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[CaroleM]

One of my interests is cake decorating.  Do any of our amazing ladies enjoy the same one?  I've just made a 4 tiered, 4 coloured sponge.  I'm going to experiment with the filling, mango puree and cream cheese, with just a little icing sugar.  Actually, I might use jaggery instead of icing sugar.  Jaggery is a sugar which is raw and used in Middle Eastern cookery.  It is far sweeter than the sugar we are used to using.  I'm getting into that style of cooking lately, so thought I would do some sugar substitution sometimes.

My last set of cakes were 7 for last Christmas.  This year is much easier, only 3 so far.  That could go to 5.  The sizes go from 6" square to 11" x 14" rectangle.  The latter is for Mum's care home.  All are rich fruit.  Last year all were covered in fondant icing.  This year it's going to be royal icing. I make marzipan, although the marzipan for the home is bought, and use Merriwhite rather than egg whites for the icing of all the cakes.  This year I am going to try using cake lace.  Better get the fruit into the very large bowl and give it a lovely long drink, half a bottle of brandy should do it!  What are you all doing this year?  Please tell me.

Brighteyes

[dulciana]

That sounds very, very impressive, Brighteyes and the filling for your four-tiered sponge sounds wonderful!  I'm no cake-maker myself, although I do like cakes.  7 cakes last Christmas???     Wow!  Do let us know how this year's ones go!
Dulciana

[CaroleM]

Sometimes it's relaxing, but 7 for Christmas was rather exhausting and stressful.  Hence the early start this year.  The kitchen definitely needed to be a much larger. None are for sale, just given as gifts.  One goes from Devon to Huntingshire by post each year, boxes, padding and lots of care and using next day delivery Royal Mail.  The parcel has to be signed for.  So far only one small leaf has been broken, so fingers crossed.  I took a class and we made caves with a dragon.  My cave was well camouflaged and my pink dragon was very shy.  She'd only show her tail!  Everyone else did very different ones.  It was fun.

My MIL taught me how to make a good Victoria sponge.  I always got the proportions out of kilter with the butter, sugar and flour!  I taught her to make Yorkshire puddings.

I do have other interests including embroidery, spinning (wool not exercise), knitting.  I am starting the Royal School of Needlework's Certificate course next month.  That's the scary one.

[CaroleM]

DH suggested that maybe you all might think that I am a whizz at decorating cakes.  Far from it, sometimes my roses look more like turnips.  Please don't ask, I haven't yet recovered from the trauma.  I have discovered the lovely new idea of the easiest rose, peony and one other that slips my memory right now, cutters that means all you have to do is put a damp line of water down the centre and gently roll.  Hey presto, a rose etc.  I can make wired flowers and sometimes do, but now I've found these cutters they might only be one any extra special cake.  Tried making a gravity defying one for our 25th last year, umm, didn't turn out quite as planned.  Luckily it tasted good though   I manage some royal icing piping that's ok, however, no matter how I try, piping flowers on a flower nail is a proper pantomime, with some very weird results.

The workshop I attended to make a cave and dragon cake was fun.  However, I did get asked where my dragon was.  She was a shy dragon, all she would show was her tail.  That was my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Please get in touch and tell me all about the cakes you make and how you decorated them. 

[Ju Ju]

Wow! How talented! I used to love making cakes at Christmas and for the children's birthdays. I'm afraid the Christmas cakes are just snow scenes now! Still loved though. People have said they didn't like Christmas cake but love mine. Could be because I leave it till the last moment and the cake is very moist. I used to make my own marzipan, but take short cuts now. For the children, I've made tractors, witches, lions, rabbits, Concorde, a car crash (!) and so on. My daughter asks for the lion cake, dairy and egg free, most years. She's 35 later this year!

[CaroleM]

Wow, juju, your children's cakes sound amazing. They are very fortunate to have such a clever, talented Mum.

Snow scene cakes look wonderful. Do you use an edible glitter to add some sparkle? It looks very effective.

My rich fruit cakes only get 1 feeding of brandy, if that. It really depends how long the fruit was soaking in the brandy to starts with. I did get asked to make one slam in whiskey once. I ended up buying a bottle of blended whiskey, there was no way my bottle of Glen Ord was going anywhere near a cake😸 Somehow it didn't seem to taste as good. I had mix left so made a tiny cake for us to try, it was, to my taste, just not as good.

Was your marzipan cooked or raw? I have made both, the jury is out on an I prefer. If I make it for Mum's residential home I make cooked, just to be on the safe side. For taste I prefer the raw variety.

Is your daughter lactose sensitive?  I think it's lovely that she wants the same cake each year. I have made a couple of train cakes for DH, and once, many years ago, a champagne bottle for SIL.  My biggest challenge was a single tier was a wedding cake at 3 weeks notice!  They wanted wired flowers and ribbons.
Wow! How talented! I used to love making cakes at Christmas and for the children's birthdays. I'm afraid the Christmas cakes are just snow scenes now! Still loved though. People have said they didn't like Christmas cake but love mine. Could be because I leave it till the last moment and the cake is very moist. I used to make my own marzipan, but take short cuts now. For the children, I've made tractors, witches, lions, rabbits, Concorde, a car crash (!) and so on. My daughter asks for the lion cake, dairy and egg free, most years. She's 35 later this year!
[/quote]

[dulciana]

........I am starting the Royal School of Needlework's Certificate course next month.  That's the scary one. 

I'm working for another Royal School of Organists quali. and can vouch for the fact that the meno doesn't put paid to our success!   So,  go for it, Brighteyes and you have my support!

[CaroleM]

Thank you Dulciana.  Is your course costing you an arm and a leg too?  If you want to learn something, there's nothing like learning from the best in the world

I really ought to do a cake just for those of us still learning!   Should be pink though, unless you prefer another colour?

[Ju Ju]

My daughter is allergic to all dairy, not just lactose as well as eggs, but there are now plenty of recipes out there to help these days. I adapt the lion cake recipe accordingly. I used to make my own marzipan years ago, but go for readymade now. I have to deal with low energy, so take shortcuts where I can. Marzipan is both egg and dairy free. I have to grate dairy free chocolate instead of flakes for example. My DD enjoys making Birthday cakes for her son. I remember the tractor stuck in mud cake she made. He wouldn't eat the 'mud' icing!

Enjoy making your cakes! And yes, make us a virtual cake!

[dulciana]

Thank you Dulciana.  Is your course costing you an arm and a leg too?  If you want to learn something, there's nothing like learning from the best in the world

I really ought to do a cake just for those of us still learning!   Should be pink though, unless you prefer another colour?

It certainly is costing me an arm and a leg, Brighteyes - and pink would be lovely!   

[CaroleM]

Well, here I am quietly reading my Cake Masters magazine when I came across this item.  In the article Sweet Treats in London, which is about some pretty amazing places to enjoy afternoon tea, I read this:

"Last, but not least, who doesn't want a custom-made 3D chocolate lollipop of their own head?" This is being made by a company called Candy Mechanics. 

What do you think?  I'm not altogether sure.........., come is plain, milk and white chocolate.

[Yorkshire Girl]

Impressive Brighteyes. I love making cakes, today as I had my sister & little ones over, I made raspberry ripple cupcakes & made a dark chocolate buttercream, mind you I only put a small amount of icing on top, don't like them smothered, too sweet! Good excuse to make cakes I would love to go on a baking course, maybe one day I'll treat myself!

[CaroleM]

Off to make another sponge.  Still persuading OH he likes mango cream icing.  He does, I caught him having a sneaky spoonful from the fridge   Now what colour shall I make all 5 tiers of 6" or shall I do each tier a different colour?

[Yorkshire Girl]

Would be fun to do each a different colour unless it's for some special occasion!

[CaroleM]

Sponge batter in and cooking.  I experimented and used pomegranate syrup for flavour.  Five colours.  The syrup did alter the consistency which was only noticeable when the batter was coloured and in the tins.  A teaspoonful of self raising flour stirred in with a teaspoon pulled it back together again.

Tomorrow I will make up the filling and icing.  I'm hoping to play a bit and pipe some roses on the outside!  Wish me luck.
 
Has anyone seen the News tonight? Can I make a suggestion?  If you know anyone with hens, ask if they would be kind enough to sell you some eggs every week, until this catastrophe is sorted out.  It's certainly a catastrophe for the poor hens affected, I believe they are to be culled.