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the   b a k e r’ s   companion
10   |
(
Create
LASTING
MEMORIES
               for any
 SPECIAL
OCCASION
One of the nation’s most celebrated creators
of wedding cakes shares her secrets with
home bakers so that you, too, can create a
masterpiece for any celebration.

Haven’t you been to a bridal or baby shower, special
birthday, retirement party, or wedding where you looked at
the cake and thought, “I wish I knew how to do that.”?
     You can. Kelly Delaney is a celebrated wedding cake
decorator with 15 years of experience as a pastry chef and
over 7,500 wedding cakes to her credit. She and her crew at
Cakes For Occasions in Danvers, MA won a contest for the
best wedding cake on “The Today Show.” She has created
hundreds of perfect cakes for that all-important day, and
each has reflected the couple’s tastes and aspirations for the
future. Kelly received her culinary education at the
Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork, Ireland and the Cordon
Bleu School in London. After returning to the states, she
trained at the Ritz Carlton in Boston and now brings her
worldly experience to all of New England.




                                 the   b a k e r’ s   companion       11
                                                                  |
We sat down with Kelly and asked her to share her secrets       you don’t have a lot of time, don’t be afraid to use a cake mix
with us, and she did so quite willingly.                        — any cake will work. My favorite type of cake to work with
                                                                in general is a sponge cake because it is so versatile. Sponge
                                                                cake is a great cake to soak with simple syrup (See
What kind of cakes make the best celebration or                 Techniques, p. 15) or with a Grand Marnier liqueur.
wedding cakes?
                                                                Can you freeze a cake a few days before an event to keep
Kelly: When baking a cake for a wedding or any occasion
when you’ll need to stack layers, the type of cake doesn’t      it fresh?
come into play as much as how it is assembled. The
construction of the cake is where you need to be extra          Kelly: We make all our cakes fresh. However, you can safely
careful. So, go ahead and use your grandmother’s recipe or if   freeze a cake several days prior to an event. For some reason
                                                                the word “freezer” has become taboo. Everybody thinks that
                                                                if something is or was frozen it must be dry. This is simply
                                                                not true. As long as it went into the freezer fresh, the
                                                                defrosted version should not be any different.
                                                                     If you plan to freeze a cake, there are a few things to
                                                                consider. Store it in a freezer that is not your everyday
                                                                freezer to avoid a fluctuating temperature. If you have to
                                                                store it in the freezer that is part of your fridge, avoid
                                                                opening the door much while the cake is in there. You want
                                                                an even 0ºF or below to be maintained. Wrap your cake
                                                                securely with plastic wrap. Don’t wrap in foil; this doesn’t
                                                                lock in moisture, and don’t store in Tupperware.
                                                                     I recommend that you pull your cakes out of the freezer
                                                                the day before you decide to decorate the layers and let
                                                                them defrost in the refrigerator. When the cake is thawed,
                                                                remove the plastic wrap and frost each tier individually. You
                                                                can feel comfortable completing your cake 48 hours in
                                                                advance. Actually, the longer it stays in the refrigerator,
                                                                ready for transport, the more stable it becomes. My advice is
                                                                that you NOT stack the cake, decorate and deliver all in the
                                                                same day.
Tier A (put the dowel in, mark with your fingernail, and cut
How do you assemble multi-layer cakes?
                                                                       the dowel 1/8 inch shorter than your measure). Cut three
Kelly: The construction of a wedding cake is the most                  more dowels that exact same length. Put one dowel in the
crucial part in making the cake besides the decorating,                center of the tier B, then the other three in a triangle around
which obviously requires special attention. Remember, in a             the cake, but not outside the area where tier C will sit.
multi-layer cake, you need to have a support system inside             Remember, the tiers actually sit on cardboard, not on top of
the cake layers in order for them to sit on top of each other          the actual cake. Of course you don’t put any dowels in tier C,
for an extended time.                                                  that’s the top of your cake.
      I use wooden dowels, which can be purchased at your
local hardware store. I use 5/16th-inch dowels (about the
                                                                       How do you cut a cake that has so many dowels in it?
diameter of a straw) and use a “dowel cutter” or “branch
cutter” to cut them evenly so they don’t split. The trick is to
                                                                       Kelly: Cutting the top is easy—it has no dowels. That might
submerge the dowels in water for about 10 minutes before
                                                                       be the piece that you save for the bride and groom. Remove
you cut them; this makes the wood more pliable and easier
                                                                       it from the cake with the cardboard on the bottom. When
to work with.
                                                                       you take the cardboard off as you remove it, you’ll expose
      Using the full-length dowel, insert it directly into the
                                                                       the dowels in tier B. Take them out, and cut tier B as you
middle of the bottom tier. Using your fingernail, mark or
                                                                       would any round cake. After you’ve cut tier B, remove the
hold in place the exact point where the dowel is the exact
                                                                       cardboard that it was resting on, and you’ll expose the
height of the cake layer. Then gently remove the dowel
                                                                       dowels in tier A. Remove them, and cut the cake.
straight up, holding in place the mark where you need to
cut. Cut about 1⁄8 inch down from where the height is so the
layers will sit more securely.                                         How do you transport your cakes?
      The number of layers that are to be stacked will
                                                                       Kelly: Delivering a cake is like delivering plutonium, you
determine the number of dowels you will need. Here’s the
                                                                       have just one shot. There is no magic trick to delivering the
guideline I follow:
      3-tier cake: 5 dowels in bottom tier, 3 dowels in middle tier.   cake other than being safe and driving like you have a three-
      4-tier cake: 6 dowels in bottom tier, 5 dowels in second         day-old baby in the car with you. Even after 15 years of
                                                                       delivering over 7,500 cakes, I am not truly relaxed until my
tier and 4 dowels in third tier.
      5-tier cake: 8 dowels in bottom tier, 6 dowels in second         cake is on the table.
                                                                            A couple of tips:
tier, 5 dowels in third tier and 4 dowels in forth tier.
                                                                            • Use a board with a rough bottom. It needs to create
      Let’s say you’re making a three-tier cake. The bottom tier
                                                                              friction. You don’t want your cake sliding around the
is tier A, the middle tier is tier B, and the top layer is tier C.
                                                                              back of your car like a hockey puck! We use a
      For tier A, cut the middle dowel as directed above and
                                                                              Masonite board or particle board. We wrap the top in
cut four more exactly the same measurement. Put one
                                                                              a nice foil but we don’t wrap the bottom in foil. We
dowel in the center and the other four around the cake but
                                                                              want the bottom to be rough. Secure the foil with
be sure that where you place them doesn’t exceed the
                                                                              packing tape underneath. You can also go to a carpet
diameter of the tier B. You want the dowels hidden
                                                                              store and get the sticky material that you put under
underneath tier B. When ready to place tier B, you have it
                                                                              area rungs to hold them in place. Put the cake board
on a cardboard base. Do the same measurement as with
                                                                              on top of that and it’ll be less likely to move.
                                                                            • Deliver the cake on a carpeted flat surface. The best
                                                                              case is a mini-van or a wagon.
                                                                            • Remove all items from the back area of your car.
                                                                            • Make sure your air conditioning is on and your
                                                                              windows are rolled up.
                                                                            • Drive defensively!


                                                                       What fillings would you say are the best?
                                                                       Kelly: Any filling would work. I would stay away from any
                                                                       plain whipped cream filling that does not have a stabilizer
                                                                       such as gelatin in it. Fresh fruit works well too, but
                                                                       remember that over time, berries will bleed. So take into
                                                                       consideration the time of year—will the cake be in air
                                                                       conditioning or outside?




                                                                                                     the   b a k e r’ s   companion        13
                                                                                                                                       |
approach as above, placing enough frosting on the cake and
     How do you approach decorating a cake?
                                                                     smoothing out. I like to place an additional larger cardboard
     Kelly: Decorating a cake is a scary thought for many, but       underneath the correct size cardboard and use that as a
     when approached correctly and with patience, can actually       “tray” so I can transport the tier to the refrigerator without
     be a very rewarding and relaxing experience. You will need      ruining the sides of the cake. Repeat this process until you
     to have all the correct tools. Just like any job, the correct   have all the tiers frosted.
     tools make your job easier and less stressful.                        Step 4) Using your wooden dowel and dowel cutters,
          Step 1) Make the buttercream frosting and whip it          put the correct amount of cut dowels into each tier before
     to perfection.                                                  stacking. Once completed, try to take a “birds-eye view” and
          Step 2) Place your largest cake on a wooden board          gently and swiftly place the tiers on top of each other
     that is wrapped with a nice cake foil (purchased at your        starting from the bottom working your way up. Try to center
     local craft store). Using a heavy metal cake wheel and an       the cakes as you go. Don’t do this on the decorating wheel
     assortment of spatulas, put enough frosting on the center of    itself, use your work bench or table to place the tiers on one
     the cake and smooth out. Once you get the frosting              another. Place Tier B on top of A. Put both on the wheel,
     smoothed out nicely, remove the cake and board from the         spin the cake around to see if it’s even, take it off the wheel,
     wheel and place back in the refrigerator while you complete     then place tier C on tier B. Place the whole cake on the
     the rest.                                                       wheel to make sure it is evenly placed by spinning it around
          Step 3) For all the remaining tiers, place the correct     so you can see that each side of the cake is even.
     size cardboard circle or square (depending on the shape that          Step 5) Decorate your cake as desired. It is always nice
     you chose to bake) underneath the tier and repeat the same      to use things like fresh flowers or fresh fruit on the cakes as


         the   b a k e r’ s   companion
14   |
garnish. Remember, just like everything else, sometimes
less is more. I would not recommend that you garnish your
cake until you get to your destination.


What are your favorite flavor combinations?
Kelly: It’s hard for me to say exactly what my favorite
flavors are because at Cakes for Occasions we make so
many different and unique cakes. However, I do have one
that no matter how many times I steal a sliver I think “This
is amazing. I love this cake!”
     It is my Opera cake. An Opera cake is a traditional
French torte made with multiple layers of chocolate cake,
ganache, and mocha filling. I put an American spin on the
cake and do a chocolate sponge cake, soak it with an
Espresso syrup (See below), fill with a layer of chocolate
ganache and a layer of mocha buttercream. And I can
honestly tell you that I have yet to come across anyone who
does not go crazy over this cake. It is truly a conversation
cake. People talk about it, people dream about it and people
crave it once they’ve had a piece.

               techniques:
Simple syrup is a great way to keep your cake layers
moist. Combine equal parts water and granulated sugar in
saucepan and heat until the sugar is dissolved and the
mixture is syrupy. You can flavor simple syrup easily by
putting in a vanilla bean or a wee bit of liqueur, such as
Kahlua or rum.

Espresso syrup uses the same technique: Make the
simple syrup above, and add two parts espresso or strong
coffee to one part simple syrup. For example, you would
add 2 cups of espresso to 1 cup of simple syrup.
                                                                                      tools:
                                                               The proper cake pans can make all
                                                               the difference when making a cake for
                                                               a special occasion. Contoured cake
                                                               pans (shown right) make European-
                                                               looking cakes.
                                                                                              Mini-wedding cake pans are
                                                                                         available too, and make an impressive
                                                                                         dessert at wedding showers.
                                                                                              If you’re making a large cake,
                                                                                         look for oversized pans at kitchen
                                                                                         supply stores or perhaps party stores.
                                                                                         They range from 10 inches to 20
                                                               inches in diameter or square (shown
                                                               right). The Baker’s Catalogue also
                                                               sells some oversized cake pans.
                                                               When baking in these wider pans, be
                                                               sure to monitor your cake carefully
                                                               for doneness. Look for the usual
                                                               telltale signs: test the center with a cake tester (it should
                                                               come out clean), and look at the sides—when they start to
                                                               pull away from the pan, the cake is most likely done.

                                                                                             the   b a k e r’ s   companion       15
                                                                                                                              |
tools:
                                                                             baker’s hint:
     Revolving cake stand—This is a must for
     decorating your cake. It turns like a turntable and allows
                                                                               If you’re using the same bowl to whip your egg whites
     you to see all sides without you having to moving around
     the cake awkwardly.                                                       as to whip the butter, make sure you clean ALL of the
                                                                               butter residue from the bowl before adding the eggs.
     Cake decorating tips: You’ll have too much fun with
                                                                               Any fat left in there will compromise your ability to
     these, and will be using them for cakes, cookies, all kinds of
     desserts. We think disposable pastry bags are the way to go               make a meringue.
     so you can spend your time creating rather than cleaning.




     Kelly’s Buttercream Frosting
     Yield: enough frosting for two 10-inch round layers

     2 cups (1 pound, 4 sticks) unsalted butter at room
           temperature
                                                                            King Arthur’s Carrot Cake
     2 1⁄2 cups (17 1⁄2 ounces) sugar
     6 egg whites at room temperature                                       At King Arthur Flour, this is almost always the cake of
                                                                            choice among brides-to-be. It serves as our favorite cake at
     In a large mixer, using a beater or paddle, whip the butter in a       office birthday parties, retirement parties, baby showers,
     5-quart bowl for 10 minutes, until it’s light and fluffy. Set aside.   and all types of occasions. It was prepared by the director of
           Combine the sugar and egg whites in another 5-quart              our test kitchen, Sue Gray, for one of our young staffers, Jen
     mixer bowl and heat over a double boiler or over a bain-               Korhonen, for her wedding last fall. Sue said she used the
     marie (warm water bath). Whisk constantly until the sugar              recipe below, times four, to make the cake!
     is dissolved and the egg whites are warm (testing like you
     would a baby’s bottle, warm to touch on your wrist).                   Yield: 1 two-layer 9-inch cake, 16 to 24 servings
                                            Whip the egg whites on
                                      high speed until they are stiff.      Cake
                                      This makes a “Swiss meringue.”        1 1⁄2 cups (10 1⁄2 ounces) vegetable oil
                                      Once the meringue is stiff,           2 cups (14 ounces) sugar
                                      add the whipped butter a              4 large eggs
                                      little at a time. Mix until well      1 tablespoon cinnamon
                                      incorporated. The longer you          1
                                                                             ⁄2 teaspoon ginger
                                      mix it, the lighter the mixture       1
                                                                             ⁄4 teaspoon cloves
                                      becomes and better the                1 teaspoon salt
                                      buttercream is to work with.          2 teaspoons baking soda
                                                                            2 cups (8 1⁄2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached
                                                                                  All-Purpose Flour
                                                                            3 cups (10 1⁄2 ounces) finely grated carrots
                                                                            1 1⁄2 cups (5 3⁄4 ounces) chopped pecans or walnuts


         the   b a k e r’ s   companion
16   |
Cream Cheese Frosting                                              Frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese together until
1
 ⁄2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter                        smooth. Add the salt and vanilla. Beat in the sugar. Add a
1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese                                   teaspoon of milk or cream if the frosting is too stiff to
1
 ⁄4 teaspoon salt                                                  spread; add additional sugar if it's too thin.
2 teaspoons vanilla OR 1⁄2 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia                    Frost the 9 x 13-inch cake right in the pan. For the layers,
       flavoring                                                   frost the top of one layer, top with the second layer, and frost
2 1⁄2 to 3 1⁄2 cups (10 to 14 ounces) glazing sugar or             the top and sides of the cake.
       confectioners' sugar
milk or cream to adjust consistency of frosting,
       if necessary
                                                                                    ingredient:
Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9-inch
                                                                   Fiori di Sicilia: At the King Arthur Flour test kitchen,
round layer pans, or one 9 x 13-inch pan.
                                                                   we have to restrain ourselves from using this in
     Beat together the oil, sugar, eggs, and spices. Mix the
                                                                   EVERYTHING! It’s an all-natural combination of citrus and
the baking soda with the flour, and stir in. Add the carrots
                                                                   vanilla that has the aroma of vanilla and flowers. Add a bit
and nuts, and mix until just blended.
                                                                   to cookies, pound cake, pies, meringues, etc. This is a baker’s
     Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake the cake(s)
                                                                   secret ingredient. See “Where to Buy” on p. 72.
for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Allow the
cake to cool completely before frosting it. (If you're using two
9-inch round pans, remove the cake layers from the pans
after about 15 minutes, and place them in a rack to cool.




  Cake-Decorating Lessons
                      on the Web
                       (
  Want a foolproof lesson on cake decorating? Go to
  kingarthurflour.com/baking/online_list.html or, go to
  kingarthurflour.com, look for the “education” tab along
  the top, and at the pull-down menu, click “Online
  classes.” When you get to that page, click “Take a class
  now” and click “Cake Decorating with Susan
  Reid.” It’s like having your own personal
  cake-decorating teacher.


  Or, sign up for the next Cake-Decorating
  Class at the Baking Education Center in
  Norwich, VT. Call 1-800-652-3334 to find
  out more.




                                                                                                  the   b a k e r’ s   companion           17
                                                                                                                                       |

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Bakers Companion Magazine

  • 1. the b a k e r’ s companion 10 |
  • 2. ( Create LASTING MEMORIES for any SPECIAL OCCASION One of the nation’s most celebrated creators of wedding cakes shares her secrets with home bakers so that you, too, can create a masterpiece for any celebration. Haven’t you been to a bridal or baby shower, special birthday, retirement party, or wedding where you looked at the cake and thought, “I wish I knew how to do that.”? You can. Kelly Delaney is a celebrated wedding cake decorator with 15 years of experience as a pastry chef and over 7,500 wedding cakes to her credit. She and her crew at Cakes For Occasions in Danvers, MA won a contest for the best wedding cake on “The Today Show.” She has created hundreds of perfect cakes for that all-important day, and each has reflected the couple’s tastes and aspirations for the future. Kelly received her culinary education at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork, Ireland and the Cordon Bleu School in London. After returning to the states, she trained at the Ritz Carlton in Boston and now brings her worldly experience to all of New England. the b a k e r’ s companion 11 |
  • 3. We sat down with Kelly and asked her to share her secrets you don’t have a lot of time, don’t be afraid to use a cake mix with us, and she did so quite willingly. — any cake will work. My favorite type of cake to work with in general is a sponge cake because it is so versatile. Sponge cake is a great cake to soak with simple syrup (See What kind of cakes make the best celebration or Techniques, p. 15) or with a Grand Marnier liqueur. wedding cakes? Can you freeze a cake a few days before an event to keep Kelly: When baking a cake for a wedding or any occasion when you’ll need to stack layers, the type of cake doesn’t it fresh? come into play as much as how it is assembled. The construction of the cake is where you need to be extra Kelly: We make all our cakes fresh. However, you can safely careful. So, go ahead and use your grandmother’s recipe or if freeze a cake several days prior to an event. For some reason the word “freezer” has become taboo. Everybody thinks that if something is or was frozen it must be dry. This is simply not true. As long as it went into the freezer fresh, the defrosted version should not be any different. If you plan to freeze a cake, there are a few things to consider. Store it in a freezer that is not your everyday freezer to avoid a fluctuating temperature. If you have to store it in the freezer that is part of your fridge, avoid opening the door much while the cake is in there. You want an even 0ºF or below to be maintained. Wrap your cake securely with plastic wrap. Don’t wrap in foil; this doesn’t lock in moisture, and don’t store in Tupperware. I recommend that you pull your cakes out of the freezer the day before you decide to decorate the layers and let them defrost in the refrigerator. When the cake is thawed, remove the plastic wrap and frost each tier individually. You can feel comfortable completing your cake 48 hours in advance. Actually, the longer it stays in the refrigerator, ready for transport, the more stable it becomes. My advice is that you NOT stack the cake, decorate and deliver all in the same day.
  • 4. Tier A (put the dowel in, mark with your fingernail, and cut How do you assemble multi-layer cakes? the dowel 1/8 inch shorter than your measure). Cut three Kelly: The construction of a wedding cake is the most more dowels that exact same length. Put one dowel in the crucial part in making the cake besides the decorating, center of the tier B, then the other three in a triangle around which obviously requires special attention. Remember, in a the cake, but not outside the area where tier C will sit. multi-layer cake, you need to have a support system inside Remember, the tiers actually sit on cardboard, not on top of the cake layers in order for them to sit on top of each other the actual cake. Of course you don’t put any dowels in tier C, for an extended time. that’s the top of your cake. I use wooden dowels, which can be purchased at your local hardware store. I use 5/16th-inch dowels (about the How do you cut a cake that has so many dowels in it? diameter of a straw) and use a “dowel cutter” or “branch cutter” to cut them evenly so they don’t split. The trick is to Kelly: Cutting the top is easy—it has no dowels. That might submerge the dowels in water for about 10 minutes before be the piece that you save for the bride and groom. Remove you cut them; this makes the wood more pliable and easier it from the cake with the cardboard on the bottom. When to work with. you take the cardboard off as you remove it, you’ll expose Using the full-length dowel, insert it directly into the the dowels in tier B. Take them out, and cut tier B as you middle of the bottom tier. Using your fingernail, mark or would any round cake. After you’ve cut tier B, remove the hold in place the exact point where the dowel is the exact cardboard that it was resting on, and you’ll expose the height of the cake layer. Then gently remove the dowel dowels in tier A. Remove them, and cut the cake. straight up, holding in place the mark where you need to cut. Cut about 1⁄8 inch down from where the height is so the layers will sit more securely. How do you transport your cakes? The number of layers that are to be stacked will Kelly: Delivering a cake is like delivering plutonium, you determine the number of dowels you will need. Here’s the have just one shot. There is no magic trick to delivering the guideline I follow: 3-tier cake: 5 dowels in bottom tier, 3 dowels in middle tier. cake other than being safe and driving like you have a three- 4-tier cake: 6 dowels in bottom tier, 5 dowels in second day-old baby in the car with you. Even after 15 years of delivering over 7,500 cakes, I am not truly relaxed until my tier and 4 dowels in third tier. 5-tier cake: 8 dowels in bottom tier, 6 dowels in second cake is on the table. A couple of tips: tier, 5 dowels in third tier and 4 dowels in forth tier. • Use a board with a rough bottom. It needs to create Let’s say you’re making a three-tier cake. The bottom tier friction. You don’t want your cake sliding around the is tier A, the middle tier is tier B, and the top layer is tier C. back of your car like a hockey puck! We use a For tier A, cut the middle dowel as directed above and Masonite board or particle board. We wrap the top in cut four more exactly the same measurement. Put one a nice foil but we don’t wrap the bottom in foil. We dowel in the center and the other four around the cake but want the bottom to be rough. Secure the foil with be sure that where you place them doesn’t exceed the packing tape underneath. You can also go to a carpet diameter of the tier B. You want the dowels hidden store and get the sticky material that you put under underneath tier B. When ready to place tier B, you have it area rungs to hold them in place. Put the cake board on a cardboard base. Do the same measurement as with on top of that and it’ll be less likely to move. • Deliver the cake on a carpeted flat surface. The best case is a mini-van or a wagon. • Remove all items from the back area of your car. • Make sure your air conditioning is on and your windows are rolled up. • Drive defensively! What fillings would you say are the best? Kelly: Any filling would work. I would stay away from any plain whipped cream filling that does not have a stabilizer such as gelatin in it. Fresh fruit works well too, but remember that over time, berries will bleed. So take into consideration the time of year—will the cake be in air conditioning or outside? the b a k e r’ s companion 13 |
  • 5. approach as above, placing enough frosting on the cake and How do you approach decorating a cake? smoothing out. I like to place an additional larger cardboard Kelly: Decorating a cake is a scary thought for many, but underneath the correct size cardboard and use that as a when approached correctly and with patience, can actually “tray” so I can transport the tier to the refrigerator without be a very rewarding and relaxing experience. You will need ruining the sides of the cake. Repeat this process until you to have all the correct tools. Just like any job, the correct have all the tiers frosted. tools make your job easier and less stressful. Step 4) Using your wooden dowel and dowel cutters, Step 1) Make the buttercream frosting and whip it put the correct amount of cut dowels into each tier before to perfection. stacking. Once completed, try to take a “birds-eye view” and Step 2) Place your largest cake on a wooden board gently and swiftly place the tiers on top of each other that is wrapped with a nice cake foil (purchased at your starting from the bottom working your way up. Try to center local craft store). Using a heavy metal cake wheel and an the cakes as you go. Don’t do this on the decorating wheel assortment of spatulas, put enough frosting on the center of itself, use your work bench or table to place the tiers on one the cake and smooth out. Once you get the frosting another. Place Tier B on top of A. Put both on the wheel, smoothed out nicely, remove the cake and board from the spin the cake around to see if it’s even, take it off the wheel, wheel and place back in the refrigerator while you complete then place tier C on tier B. Place the whole cake on the the rest. wheel to make sure it is evenly placed by spinning it around Step 3) For all the remaining tiers, place the correct so you can see that each side of the cake is even. size cardboard circle or square (depending on the shape that Step 5) Decorate your cake as desired. It is always nice you chose to bake) underneath the tier and repeat the same to use things like fresh flowers or fresh fruit on the cakes as the b a k e r’ s companion 14 |
  • 6. garnish. Remember, just like everything else, sometimes less is more. I would not recommend that you garnish your cake until you get to your destination. What are your favorite flavor combinations? Kelly: It’s hard for me to say exactly what my favorite flavors are because at Cakes for Occasions we make so many different and unique cakes. However, I do have one that no matter how many times I steal a sliver I think “This is amazing. I love this cake!” It is my Opera cake. An Opera cake is a traditional French torte made with multiple layers of chocolate cake, ganache, and mocha filling. I put an American spin on the cake and do a chocolate sponge cake, soak it with an Espresso syrup (See below), fill with a layer of chocolate ganache and a layer of mocha buttercream. And I can honestly tell you that I have yet to come across anyone who does not go crazy over this cake. It is truly a conversation cake. People talk about it, people dream about it and people crave it once they’ve had a piece. techniques: Simple syrup is a great way to keep your cake layers moist. Combine equal parts water and granulated sugar in saucepan and heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is syrupy. You can flavor simple syrup easily by putting in a vanilla bean or a wee bit of liqueur, such as Kahlua or rum. Espresso syrup uses the same technique: Make the simple syrup above, and add two parts espresso or strong coffee to one part simple syrup. For example, you would add 2 cups of espresso to 1 cup of simple syrup. tools: The proper cake pans can make all the difference when making a cake for a special occasion. Contoured cake pans (shown right) make European- looking cakes. Mini-wedding cake pans are available too, and make an impressive dessert at wedding showers. If you’re making a large cake, look for oversized pans at kitchen supply stores or perhaps party stores. They range from 10 inches to 20 inches in diameter or square (shown right). The Baker’s Catalogue also sells some oversized cake pans. When baking in these wider pans, be sure to monitor your cake carefully for doneness. Look for the usual telltale signs: test the center with a cake tester (it should come out clean), and look at the sides—when they start to pull away from the pan, the cake is most likely done. the b a k e r’ s companion 15 |
  • 7. tools: baker’s hint: Revolving cake stand—This is a must for decorating your cake. It turns like a turntable and allows If you’re using the same bowl to whip your egg whites you to see all sides without you having to moving around the cake awkwardly. as to whip the butter, make sure you clean ALL of the butter residue from the bowl before adding the eggs. Cake decorating tips: You’ll have too much fun with Any fat left in there will compromise your ability to these, and will be using them for cakes, cookies, all kinds of desserts. We think disposable pastry bags are the way to go make a meringue. so you can spend your time creating rather than cleaning. Kelly’s Buttercream Frosting Yield: enough frosting for two 10-inch round layers 2 cups (1 pound, 4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature King Arthur’s Carrot Cake 2 1⁄2 cups (17 1⁄2 ounces) sugar 6 egg whites at room temperature At King Arthur Flour, this is almost always the cake of choice among brides-to-be. It serves as our favorite cake at In a large mixer, using a beater or paddle, whip the butter in a office birthday parties, retirement parties, baby showers, 5-quart bowl for 10 minutes, until it’s light and fluffy. Set aside. and all types of occasions. It was prepared by the director of Combine the sugar and egg whites in another 5-quart our test kitchen, Sue Gray, for one of our young staffers, Jen mixer bowl and heat over a double boiler or over a bain- Korhonen, for her wedding last fall. Sue said she used the marie (warm water bath). Whisk constantly until the sugar recipe below, times four, to make the cake! is dissolved and the egg whites are warm (testing like you would a baby’s bottle, warm to touch on your wrist). Yield: 1 two-layer 9-inch cake, 16 to 24 servings Whip the egg whites on high speed until they are stiff. Cake This makes a “Swiss meringue.” 1 1⁄2 cups (10 1⁄2 ounces) vegetable oil Once the meringue is stiff, 2 cups (14 ounces) sugar add the whipped butter a 4 large eggs little at a time. Mix until well 1 tablespoon cinnamon incorporated. The longer you 1 ⁄2 teaspoon ginger mix it, the lighter the mixture 1 ⁄4 teaspoon cloves becomes and better the 1 teaspoon salt buttercream is to work with. 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 cups (8 1⁄2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 3 cups (10 1⁄2 ounces) finely grated carrots 1 1⁄2 cups (5 3⁄4 ounces) chopped pecans or walnuts the b a k e r’ s companion 16 |
  • 8. Cream Cheese Frosting Frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese together until 1 ⁄2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter smooth. Add the salt and vanilla. Beat in the sugar. Add a 1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese teaspoon of milk or cream if the frosting is too stiff to 1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt spread; add additional sugar if it's too thin. 2 teaspoons vanilla OR 1⁄2 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia Frost the 9 x 13-inch cake right in the pan. For the layers, flavoring frost the top of one layer, top with the second layer, and frost 2 1⁄2 to 3 1⁄2 cups (10 to 14 ounces) glazing sugar or the top and sides of the cake. confectioners' sugar milk or cream to adjust consistency of frosting, if necessary ingredient: Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9-inch Fiori di Sicilia: At the King Arthur Flour test kitchen, round layer pans, or one 9 x 13-inch pan. we have to restrain ourselves from using this in Beat together the oil, sugar, eggs, and spices. Mix the EVERYTHING! It’s an all-natural combination of citrus and the baking soda with the flour, and stir in. Add the carrots vanilla that has the aroma of vanilla and flowers. Add a bit and nuts, and mix until just blended. to cookies, pound cake, pies, meringues, etc. This is a baker’s Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake the cake(s) secret ingredient. See “Where to Buy” on p. 72. for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting it. (If you're using two 9-inch round pans, remove the cake layers from the pans after about 15 minutes, and place them in a rack to cool. Cake-Decorating Lessons on the Web ( Want a foolproof lesson on cake decorating? Go to kingarthurflour.com/baking/online_list.html or, go to kingarthurflour.com, look for the “education” tab along the top, and at the pull-down menu, click “Online classes.” When you get to that page, click “Take a class now” and click “Cake Decorating with Susan Reid.” It’s like having your own personal cake-decorating teacher. Or, sign up for the next Cake-Decorating Class at the Baking Education Center in Norwich, VT. Call 1-800-652-3334 to find out more. the b a k e r’ s companion 17 |