How to Get Smooth Icing / Frosting

I remember when I first started decorating cakes. I hated it!! I couldn't stand frosting the cakes because I could never get it smooth. Whenever I did get the cake smooth I had to use a ton of icing. I remember standing in my father's kitchen, frosting a cake for an hour! Yes I said an hour! Craziness...just plain frustrating. I knew there had to be a better way. I practiced and practiced but still had trouble in this area. My cakes began to taste better, I didn't have issues using fondant, I only had issues getting a smooth coat of frosting. After reading numerous forums and watching some YouTube video I finally came across a method that worked for me...the Melvira Method.

The Melvira method is when you use a high density foam roller to accomplish a smooth coat. After evenly apply the icing, you let the cake sit for a little while so the frosting will crust. Oh, did I mention you have to use a crusting buttercream or this won't work. Like I said before, a crusting buttercream (http://sharronstake.blogspot.com/2014/01/crusting-buttercream-recipe.html) is one that is clean to the touch after it dries. This means when you touch it, no frosting will come off on your finger. After the buttercream crusts, you roll your cake until its nice and smooth. Check out my video below for more details and instruction!!

This technique has worked the BEST for me and believe me I have tried everything. I've tried the upside down method, hot knife method, paper towel / wax paper and the list goes on and on. Now this is my go to method for wedding cakes and special occasions. Give it a try and let me know how it goes! As always be blessed.  

DJ Turntable Grooms Cake

I was recently asked to make a turntable for a groom's cake. I was given two pictures by the bride and was told to do what I thought was best. This is when my imagination began to get away from me. I began to do some research and noticed that most of the cakes I saw were fairly simple or extremely detailed. After looking at more than one hundred cakes, yes I said one hundred, I still wasn't satisfied with any of the designs I came across. I realized that I wanted something that really came to life. That's when I decided to see if I could make the cake spin (manually of course) and light up. I have to admit, I was pretty excited when I saw the finished product and I wanted to share it with you guys.

Tools needed: 

Two 5" Round cake boards

Black 1/2 sheet cake board (wrapped)

Two Flower nails

Black and White Fondant

Silver Cake Spray

One Straw

LED lights (battery operated)

Black Marker (edible or permanent)

Wax paper

Directions
Place sheet cake on the black cake board and frost. Completely cover 11" x 15" frosted sheet cake with black fondant. Cut two big circle shapes out of white fondant, using the 5" circle cake boards as a guide. Place fondant circles directly on top of each cake board and spray silver. Place the flower nail through each one. Once dry, cover the metal flower head with black fondant and write on the CD's with the edible / permanent marker if desired. Insert the straw into the area of cake where you want the CD's and then cut slightly higher than the cake. Remove piece and use as guide to cut a second piece of equal length. Put both pieces of cut straw back into the cake and insert each flower nail into the center of the straw. Outline each CD with a fondant border. Now on to the light switch. Puncture 10 holes into a piece of thin cardboard (around 4"x3") and taped LED lights inside.  Once finished, staple the boarder close and make sure not to puncture the cord of the LED lights!!

Cut out a piece of white fondant slightly larger than the cardboard and then make ten holes. Cover the light switch board in fondant and then sprayed silver. Once dry, place on the cake where desired. To make the second smaller light, cover a small LED with wax paper (the wax paper gives the appearance of plastic clear cover) and gently press into the cake where desired. Then make a fondant cover top. Decorate the rest of the cake as desired. I chose to make turn knobs and volume switches.

Check out my YouTube video for further instructions. Have fun and happy caking!! 

                                     

How to Make a Minecraft Cake

It all started with me asking my nephew what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday. "Minecraft, I want a Minecraft cake!" " I have to admit that I have been asked in the past to make a Minecraft cake but they wanted the pixilated look which is labor intensive and requires a lot fondant  I thought to myself, there has to be a simpler way to make this cake without all the fuss of fondant. For all the Moms, Aunts, or beginner cakers out there that want to know how to pull off a simple version of this cake...here it is!!

Tools:

Spoon

Spatula

Sharp knife

Grass Tip

Coupler

Decorators bag

Minecraft figurines

Cake board

Two 9"x13" chocolate cakes

Green Buttercream  (around 5 cups)

Blue Buttercream (1 cup)

Directions: 

Place one chocolate 9"x13" cake on cake board. Using spatula, thinly frost top of cake with green icing. Don't worry about crumbs in your coat because you will be adding another layer of frosting 
that will cover it later

.                                    

Cut second 9"x13" cake into cut three pieces:

1. Square shape - 4"x4"

2. F shape - 6"x6"

3. L shape - 3"x4"                                                                              

 Final arrangement will look like picture below.

Place both on corners of the cake and thinly frost the tops.
With grass tip, cover tops of the frosted areas with green frosting.
Hold tip at 90 degrees, gently squeeze and pull up.
See picture below.

Leave area, about 4"x6," unfrosted. Using back of spoon, add blue frosting to uncovered area.  Once covered, make peaks with spoon. To make peaks, make "S" shaped design and then pull away at 45 degree angle.  It will resemble ways.
Add figurines wherever you see fit! For my details, see video below.Have fun and happy caking!!

How to Make a Quick and Easy Buttercream Mustache Cake

I finally got around to making a cake for one of the biggest trends right now....the mustache! 

I recently had a birthday party for my son Jase, who turned one, and my husband John. 

It was so much fun and it's such a cute theme for all ages!! 

Once I decided I was going to have a mustache bash and I picked out the cake design, I knew I wanted to do a tutorial and share it with you guys. The cake looks complicated but its actually very easy. It basically comes down to four steps: 

Step One: Bake cake in a round pan (any size you want)

Step Two: Cut a yin yang pattern into cake 

Step Three: Turn one side over and align pieces making the mustache design

Step Four: Frost cake 

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did and as always Happy Caking!! 

Tips to Make Scratch Baking & Decorating Easier

Over the years, I have had many conversations about baking and decorating cakes. Most people express to me their personal difficulties. The number one complaint seems to be lack of time. "I just don't have the time to bake." Even though I love baking, I too have uttered the same words every now and again. Between work, children, and attempting to have a personal life, most people can't afford to give away any more time than they already have.


Here are a few tips I personally use that help save precious time:


1. Pre-mix your dry ingredients for your cake recipe and store for later.
Store your dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, etc...) in large Ziploc bags and add your wet ingredients (eggs, butter, oil, extract) when you're ready to bake!!


2. Make your frosting and store it in the freezer until ready to use.
Store frosting in freezer friendly containers and defrost the morning you need it.

3. Pre dye your frosting or fondant at least a day before you need.
Not only will this save on time, the color will deepen as it sets in.


4. Avoid baking and decorating in the same day.
If you bake earlier in the day or even the day before you can save on the time waiting for the cake to completely cool necessary before you frost the cake.




I hope this helps and happy baking!!

Crusting Vanilla Buttercream Recipe

I decided to post this for all of those that watched my "How to Make a Camouflage Cake"
tutorial. All buttercream is not the same. It can be made so many different ways that it can be confusing at times. Buttercream is divided into two main categories; crusting and
non-crusting.  The following is a crusting buttercream recipe needed for the technique I
used in the tutorial.

Vanilla Buttercream
4 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract


Directions:
Mix butter and shortening together well, add vanilla extract, add powdered sugar one
cup at a time, until all blended .

How to Make a Army / Milatary Camouflage Cake

 I recently made a camouflage cake for a friend and I was surprised how easy it was to
make! I decided to make a quick and easy guide to follow!!

Tools Required

1. At least 3 piping bags filled with different colored CRUSTING buttercream

FYI: Crusting buttercream is frosting that will dry to the touch.

 2. High density foam roller and offset spatula

Step One: Crumb Coat Cake 

 Step Two: Make abstract patterns on cake

Make sure the same color of buttercream is never touching

Once complete let buttercream dry for five minutes.Don't worry if some of the white crumb coat shows from underneath. It won't when you're finished.

Step Three: Roll cake gently with foam roller until smooth

Do not stay on one area of the frosting too long. Over rolling the cake in one area will result
in the oils from the cake rising out of the frosting, making the foam roller wet. It make also
result in bleeding of one color into another. 

Step Four: Finish with the border of your choice

 

 

Watch my YouTube video for more instructions

Easy Holiday Cake Idea

Whenever I feel like baking something quick and easy, I always make cookie cakes!! It's a great addition to any party especially during the holiday season.

 

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Whipped Vanilla Frosting

White Chocolate Chips

 

Instructions

Step One: Preheat oven to 325 degrees, Press 2 cups of dough into 10 inch pan, Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Step Two: Melt white chocolate chips on lowest possible heat, dip knife into white chocolate and drizzle over cookie cake. 

Step Three: Fill zip lock bag with vanilla frosting, twist bag, cut the tip of the bag.

Step Four: Hold bag at a 45 degree angle pipe a ribbon border around cake (u pattern)   

Optional: Make poinsettia by making two intersecting cross patterns, decorate center with sprinkles luster pearls, or shimmering sugar...Enjoy!!