student with cake cutting questions

[student:Amanda]

HI! I am a student preparing to graduate from the University of New Orleans Hotel/Restaurant/Tourism Admin. program. As pasrt of my capstone class I have to give a training presentation (among several) on an industry related topic of my choice. Its just a short one, 20 minutes. I chose (drum roll please...) CAKE CUTTING! I have spent the last 14 years cutting birthday cakes at the numerous events that I have found myself in and I figured its something that everyone needs to know as anyone could find theirself holding the knife regardless if they are in this industry or not. My question to you, the pastry chefs, is:
What is the proper way to cut a cake, each kind? Such as round, square, layered, spheres (yes I have had a "4 layered-sphered" cake come in for a wedding, think tall snowman), doberge, sheet etc....
any suggestions or thoughts would be greatly appreciated and I promise to quote and give due respect to each who contributes.
Thanks!
Amanda

[jigz369]

(Please note these forum are intended for professionals only. You are free to read but please refrain from posting.)
Just like it reads at the top of the section.

[Harpua]

Where would you suggest she posts it instead? Baking and Pastries General... ?

[jigz369]

Originally Posted by Harpua

Where would you suggest she posts it instead? Baking and Pastries General... ?

Precisely where it should be posted.

[m brown]

this is a good question for professionals, also non porfessionals.
I use a guide from Joe Amendola in his baking handbooks.

I like to make a circle in the center of the cake and cut slices around the outside of the circle and then cut the center circle in half and cut slices....

[Risque Cakes]

If this is posted in the wrong forum, let NICO take care of it...if he hasn't he must feel this is the right forum for the question!

anyhoo getting back to the question...yes, you make concentric circles to cut circular cakes..if they are tiered cakes, you have to deconstruct them at some time..lol

square, you just figure out how large of a slice you'd like to serve and then proceed to cut across and then cut in...like the little papers that hang off a flyer...

you have to do a lot of visualizing for "shaped" cakes...I keep as straight of a line as I possibly can with those,

sphere cakes, I would cut that in 1/2 place each half on a plate and proceed to cut them.

a simple way to cut cake "Slices" would be to mark an "X" on your cake and then you make a "+" inside the "X"...then you cut the wedges in 1/2

[wonderwoman]

creating an X or + section is a good idea, on my experience i never like holding the knife for cutting cake in portion. my trick is a string or dental floss -- no flavor. hehehe works for me without ruinging the design of the icing also dince it is thin.