Let me say first, I have a new-found respect for all bakers everywhere.
In all my infinite wisdom, I decided it would be a good idea to bake a test cake before attempting Ella's actual birthday cake....just to make sure that I could do it like I wanted. I'd found a pretty simple idea online, and I felt like I could probably do it without much problem.
Unmitigated DISASTER.
Problem one: I couldn't get it out of the pan. I greased and floured the pan before baking. Did my cake care? Noooo. It wasn't budging.
After many smacks and drops of the pan onto the counter, I managed to dislodge a corner. From the rest of the cake. Well, that's okay. I can sort of fit it together and use a little frosting like mortar, and it'll work out. Fine.
Finally, the rest of the cake is out. It's got a huge bubble on the top from baking, so I grab my serrated knife, and proceed to smooth it out. I've seen this done 100 times on TV. This was actually the most successful part of the whole thing. I managed to get it pretty level.
Once that was done, I cut the cake into the shape I wanted. This went okay, aside from the part that was broken off from before. Jon was actually able to recognize what it was, so I figured that wasn't too bad.
Now it was time to frost. (I should mention here that I'm not making this from scratch -- cake was boxed, frosting was canned. I'm not completely crazy.) I know how to SPREAD things onto a surface. I know how. But when I started to frost this cake, it went downhill so fast, my head was swimming. Crumbs all through the frosting, holes being ripped in the cake...just awful.
This shouldn't be this hard. Should it? Is it possible that I'm so incompetent that I can't even FROST A CAKE? I thought momentarily about taking a picture to you can see the train wreck that it is, but it's THAT embarassing.
So it looks like Ella's first birthday cake will be a Costco special. At least they're yummy.
Sick kiddo
14 hours ago
6 comments:
2 things that will help- you CAN do it!!!
1. Bake Easy cake release spray- from Michael's. I ruined several cakes before I discovered that stuff.
2. Cover it in fondant. There's a reason I stay away from frosting like the plague. The fondant really isn't hard- if you can use a rolling pin, you're good to go.
Girl, I KNOW you can make Ella's cake. And you know I'd be happy to help ya. =)
I second the recommendation for the Bake Easy and the fondant. You can actually make your own marshmallow fondant and it's not that hard and it's more edible than regular fondant.
but I'm also a mega huge fan of Costco cake and will make any and all excuses to bring one home.
Oh c'mon, "this post is useless without pictures". :-D C'mon, we'll laugh with you, not at you! You gotta post a pic! Sorry about the cake though, but yes, Costco cakes are yummy - it'll be fine. :-)
Yes - Bake Easy - kind of like Pam but for cake pans - works perfect everytime.
I feel for you - I think we've all had some sort of disaster like that.
Costco cakes are good though - I know she will love it !!
It's not just you. The crumbles are a pain in the yahoo. Sometimes, I'll stick the cake in the freezer after it cools - and then the cake part seems to behave a little more. I also have a FANTASTIC spreader that you can borrow iffin you want to.
My mom, who has some experience decorating cakes and is the reason that I'll never have to go through what you went through, recommends using a pound cake/heavier cake. Less crumbly and crumby and therefore should come out of the pan easier.
Now, if I could just figure out how to get my chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of the pan when I bake muffins and bread.
I understand why Rachael Ray hates baking.
And I agree, we gotta see the photos.
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