Transcript Building, Icing, & Finishing Cakes

Building, Icing, &
Finishing Cakes
Building Cakes
• To “build” a cake:
– Slice the cake, using a serrated knife
– Keep the layers even in thickness
– Use a simple syrup on the layers to keep the
cake both moist & to give flavor
• Simple syrup is made with equal amounts of sugar
& water brought to a boil. Flavoring is then added.
– Spread filling or icing
– Top with another layer; repeat
– Do not put filling on the tip layer
Icing/Frosting
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Most common is buttercream icing
Made with butter & powdered sugar
Most have a long shelf life
It is very rich and serving should be kept
small
• Can be made ahead of time and stored in
the refrigerator
• Flavorings can be added by an extract,
paste, alcohols, fruit purees & juices
Types of Buttercream
• American
– Easiest to make
– Made of butter creamed with powdered sugar
– Denser & richer than other buttercream
• Italian
– Made by adding butter to a meringue (is made with
softball (240 degrees F) sugar syrup poured into
whipping egg whites. Once
whipped, add softened butter to the bowl, little at a time
and whip until a fluffy consistency is reached.)
– Very white
– Mainly used on wedding cakes
• French
– Made from whipped egg yolks, sugar & softened butter
– Yellow in color
Types of Buttercream
• Swiss
– Made with a Swiss meringue & softened butter
– Made by warming the egg whites and sugar in a Bain
Marie until the sugar is dissolved and then transferred
into the mixer and whipped until cool. Once cool, add
softened butter to the bowl, little at a time and whip until
a fluffy consistency is reached.
• German
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Made from a whipped pastry cream
When cream has cooled, butter is added
Very rich
Often used as a filling instead of frosting
Has the shortest shelf life since it is dairy-based
Fondants
• Fondant is a sugar syrup that is crystallized to a
smooth, creamy white mass and is used for both
icing cakes and cake decorations. The cooked
Fondant (European Fondant) is quite difficult to
make but is the best Fondant recipe around due
to its elasticity and smoothness.
• Rolled fondant is a Canadian term for a sugar
paste
• Uncooked fondant is made by simply mixing all
ingredients together.
Finishing the Cake
• Begin by brushing the crumbs from the
cake.
• Ice a thin coat, this is the crumb coat to
prevent crumbs from showing in the next
coating.
• Then apply a thicker layer, getting it as
smooth as possible
• Then decorate!
– Gives visual appeal
Decorating Tools
Pastry bag
– Can be made from
nylon, plastic-lined
cotton, canvas,
polyester, or plastic
– Cone-shaped with
opening at both ends
– Smaller end fits
couplings & tips
Decorating Tools
• Tips
– Star
• Used to make star shapes
– Leaf
• Has v-shape to make leaf shapes
– Writing
• Round tip; can be very small or large
– Petal
• Used to make flower petals; used with nail to make roses
• Flower nail
– Used to make different flowers; most commonly used
to make roses