Welcome to our new "How to" series for anyone thinking about making their own (or a friend's) wedding cake.
Tip #1 - Make a check list.
Using your own creative talent to make your own dream cake, or create a gift for a loved one getting married, is a great idea. But there are some drawbacks, especially if you don't know what you're doing. To make sure your cake experience is stress-free, make a checklist of the following:
What sort of cake will you be making? You cake needs to be moist and delicious, but not squishy, as well as sturdy enough to stack, but not dry or crumbly.
How many guests? Is cake being served as dessert or after dessert? This will determine the number of tiers and their size.
What sort of filling? Some fillings, like fruit curds and compotes, need a dam around them to make sure they don't ooze out of the cake.
What tools do you need? At the very least, you'll need a turntable, metal spatula, cake boards, supports, and a scraper.
What sort of finish? Rustic styles and semi-naked cakes are popular for relaxed weddings, and super sharp edges are on trend right now. Do you have the tools and skills to achieve these finishes?
Buttercream, ganache, fondant? The final finish on your cake will depend on the look you're going for. It will also depend on the weather and how long your cake will be sitting out.
How will you support your cakes? A tall single tier or any multi tier cake needs supports (dowels or straws) and boards between each cake, to keep them from collapsing under the weight.
Which flowers are you using? Make sure your fresh flowers come from a reputable source, are cake safe, wrapped and wired so they don't contaminate your cake. Even fake flowers need to be wrapped if they're being inserted into the cake. Some flowers are poisonous, so they're best to avoid at all costs (including baby's breath and hydrangeas).
How will you transport it? A finished wedding cake is heavy and often tall, some cake artists deliver them in two or three pieces and assemble them on site. All cakes need to be boxed and if it's a warm day or a long drive, some sort of cool packs will be needed to.
Who signs for it? When you arrive at the venue, you need to ensure the correct person signs for delivery, and that it's set up in a suitable place and won't be moved at all before serving.
Have you got time to set up? Setting up your cake, stacking tiers and placing flowers can take an hour. Make sure you leave enough time for any delays and quick fixes.
Who is serving the cake? If at a wedding venue, make sure you provide serving and storage instructions for the kitchen or whoever will be serving your cake. They need to know how to cut it so they get the number of serving sizes required.
Is it safe? Warm weather, cross contamination, allergies and storage all have the potential to make people sick. That's not a great look at a wedding. Make sure you've considered all of these and are following a safe and simple food plan to ensure your cake is safe to eat.
Come back for more tips. Over the next few months, we'll explore each of these points on your checklist and walk you through everything you need to know.
Tip #1 - Make a check list.
Using your own creative talent to make your own dream cake, or create a gift for a loved one getting married, is a great idea. But there are some drawbacks, especially if you don't know what you're doing. To make sure your cake experience is stress-free, make a checklist of the following:
What sort of cake will you be making? You cake needs to be moist and delicious, but not squishy, as well as sturdy enough to stack, but not dry or crumbly.
How many guests? Is cake being served as dessert or after dessert? This will determine the number of tiers and their size.
What sort of filling? Some fillings, like fruit curds and compotes, need a dam around them to make sure they don't ooze out of the cake.
What tools do you need? At the very least, you'll need a turntable, metal spatula, cake boards, supports, and a scraper.
What sort of finish? Rustic styles and semi-naked cakes are popular for relaxed weddings, and super sharp edges are on trend right now. Do you have the tools and skills to achieve these finishes?
Buttercream, ganache, fondant? The final finish on your cake will depend on the look you're going for. It will also depend on the weather and how long your cake will be sitting out.
How will you support your cakes? A tall single tier or any multi tier cake needs supports (dowels or straws) and boards between each cake, to keep them from collapsing under the weight.
Which flowers are you using? Make sure your fresh flowers come from a reputable source, are cake safe, wrapped and wired so they don't contaminate your cake. Even fake flowers need to be wrapped if they're being inserted into the cake. Some flowers are poisonous, so they're best to avoid at all costs (including baby's breath and hydrangeas).
How will you transport it? A finished wedding cake is heavy and often tall, some cake artists deliver them in two or three pieces and assemble them on site. All cakes need to be boxed and if it's a warm day or a long drive, some sort of cool packs will be needed to.
Who signs for it? When you arrive at the venue, you need to ensure the correct person signs for delivery, and that it's set up in a suitable place and won't be moved at all before serving.
Have you got time to set up? Setting up your cake, stacking tiers and placing flowers can take an hour. Make sure you leave enough time for any delays and quick fixes.
Who is serving the cake? If at a wedding venue, make sure you provide serving and storage instructions for the kitchen or whoever will be serving your cake. They need to know how to cut it so they get the number of serving sizes required.
Is it safe? Warm weather, cross contamination, allergies and storage all have the potential to make people sick. That's not a great look at a wedding. Make sure you've considered all of these and are following a safe and simple food plan to ensure your cake is safe to eat.
Come back for more tips. Over the next few months, we'll explore each of these points on your checklist and walk you through everything you need to know.
Unicorn addicts unite
Unicorns are still as popular as ever, if out cake orders, classes and parties are aN indication.
our unicorn cakes come in DiFferent Sizes, colours and themes. We make lots of pretty ones but our goth and harry potter versions are popular too.
Our Unicorn cake class was a huge hit this month. You Can hold your own prIvate unicorn class, get a group of six or more together and emAil us to check dates.
Our cupcake parties are Great fUn for kids of all ageS. Find out about party packages and prices.
And our unicorn cupcakes are dreamy from $55 a dozen, you can choose your colours and flaVours.
email us to Book or find out More
CAKEITFORWARDNZ@GMAIL.COM
our unicorn cakes come in DiFferent Sizes, colours and themes. We make lots of pretty ones but our goth and harry potter versions are popular too.
Our Unicorn cake class was a huge hit this month. You Can hold your own prIvate unicorn class, get a group of six or more together and emAil us to check dates.
Our cupcake parties are Great fUn for kids of all ageS. Find out about party packages and prices.
And our unicorn cupcakes are dreamy from $55 a dozen, you can choose your colours and flaVours.
email us to Book or find out More
CAKEITFORWARDNZ@GMAIL.COM
Momofuku milk bar cake - my vegan take
I just finished binge watching Chef’s Table on Netflix and I may have watched the Christina Tosi edpisode 3 or 4 times. It’s a visually stunning series, but this episode is mesmerising - cookies, crack pie and this birthday cake, I had to make it. I also had to eat it and I’m on a plant-based diet so I adapted Christina Tosi’s recipe to come up with this vegan version. Layers of cake, soaked in vanilla milk, smothered in buttercream and sprinkled with crunchy crumbs.
Cookie crumb
1/2 cup of sugar
1 & 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons sprinkles (vegan)
1/4 cup canola oil
Mix together, sprinkle on a baking sheet, bake for 15
mins in moderate oven.
Sprinkle cake
115g non-dairy spread (Olivio)
1 and 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 ripe mashed bananas
1/2 cup soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sprinkles
Cream butter and sugars, beat in bananas, oil, vanilla and milk. Sift baking powder, flour and salt, mix into wet ingredients for 60 seconds. Stir in sprinkles. Bake in 3 8” lined tins at 160 for 20-30 minutes.
Frosting
1/2 cup Aquafaba (the brine from canned chickpeas)
1/2kg icing sugar
1 tablespoon glucose syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
100g vegetable shortening
Whip the aquafaba for two minutes, add the icing sugar and whip for 5 minutes. Add glucose and vanilla and whip for another minute, add softened vegetable shortening and whip for a further 2 minutes.
Vanilla milk
1/2 cup soy milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
mix together
Assembling
Wrap the base of a spring form tin with cling film, and put the base and ring together. Layer the first cake in the base of the tin, brush on a third of the vanilla milk, cover with a third of the frosting, sprinkle on a third of the crumbs, repeat until the top is frosted, sprinkle on the remaining crumbs and pipe 8 rosettes.
Makes 8 huge or 16 sensible slices
Cookie crumb
1/2 cup of sugar
1 & 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons sprinkles (vegan)
1/4 cup canola oil
Mix together, sprinkle on a baking sheet, bake for 15
mins in moderate oven.
Sprinkle cake
115g non-dairy spread (Olivio)
1 and 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 ripe mashed bananas
1/2 cup soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sprinkles
Cream butter and sugars, beat in bananas, oil, vanilla and milk. Sift baking powder, flour and salt, mix into wet ingredients for 60 seconds. Stir in sprinkles. Bake in 3 8” lined tins at 160 for 20-30 minutes.
Frosting
1/2 cup Aquafaba (the brine from canned chickpeas)
1/2kg icing sugar
1 tablespoon glucose syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
100g vegetable shortening
Whip the aquafaba for two minutes, add the icing sugar and whip for 5 minutes. Add glucose and vanilla and whip for another minute, add softened vegetable shortening and whip for a further 2 minutes.
Vanilla milk
1/2 cup soy milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
mix together
Assembling
Wrap the base of a spring form tin with cling film, and put the base and ring together. Layer the first cake in the base of the tin, brush on a third of the vanilla milk, cover with a third of the frosting, sprinkle on a third of the crumbs, repeat until the top is frosted, sprinkle on the remaining crumbs and pipe 8 rosettes.
Makes 8 huge or 16 sensible slices
best chocolate cake ever
I’m a firm believer that if you’re doing something that works, keep doing it. It still amazes me that people rave about my cakes. I know they look great, but it’s always great to hear people say they’re the best tasting cakes they’ve ever tasted. So I’m going to let you in on a secret - I almost always use the same recipe - Chelsea Winter’s Crazy Italian Chocolate Cake. It tastes great and it’s super easy - so here’s the recipe:
1 and 1/2 cup flour
1 and 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups cooled coffee or water
Preheat oven to 160, grease 2 8” tins with baking spray.
Measure dry ingredients into mixing bowl, stir, then add wet ingredients and mix in electric mixer or hand mixer for 2 minutes.
Pour into prepared tins, bake for 20-30 mins (they’re ready when they spring back if you push the centre). Let cook in tin then turn out, glad wrap and freeze until the day you decorate. Easy! Thanks Chelsea :)
1 and 1/2 cup flour
1 and 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups cooled coffee or water
Preheat oven to 160, grease 2 8” tins with baking spray.
Measure dry ingredients into mixing bowl, stir, then add wet ingredients and mix in electric mixer or hand mixer for 2 minutes.
Pour into prepared tins, bake for 20-30 mins (they’re ready when they spring back if you push the centre). Let cook in tin then turn out, glad wrap and freeze until the day you decorate. Easy! Thanks Chelsea :)
cake it forward is one
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since I made my first Cake it Forward cake for a special girl turning 8 and into Frozen.
By chance I had contacted the Prison Fellowship Trust after talking to my mum and daughter about how we’d like to spread the love and make cakes for kids who don’t have much. That was the start of my Angel Tree work, making cakes for kids with a parent in prison. From there friends and family were keen to support me and offered to buy cakes and contribute to the cost of donated cakes. And wow things just took off. Last week Seven Sharp ran a story on Cake it Forward and this week I got to make a 9th birthday cake for that same special girl. I’m so proud of everything that’s happened this past year, it’s been hard losing my mum six weeks ago after seven months visiting her everyday in hospital care, but I know she’s looking down on me and feeling proud too.
By chance I had contacted the Prison Fellowship Trust after talking to my mum and daughter about how we’d like to spread the love and make cakes for kids who don’t have much. That was the start of my Angel Tree work, making cakes for kids with a parent in prison. From there friends and family were keen to support me and offered to buy cakes and contribute to the cost of donated cakes. And wow things just took off. Last week Seven Sharp ran a story on Cake it Forward and this week I got to make a 9th birthday cake for that same special girl. I’m so proud of everything that’s happened this past year, it’s been hard losing my mum six weeks ago after seven months visiting her everyday in hospital care, but I know she’s looking down on me and feeling proud too.
cAke class #2
We had an amazing time at our Mother’s Day cake class, making gold painted cakes for our mum’s.
I was blown away by how quickly these superstars picked up stacking, filling, crumb coating, upside down ganaching and finishing off with gold paint and faux flowers.
Well done ladies!
I was blown away by how quickly these superstars picked up stacking, filling, crumb coating, upside down ganaching and finishing off with gold paint and faux flowers.
Well done ladies!
Wellington wedding Show
The key to a stress-free wedding is getting everything booked early so you can relax and look forward to your big day.
We had a blast at the Wellington Wedding Show on 6 May, meeting brides, grooms, besties and mums. Super busy, but friendly and relaxed at the same time. Our pink champagne cake with Swiss meringue strawberry champagne buttercream was a huge hit!
We’ve started to take bookings for the 2018/19 and 2019/20 wedding season. Send us a message to book in for your cake tasting and consultation.
We had a blast at the Wellington Wedding Show on 6 May, meeting brides, grooms, besties and mums. Super busy, but friendly and relaxed at the same time. Our pink champagne cake with Swiss meringue strawberry champagne buttercream was a huge hit!
We’ve started to take bookings for the 2018/19 and 2019/20 wedding season. Send us a message to book in for your cake tasting and consultation.
cake Decorating Classes
I am so enormously proud after or first Cake School class yesterday. These ladies (youngest was nearly 12) learnt how to make gumpaste accessories, cut and fill their layers, crumb coat and cover their cakes and pipe beautiful rosettes. Well done team, so much fun!
latest creations
Our buy-the-slice and pre-order weekly specials are selling like hot cakes. Our Caramilk creation went viral (20k Facebook views) and people were lining up to get a slice. This week it’s Snickers Overload on the cabinet, be quick to grab a slice or get in touch to pre-order a whole cake.
Make sure you're following us on Facebook and Instagram to see our latest creations and promotions.
Make sure you're following us on Facebook and Instagram to see our latest creations and promotions.
cake it forward
Whenever you order a cake from us, you help us Cake it Forward, we donate cakes and funds to great causes (see About Us).
This month we're making birthday cakes for six Angel Tree kids, thanks to everyone who ordered in last month, you make this all possible.
In February you helped us to donate $160 to Hutt City Women's Refuge through our Valentine's Day cakes sales. Thank you!
This month we're making birthday cakes for six Angel Tree kids, thanks to everyone who ordered in last month, you make this all possible.
In February you helped us to donate $160 to Hutt City Women's Refuge through our Valentine's Day cakes sales. Thank you!