Damming a cake!

1. Start by anchoring your cake to a cake drum with a smear of frosting.

2. Place cake "face down" onto drum. Pip a thick border of frosting around the edge of your cake. This is a dam and will keep you filling from oozing out the sides.

3. Fill space with a filling that is thick!

4. Place next layer "face down" atop the filling and smooth out the dam frosting.

It is important to let a cake settle after damming and before frosting.

I let my cakes sit loosly wrapped for 2 hours prior to frosting.

Happy caking,

Teresa

Baking it perfect!

One of the most frustrating things is baking a cake and then having it fall apart or stick to the pan when you flip it out. Ugh!

Here's my tried and true method and I wouldn't do it any other way.

1. Coat your pans generously with my Pan Coating

2. Fill pans 2/3 full with batter

3. Bake SLOWLY and don't open the over door unless you need to.

I bake mine at 325 degrees

To get a perfectly smooth top and a guaranteed 2 inches WITHOUT cutting the top do this:

4. Lay a towel atop the dome and GENTLY press down with a cookies sheet.

Hold for a good minute. This compressed the dome and makes the cake an even 2 inches. No guess work here!

5. Look! No dome!

Let cake cool until pan is still warm but "touchable"

6. Turn pan over onto a clean towel (absorbs moisture) and GENTLY lift it off.

Stay tuned for tomorrow when I show you how to dam a cake.

Happy caking,

Teresa

Our very own cake wreck!

I LOVE Cake Wrecks!

My sister in law ordered a birthday cake for her friend from Target.

It was supposed to have the "U" from University of Utah and Happy Birthday on the top.

I love the lack of artistic placement! Where's the "happy birthday" you ask?

On the side with what looks like a "bloody" good aribrushing job ;)

My daughter devouring the cake. I think she got a high from all the red dye!

Teresa

Mmmmm Ganache!

Ganache is a mixture of dark chocolate melted with heavy cream, it is delicious and rich!

My favorite cake and my clients will agree with me is a double layer fudge cake filled and iced with ganache. I like to dip fresh strawberries into the ganache while it is warm and use them for a cake topper like so:

Remember those "got milk" commercials?

This cake would be PERFECT for it!

More strawberries dipped in ganache, I use a toothpick, and twirl it until it dries slightly, it only takes a few seconds to stop dripping. Then I stick the toothpick into a foam cake dummy.

Here's another version of the fudge filled with ganache and the strawberries only I iced it with almond buttercream. YUM!

Here's the recipe I use:

12 oz dark chocolate chips (by weight)

8 oz heavy cream. (don't you DARE go for the lighter stuff)

1 oz sugar (by weight)

1 tbsp butter (this is optional and gives it a shiny look. I leave it out because I like the matte look)

For an extra special treat, turn your mixer on high in check back in 10 mins . . . whipped ganache is literally worth dying for!

Teresa

Duff Fondant

I have always made my own fondant for cakes, mostly because I'm cheap and the Wilton Fondant tastes like plastic!

But . . . I have ALWAYS wanted to make a red cake and no one wants a mouth full of red buttercream.

That's hot! ;)

Because I shop at Michaels a lot, I couldn't help but notice Duff from Ace of Cakes has come out with his own line of products . . . namely Fondant!

It was 30% which made it $14 for 2 lbs.

The cheapskate said: "Dang it, I can't use my coupon!"

The cakerator said: "TRY IT!!!"

The cakerator won! They were out of red, so I dyed it myself. The first ting I noticed when I opened the tub was the smell . . . the smell of candy corn! YUM!

The taste was also of candy corn, not plastic like Wilton.

It rolled beautifully, was forgiving and colored nicely.

I rate it 9/10.

(I couldn't give it 10/10 because the cheapskate inside DEMANDS a lower price)

Definitely try it and HERE is a coupon!

Happy Caking,

Teresa

Let the Baking Begin!

After a nice summer break and lots of sunshine it's time to start the baking up again!

I'm excited to work on fall and winter weddings and try out some new ideas. I'm thinking sugar snowflakes, autums leaves, vines and poinsettas. Yes, all on cakes!

I am donating the proceeds from a couple wedding cakes this fall to Isaac Sintz.

This little man was diagnosed with Dravets Syndrome and he needs all the help he can get!

Happy Caking,

Teresa

Threadcakes

Threadcakes are cakes made with inspiration from a Threadless T-shirt.

Inspiration: Phascolarctos Cinereus

Threadcake:

Threadcakes are cakes made with inspiration from a Threadless T-shirt.

Inspiration: Ink Happens

Threadcake

Every year they have a contest, check our this years entries:

http://www.threadcakes.com/gallery/

Now, check our last years winners!

http://www.threadcakes.com/home/winners

Happy caking!

Teresa

Updated prices made simple!

Here's a list of my basic prices and special packages:

Buttercream - $3 a serving
Fondant - $4 a serving

Example: 3 tier round wedding cake (10" 8" 6") serves 78 = $234
3 tier square cake (10" 8" 6") serves 100 = $300

Free delivery from north Salt Lake to Draper on any cake over $50
All basic decor is included, extra for fondant/gumpaste flowers and figurines.
6" single layer smash cake free with any 2 tier birthday cake!
30% off groom's cakes when you book a wedding cake with me!

Serving chart per pan size and shape:
http://www.wilton.com/wedding/wedding-cakes/wedding-cake-data.cfm

Wedding cake structure ideas by servings:
http://www.wilton.com/cakes/tiered-cakes/serving-amounts-all.cfm

Email me your ideas and/or a picture and I will gladly give you a quote!
cakesbyteresa@hotmail.com

Happy caking,
Teresa

Give me a break!

I dove headfirst into wedding season and LOVED it! I juggled remodeling a house, working at the hospital and 3 little kiddos along with 1 wedding a weekend. Guess what? It was a bit much ;)

I pulled my ads offline and am taking July off for my house, kids and my sanity. I look forward to catching the end of wedding season in August, so until then it will only be pleasure baking.

Happy caking,
Teresa

Diamond Cutters!

Diamond cutters are a great way to add a diamond pattern to a cake. They can be purchased from Global Sugar Art online and only cost a few dollars a piece. You can purchase a simple diamond pattern or a double diamond. This creates a small diamond inside a larger one.

If you are using it on fondant you can press it gently as soon as the cake is covered.

For buttercream it must crust first. Gently press it into the cake and continue around until completely covered. If it is used before the buttercream crusts the frosting will come off onto the cutter.

Add dragees or flowers inside the diamonds or at the crossing spots.

Happy Caking,

Teresa

Perfect Pan Coating!

I would say the biggest difference between an okay cake and a perfectly smooth cake is the pan coating. If the pan is prepped correctly, then it can be flipped out of the pan right and it will be smooth. Wilton makes a great pan coating that only costs about $3 a bottle. I got tired of running to the store because I ran out, so I found this and have used it religiously!

Equal parts flour, vegetable oil and shortening.

1 cup of each will fill a large cereal bowel and last through several wedding cakes.

I store mine in a tupperware bowel in the fridge. I personally know it lasts for months, but I don't know about longer because I go through it so fast ;).

Happy caking,

Teresa

Whoopie Cushion!

Whoopie cushion cakes are great for a laugh! This is a mini cake but it can also be done with a much larger one.

Bake 1 layer of cake let it cool. Wrap and freeze for the night. zzzzzzz

In the morning carve curves into the cake top and bottom. This is give the whoopie cushion pleats.

Cover with buttercream and cover entire cake with fondant. Pinch around the edge gently. Write "old fart" or any other endearments you wish.

To make the "exit hole" I took 2 pieces of fondant cut into triangles. I pressed the edges together to create a seam and used a toothpick to keep the opening open and secure it to the cake.

Happy Caking!

Teresa

Toilet Cake

Toilet cakes are great for "over the hill", plumbers, potty training and many other sick celebrations ;). If you follow these instructions you will have a cake with about 30 servings.

You will need:

9X13 cake (filled)

A sturdy board (mine is plywood)

2- 8" foam squares

Dowels

8" half circle of foam (found in craft section)

Buttercream

Fondant

Royal icing

Chocolate candy with nuts! (you know where this is going don't you?)

8" round pan

large fruit can (empty and clean)

8" round cardboard circle

These are the foam 1/2 circle and the 8" cardboard circle. Cover the dome with buttercream then fondant. Cover each side of the circle with buttercream and fondant. Write "Everything turns to crap at 40" on the circle. (or whatever endearments you wish)

Attach the 2 pieces of styrofoam with toothpicks and stick dowels or plastic hollow rods into the styrofoam. This is the cake cistern. Cover it with buttercream then fondant.

Place clean can in center of 8" round pan and grease. Fill with batter and bake as usual. You will have to place something inside the can to weigh it down. I used a bowel on tip, but a glass jar or glass would work. I also filled a mini dome pan with batter to make a plunger and a coffee mug to make toilet paper. This is where you can get REALLY creative!

The 8" cake will become the toilet lid. Place on a cardboard circle and cover with buttercream and fondant. The toilet paper and plunger dome should also be covered with buttercream and fondant. (obviously the plunger needs to be plunger colored)

Place 3 wooden dowels at the peak of the dome and press peak side down into 9x13" cake. Place the 8" round cake with the cardboard for a bottom on top of the dome base. Be sure to secure it with royal icing. Now press the cistern into the 9x13" cake and add another dowel from the cistern into the styrofoam dome. This will keep the cistern from falling backwards. The 8" cake is NOT strong enough to support this weight so it must go from foam to foam.

Fill the tank bowl with frosting. Melt the nutty chocolate you chose slightly and mold into "turd" shapes. Add these to the bowl. Attach the cardboard toilet lid with toothpicks into the seat and royal icing in the seat and the cistern. Add the toilet paper and plunger to complete the picture but remember to secure them with royal icing.

Happy Caking!

Teresa

Caketrastrophe!

I had the opportunity to make a 4 tier wedding cake this weekend and it ALL went bad! I'm sharing this more for venting purposes, but also so you can get an idea of some of the stress I get the deal with as the "cake lady".

This cake was all chocolate with raspberry filling iced in cream cheese frosting. I had to transport it 30 minutes away. I stacked the bottom 2 layers on the stand and the top 2 were transported separately (thank goodness). While on the freeway a car cut me off then hit his brakes. This resulted in me slamming on the brakes . . . my life and the cakes or just the cakes! Ugh! The whole bottom tier slid off because it made the dowels shift which made the tier that was sitting on it also fall off. The top tier flowers fell of and the filling dam broke. Imagine a white wedding cake bleeding red juice. I said some VERY naughty words and pulled over. Took the cakes apart and shifted the layers back. The car and I were covered in icing. I know I should have taken pictures but I was too traumatized! I pretty much wanted to die!

I finally make it to the church and start to take pieces of wedding cake inside, everyone I pass says "what happened!" The grooms dad comes in and says, you must be the cake lady, and my response was "I would rather be anyone else besides the cake lady right now!"
After 90 minutes of fast work, lots of swearing, and lots of praying I was able to salvage the top 3 tiers and make it at least passable. Here is the final picture, definitely not my best but let's be realistic here ;)


Happy caking,
Teresa

Cake Tasting "to go"

Cake tasting "to go" is a convenient way to do tastings for me and the bride!

Once a month I arrange the tastings "to go" and the brides pick up their bag to take home and enjoy.

Each tasting includes:

4 cake flavors

4 fillings

4 frostings

all of the brides choice!

I add a sparkling juice of my choice

This is free for all cakes $100 and over or $25 for all other orders.

It makes a great gift for future brides. Order a cake tasting for $25 and if the bride books with me it goes towards the wedding cake!

Also great for a weekend treat. You can't beat a personalized bag of sweets for $25 ;)

Happy caking,

Teresa

Making Cake Stands!

It is difficult finding a cake stand that isn't ugly, too small or costs a fortune! I have officially lept out of the cake stand box and discovered how to make one. Platters are much easier to find in varying colors, sizes and shapes. Buy a platter or plate you like and a candlestick, vase or bowl that matches to some degree. Walmart sells an epoxy glue called "E-6000". (In the craft area) Put epoxy on each piece, let it set for 2 minutes and place together. For full strength let your new cake stand set for 48 hrs.

Blue 18.5 in platter with clear glass bowl beneath.

Clear 12 in platter with Clear ice cream bowl stand

Square 10in dinner plate with square bowl stand

White 10in dinner plate with matching square bowl stand

This is a great way to add height and elegance to a cake!

Happy caking!

Teresa

Present Cake

Start by baking four 8" square cakes, cut to 2" tall each. Stack and fill 2 layers. Dowel and plate. Stack and fill the top 2 layers. Notice in the pic the cardboard plate in the middle for support.

Crumb coat

Ice with buttercream, or fondant.

Use cookie cutters or scroll markers to place designs, then ice over them. Make a fondant bow or place a satin bow over cake!

Happy Caking!

Teresa