Making the Perfect Birthday Cake
Birthday cakes are fun and easy to make. Kid’s birthday cakes are probably the most fun to make. Castle birthday cakes are an enchanting and magical way to celebrate your child’s birthday party. Themed birthday cakes are gaining popularity for the extra excitement and surprise they create. In today’s world you can get birthday cakes in almost all types of shapes and sizes in all different flavors and decorations. Birthday cakes are sweet and delicious. Sculptured novelty birthday cakes are always a hit with children.
If you prefer making everything from scratch and baking your own birthday cakes make sure you plan it all out before starting. Try to get useful baking tips, techniques and recipes to make great cake. There are fundamentals to baking cakes that will apply to every cake you create. You know you perfected the baking the cake when the scent of the cake fills the air and it is like being in a bakery.
Try your hand at decorating these birthday cakes. Here are some tips when decorating birthday cakes, make sure you find icing that is easy to work with, that you find the correct color and writing tube to write on the cake. Find cake decorating books for a birthday cake idea which fits your needs. You can talk about cake decorating with people on the internet to get ideas. One decorating technique that I have used in the past to decorate my son’s birthday cakes is to use small toys on top of the cake. Finding cake recipes from Kraft Foods along with pictures and instructions usually makes it easier and reduces stress on what type of cake to make.
What makes a perfect Birthday is the flavor of the Birthday cake. Since you are thinking cake, what is the special someone’s favorite flavor for cake. Make sure your cake is very moist and light with an intense flavor. Try to shop for the birthday girl or boy favorite birthday cake flavor; this is one way to let them know you really put some thought into it. The same goes for the icing and the decorating, make sure you get something the guest of honor would like, not something you like. You can do beautiful things with fondant but the flavor leaves something to be desired. You may also want to experiment by changing the flavor of the cake mix you use too. You can also add color to the icing by purchasing food coloring and adding it to vanilla icing. This is another way of sprucing up the cake.
Let’s face it, birthday cakes are special to the birthday guest of honor. The shapes of birthday cakes are a big deal; you don’t just have to do round. You can go to the local craft store and pickup many different designs. The children’s birthday cakes are always a huge success; they always eat the cake and often ask for more. Choices for birthday cakes are numerous.
David Marc Fishman
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/making-the-perfect-birthday-cake-74748.html
admin on December 23rd 2009 in children craft ideas
justme responded on 23 Dec 2009 at 4:32 am #
I want to make a perfect birthday cake but how do I remove cake from the pan without it falling apart?
I use betty crocker, duncan hines or pillsbury and they all fall apart when I try to remove the cake from the pan to layer it and when I try to put the frosting on it just smudges up the top of the cake,how do I get that store bought smooth look?
H-man responded on 23 Dec 2009 at 9:34 am #
Grease your pan first and line with baking paper.
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KiwiEyes responded on 23 Dec 2009 at 9:36 am #
Before you put the cake batter in the pan, you need to grease the inside of the pan with butter or margarine, and then lightly flour it by putting a couple of tablespoons of flour in it, and shaking it all around until all sides and the bottom of the pan are coated. If you do that, it should come out of the pan in one piece. Also: when you are icing a cake, the top side of the cake should become the bottom, so the bottom side (which was against the pan) serves as the nice, flat, smooth top.
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Cassiee responded on 23 Dec 2009 at 9:38 am #
Put wax paper between or cookie sheets between each layer of cake and under the bottom of the cake , when baking . The idea of putting it at the bottom is so you can gently lift the wax paper or cookie sheet from underneath it without it toppling over .
And use a slightly curved butter knife to put the icing on , and for a smooth look smooth it out with a spatula .
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mj responded on 23 Dec 2009 at 9:40 am #
the smudging of the top happens from either the cake is still warm, it needs to be cooled, or the frosting is not at room temperature, it needs to be in order to smooth on the cake easily and also mix the frosting.
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JennyP responded on 23 Dec 2009 at 9:42 am #
Sounds like you might be trying to take the cake out of the pans before it is properly cooled. Here are some suggestions:
1. Line your cake pans with parchment
2. Spray with Pam for Baking
3. Cool the cakes in the pans. Cover with aluminum foil and chill overnight in the fridge.
4. Remove cakes and peel off parchment
5. Crumb coat before you frost: you can do this with your filling or with a separate frosting. I prefer a ganache because it sets up better. If you are using a buttercream or softer frosting, be sure and make a "dam" around the cake interior within 1/4 inch of edges with frosting and then fill with your desired filling.
6. Crumb coating involves putting a thin layer of frosting around the cake before the final frosting. This helps the crumbs stay put and not get mixed in with your frosting. After you fill and crumb coat your cake, refrigerate for an hour.
7. Frost as usual and smooth with a spatula.
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Robert S responded on 23 Dec 2009 at 9:44 am #
Coat the pan with butter or shortening, or line with parchment paper.
You can also buy springform pans that come apart when it’s baked.
You have to let the cake cool on a rack before you start slicing & icing.
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elysandrac responded on 23 Dec 2009 at 9:46 am #
as far as the icing goes the reason why it smudges is because you should let the cake fully cool before icing it to prevent the icing from melting as soon as you put it on the cake i suggest using a semi whipped icing this will help even more to make your cake look store quality.
as for the cake falling apart,I have the same problem every time that i make a cake. When it is done baking, you remove it from the oven and try to remove it from the pan. You almost always get a small chunk or several small pieces that stick to the bottom of your pan. You can prevent this from happening if you prepare your pan correctly.
Select the pan that you are going to bake your cake in.
Now tear off a sheet of wax paper that is slightly larger than your pan.
Using a pencil or pen, trace the bottom of your pan onto the wax paper.
Now cut out the shape from your wax paper approximately 1 inch inside your line.
You now have a piece of waxed paper that will fit in the bottom of your pan. Prepare your pan as requested by the recipe, then place your waxed paper in the bottom just before adding your cake batter.
When it is done baking your cake will come right out the pan.
After cooling for about 5 minutes or so, simply pull up the waxed paper to remove and discard.
References :
http://www.kitchenhintsandtips.com/cake.shtml
being voted best answer would be nice please and thank you
artistagent116 responded on 23 Dec 2009 at 9:48 am #
The best and only way to ensure perfect cake layer removal each and every time you bake is to grease the bottom and sides of the pans, then cut a piece of parchment paper exactly the size of the bottom of the pan and insert it into the pan, then grease the paper too. Then sprinkle flour into the pan and coat the bottom and sides with the flour, tapping out the excess flour.
After the cake layer has baked, allow it to cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then place your platter over the top of the pan, turn the pan/platter upside down and lift off the pan. Then simply peel off the paper. Viola!
This is how we professionals do it….and I promise you it NEVER fails. What I do is keep a supply of parchment paper circles on hand. I just place the pan onto the paper and draw around it with a marker, then cut it out. You can use these paper circles more than once, too. Parchment paper is sold in rolls in most large grocery stores next to the aluminum foil and plastic wrap.
I hope I’ve helped.
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brie c responded on 23 Dec 2009 at 9:50 am #
I think it’s that you’re not buttering the pan that you’re cooking the cakes in. For the old fashioned way, butter the pan and add a tablespoon of flour to the middle of the pan. Turn the pan about in order to coat the sides and bottom of the pan and pour the batter. Or if you’re more health conscious use a nonstick spray such as pam. Also when you’re removing your cake first allow it to completely cook and then run a knife along the edge between the cake and pan. Then put a plat over the cake pan and flip.
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