Cake Fixation

Baking cakes can be difficult but decorating them can be more challenging. While decorating a cake one has to take into consideration number of factors like flavor, texture and design of the cake. Its very important that you know from where you have to start the cake decoration.

Cake decorating cam be a wonderful hobby and is a great way to express your creativity. Cake decorating is a lot of fun and very rewarding, if you feel you like it well enough you can turn it into a full time profession.

Cake decorating does take a measure of artistic skill. Anyone can master cake making with guidance and tutoring, along with fresh, new ideas and decorating tips. Cake decorating as an art form, will help you expand your imagination and your skills. This will make you proud and the recipient of your work ecstatic.

The are of cake decorating is rewarding to both the client and the decorator of the cake. There may be a level of stress when you are on a deadline but the end result is worth the trouble. When you are able to take your time and decorate cakes in peace, you will find the entire process very enjoyable. One way to cut stress in any situation, is to keep your mind on the design itself, and not let negative thoughts get in the way of your creativity.

Below are a few cake decorating ideas: – Characters: There are hundreds of famous characters to use for cake decorating. You can make any cake special by drawing in Dora the Explorer, or Blues Clues. Or you may want to cut up the cake to make the entire cake into a favorite character. – Themes: Maybe you would like to go with a 50’s theme, underwater adventure, sport theme, or a roaring 20’s theme for your cake decorating. Use your creativity and find a theme that will thrill the person you are making the cake for, and the guests . You may want to have a masquerade party in that theme. Whatever you decide, have fun. – Motor Cakes: Boys are usually crazy about trucks, cars, fire engines, boats, tractors, helicopters, or airplanes. Again you can use your cake decorating expertise to make a farm with a 3-D tractor, a racing strip, or a scene showing a fire being put out by firemen. Of course it all depends on what the particular birthday boy is fond of. – Animals: You can also use an animal theme by cutting the cake to look like any animal, or draw in a scene using animals. It could be a zoo scene with several animals or choose one animal and decorate the cake with other decorations showing where it came from. Use your imagination. – Holiday Themes: I remember when bunny cakes became popular at Easter, Wilton has pans and decorating supplies for all holiday cake decorating designs. A heart on Valentine’s day, or a 4 leaf clover on St. Patrick’s day is a wonderful way to say happy holidays.

Recipe: spumoni cake

Spumoni Cake This cake is wonderful! It is also extremely pretty. I’ve been making it for years. ~ Linda Kilbride – Maricopa, Arizona

1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix 4 eggs 3/4 cup vegetable oil 8 ounces sour cream 1 small box instant vanilla pudding Green food coloring 1 cup chopped nuts Red food coloring 1/2 cup drained and quartered marachino cherries 2 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Mix cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and dry pudding well; divide into 3 bowls.

Into the first bowl put green food coloring and nuts. Gently mix into the batter.

Into the second bowl put red food coloring and maraschino cherries. Gently mix into the batter.

Into the third bowl put chocolate and almond extract. Gently mix into the batter.

Layer the three different colors into a well-greased Bundt pan; green, red, then chocolate. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55 minutes.

After you have removed the cake from the pan, and it has cooled, you can glaze it with a white or colored glaze, if desired. At Christmas-time, I usually use a Christmas green glaze, and let it run down the sides a bit.

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Originally made with a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, creative cooks have, over time, come up with countless variations, such as replacing a portion of the butter with cream cheese or a few of the eggs with sour cream and leavening.

The most extraordinary thing about these pound cakes is how easy they are to prepare. You can bake them days ahead of time and store them in the pantry, or place them in large zip-top freezer bags and store in the freezer for up to two months.

Pound Cake Tips from the Pros

Prep before you start. Carefully read through the entire recipe, and prepare any special ingredients, such as chopped fruits or toasted nuts, before starting to mix the batter. We like to pre-measure our ingredients and assemble them in the order listed. That way, if interrupted, we‘re less likely to make a mistake.

Use name-brand ingredients. Store brands of sugar are often more finely ground than name brands, yielding more sugar per cup, which can cause the cake to fall. Store brands of butter may contain more liquid fat or flours more hard wheat, making the cake heavy.

Be accurate. Measure your ingedients carefully. Extra sugar or leavening causes a cake to fall; extra flour makes it dry. Also, use an oven thermometer to check your oven's temperature for accuracy.

Have ingredients at room temperature. This results in a pound cake with maximum volume.

Be patient. Beat softened butter (and cream cheese or vegetable shortening) at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. This can take from 1 to 7 minutes, depending on the power of your mixer. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until light and fluffy. These steps are so important because they whip air into the cake batter so it will rise during baking. When baking, place the cake pan in the center of the oven, and keep the door closed until the minimum baking time has elapsed. If the cake requires more baking, gently close the oven door as soon as possible after testing to prevent jarring and loss of heat—both can cause a cake to fall if it’s not completely done.

Read full article here: http://www.southernliving.com/food/how-to/tips-for-baking-a-perfect-pound-cake?utm_source=un_display_na_ti_20150513_outbrainrightrail