Hello!  Here is my first wedding cake, if you don’t count a few sheet cakes I did 15 years ago for one wedding.  They wanted 150 cupcakes and a small three tier cake, but the night before called and were worried there wouldn’t be enough, so we doubled the size of the cake.  A little stressful, but turned out to be ok.

The cake is from a mix (sorry) but the icing is white chocolate mousseline buttercream…the most fabulous icing on earth.  (Mousseline in general)

Yes, those are foil doilies on the corners of the bottom tier…I originally made a really nice cake board with them for the smaller cake, and didn’t want to waste them.

Thanks to everyone on this forum, it’s great.

JuliC

The cake looks really good. The silver doilies are very creative. Isn’t mousseline the best buttercream? You HAVE to try Rose’s cake recipes the next time. They are absolutely wonderful!!!!!!!!!! Did you use the cake mix for the cupcakes as well?

Thanks Rozanne.  The cupcakes were mix as well.  I think I need to start off smaller with the from scratch cake baking.  I make bread from scratch, but not cake yet.

They doubled the size of the cake the night before the wedding???  Wow… you are superwoman!  Great Job!

How creative… and beautiful.  I can’t believe they called you the night before and asked you to double the cake! You deserve a medal for carrying it off ...and for doing it so well.

WOW! Great job! I am shocked that they doubled the size of the cake night before, though. You must truly love them to accomodate that request.
But usually wedding cake portions are small and people rarely run out - I first read this in Rose’s book (wedding cake chapter) and then found it to be generally true at most weddings, but not for some of the cakes I have served at weddings!
I am just curious, though, was there a lot of cake leftover?

love the silver doilies!

cake looks even and nice height.

NO to cake mix.

From-scratch cakes are so delicious, do give them a try. I agree with you, best to start small and work up.

I forgot to mention that the top two tiers were filled with raspberry (Raspberries mixed with all fruit) and also 75 of the cupcakes, which is why some cupcakes have purple flowers.

Thanks everyone for your kind words.  I am going to try and bake my mom a real cake this weekend for her birthday.  I bought some baking soda and baking powder a week ago, and I have been hoarding butter.

WHen I first started decorating 15 years or so ago, I worked for TCBY and everyone I did was pre-made, I just had to assemble the frozen cake, slather it with icing in a tub, and go from there.

When I started teaching Wilton, and thus began making a lot more cake, I also had to get quite a bit of new equipment, re-learn a lot of my techniques and also how to use professional pans and such.  None of which I ever had to do before. 

If it weren’t for Rose’s moussline, the cake would have whipped icing from a box mix on it!  So have patience with me Hector!  That from-scratch cake will probably rear its head this weekend and I will make sure to take plenty of pics.

Baby steps ... when I was a new bride I only did boxed cake mixes and canned frostings.  I can’t imagine doing that now, but it took a few years before I got to the point.  The Cake Bible is the best teacher on the subject… you’ll love the results.

All of my most adventurous cakes, (well, since becoming a Mom) involved boxed mixes and canned icing.  But the audience was little kids.  Recently my oldest son asked when I would make him a scratch cake for a birthday, and I replied that when he started asking for cakes that TASTED like things, instead of LOOKING like things, I would bake him a fabulous cake from scratch.

I have had fun over the years with the boxed mix and frosting (wow, it takes a lot).  But Rose’s butter cakes are so simple and delicous.  I think the number one thing any beginner can do, is invest in a decent digital scale.  I think I paid $10 for mine probably 10 years ago.  And as long as I take out the battery when I’m putting it away, it works just fine.  Measuring flour and sugar by volume is so tedious.  I love just dumping it on the scale.  Also, good quality, basic measuring equipment.  You can never have too many measuring spoons.

Besides, you more than likely have eggs, butter, sugar, flour, and baking powder in the kitchen.  You don’t always have a box of cake mix.

I’ll post some pics of my boxed creations in a new thread.  After all, it is show and tell.

Great job.  I would’ve freaked out if someone double the cake the night before.  Boxes or not.

JennyBee

Wow, cakemom, you are fabulous to put out something so lovely when it was doubled the night before! 

The white chocolate mousseline looks so beautiful, just barely off-white enough to look like real food.  I always cringe when I see pure white frosting, and look for something else to eat… 

I also love the smooth (not ribbed) shell border, I had been thinking for weeks now of trying the exact same thing in an effort to get something clean, simple, modern, yet polished.  Thanks for sharing!

Julie

Julie - 04 June 2008 10:41 AM

I also love the smooth (not ribbed) shell border, I had been thinking for weeks now of trying the exact same thing in an effort to get something clean, simple, modern, yet polished.  Thanks for sharing!Julie

I’ve seen that smooth border referred to as a “string of pearls”... so appropriate for a wedding cake!