What is sugar syrup?
Sugar
syrup might be a new idea for you in cake design, but once you start
using sugar syrup, you might never make a cake without it. It might seem
strange to add more sweetness to what are probably already layers of
sugary cake and icing, but sugar syrup serves an important purpose in
cake design. Sugar syrup is exactly what it sounds like, sugar, water,
and some type of flavouring like vanilla, almond or lemon.
You dissolve the sugar, usually about 100 grams
in about ½ cup of water and then simmer the mixture on the stove for
about 5 minutes. After the syrup is completely cool, you brush it on
your cake layers after they come out of the oven and are still warm.
Sugar syrup adds flavor, obviously, but it also adds a pleasing
moistness to the finished cake.
You can also brush your cakes with sugar syrup
just before icing them if the cakes have been stored in the fridge for
several days.
If my chocolate has a whitish color in it, can I still use it for my cakes?
This whitish color on your chocolate
is called blooming. Chocolate that has been exposed to different
temperatures which in transit or sitting on the shelf . The whitish
color means that the fat in the product has risen to the surface. If you
are melting the chocolate for a cake or frosting, then this bloom will
not be an issue at all because the fat will simply melt back into the
chocolate. If you are making curls, then you might not want to use the
section that has the unsightly color variation.
Is there a trick to balancing a very heavy or high cake topper?
Depending
on the type of cake used in the design, a heavy or huge cake topper can
be a nightmare to balance on top of a cake. If the topper is heavy and
your cake is very light, like a delicate sponge, placing dowels and a
cake board on top is crucial.
You can completely camouflage a cake board with more icing as long as you remember to remove it and the dowels
before cutting the cake. Even if your cake is dense, this type of
foundation is recommended so that the topper does not sink or fall over.
You could actually adhere the topper to a base as well to give even
more stability. Remember to put the topper on the cake after it has been
transported if possible to avoid any risk on route.
Can real seashells or rocks be used on a cake?
A
basic rule of cake design is to never put anything on a cake that is
not edible and this includes fresh flowers. The idea of real seashells
or tooth shattering rocks on a cake is worrisome, but not necessarily
out of line. If the bride and groom have collected an assortment of
shells on a significant day in their lives and want them as accents on
the cake, then make sure the shells are very well washed and place them.
Just remember to remover them before cutting the cake and keeping a
very good count on how many adorn the layers. There are some absolutely
amazing moulds for gum paste shells and coral that can be used instead
of real shells, so look into that option as well.
By Michelle Anderson
Cake Decorating Expert
