Help me plan baking a cake for a party

10 years ago

Cake gurus,

I am going to try my hand at baking a layer cake for a party and would love some advice. The cake I plan to bake is from the cake bible either White Chocolate Whisper Cake or the All-Occasion yellow butter cake both of which the recipe calls for baking baked in two 9'' round pans which the cake bible says is around 8 cups. I have a couple of large 12'' Wilton heart shaped pans which I picked up in a tag sale. The party is on Sunday and I would like some advice on how to convert the recipe for my pans.

A couple more questions for planning the sequence of activities. Can I bake the cake on Friday and make the frosting on Saturday? I will ice the cake on Sunday morning. The party is in the afternoon. Should I refrigerate the cake or will it become too hard. I am planning to make the neoclassical buttercream frosting from the cake bible and some kind of filling with raspberries. Any tips on transporting the cake safely?

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Comments (9)

triciae
10 years ago
Can't help with recipe conversion without seeing the recipe but, in general, I've had better luck with using the appropriate pans called for in the recipe. If I need more batter for a specific pan - I usually make two batches and use any leftover batter for cupcakes. I'm sure other bakers will have different experiences but I've just done better making two separate batches rather than doubling ingredients.

I'd suggest freezing the cake if you are needing to hold it that long. I normally make iced cakes the day they are needed.

For transporting, a cake board is useful and available in any cook store. They are just a disposable cardboard circle. They also make wrapping a tad easier but still not perfect. A cake carrier is ideal. You can make one from an ordinary cardboard box.

/tricia
annie1992
10 years ago
Cake Central tells me a 12 inch heart shaped pan 2 inches tall holds 8 cups, although some people remarked that they'd reduce the capacity to 7 cups to prevent overflow.

I'd also freeze the cake if you make it Friday and don't frost immediately. I've had good luck making buttercream the day before using it, then whipping it well when I get ready to frost the cake. The filling would worry me if I made it a day in advance and filled the cake, I think the cake could get too soggy, so doing it the morning of is a good idea.

Transportation? How far are you taking it? I've had pretty good luck putting cake on a cardboard cake board, as tricia mentioned, then setting the board inside a larger container, even a cardboard box about the size or a big bitter than the board. The board keeps the cake from sliding around and gives a sturdier platform to lift the cake in and out of the container and the box or container can be "wedged" in on the back floor or the front seat so it doesn't slide around.

My favorite way of transportation is to get someone to carry it on their lap but I suppose that's not an option. (grin)

Annie
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blubird
10 years ago
Just another hint - before placing your cake on the cake board, or covered cardboard, put a dab of icing in the middle and then set your cake on it. The icing will help glue the cake to the board and help prevent slipping off.

Helene (who has baked and decorated way too many cakes in her time!)
gwlolo
Original Author
10 years ago
i don't have to make it that early. I could make it on Saturday. I just want to make sure I have enough time to bake it all and take it. i guess I am more worried about having a cake disaster and not having enough time to react and figure out alternatives. You can't have a 9th birthday party with 22 friends and not have cake :)

Annie --> Lol! Lap carrier has been recruited :) It will be me and DH will drive.

Blubird --> Great tip about icing. I had visions of the cake sliding forward everytime DH hit the breaks :)
blubird
10 years ago
What I frequently do for childrens' cakes is that, depending on my schedule, I either make the cake earlier in the week and freeze the layers and take them out early in the day to remove the chill then fill and frost, or if I make the cake the day or 2 before, I fill and crumbcoat the cake and then refrigerate. On the day of intended use I can then frost and decorate. Just since August I've made 2 Minecraft cakes, a dog-themed cake and a sports themed cake !

Helene
Cloud Swift
10 years ago
I'd make the frosting Friday and bake the cake on Saturday.

Take the frosting out of the fridge when the cake is taken out of the oven so that it can come up to room temperature while the cake cools.

Assemble the layers and at least crumb coat when the cake has cooled. I usually don't refrigerate to hold a cake for one day.

I've put fruit filling in the cake a day ahead and it hasn't made the cake soggy. I'm assuming that the filling is a cooked fruit filling such as a thick jam or fruit cooked without sugar until it is thick. I did that with blackberries recently and the cake didn't get soggy. If it is fresh uncooked fruit, it might make the cake soggy.
annie1992
10 years ago
And that's why I was happy that the latest wedding cake I baked was a cupcake tower, it was so much easier to transport them 200+ miles. The fondant bow still travelled on my lap but the top couple of layers were covered with fondant and that seems to hold the cake together so it's easier to transport without damage. I love the looks of fondant but it tastes so nasty. Ugh.

At least it's not hot, so you don't have to contend with melting buttercream...

CC, filling with jam is a good idea. I tried strawberries, which were kind of juicy anyway and it wasn't awful but it did get a bit soggy.

Annie
westsider40
10 years ago
Also, for transport, double up on the cake boards. I bought ten inch rounds and rectangles,10/14 iirc, today at Michael 's for $5.99 a pack of 12 or so. Wilton makes them in various sizes. They are cheaper on amazon and have prime shipping.

I have read that ppl re-use and/or cover the cake boards with foil. I also read that the white cake boards are attractive for party cakes.

I also would not hesitate to freeze the cakes. My problem is that I overbake things.

Have fun. Wilton and the cake bible lady have websites with info--- but our gw site is pretty darn good.
gwlolo
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks all. My plan is now to bake and ice on Saturday. I may do a small trial cake today to feel confident about the recipe.

Help me plan baking a cake for a party

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Help me plan baking a cake for a party

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