I use it for my cakes too! Unfortunately coloring
things in AutoCAD doesn't work that well, so I create a PDF of my
drawings and import them into Photoshop Elements to color them in and
add additional notes/fonts if necessary. AutoCAD is a very expensive
program, so I wouldn't recommend it for cake decorating. If you already
use it/have it, awesome! If not, there are other options out there
that don't cost $1000 to purchase...including Photoshop and Illustrator.
Today, I tackled the tires and part of the truck. I'm going to do four different posts as I create this cake. My goal is for this first one to explain how to make the tires. The second one is how to create the truck, the third a video tutorial on how to frost a cake using the upside down frosting technique, and the last, the final result!
I began by removing the RKT (Rice Krispy Treats) from the muffin tins and took one of my circle cutters that was the right size and cut off the angled part of the cupcake to give me nice flat edges for my tires.
I then cut a cone out of the top side for the rim of the wheel. This will be the front of the tire.
I then cut out overlapping diamond shapes from some modeling chocolate I had. The color doesn't matter because you'll be hiding the treads with black fondant. I only overlapped four cuts because otherwise, the treads would have gotten too small to fit around the width of the tire.
Place your treads on. It took 10 treads per tire...and I eyeballed the placement.
Flip over the tire and place a black piece of fondant on the back. You can use the same circle cutter you used earlier for this.
Next, flip the tire back over, and lay a piece of fondant over the front and sides. Smooth it down and cut it off so the two black pieces of fondant seam together. I flipped the tire upside down to make sure they joined well and sealed the RKT in. Then, use a modeling took or even your pinkie finger and begin pressing in between all the treads to accentuate the design.
Voila! A tire! Something I found a bit helpful is at this point roll the tire along the counter top with slight pressure onto the counter. It flattens out the tread a bit and makes it more like a tire...less rounded. Almost done...now for the rims.
Place a small gray ball into the center of the tire.
Using the ball tool, press down and smooth it out like the picture below.
Now for the sparkle...silver luster dust. And the details came from a few icing tips. I just pressed them into the silver fondant to create some patterns. Again, I don't really know what I'm doing...but this worked great and gave me a nice look. Plus...my son won't care! :)
And, here you go...four monster truck tires...ready for their ride! :) Stay tuned!
