Comments on: project wedding cake: an introduction

By: dr

dr — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:43:00 +0000

have just discovered your site recently, and am going crazy with all your fabulous suggestions and recipes. am using a lot of your tips for some passover recipes this coming week, as i am the dessert provider for a rather large seder. was looking for something mango to complement the flourless chocolate cake, when i found this, and as a repeat wedding cake maker, i had to comment (obvs not for you, since this is long done, but for anyone coming hear and reading through hundreds of comments [which i recommend on your site - so much interesting stuff buried in the comments!].

one tip i found out years ago and love: instead of dowels (and having to cut them to size, and deal with pruning shears or whatever you end up using, never mind finding the dowels in the first place), what works just as well are…straws. yes, simple plastic drinking straws. easily cut and readily available, and work to distribute the weight the same way that the dowels do.

and, re swiss buttercream, i swear it was easier than any other buttercream i ever made (which can sometimes break on me, and did with one wedding cake salvaged only by the very kind pastry chef in the restaurant of the wedding reception, who decided to take pity on me). the recipe that i use and love is from dede wilson, called essential buttercream, thought now as i am trying to look it up in my recipe book, i am wondering if it might not be italian buttercream. whichever it is, it works perfectly and lasts forever, and doesnt mind heat, and it more than completely and utterly delicious.

hope that some of this is useful even if very very long after the original post. and thanks for the superb ‘blog.

By: Angi

Angi — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:35:10 +0000

New to your site and already a fan!!! I realize that you posted this several years ago. I just wanted to post an idea about the vanilla cake/mango layer…just in case another “fan” is interested. I make a lemon curd cake and thought it might work with the very citrus-y mango as well. The cake layers are brushed with a simple syrup of lemon juice, sugar and water. Then, spread a thin-ish layer of lemon curd on top of that. Lastly, using a bit of the curd and part of your buttercream, blend (or fold) well and layer on top of the lemon curd as the final filling. Repeat with each layer. This creates a super moist cake with the slight tartness that a curd should have and the sweetness that a frosted cake should have. A full layer of mango curd alone may prove to be overpowering. Just a friendly suggestion. I am, by no means, a professional. I just love to cook!

By: rose

rose — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:45:29 +0000

When buttercream separates like that it is almost always always always because it’s too ‘cold.’ Take a torch to the bowl or pass the bottom of the bowl over a burner then try again until it comes together. If it melted and was just really loose (no separation) it’s too warm.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 09 May 2011 16:01:03 +0000

I recently made a communion cake, which is the closest I’ve ever come to a mini wedding cake. It was the first time I had to have the cake ready the night before so I had to make the layers in advance and freeze them. The cake came out beautiful, but I was a bit bent because it tasted dry to both my husband (my assistant) and I. On the hunt now for a recipe I like that freezes well. Love your blog – photos are beautiful and the narrative is very entertaining.

By: A cake Baker

A cake Baker — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:10:32 +0000

Maybe you are letting the butter soften too much and you may try using a little less of it? Have you tried putting a bit of meringue powder in you frosting it also helps level the cake as well. I too would like to know how you assembled the cake? When baking large, deep cakes remember to lessen the temp so it cooks fully also, i never used the core things or the pan wraps.

By: Jane

Jane — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 04:27:42 +0000

How far in advance can you make the Swiss Buttercream?

By: Alba

Alba — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:46:46 +0000

I am baking my own wedding cake and I am finding all this information really helpful.
Since this post is about two years old I am not too sure if you explained this already, but, how did you assemble the cake? I am very very amateur and looking for an easy stress-free way of stacking the cake to make it look like a wedding cake. Failing this I might just use 4 or 5 cake stands.

Thank you!

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:29:05 +0000

My Wife and I just made this for a friends wedding (well, my wife did most of it, i just helped out at select parts of the process).

One piece of advice: Beat the whites until they are quite thick or your butter cream will never reach the desired consistency. I don’t really think this was emphasized enough in the recipe. We made multiple batches and found that if you made sure the whites were beaten properly until they were quite thick (stiff peaks) and doubled in size then there was no need to wait 15+ minutes for an icing that may never come together because it was ready in 5 to 8 minutes. If you dont beat the whites enough it may never reach the desired consistency in the next step.

Also, if you are making vast amounts, consider splitting it in to two batches, there is a limit to how well different mixers will beat a large quantity of icing. We also had to borrow a better mixed to get the job done properly.

all in all fantastic instructions :) thank you so much, you really saved our asses! :) The cake turned out fantastic and the buttercream survived a day in the car without melting! :)

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:40:37 +0000

I haven’t ventured into wedding cakes yet, but my best friend’s daughter is having a “White Trash Bash” for her 18th birthday and I’m going to make a crooked wedding cake for it. I am glad to see that there was a tutorial on this or I may have not survived!

By: Carla

Carla — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 04:25:32 +0000

hi! regarding your swiss buttercream it’s either your butter is too soft or on the verge of melting. if ever that happen again add more butter or cornstarch diluted in milk.. it works fine for me.. i hope it helps..=)