Birthday Cake for a sophisticated lady.

Annaliza - posted on 05/22/2009

Quoting Sharon:

Wow Shaghai sounds exciting! Yes I do buy a lot of Wilton products from Michaels (craft store) there's only one and one cake decorating supplies store in the whole of BC Province yeah can u believe that. we are so backwards here. wish i lived in toronto. i have ordered some things online usually flower cutters. I make my own fondant.If u want the recipe let me know. Cake central.com is an excellent site to get tips and recipes..I did the Wilton classes which teach you the basics and the rest I learned fr books. I prefer covering cakes with fondant than buttercream. I find it more versatile but if u r going for taste of course buttercream wld be way!! better. Don't be afraid to work with fondant. Its almost like playing w playdoh. Now u wold have to invest in a couple of things a silicone rolling pin and a pair of fondant smoother.
Are you a cake pan collector? If so go ahead and track down a an open book pan. Otherwise do what i did I carved 2 rectangle cake. As for a stand up Barbie cake you can use a bundt pan or a Kitchen Aid stand mixer bowl.
So just being nosy - how did u end up in Shanghai? Can u speak mandarin?

Hi Sharon,

Well, got interested with fondant just for an additional knowledge.  I know it's all for "show" and thrown out on eating time - unless you like to gain more calories from the icing than the cake!!!  Yes, please - I'd appreciate it if you can share me your recipe.  Another thing I'm interested to do is the photo cake.  I'm still looking into it, considering materials that will come from overseas and the compatible machine.  All these for hobby for my son's parties.

Is fondant worth it to make, with all the effort?  Is it really that hard and messy?  Somebody was discouraging me on it and just stick to my traditional ways.  I consider fondant due to wather.  If it's summer, fondant is the best to maintain it's "looks"!!!  That's the problem with buttercream.  We get to 40 deg. here in summer and my son's birthday is in July!!!  Is a wood rolling pin not advisable to use?  Is a fondant smother the same or at least similar to a dough cutter?  I was able to buy a plastic dough cutter here in Shanghai, not as sharp as the metal one which I don't know if it's sensible to use as a fondant smoother.  The edge is a bit thinner but not sharp as a metal dough cutter.  How does a fondant smoother look like?  Sorry we don't have that thing here.

I have several pans which I use when I have time and in the mood to use my "tips" and ready to make my pulse suffer fromthe press!!!  I really don't fancy a barbie cake.  In fact bored me to death one time I made one!!!  I don't find the challenge in it.  I have the proper size pan for the skirt.  Not too big, not too small that I can adjust if I wish to make a flow.

I'll definitely try the fondant next week for my son's school get-together.

We're based in Shanghai since 5 years ago, from the Philippines when my 
"partner in crime" was transferred.  We use to work in the same office (Lloyd's Register), but I resigned a year before we moved to China.  And from then, it was a "change of career" for me.  Got pregnant two month after we arrived, gave birth and next is history.  Stayed home and looked after our son.  Now that he's in school age, I'd like to do some additional crafts to brush up my artistic side.  I make his school costumes.  Hate to see 10 spidermen, and batmen.  Perhaps I'm weird - as I made him - "HEMAN"!!!  Funny, his classmates didn't know that superhero anymore and was laughing at him.  But when my son said he's the Master of the Universe, and the hero of all heroes.  Everybody wanted to be one.  Teeheehee!!!  One time I made him "ACHILLES", the Greek warrior.  Our Greek friends just loved him for that.  Wonder what else will pop up in me.

The only proplem i ahve here is finding my materials.  It's not as available as in the Philippines.  You go in one place, it's there.  And you can buy only the amount you need.  Here, they sell in bulks that I don't need.  And they will rip you off for retains.  No I don't speak Mandarin, but my son is starting to learn from school.  He won't even speak to me in Mandarin and will say "Mum you're not chinese."  Do you speak Mandarin?  How long have you been in Canada?  How many kids do you have?  Looks like they're in their teens now.

Do you mind if I add you in my circle?

Cheers,

Liza

Cora - posted on 05/22/2009

Hello Sharon my name is Cora and I live in Milwaukee, WI. I love cake decorating....I was addicted to the food network because of the show's....my husband had it cut off...b/c if i couldn't watch it when it came on I taped it for later....but I make cakes just to try different skills.....I'm planning on going to school in the Fall....

Sharon - posted on 05/22/2009

Wow Shaghai sounds exciting! Yes I do buy a lot of Wilton products from Michaels (craft store) there's only one and one cake decorating supplies store in the whole of BC Province yeah can u believe that. we are so backwards here. wish i lived in toronto. i have ordered some things online usually flower cutters. I make my own fondant.If u want the recipe let me know. Cake central.com is an excellent site to get tips and recipes..I did the Wilton classes which teach you the basics and the rest I learned fr books. I prefer covering cakes with fondant than buttercream. I find it more versatile but if u r going for taste of course buttercream wld be way!! better. Don't be afraid to work with fondant. Its almost like playing w playdoh. Now u wold have to invest in a couple of things a silicone rolling pin and a pair of fondant smoother.

Are you a cake pan collector? If so go ahead and track down a an open book pan. Otherwise do what i did I carved 2 rectangle cake. As for a stand up Barbie cake you can use a bundt pan or a Kitchen Aid stand mixer bowl.

So just being nosy - how did u end up in Shanghai? Can u speak mandarin?