Cake Questions: Real Baking with Rose Levy Beranbaum

Update Nov 2007: Have a new question? You should visit the new Cake Questions section of the forum, or the more recent blog entry, Cake Questions Too.

Jessica Question:
Hi!

I live in Australia and decorate cakes for friends and family. I just discovered an old copy of your book the cake bible in my local library. I think its great so I have looked up your site. I was just wondering if the book has been revised and updated since first being published? I notice that mud cakes are not covered at all in the book I borrowed and there are some other modern things missing too. Anyway I know you're busy so thanks for your time. Keep up the good work.

Rose Reply:
thank you for asking. in fact, the first revision of the cake bible has just come out but i haven’t added any new cakes. what i revised was the equipment and ingredient sources, how to adjust batter for the more current pan sizes that are 2 inches high instead of 1-1/2 inches, and the chocolate sections because people don’t talk chocolate brand anymore, they talk percentage of chocolate mass!

i am, at the present time, working on a comprehensive four color cake book for wiley which will be out in the next two or three years and it will include some of the newer cakes.

Cheryl Question:
Is it possible to attach ribbons made from fondant around the bottom edges of the tiers of a buttercream frosted wedding cake? How and at what point in assembly would you attach them? Thanks.

Rose Reply:
the answer is yes! i would apply them after the cake is assembled. they will stick to the buttercream so you should have no problem holding them in place.

Stacey Question:
What is the difference between your "favorite yellow cake" in this blog and the yellow cake in the Cake Bible in terms of taste and texture? Also, I recently made a French buttercream that tasted like a bowl of butter and a powdered sugar and butter frosting that tasted like pure sugar. What is the best vanilla frosting to use for cupcakes?

Rose Reply:
my favorite yellow cake on the blog is the same as the one in the cake bible. i put it in because i wanted everyone to have it even if they didn’t have the book.

not everyone likes french buttercream. some people prefer the sugary, slightly gritty texture of powdered sugar buttercream to the satiny texture of the french variety. in any case, it’s going to taste like butter and sugar because that’s what it is. but it should also be flavored with pure vanilla extract. and of course there are many possible additions to buttercream such as coffee, orange, praline….

Melvin Question:
thanks for writing. i made the cheese cake but i was a little lose the next day i used low fat cream cheese was that a mistake? or should i have cook longer? thanks

Rose Reply:
i strongly advise against using low fat products in baking. they will adversely affect both taste and texture. better to cut smaller servings!

Rene Question:
Dear Rose,

I love baking and always have. And now I have the priviledge of helping a young woman, who is like a sister to me, with her wedding cakes. Unfortunately what she wants is a fair distance out of my league. I am hoping very much that you might be able to answer a couple of questions for me.

A single cake, I could do. What she wants to have one cake on each table, which turns out to be about 40 individual creations. (Ouch.) She is hoping for 2 tier cakes (around 8 and 6 inches.) We are tentatively planning 7 different designs with fillings including everything from dacquois to conserves.

It is the sheer volume that puts me out of my depth. It means that everything must be done as far ahead as possiblem, which I have very little experience with. I usually serve my cakes as soon after I make them as possible. Your Cake Bible is helping me a lot because it has so much information about storing each of the components. I am just trying to work out some logistics.

Is it better to prepare the components, store them individually and then put them together as close to the wedding date as possible OR is it better to put the cakes together and store them (for as long as 4, even 5 months?) ready to be decorated? Or could we even decorate them so they are ready to be tiered and finished? I really don't know.

I could just not begin to thank you enough for any guidance you could give me. I love this girl and want to do everything possible to help her wedding day be just the way she dreams of it. I just don't know how the best way to organize this size of a baking project.

Since I am here writing, I have a side question: what is your experience with using flower petals IN your cakes and buttercreams. I have seen these recipes, but have not tried them. Are they a pleasant suprise? Or more novelty, less than delicious?

Thank you, by the way, for all of the help your books have given me in pursuing my favorite hobby. :) Now that I know you have a blog, I look forward to enjoying that too. :)

Sincerely,

Rose Reply:
you are a saint!!! most professional bakeries when they make cakes ahead store the layers unfrosted in the freezer (well-wrapped). but this may be bc this gives them the option to use them with different buttercreams as the orders come in. but it is also easier to wrap an unfrosted cake. to freeze a frosted layer you would have to freeze it first and wrap it after the buttercream has set. so probably the best approach is to freeze the layers.

when you make cakes ahead, it is helpful to use a little simply syrup sprinkled on the layers to keep them from drying.

we all hope you will send a photo of this massive undertaking so we can post it to the blog!

re the flower petals, i don’t imagine they would offer much in terms of flavor or in texture. there are wonderful extracts such as the rose syrup carried by la cuisine in alexandria.

From the kitchen of Rose on 11.30.05 at 4:49 PM in Cake Questions

Comments

Patrincia:
I piped the roses with a flower nail, first piping a central cone. I don't find that it takes all that long, especially since I'm only doing a few flowers. (When using the mbc, the center cone is very soft, and the flower moves around a lot while I work...but they came out just great!) I also pipe the roses at the dining table...away from the kitchen...and away from the heat.

Reply to this Posted by: Bill | November 4, 2007 8:04 AM #

bill it seems that no matter what happens you always come up smelling like a rose! that's really horrifying to have lost batter and scale to a sink of soapy water but so good of you not to disappoint the family.

Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 3, 2007 9:18 PM #

kalustian in ny and mail order sells grated and flaked coconut. i've never seen chocolate curls for sale but you could try googling.

Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 3, 2007 9:13 PM #

Hi Nushera - I tried making them again on a pointed plastic fondant tool. The plastic was very slippery and I had a bit of trouble turning it in my hand. And like you, I found the buttercream slid a bit. I haven't tried the dowel yet... that will be next.

Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | November 3, 2007 9:56 AM #

Hi Patrincia- today i tried to pipe roses on pencil(leadless) and ballpoint pen(inkless), they seemed to "slip down" slightly. then experimentally took a dough hook from the hand mixer and piped on the straight end- those were the best and quickest. and i am sure theMBC must be chilled for a couple of minutes if piping this way, ie, without the center-cone.

Reply to this Posted by: nushera | November 2, 2007 11:50 PM #

Oops, a 1 1/2 lb coconut will yield 3 3/4 CUPS of grated coconut.

Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | November 2, 2007 8:26 PM #

Hi Tara - I don't know if anyone else can tell you where to find shaved coconut, or white chocolate curls.

Have you ever covered a cake with white chocolate shavings or curls before? The white chocolate melts very quickly in your hands, so I've found it's easier to scoop and press the chocolate with an offset spatula (but it's a bit awkward and time consuming).

You can easily shave coconut using a vegetable peeler or mandoline slicer. Page 352 of the cake bible says a 1 1/2 lb coconut will yield 3 3/4 of grated coconut (10.5 ounces/300 grams). I would think you might get a large volume if you shaved instead of grated. The fresh coconut can be refrigerated for a week, or frozen for up to a year.

Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | November 2, 2007 8:24 PM #

Oh no Bill..... I'm so sorry about your cake disaster, and I'm even more sorry you lost your scale in the process. I nearly had a heart attach today when I discovered my kitchen scale was missing... one of the kids had borrowed it for her science experiment and forgot to return it (shew!). Maybe there's a silver lining to your story - a possible upgrade to one of Rose's favorite My Weigh scales???

I tried making the Mousseline buttercream roses on a pencil like the ones in the video that Nushera shared with us. I really don't like the idea of building a rose right there on the pencil lead, so I covered it with plastic wrap (I know, it's not real lead). Anyway, let's just say it did NOT work out for me. I've done roses before, but I think my kitchen was a bit too warm after cooking and baking all day, because my rose petals kept drooping down immediately after I piped them. Also, the plastic wrap did tend to get in my way a bit. Anyway, maybe a sharpened dowel would work??? I'll have to experiment some more and report back.

Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | November 2, 2007 7:59 PM #

I am going to be making a wedding cake for New Year's Eve. The cake that was chosen was featured in a Martha Stewart's Wedding magazine; it's covered in coconut. The bride is not sure if she wants to go with coconut or white chocolate curls. It's going to be a rather large cake and I have been looking on the internet for places that would have shaved coconut (not shredded). As well I'm wondering if there is a place that sells chocolate already in curls that you may know of. Time is an issue, that's why I'm looking to buy either the coconut or chocolate ready to use. I would appreciate any advice. FYI I love the 'Cake Bible'; it's my very favorite cook book (& I have many cook books)! Thanks, Tara

Reply to this Posted by: Tara | November 2, 2007 7:57 PM #

Oh...and when I did finally get the chocolate cake iced with the mouseline buttercream I was just too tired to make some decorators butter cream to do the roses that everyone in my family expects on birthday cakes...so...it says in TCB that the mouselline can be used to pipe roses...I actually didn't think I could do it because it seems so soft to me. Anyway...I added a little paste food color to the left over mouselline...loaded my pastry bag...and piped the most beautiful roses...I was shocked at how well it holds it's shape. Rose...thanks again for your amazing books.

Reply to this Posted by: Bill | November 2, 2007 5:12 PM #

I also thought I'd relay my most recent cake disaster. I was asked to do two birthday cakes for my nephews...their birthdays are 2 weeks apart and there was to be one party for the two. There would be a Carrot cake for one and a chocolate butter cake with mousseline buttercream for the other. The party was set for last sunday. I did the carrot cake on Friday night (it keeps really well) and saved the chocolate for saturday. I overslept saturday morning...had to work during the day...so the chocolate cake got pushed off until saturday evening...the night before the party. I didn't actually get to it until after 11 PM...and my kitchen was still a mess from dinner. I decided to get the cake in the oven and then do the dinner dishes and cake bowls and utensils together. I had the batter done and was weighing it into the pans, when the whole thing...pans, scale, bowl of batter fell into my sink filled with Soapy water AHHHHHHHHHHHH! I had to start over...praying i had enough cocoa and vanilla (which I did). My scale was ruined and I had to use measuring cups. By the time I finished the cake (including the decorations), cleaned the kitchen and wrapped the presents it was 6 AM...slept for about 4 hrs and went to the party. The cakes- Yum! but I was beat.

Reply to this Posted by: Bill | November 2, 2007 5:02 PM #

Hi Bill. It is fantastic! I've never covered the Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte with Creme Ivoire, but since the torte is chilled for a few hours, I can understand why you had some trouble with the Creme Ivoire firming up so quickly - btw, great way to overcome that little bump in the road!

I made the Golden Almond Cake today (pg 37) - I had forgotten how truly moist and delicious it was.

Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | November 2, 2007 3:43 PM #

To Hector, Patrincia and Sabrina:

Thanks for all your input! So here is how it went with the oblivion Truffle Torte. First of all...this is the first time I made this recipe. It was simple, fast, and came out perfectly! Next was the Creme Ivoire. I've never done this either...I'm wondering if it was too cold in the room...or if I didn't put enough oil in (perhaps I measured wrong) because I had some trouble with it firming up too fast. So...I turned on my oven for a few seconds...just to warm it a little, placed the cake, with the setting creme ivoire on it in the oven...waited a few seconds, took it out, and swirled the icing with a spatula...I gave up on the idea of glazing...it looked lovely and tased amazing! Definitely a keeper!

Reply to this Posted by: Bill | November 2, 2007 2:52 PM #

prot, i've heard that soy milk works as a substitute for whole milk but have not tried it myself so i guess you'll need to experiment. but do report back as i'm sure many people would benefit.

Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | October 31, 2007 5:12 PM #

7 pm, leave the winter clothes!

Reply to this Posted by: Hector | October 30, 2007 6:28 PM #

Hector - What time shall we arrive for Thanksgiving Dinner? :)

Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | October 30, 2007 6:04 PM #

ok, ok, here is more of Hector's current project!

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/thanksgiving/Rose-s-Celebrations.html

Reply to this Posted by: Hector | October 30, 2007 5:53 PM #

That Hector... He's a Keeper!!! :)

Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | October 30, 2007 5:11 PM #

Joan, thank you!

Reply to this Posted by: Hector | October 30, 2007 4:25 PM #

Hi Hector - You know, I read these comments every day, and seldom say anything, but it is always with awe that I enjoy your remarkable insight and empathic comments. I am amazed, I laugh and giggle, and am just thoroughly impressed with the way you handle your expertise. Today is just one of those days I pop up to say so, such a pleasing interchange with Bill re crumb coating the bottom vs. the top. Regards, joan

Reply to this Posted by: Joan | October 30, 2007 3:44 PM #

Reply to this Posted by: Joan | October 30, 2007 3:43 PM #

Hector and Patrincia:
Thanks! Perhaps I'll spread a thin layer of the white chocolate butter cream...let it firm in the fridge, and then pour the glaze over for a smooth finish. Thanks to everyone for your help. It looks really yummy...serving it tomorrow.

Reply to this Posted by: Bill | October 30, 2007 2:11 PM #

Sabrina;
Thanks! I'm looking forward to it.

Bill

Reply to this Posted by: Bill | October 30, 2007 2:05 PM #

Hi Bill, I actually did just this last week (if it is the oblivion truffle you are talking about). It worked just fine, I glazed it upside down and didn't do any preliminary coating. I only did one coat as I was just playing around, and you could see through it just a bit in a few spots, but with two coats of glaze I think it would produce a nice off-white coating. It was a delicious combination!

Reply to this Posted by: Sabrina | October 30, 2007 1:57 PM #

Hi Bill - Are you talking about the chocolate oblivion truffle torte? If so, you shouldn't have any crumb issues, so "bottoms up" to you! :)

(my only concern is that the white chocolate glaze won't be thick or opaque enough to cover the dark brown chocolate color of the torte - it might look a bit translucent)

Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | October 30, 2007 1:43 PM #

Hi Bill, good question. Sure you can, but may I suggest you crumb coat it first with a thin layer of your glaze (with a spatula) to moist proof it, then you pour your glaze. See, the bottom of the cake is way more porous than the crusted top, and it could soak up glaze instead of letting it run fluid.

Reply to this Posted by: Hector | October 30, 2007 1:28 PM #

Hi bloggers. I've got a question, and since Rose is away, I'm hoping someone will know the answer. Last night I baked (and I've forgotten the name of the cake in The cake bible) but it is the flourless chocolate torte-type cake where you fold the egg foam into the melted chocolate/butter. The instructions in the recipe tell you to invert the cake to take it out of the pan and then re-invert right side up to serve. I am planning on glazing this cake with white chocolate glaze. The top of the cake, although flat, is a little lumpy (I didn't smooth it out completely...I thought in the oven it would smooth out more than it did). Since the top is essentially flat, is there any reason why I can't glaze the cake upside down...to get a smoother surface for the glaze? I don't think it will crack since the cake is essentially flat...but I'm not sure. Any ideas?

Reply to this Posted by: Bill | October 30, 2007 1:21 PM #

Gordon - a couple of reasons for your cracked top might be:
overmixed batter, oven too hot, cake baked too long, or it might have been placed too high in the oven.

Andrea - I like gas on top, and electric in the oven.

Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | October 29, 2007 4:45 PM #

Gordon, this may also help:

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2005/11/rounded_vs_flat_cake_layers.html

Reply to this Posted by: Hector | October 29, 2007 3:57 PM #

Gordon, what you describe is most likely caused by improper oven temperature. Did you verify your oven temperature with an oven thermometer? Too cold, too hot? Did you bake at the middle rack?

Also, the Chocolate Cake Domingo is a very wet cake, perhaps you over baked?

Reply to this Posted by: Hector | October 29, 2007 3:52 PM #

On 10/27/07 I wrote asking a question about a problem I had with the Chocolate Cake Domingo but the question listed under my name is about gas/electric ovens. Don't know how this happened but I would like to know why my Domingo cake split into three large parts, from center out, and took over 40 minutes at 350 to bake?

Reply to this Posted by: Gordon | October 29, 2007 3:36 PM #

Reply to this Posted by: Gordon | October 29, 2007 3:35 PM #

hello Rose.
i wonder if i could use soy milk to substitute milk when i bake a cake or bread. For sure it'll came out with diffrent smell (i think) but would it work? maybe it has less fat..?
the area i live i also could easily get Job's Tears Cereal milk and a lots more like corn milk, rice milk ect.

is there a trick or a guide, if i'd like to do experiment on these milk? so i could waste less food!

thank you so much in advance.
prot srimekhanond

Reply to this Posted by: prot srimekhanond | October 29, 2007 2:49 PM #

Electric ovens are preferred for home baking, they heat faster and are more even than gas.

However I do prefer gas because gas is way more cheaper than electricity in Hawaii! and I do line with tiles and preheat my oven for hours and bake for hours, too.

But if I try to toast, roast or bake, something quick in my gas oven, forget it, it just takes too long to get ready.

For stove top, gas is preferred than electric because gas burners are easy to control temperature and don't have residual heat, but for boiling water electric is much faster. Also with gas stove top you need to have a good exhaust hood. Try induction stove, too! My ideal stove is 2 gas burners, 2 electric, and 2 induction.

Reply to this Posted by: Hector | October 29, 2007 12:04 PM #

I was just wondering... Which is better for baking, Gas or Electric?

We have been talking about redoing our kitchen for a while. I have always used gas for both stovetop and baking, and I find that electric stovetop cooking gives the air a metallic taste, so I avoid it at all costs. However, I am considering installing a double oven to accomadate the amount of cooking and baking that I do, but all I can find is electric.

Reply to this Posted by: Andrea | October 29, 2007 9:41 AM #

I tried the Chocolate Cake Domingo. Followed instructions to the letter. Cake split three ways at the center came out looking something like Grand Canyon. Cake took longer than 40 minutes to bake, cracks started opening at about 35 minutes. What happened?

Reply to this Posted by: Gordon Rockhill | October 27, 2007 7:19 PM #

Thanks, Matthew - I found the posts you were talking about, and will try the recipe this weekend!
Chris

Reply to this &n

Real Baking with Rose Levy Beranbaum

This scratch baking blog, featuring baker and cookbook author Rose Levy Beranbaum, is an online journal of Rose’s baking adventures, cooking tips, and scratch recipes. Her cookbooks include Bread Bible, Pie and Pastry Bible, Rose’s Christmas Cookies, Passion for Chocolate and The Cake Bible.

Cake Questions

Comments