I baked the Apple-Cinnamon Crumb Cake in RHC. I made the variation using frozen peaches sliced thin. I drizzled a glaze of confectioner’s sugar moistened with heavy cream over a cold cake.

We think this cake is fabulous.

I intended to post this in the equipment section because this is really a request for help in choosing a cake knife. As you can see from the picture of my slice, the bread knife I am using mangled my cake.

Does anyone use a special knife to get sharp, clean edges on their slices?

The knife I used is a 10 inch serrated bread knife. I think the cake plate might have had something to do with the problem because the edges turn upward.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Thank you

Hi, FG!

That looks scrumptious!  I’ll bet peaches are especially good with your glaze!

The knife I use is a non-serrated blade, and it works really well.  It’s very sharp.  It’s also very cheap.  It’s a Rada knife—at the time, they were sold by fundraisers, etc., but I think you might be able to at least order them online.  They are so incredibly cheap, you can’t go wrong.  Also, they’re so amazingly sharp you have to really watch yourself—I cut the bejesus out of my thumb once.  I’ve never had to sharpen mine and, because it’s so dirt cheap, I never worry about using it on this surface or that surface like I do my expensive (and less useful) knives.

Next time I take a cake pic, I’ll get it in the picture.

Once again, gorgeous cake!!!!

—ak

That looks soooo good!  Do you have a preference between the peach and apple version?

As for cutting the cake, a sharp serrated knife and a cold cake produce the cleanest cuts.  Perhaps if you wriggle the knife between nubs of the crunchy topping, rather than trying to cut through them, that might help as well.

Thanks Julie. I actually prefer the peach. I think the peaches might be a little softer and blends in better with the cake. We love the apple too but the peach is surprisingly incredible, really. I will try to wiggle the knife next time. I also think the bottom of the cake plate contributed to the massacre. If you can see in the picture, the bottom is flared up. I think I will put the cake on a flat surface, such as a cardboard next time, and see if that works better.

Which length knife do you suggest? I have a 10” bread knife but I am looking around for a 12” serrated cake knife.

I made the blueberry variation last night before reading this post.  How great to have a heads up on the knife issue.  I also found that the sharp knife produced a better cleaner slice.

I love the blueberry cake variation too.

I definitely need to get a sharper knife.  The taste is not diminished at all but I prefer not to serve a slice that looks like it was sat on

Flour Girl - 17 July 2011 10:06 AM

Which length knife do you suggest? I have a 10” bread knife but I am looking around for a 12” serrated cake knife.

When I’m serving off a plate with a lip, I put the tip of the knife into the center of the cake first, pushing it down to the bottom of the cake so that the knife is at something like 45 degress to the plate, rather than parallel to it.  Then bring it towards the outside edge with a small up/down sawing motion. 

I have a cake server with one edge that is serrated, and then a small serrated knife, maybe only the length of my hand.  I do have a large serrated knife but I only use that for torting layers.

Oooooh! That is where I went wrong. I was holding the knife parrallel. I never thought to hold it at an angle. I think I remember the 10” knife I was using ‘clinking’ on the plate’s rim as I was cutting it. I have short serrate knives to use. Thank you! You just saved me some money!!