Finally around to posting the first cake in the quilted red heart pan….. in the spirit of the season.  Also, in the process of testing red velvet recipes…started with Rose’s.  I just love this pan.

CRenee,
Beautifully done! Your piping skills are impressive.

CRenee, your cake is lovely; your piping enhances the pattern of the cake beautifully!

Just beautiful! I have to go along with everyone else-excellent piping skills.

Does 1 recipe fit that pan or did you have to increase it?

The cake is beautiful, but I’m wondering if the quantity of frosting is sufficient?  Frosting clearly would tend to obscure the pattern of the cake, but most cake is rather bland without frosting.  Are we sacrificing eating experience for beauty here?

OMG!  Too cute!  I only have one pan that I’ve allowed myself to purchase once it’s available here (the Nordic Ware Hertiage Bundt pan)—but now I’m thinking I may have to add another to my list! 

@CharlesT:  I think a large piped rosette of frosting served with a slice of cake would balance both the aesthetics and taste.

Beautiful piping!!!!  So perfect for that pan!

most cake is rather bland without frosting

I dunno.  Sometimes I have a real struggle deciding which I like better.  I think both are pretty amazing.  This particular frosting pattern gives a great way to have a beautiful-looking cake, but to really enjoy the “cake bread” (as my friend’s son calls it) with light frosting “accents.”

  Thank you all on the compliment of the piping.  I think I am still very weak there, but am always challenged and encouraged by the work you do so I keep at it. 

Flour Girl, I used just one recipe of RHC Red Velvet.  It worked out perfectly.  I sprayed the pan with baking flour (Pillsbury) and then brushed it so it was not puddled or heavy in any spot.  As you can see came out nearly perfect. 

Charles, I agree in part.  Depending on the cake, more frosting is necessary….And, if it is Red Velvet I would have to figure out how to do it.  But as Sherrie says a piped rossette of frosting would help.  Also, there are some cakes where frosting is not used or desired…I do intend to test that.  Like pound cake.  And, of Rose’s recipes, I think Golden Almond is good with just a little frosting.  I also wonder how hard it would be to get a ganache glaze on this cake. 

Sherrie, that Heritage Bundt Pan is also in my Amazon wish list…. I really want that pan.  If I do not get it myself this year, perhaps next Christmas. 

Anne, there are many folks who prefer little or no frosting…especially those who have not enjoy IMBC or SMBC…. ha… because they do not know what they are missing. 

I look forward to doing a chocolate cake in this pan and coming up with some other design…but chocolate alone may suffice…. after all… chocolate

Renee—I agree.  I think Rose’s “cake bread” is especially delicious (and, by that, I mean any of her butter cakes, not just pound cakes and other cakes designed to be baked in bread pans). When hubby still ate cake, I’d always make a mini loaf so we could have slices of her cakes unfrosted.  Then I’d also make a mini one with frosting.  Both so good—hard to decide!!  I think you made the perfecdt “middle ground” design—assuming the “cake bread” of this particular cake is yummy.

Mmmmm, with chocolate, you could simply fill the “recevoir” with a nice salted caramel and then drizzle with chocolate.  Maybe pipe hazelnut neoclassic around the outside like you did in the 1st pic?

But, as you say, chocolate is quite happy all by its lonesome!

I don’t know if this would be appropriate for your cake but I have cake recipes which use sauces as an accompaniment, either on the side or around the cake. I actually have recipes for raspberry, strawberry or vanilla sauces which might work for you.

What about placing the cake in a bed of frosting?  Frosting on the bottom, in other words.

Gorgeous cake!  I’m amazed at how perfect both the crust of the cake and your piping are!   Looking forward to seeing the chocolate when you make that

I love chocolate cake without frosting, or cake (like the golden almond or golden lemon almond) with fruit instead of frosting.  Rose’s fruit purees (Cake Bible) make wonderful sauces.

And cake without frosting is great for breakfast! 

CharlesT - 11 February 2012 11:53 PM

What about placing the cake in a bed of frosting?  Frosting on the bottom, in other words.

That is creative…... I think that would be great.

Flour Girl - 11 February 2012 11:43 PM

I don’t know if this would be appropriate for your cake but I have cake recipes which use sauces as an accompaniment, either on the side or around the cake. I actually have recipes for raspberry, strawberry or vanilla sauces which might work for you.

that is an idea that will work for some flavors of cake.

What about placing the cake in a bed of frosting?  Frosting on the bottom, in other words.

I like this idea, too!  You could make the frosting in a heart shape on waxed paper and put nuts all over the top of it, and then refrigerate it.  When it’s hard, you could flip it over so the nuts are on the bottom, then let it thaw and put the cake on it.  This way, when you removed a piece of the cake, the nuts would prevent it (in theory) from sticking to the server!

Upside down chocolate cake!  Love it, CT!

Ooooooo this cake is so pretty! I love the pattern and how you chose to frost it. I agree a rosette of frosting served with it would be a great solution for those who would like more, and how pretty would that be?

At one time I worked in a restaurant that, depending upon the cake would either do a frosting smear on the plate, or sauce the plate and place the cake on top. Their plating was pretty and it worked well to allow the diner to pick up as much or as little as they wanted.