A few tips for cakes

OK, sorry for the extended absence. No excuses, just stopped posting for a bit.

So today's post isn't a specific recipe, but a few pointers for people who want to improve their cake-building skills.

1. Don't feel bad about using a cake mix. I almost always use a mix for the cake. As Alton Brown put it: "they have access to all sorts of super-chemicals that you and I can't get." Betty and Duncan just know how to make cakes turn out consistently well.

2. Do feel bad about using pre-made frosting. I'm sorry, but there are two things which I absolutely cannot support: fake cheese and store-bought frosting. Home made frosting is infinitely better and is really not that much work. I'll post two easy recipes later this week that you can use.

3. After baking your cakes, level with the tops so they are flat. In the picture below, you can see that the cake is totally flat. Rounded tops are normal upon removal from the oven, but removing the dome makes a more professional looking finished product. I just use a long knife and freehand it.

4. Also notice in the picture the strips of wax paper hanging out from beneath the cake. This is so you can decorate without fear of mucking up your cake plate. Cut strips of wax paper and lay them under the bottom layer of the cake. When you're totally done frosting, pull them out to reaveal your sparkling cake plate.

5. Cakes from nice bakeries taste nice because they use more frosting than most home cooks. Just becasue you bake your cakes in two round pans, doesn't mean you should settle for two layers. Cut each round horizontally in two then you frost in between all the layers. If you made delicious frosting, this will be a good thing.

6. Basic instructions for frosting the top and sides:
- Use a lazy susan or something that spins. This makes things a lot easier
-Put as much frosting as you think you'll need for the top AND sides on the top, then spread it toward the outside as you spin the cake. Push it over the edge and start spreading it down the sides of the cake. Push more frosting off the top and if you need it until you reach the plate. Use something with a straight edge (I recommend an off-set spatula and not what yousee in this picture--I left mine at my grandma's house) to straighten the sides as you spin the cake.




-Never pull you spreader directly away from the cake. It will pull crumbs off and they will be very hard to get out of the frosting. You have to kind of spread your spatula off-if that makes sense. It's hard to put into words, but you get the idea, right?
7. One more little thing--Tall, slender cakes seem to look fancier than short, wide cakes. Consider buying some smaller pans to increase you repertoire. Anne bought me these 7-inchers from Sur la Table. They're quite inexpensive.
8. Oh yeah, ONE more thing, cheaper cake pans usually have slightly sloped edges making it difficult to achieve straight sides. There are two solutions: buy the nicer, heavier ones with straight side, or trim your edges once the layers are stacked and frosted. An electric knife is the perfect tool for this job. I know you all got one as a wedding present, so dig 'em out and fire 'em up!

Have Fun!