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Cake pictures

post #1 of 13
3/24/02 at 7:43pm
Thread Starter 
A while back I had some gumpaste questions and everyone, especially AnnaW, was very helpful. I was very pleased the way the gumpaste flowers came out. I need to take a flower arranging class. I think that would be a great help. The quilted cake I am posting gave me a VERY hard time.Originally I thought it would be a super easy cake to do. I was wrong. I had bought Earlenes quilt press thinking it would be a breeze, but it failed big time. This is what I ended up with at 3am Sat. morn. (I had deliveries starting at 5. Needless to say I was not happy.I'm not to sure how to post on here so here are the addresses.
http://www.easthillskungfu.com/cake/...4-IMG00006.jpg
http://www.easthillskungfu.com/cake/...21-IMG0323.JPG
http://www.easthillskungfu.com/cake/...4-IMG00323.JPG
Thanks again for all the help!
Beth
No, I'm not pregnant....CAKES in the oven!
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post #2 of 13
3/25/02 at 5:32am
2 hours of sleep, we've all been there....that's hard. But it's always from those times that we grow the most.

I've never done the quilted look. What was it doing or not doing that was so difficult?

Your flowers look very good! I'm not certain what your unhappy about. The mounded look? Next time you could stick acouple small ones on wires to give some more dimension and do more greens to fill. But those are really small changes...your really there, just MINOR MINOR tweeking. I think you did a great job!


P.S. JUST A THOUGHT.......I would recommend investing in some nice fabric to hang behind your cakes for your photos. You can even buy a sheet of foam board to place behind them for consistancy and a quick shoot.
When you get a bunch of photos together in your portfolio different backgrounds become distracting. I know it's hard to even find the time to take the darn pictures...but, in time they become very important tools. These are words of wisdom from someone who didn't take the time over the years. My portfolio starts 3 years ago and I've been doing cakes alot longer then that!;)
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum
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post #3 of 13
3/25/02 at 5:43am
I'm not quite sure what you're not satisfied with. Maybe the photos are taken far enough away, that the details you are unhappy with are not visible. The quilting looks nice, and the flowers are very pretty.
www.cakesuite.com
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post #4 of 13
3/25/02 at 6:00am
You did a good job. We are our own worst critics. I love to look through cake books by some of the best cake people in the world and if you take a second look- even thier cakes are not perfect!! I have a terrible time with perfectionism (this applies to cakes not to housework :)!). I can find an imperfection with every cake I ever made. Try to remember that most people will never know or "see" what you do. They will see a beautiful cake.
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post #5 of 13
3/25/02 at 6:26am
Thread Starter 
Thanks. I know I was obcessing. I think taking an arrangement class would help. Both those cake pictures were taken on site. Great idea about the fabric. I thought the quilted cake would be so easy using the quilting press. I would press it on the side of the cake and by the time I got around the cake it was gone. My bottom tier really took a beating. Then I tried everything I could think of trying to make a good impression in the fondant. Finally I made a flexable triangle (thanks for the idea AnnaW) in the middle of the night. And a tracing wheel used for sewing. Like I said, my bottom tier had really taken a beating by this point, thats what I really didn't like on it. I think it lost some of it's size from me covering and uncovering it with fondant a million times.
I have since learned that you can press that mat into the fondant BEFORE laying it on the cake. I actually thought of that while I was struggling but, don't you think the lines would get warped? Thanks again, I am actually feeling much better. Ready to move on to the next cake. Beth
No, I'm not pregnant....CAKES in the oven!
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post #6 of 13
3/25/02 at 7:12am
I have heard of people imprinting before laying fondant on cakes, and it makes no sense to me, because you will want to press down on the fondant to smooth it, and that could ruin the design. In my experience, it works better if done ON the cake.
www.cakesuite.com
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post #7 of 13
3/25/02 at 7:42am
Speaking as one who has seen many wedding cakes, but made few, I think your cakes look absolutely wonderful. As everyone has stated before, we all tend to be our own worst critics. No one will catch all those little imperfections that you see. All they see is a beautiful cake. The only time I ever had a problem was once when the mother of the bride was finding fault with everything, and I do mean everything. Either she was completely off her rocker or she was looking to lessen the fiancial burden and get some free things. But, believe me these people are definately in a very small minority. I really do envy all of you creative types who can create such beautiful works. I do not have the patcience for that kind of work. I will stick with being a line dog and chef.
From Man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the World-Saint Arnoldus
http://www.onceachef.com/
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post #8 of 13
3/25/02 at 1:09pm
OITO,
Much to critical. Your flowers look outstanding. Is the quilt cake on a riser? Just my preference, but I don't like to hide the bottom layer of the cakes. We encourage the bride to elevate and use the brides maids flowers or not around the bottom.
We do a lot with different quilting patterns. It sounds weird but its easier to use a thin layer of fondant being careful not to cut into the cake. You still get the puffyness(technical term) but the fondant does not relax back on you.
You will really enjoy a flower arranging class. You will learn about fillers and such. You may have covered dbl. the space with the flowers you made. You can use white styro covered in fondant the same as you would use the green floral stuff(another technical term). Bake a couple of dozen cookies and head to one of the better florist and they will probably let you watch the designers. White Choco. Rasp. Scones do it for me.
I agree w/momo. I dont think you can quilt before applying to cake. Combs are a good tool for the straights. I know its gross but you can find some neet ones at the pet shop. The metal ones you can bend.
Your work is very good.

Never! Live To Work!:::::::Work To Live!::Life Is To Short!!
Paninicakes.com

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post #9 of 13
3/25/02 at 4:00pm
Thread Starter 
Panini,
Everything you said is right on the money. Yes the cake is on a riser. I kept going thicker on the fondant. That is where I went wrong. The thicker I got the harder it was to work with.
I couldn't believe how many flowers I used on the gumpaste arrangements! I even used my rejects. I would have used more leaves but they kept falling off the wires. Any hints on how to make those?
The petshop comb is a great idea! Next time.
I must tell you, I checked out your cakes on your website. FANTASTIC! I hope you don't mind but I would like to do that white 3 tiered one with the white gumpaste roses around them. I have a display coming up. It would be perfect.
Thanks everyone I appreciate the advice.
Beth
No, I'm not pregnant....CAKES in the oven!
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post #10 of 13
3/25/02 at 5:13pm
OITO,
I would be honored. FYI 16-12-8.. 150 port. $450. Roses are out of fondant 3 doz. $225. total $675.
Thanks for the compliments. site is very basic and not to intimidating. More pics available. This year we're finding the trend to be going colors. Yellows, salmons,periwinkle as base color.I don't have a name for the roses, we call them pasta roses because we roll them through the pasta machine and form then in a roll.. It's nice to stray from simple and elegant for a change. Our dig. camera is out but as soon as I get it fixed I will be more than happy to email you any pics that might interest you.
pan

Never! Live To Work!:::::::Work To Live!::Life Is To Short!!
Paninicakes.com

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post #11 of 13
3/25/02 at 5:57pm
The flowers are very pretty and the quilted cake came out great.
For the quilted look, I've always used a triagle ruler(I think they come in 30-60-90 angles), used the same way as Anna W. described. Press the pattern after the cake is covered. And I really try to make my fondant as thin as I can, since most people don't really care for the taste.
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post #12 of 13
3/25/02 at 6:30pm
Your cakes look wonderful, it's almost a shame to cut them to eat a piece. :)

What are they chocolate? Vanilla? Or something more exotic? :lips:
When I get a little money, I buy books. And if there is any left over, I buy food.

- Desiderius Erasmus
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post #13 of 13
3/25/02 at 8:08pm
Thread Starter 
The quilted cake is actually Satin ice. It really tastes pretty good (for fondant). I wish I could say they were something exotic, but no, sour cream white for both. Yummy but, not too exciting.
Panini, thanks for the info! Now that I look closer I think I see what your saying about the pasta roses. They look great. What did you do the ribbon out of? And how about the squiggles(technical term)? I tried to get a pasta roller out here but, I live in the boonies and no one has them. Next time I go into Columbus I am going to pick one up. I'm too cheap to pay shipping. I can imagine they are great and save alot of time. I'm going to do the roses in gumpaste since that is my latest obcession. Thanks for the help!
No, I'm not pregnant....CAKES in the oven!
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