Winter 2013 - Edible Artists Network Magazine

W i n t e r

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edibleartistsnetwork M A G A Z I N E

THE Information Source for Home Bakers & Sugar Artists

How to Price Your Cakes Love Bird Tutorial

from Shereen van Ballegooyen

Learn How to Start Cake Decorating Classes

with Michelle Galpern of Simi Cakes

Edna De La Cruz The woman behind the food network superstar

Easter Cupcake Place Settings from Michelle Rae

Transporting Cakes

Behind the Scenes

w w w . e d i b l e a r t i s t s n e t w o r k . c o m

Table of Contents F e at u r e s 3 Gelatin Art FAQ’s with Angelica Angelica Aguilar shares the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” about Gelatin Art. 10 Enchanted Fantasy Cake Want to know how Calli Hopper transported her Enchanted Fantasy Cake to the location?

27 How to Start Cake Classes in Your Area Learn how to start cake decorating classes.

44 How to Sell To Whole Foods A must read for those trying to get their products into this super chain!

87 Stress Free Cake Transport Kerri Boyd teaches you how to reduce your stress level when transporting your cakes.

D e p a r t m e n t s (in every issue) 2 Editor’s Note 15 Cottage Food Laws 31 Industry Interview 33 Facebook Tips 55 Upcoming Events 56 Facebook Contest Winners 60 Edible Artist on the Rise 66 Edible Art of the Day 90 What’s New and What’s Hot! 92 Cake Office

On the cover

Tutorials

The cover image is courtesy of Edna De la Cruz of Design Me a Cake. The images on this cake were created using iiDesigns Software from Icing Images (www.icingimages.com).

Please visit Edna’s website at www.designmeacake.com for more great designs and tutorials.

7 Daffodil and Daisy Easter Place Card Setting Cupcakes By Michelle Rae 18 Love Bird Tutorial - By Shereen van Ballegooyen 38 Blue Gate Cake Tutorial – By Edna De la Cruz 48 Make Your Own Heart Cake - By Rosie Cake-Diva 62 Pop-up Groundhog Cookies - By Sandra Denneler 75 Chocolate and Fruit Minicakes - By Janet Henderson

From the Editor edibleartists NETWORK

Editorial Joanne Prainito Creative Director joanne@edibleartistsnetwork.com Cheryl Naughton Editor cheryl@edibleartistsnetwork.com Contributors Angelica Aguilar David Bernard Kerri Boyd Edna De la Cruz Sandra Denneler Ken Fehner Michelle Galpern Quincella C. Geiger Julie Gibson Calli Hopper Janet Henderson Gracie Prainito Michelle Rae Rosie Cake-Diva Shereen van Ballegooyen Editorial Offices P.O. Box 870614 Stone Mountain, GA 30087 Advertising Jeanette Sims 415-383-1762 advertise@edibleartistsnetwork.com Subscription Services To subscribe to the magazine please visit http://www.edibleartistsnetwork.com/ subscribe.

Production Dawn Lewandowski Partners Image Coordinators partnrz@mac.com Edible Artists Network Magazine is published 4 times per year by Edible Artists Network, LLC., P. O. Box 870614, Stone Mountain, GA, 30087.

Copyright 2013 by Edible Artists Network, LLC. All rights reserved.Materials may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission. For reprints of any article please contact the editor.

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Gelatin Art

Angelica Aguilar

Gelatin artistry is a fascinating part of the culinary world, and I’ve learned a lot about this particular art form over the course of my career. I love to share my insight with people who are new to the field of gelatin artistry, so I hope these tips will help you in your journey!

I’ve received a lot of questions from people who are just starting to explore gelatin artistry, and these tips answer the most common inquiries that I have received. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 3

1. Never freeze gelatin! The thawing process creates air pockets, which results in a spongy texture that won’t allow you to shape the gelatin as you would like.

2. Remember that patience is a virtue. Your gelatin will need time to congeal and can take eight hours—at least—to do so. If you don’t let it congeal properly it will be too sticky and will jiggle too much to work with.

3. The temperature of your workspace matters, so try to keep your kitchen cool enough that the gelatin holds its texture. If you can’t lower the temperature of your work space, make sure that you take breaks to put your gelatin into the refrigerator every so often.

4. Keep the bloom of your gelatin in mind, as the higher the bloom the better! Bloom is, simply put, the final texture and strength of your

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gelatin. As a frame of reference, consider this: 250 bloom gelatin powder requires five tablespoons per liter of water to create a firm texture, while 300 bloom gelatin requires only three tablespoons per liter to achieve the same results.

5. Consider the color you are hoping to achieve with your gelatin before you purchase your ingredients, as the color depends upon the animal from which the gelatin is derived. Cattle-based gelatin is often amber in color, while pig-based gelatin is clear.

6. Be picky when it comes to the sugar that you use, as the right sugar can lighten the tone of your gelatin. I find that pure cane sugar works best, but sugar extracted from the sugar beet, as well as corn syrup and sugar-free substitutes, are also acceptable. Just make sure that you never use brown sugar.

7. When adding fruit to your gelatin, I highly recommend heating the fruit first. Strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, and citrus should be put into the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.

This kills the enzymes in the fruit and prevents it from making your gelatin watery.

8. Keep an eye on the shelf life of your gelatin.

If you aren’t using preservatives, it will only be good for about a week and a half. If you are using preservatives you can extend the shelf life to, at the most, three weeks. Remember that the lactose or creamer that you use will spoil,

so it is best to err on the side of safety when figuring out when to discard a batch.

9. When using pigments, make sure to pay attention to the concentration of the colors to keep them from bleeding into the clear gelatin. I find that working with the gelatin right out of the refrigerator, instead of when it is at room temperature, allows the colors to better maintain their integrity. Highly concentrated food coloring is going to create a better hold, but it is important to note that, due to the microscopic arrangement of the gelatin (which is swollen due to the water content) and the food coloring (which has smaller molecules than the gelatin), it is natural for the colors to bleed.

10. Remember to cover your gelatin before you put it into the refrigerator to congeal. Gelatin can actually dehydrate quite quickly, and letting the moisture escape will result in cracks when you insert your tools. As long as you cover it, you can prepare your gelatin days in advance without having to fight cracks and fissures.

11. Invest in nonstick, quality molds. Baking pans and plastic molds are wonderful, as they reduce the chances that your gelatin will tear apart or get scratched when you remove it.

Glass molds are a great alternative if you don’t have access to baking pans or plastic molds.

Just make sure that, when using glass, you prepare the mold with shortening or cooking

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oil before pouring your gelatin. Simply put the shortening or oil onto a paper towel and wipe the inside of the mold, leaving no traces of these ingredients yet creating a nonstick barrier between the gelatin and the glass.

Once your gelatin is congealed and you are ready to remove it, wipe a toothpick with the shortening or oil and run it along the side of the mold to loosen the gelatin. If necessary, syringe a bit of water around the edge to loosen it further before tipping it to the side, from which point it should come away from the mold on its own. If you are using a glass mold, put it into hot water (submerging the mold to approximately one inch below the rim) for five seconds to loosen it up, repeating this process until your gelatin comes loose.

12. Never boil your gelatin. This is really important, so I’m going to say it one more time: never boil your gelatin! Doing so will prevent it from congealing and will, ultimately, leave you with quite a mess.

I hope that these tips can help you in beginning your journey as a gelatin artist! I have found this particular form of artistry to be extremely interesting and I love sharing my ideas with others. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel, Blossoms

By Angelica, for more information!

When her father brought her a sample of an artistic gelatin, Angelica Aguilar fell in love with the art form at first sight; however, she quickly recognized that, although the art was beautiful, the taste of the gelatin itself fell a bit flat. So Angelica set out to create a new recipe that allows gelatin artists to design pieces that are both gorgeous and delicious. Today, she works as an instructor and is the creator of a line of products that assist edible artists whose chosen medium is gelatin. You can find more helpful tips and tricks by Angelica at http://edibleartistsnetwork.com/2012-08-08-16-00-56/angelica-aguilar-de-tapia and www.blossombyangelica.com.

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Daffodil and Daisy Easter Placecard Setting Cupcakes

By Michelle Rae – Sydney, Australia

1 Using buttercream or chocolate ganache smooth out the top surface of your cupcakes. Top with a disc of rolled fondant/ sugarpaste. I have embossed these and used a fluted cutter.

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DOWNLOAD THE PDF

Roll out yellow fondant thinly. Cut as many flowers as you need using a small five petal cutter. Pinch each petal between your fingertips. Place on a foam pad and using the small ball tool indent each petal to curl it slightly. Take a small teardrop of the fondant and using the cone tool push into the rounded end and slowly widen. You may need to dust the tool and your fingertips with cornflour to stop any sticking. Using a brush wet the centre of the daffodil where the cone will sit. Pick the cone up on the small end of the ball tool and place in the centre of the flower. Push down lightly to hold in position. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 7

Daffodil and Daisy 3 To make the daisies use a small daisy cutter. On a foam pad press the end of a cocktail stick onto each of the petals. Using the small ball tool press into the flower centre this will slightly cup each daisy. Pipe a dot of royal icing into the centre or roll a small piece of fondant into a ball and hold into position with water.

4 Roll some fondant into a thin sheet and using a plaque cutter cut enough labels as you have cupcakes. You can also use an oval or heart cutter. I have used a No1 piping tube to cutout the holes around the label edge.

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Arrange your daffodils and daisies around the label. You can attach them with a small dot of royal icing or buttercream. Pipe using royal icing each person’s name. If you do not want to pipe then use cutout letters. Just a person first initial will look lovely.

Pop the cupcakes into decorative cupcake wrappers or tie a ribbon around the cupcake case. I have used small white plates and doilies but inside decorative teacups on just on the saucer would look beautiful.

Michelle Rea is the founder and owner of Inspired by Michelle Cake Designs based in Sydney Australia.

Michelle trained as a pastry chef winning many awards during her studies. With over 26 years baking experience behind her, Michelle is passionate about sharing her baking knowledge with others.

To view more of her amazing work please visit: http://www.facebook.com/InspiredbyMichelleCakeDesigns 8 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

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Enchanted Fant asy Cake

By Calli Hopper

Manchester, United Kingdom

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I designed the cake in three parts. I tried to get as much design work done prior to assembly as knew I had time restrictions on site for assembly

My very first thought when I first started designing the wedding cake was, “how am I going to transport this cake?” That stayed in the forefront of my mind throughout the entire construction. It took some careful planning factoring in weight as well. Being fruit cakes, which are heavy, every section got weighed and I kept note of the amount of pastillage and royal icing I used as that additional weight needed to be added to the cake weight. The bride initially wanted all the tiers to be fruit cake, but after doing a mock up for her on a dummy she was happy for me to pursue the cake design with fruit cakes and dummies mixed, to keep the weight to a minimum.

The transportation had to go from house to car (air conditioned 4x4) then the long drive to London to a lovely hotel we stayed in with a massive air-conditioned room for me to work in. What a thoughtful wonderful husband I have to think of all of this for me.

So the cakes had to be transported from car onto two porter trolleys and up to our room.

That was nerve-racking in itself!! Then 24 hours later transported back down to lobby and into a large London Cab to take us to venue which thankfully was a very short distance to venue – only 1.5 miles. I was delighted to see a quiet lull in London’s streets and we did not have loads of steps to climb up and down as there was a side access into the London Royal Exchange.

To get back to design for transport... www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 11

Enchanted Fant asy Cake Base section of cake: 25� cake base my husband made. This then had to support a double height 14� fruit cake/dummy combo. The base also had a few design details added with the Marine sugarcraft characters. This weighed in at over 11kg (24 pounds)... How fortuitous it was for me to have a fit husband to carry this fragile heavy base. We actually did a tester on this and he confidently told me it was fine to carry but I could not add any more detail on, as he was afraid of damaging it.

Middle section of cake: this was two royal iced cake dummies with a pastillage tree I made between the two dummies. This kept this section very light as there were still the characters to add (like the dragon, him/her characters, leaves, branches and butterflies. All this weighed in at around 4kg (8.8 pounds) for final assembly.

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Top section of cake: this was fruit cake weighing in at 6 kg (13 pounds) inclusive of the sugarpaste castle I made. The fruit cake and castle were boxed separately for transport with final decorations to be done on site.

Cutting cakes: these were all covered in Marzipan and then royal-iced. In the event of cake damage, the bride requested I did additional cakes which had to be added to the transportation list. These were: 1x 14”, 2x12”, 2x11”, 1x10”. Each one boxed separately.

Transportation planning: The base was far too big to box (being 25” in diameter) so it was carefully covered in cling film and muslin cloths to prevent damage and to maintain freshness. I have a cool room at home where all these cakes were kept.

The base was carefully packed into the large boot of the 4 x 4, along with storage containers carrying 300 handmade shells, filigree butterflies I made as well as handmade leaves and branches. There was another box containing some of the characters and other pieces of design work. I then had to pack a tool box containing all the utensils I would need to assemble the cake.

In the event of cake damage, the bride requested I did additional cakes which had to be added to the transportation list.

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Enchanted Fant asy Cake Royal icing had been pre-prepared along with additional colours that I would need to use on assembly day. Soft cloths were packed around everything to minimise/prevent sliding or bumping or falling off as well as potential damage.

The middle section of the cake contains the tree section was in an extra height heavy duty cake box.

Front passenger seat sat my future daughter-inlaw with a cake on her lap in its own box.

I sat on the back seat with a cake and castle on my lap (both boxed) whilst my son was on the other side with a boxed cake on his lap. Between us were the rest of the boxed reserve and cutting cakes stacked, which we held onto when turning corners etc. Getting the picture… ☺ My husband was the sterling driver over 180 miles, in bad weather conditions and heavy traffic.

What should have been a 2.5 hour trip turned into a 5 hour trip..... It was deathly quiet in the car as there was without doubt a little tension, full bladders etc. as we all wished for the journey to end. My son and his fiancé were fabulous in helping getting everything onto porter trolleys and up to our beautiful room. I am very grateful to them and to my husband as I could not have done this alone.

The hotel staff were fabulous and wanted to help carrying in boxes, but I refused their help explaining the fragility of the items as they would not want to be responsible if any 14 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

damage occurred. They were so understanding and helpful and opened doors and lifts to keep the process smooth.

Once on site at the venue, I was provided a work table and the actual cake table, covered in its cloth and then covered again with cling film to prevent any marks getting onto the cloth. So, for the next 6-7 hours I assembled the cake, which went a lot better than I thought it would, as the disruption around me was mega with a stage going up, orchestra practising and tuning their instruments, dance floors, lighting engineers and real trees being brought in along with sculpted ice statues, hundreds and hundreds of all kind and varieties of orchids, peonies, roses, etc. It was with a big sigh of relief I walked out of the building feeling assured by compliments from wedding organisers and the venue event organiser that the cake looked fabulous. I was very grateful to them for that feedback as by then I was so exhausted I could not “see” the cake any longer.

So in all, it was a successful transportation, but as you can see, required a lot of forward planning as this was no mean feat.

I hope this little story will be useful to anyone who lands up with a similar situation and please feel free to contact me if you do.

I started designing cakes in 2010 and quickly found a passion for cake decorating. I love to experiment with different mediums, colours and textures, using my art experience to transpose onto icing to create different looks to a design. Wishing you all a successful 2013 with whatever confectionery projects you have set goals on. www.calliicous.co.uk www.facebook.com/callicious

Planning For Your Home Bakery

By Quincella Geiger United States

One of the most important parts of starting a business is proper planning for the business, which means creating a written plan for how you intend to start and operate. When someone mentions “writing a business plan”, do you think to yourself…That’s not something that I need to be concerned with. I’m simply planning to do a little baking at home. Further – Why all the fuss about creating a plan for a home bakery?

Is it really, really necessary? The answer is “Yes”, particularly if your goal is to grow and expand the business. Research and gathering of information will improve and broaden your knowledge of the business. When it’s complete, your plan will serve as a road map to help keep you on track.

Still not on board with the idea? Maybe the necessity and worth of a plan comes down to whose opinion and advice you trust and respect.

The SBA (Small Business Administration) believes very strongly in the need for writing a business plan, encourages its clients to do so and offers assistance with developing a plan.

Many Cottage Food Law States advocate the writing/development of a business plan. North Carolina’s Cottage Food Law includes businessplan-development as one of its business start-up steps. Other states point or nudge you in the direction of their Small Business Development Center or the County Extension Office for help.

Throughout my years of operating a home-bakery and other home-based businesses, I’ve found that a plan of some type is necessary and very beneficial. There have been many times in the past when I wished that I’d created a plan early on and continued to update it when necessary.

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Your business plan doesn’t have to be extremely lengthy or formal. Only if you’re planning to approach a lender for start-up funds does it need to be formal. However simple and basic, your plan should discuss: pre-qualification information concerning yourself as the owner/operator, all of your start-up information, the business structure, your product line, marketing/sales strategy, the competition, product pricing, suppliers, equipment, packaging delivery and a few more need-to-know details.

Interested in finding out more? Click the highlighted words below for links to additional information.

A Formal Business Plan Outline An Informal Basic Plan Outline If you’re in unfamiliar territory with more questions than answers, don’t hesitate to ask for help/assistance.

Much Success!

With more than 20 years of experience, Quincella is an expert in home baking ventures. Her book “Bringing Home the Baking” deals specifically with Commercial Kitchen start-ups and operation. For information on Cottage Food Laws and Cottage Food Kitchen operations please visit her at http://www.bringinghomethebaking.com.

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13 0 2 , 4 -2 3 2 y r a u r b e F sthecake.org www.thattake

enter North Austin Event C lvd.

10601 North Lamar B Austin, TX 78753

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sugar angels, fondant feathered friends, towering rocket cakes and more will be seen on the judging runway for the 2013 showcake competition – with the 2013 theme of flight, these showcakes will soar.

celebrity classes and mini-classes

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vendors

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and much more!

That Takes The Cake february 23 & 24, 2013 • Austin, TX information and registration www.thattakesthecake.org

come see what the buzz is all about!

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What you need: • Ball tool

Love Bird Tutorial

By Shereen van Ballegooyen Stevenage, England

• Black Edible Pen • Leaf/Flower shaping tool • 4mm black sugar balls • Medium and light blue modelling paste (I used Sugarflair Ice Blue) • Medium and light pink modelling paste (I used Wilton Rose) • Yellow modelling paste (I used Sugarflair Egg Yellow) • White Modelling paste • Black Modelling paste (I used Sugarflair Black Extra) • Red Modelling paste • Green sugar paste (I used Sugarflair Party Green) • Sharp knife or craft knife • PME Heart plunger cutters, all 3 sizes • Ready baked flat topped cupcake • Round cookie cutter (the size that fits on the top of your cupcake)

Modelling paste: To make up some modelling paste, mix 250g sugar paste with 1 teaspoon gum tragacanth, you can also use CMC or Tylo powder, I prefer the consistency of gum tragacanth. Leave for a little while to settle, even overnight and then it’s ready to use.

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1

Roll 2 egg shapes from medium pink and blue modelling paste for the bodies of the birds.

Get your light pink and light blue modelling paste and roll a teardrop shape, press flat for the bird’s belly.

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Use a little edible (or a little water) to attach the flattened belly to the front of the bird.

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4 Get about half the size of the body in medium pink and medium blue and roll 2 slightly oval shapes for their heads.

5 Attach the heads with a little edible glue.

8 Use a little edible glue to glue the black balls into the eye sockets, use your small ball tool again to indent into the black modelling paste, do this for both eyes on each bird.

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9 Roll 4 smaller white balls fromwhite modelling paste.

6 Using the smaller end of your ball tool, indent into each face creating eye sockets.

7 Roll 4 small black balls from black modelling paste.

10 Glue the white balls to the black of the eyes and press them down slightly so they fit against the black but are still rounded. Get 4 x 4mm black sugar balls.

11 Add the black sugar balls for the eyes, I added them so they looked as if each bird was looking at the other.

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12 To make little wings, roll a teardrop shape, press it flatter and then cut little ‘V’ shapes into the shape to give them a ‘feather’ effect.

16 Attach the beaks to your birds.

13 Use a little edible glue to attach the wings to each bird.

17 Use your edible black pen to draw on little eyebrows.

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14 Use the back of the sharper end of the leaf/flower shaping tool to make little lines on the outside/ bottom of each eye for some character.

15 For little beaks for your birds, roll 2 small little cone shapes and mark the middle of the beak with your knife by making a little line.

18 Roll 3 x small little teardrop shapes from pink (and blue) for feathers on top of their heads.

19 Press the teardrop shapes together so they stick together.

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Attach the blue and pink ‘feathers’ on top of the heads.

Trim off the bottom of the little ‘feathers’ as this makes them sit and fit better on top of the head.

24 Roll out some red modelling paste and cut out 3 large, 6 medium and 2 small hearts.

23 Attach the feet to the birds.

25 Attach the hearts to the birds (this is optional)

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Add a little buttercream to the top of your cupcake, roll out green sugar paste about 3mm thick and cut out a circle from your round cookie cutter, place over the cupcake and smooth with your hands. Use a little edible glue to attach the birds and extra hearts to the cupcake.

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To create the feet, roll a rounded teardrop shape from yellow modelling paste, roll 4, 2 for each bird. Press the shape flatter and then using the back of the sharper end of the leaf/flower shaping tool to make little ‘toe’ indents.

Shereen is a full-time mum and self-employed home baker. Her new book, Party Cupcakes by Shereen van Ballegooyen will be release on May 7, 2013.

Please visit her Facebook page for more information https://www.facebook.com/ shereenscakesandbakesstevenage.

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ICES The Only International Organization Dedicated To The Sugar Arts

International Cake Exploration Societé 38th Annual Convention & Show

August 8 – 11, 2013 • LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY Enjoy the largest gathering of Sugar Artists, from the hobbyists to world famous decorators from Around the Globe!

• Meet over 2,000 sugar artists from around the world • Demonstrations and Hand-On-Classes • Shop the “Trackside” Vendors • Live Cake Challenge • Sugar Arts Displays • Certification Testing • Business Solutions for the Professional Cake Decorator

TOURS Louisville Legacy Horses, Hooch & History Irish Acres CHARITY “Old Friends” Rescue for Thoroughbreds

http://ices.org/

The Cookie Cutter Company offers low cost, high quality cookie cutters in a hundreds upon hundreds of styles. Our pricing, combined with our wide selection of designs and fast shipping, makes The Cookie Cutter Company a leading provider of unique bakeware items.

Created with the idea that baking should be fun and easy, The Cookie Cutter Company seeks to offer buyers a one-stop site for their design needs. Our knowledgeable staff is eager to assist you with everything from decorating ideas and tips to product care and recipe suggestions.

Visit us today!

www.cookiecuttercompany.com

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t r a t S o t w Ho ses in Clas Area Yo ur Galpern d States e ll e h ic ite

by M rida Un , Flo

y Palm Ba

I am often asked, “How do I start cake classes in my area.� Believe me, I like this call because it means we get to meet other wonderful cake enthusiasts and share our knowledge of cake decorating. To start out it may seem overwhelming, but the first step is to ask yourself a few questions. Are you going to teach the classes or bring in other teachers? Know your strengths and weaknesses. Are you a good teacher or good at marketing another teacher? Do you have a location to hold the classes? Are there enough students in your area to hold a class? Are you bringing cake classes to your area for knowledge or to start a business to make a little money-or both?

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Start your research by reaching out to local cake supply stores and find out the type of classes already given in your area and what there is a need for. Next, contact local cake clubs. You can give a free demo at a club to reach interested students and let them know about your classes. If you don’t have a cake club you can start one to connect cake enthusiasts for networking. This is a great way to find other local talented teachers who could teach for you. Contact your state ICES representative ( www.ices.org ). The International Cake Exploration Societe has a rep in every state that you can contact to volunteer and get involved with the local Days of Sharing and other cake related events. By connecting with ICES you can find out more about the class needs in your cake community.

Utilize facebook and twitter as a means of networking as well. Set up an event page and invite students. List your classes on the calendars of sites like Edible Artists Network and Cakes We Bake. Talk to everyone you meet.

Don’t stress over “no” and certainly don’t take it personally. Many may not be able to take a class today, but can in the future. It’s all about building a solid foundation and getting your name out there.

Ok, now you have a few students interested and you need a venue. Most important part is to keep your costs low. Your highest expense will be renting a location to hold the classes. In the

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beginning you may not get as many students until you are more established. If your costs are low you can build up slowly without the stress of high overhead. We have been invited to teach in living rooms, halls, churches, cake supply stores, community centers as well as more expensive hotel conference centers just to name a few. And just to keep in mind hotels don’t allow outside food so there is another costly expense if you are having an all day class with lunch. All these venues work, but believe me it is the content of the class that students are most interested in along with a good price.

Next, ask yourself if students are bringing their own supplies or are you providing everything?

Usually, it is a little of both. Just make sure they know what to bring and are prepared to start when they walk in the door. If they sit there and color their fondant during class it takes many valuable minutes away from instruction time.

Set your fee to cover your expenses and then advertise your class. Ask for a deposit at sign up so you can prepare supplies. This also lets you know who is really interested in class. They put their money where their mouth is so to speak. Set a date to be paid in full, perhaps 2 weeks in advance. Will you give refunds? Or perhaps a credit or partial credit for another class? Make sure you spell this out to your students.

As you grow you may decide to bring in outside or celebrity teachers. Contact someone you would like to learn from. If you are passionate about the class you can impart that excitement to other students. Some teachers will ask to have their expenses for travel and hotel paid along with their fee for teaching. Keep in mind that you will have to add that to the price of the class along with venue costs. Make sure to ask the teacher what supplies they will provide or if you need to provide any. If they are traveling by plane it may not be feasible to bring everything that you could have in your classroom already. Be prepared to add that to the cost of the class as well if you need to purchase items. Most teachers who have traveled will tell you exactly what you need to do for them. They will make it easy for you.

As for us, we generally bring everything. We have traveled for a few years and have it all worked out to make it easier on the host.

Many teachers will ask for a minimum number of students or the class will be canceled. This insures that the teacher makes enough money to cover their costs and make the trip worth their time. Usually, you will not be able to

give a refund if a student can’t make it unless the teacher or class has to cancel. Sometimes they will allow you to find someone to take your spot. This will need to be cleared with the teacher. Make sure the student is aware of this.

The day I was asked to write this article, Francene at Cakes and Quiche in Westerville, Ohio called and asked me these very same questions. She did not know where to start I gave her this exact advice and told her that we would happily work with her. She wrote recently that she has teamed up with a local shop owner and they have found a venue and are working on their business plan. We look forward to going to Ohio and meeting her and her students in person!

The fact is teachers want to be asked to teach! But you have to make that call or send that email. Don’t be worried that you think someone is to busy to teach in your area. If you have students and a venue you should ask.

The teacher may have to book you for next year, but you never know unless you ask.

Michelle Galpern is a sugar artist, instructor, master mold maker and co-owner of Simi Cakes & Confections, LLC with Sidney Galpern in Palm Bay, FL. Find her at www.simicakes.com.

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I N D U S T R Y

I N T E R V I E W Edna De la Cruz of Design Me a Cake A former fashion designer in Central Florida, Edna De la Cruz first tried her hand at cake decorating over 14 years ago.

That Takes the Cake Ad

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he started with basic decorating classes with Wilton and, through her experiences, fell in love with this edible art.

Edna worked as the wedding designer at a custom cake shop for over seven years and, today, continues to design cakes while also developing instructional DVDs, YouTube videos, and in-class courses across the country. In April of 2011, Edna was invited to compete on the Food Network Challenge, during which she worked with Paul Joachim. She is also involved as a judge at numerous shows across the country, including the prestigious Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show and Florida ICES.

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EAN: You’ve been in the cake business for more than 14 years, what drove you to taking this path in life?

It also involved a lot of practicing and experimenting. But it was easier for me. My background in design helped me a lot.

De la Cruz: I always liked baking. I have so many hobbies that I just didn’t have the time to get started on a new one. When my son was born, I stopped working to take care of him. I was missing having some time for myself and one day my best friend asked me to take some Wilton Classes just for fun. I suddenly found myself feeling very passionate about it. It started as a hobby and I never expected it to get farther than that. But I saw a sign in a cake store that said they had a position open so I decided to give it a try for just a couple of days a week, a few hours a day. The store owner was so happy with my work that she wanted me to work for longer periods. I moved up really fast from filling cakes to icing wedding cakes and finally as a Wedding Cake Designer.

EAN: Tell us about your experience with the Food Network Challenge – Extreme Alien Cakes. That had to be an amazing journey.

EAN: What was the largest cake you ever made? Who was it for, tell us the whole story.

The experience was hard and intense. Here is a bit more on what happened:

De la Cruz: I had many 6 tier cakes and I had one 7. And then I did one for a competition that was 8 tiers tall but had 2 separators that made it look like a 10 tier.

For that particular story please go to: http://www.designmeacake. com/2009.02.01_arch.html I have the photos if you are interested.

EAN: Where did you learn how to decorate cakes? Are you self-taught?

De la Cruz:I learned the very basics with Wilton Classes. The rest was just pure hard work. I get very passionate about things I like and I just went full steam ahead.

De la Cruz: To say the least. Before FNC I was invited to a lot of TV shows. Food Network, TLC and Cake Boss, but I was not really that interested in being in front of the cameras. Finally the producer of the show got me interested into participating and as I sent my info I started talking with Paul Joachim. He happens to be a great sculptor and I am good at cleaning the work and details. We have been called the dream team by many of our peers. I was being asked by a lot of people why I was not on one of the shows so I decided it was time and since Paul was the one in front of the camera it would be easier for me.

http://www.designmeacake. com/2011.09.01_arch.html EAN: Who is your celebrity cake idol?

De la Cruz: Kerry Vincent. No question about it. I call her Momma V. She is a strong woman but with a heart as big as the moon and made of solid gold. She also happens to have a deliciously quirky personality.

EAN: Tell us something we don’t already know about you?

De la Cruz: I used to be a Fashion Designer and I also did some ballroom dancing. I love still love sewing occasionally when I can find

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the time. It was my first love. I can do many other things too. Love crochet, knitting, quilting, making jewelry, scrapbooking and the list keeps going. I love baking but ironically one thing I don’t enjoy is cooking......lol .

EAN: We all love your videos. What is your next video project?

De la Cruz: People are asking for an Orchid DVD. I was supposed to do it that last year but between new software I needed to learn and other opportunities that have presented to me I’ve had to postpone it. I don’t want to do the same thing over and over again and I also want my DVDs to be as interesting and as visually pleasing as I can make them.

This means keeping up with technology and filming techniques. This takes a lot of time to learn. I am working hard to have a new one out this year.

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EAN: Based on your experience, what would you do differently now than when you first began your journey?

De la Cruz: I wouldn’t change anything.

Even the bad experiences I had with a new manager that was harassing me at a cake place I worked years ago I can count as a learning experience. As they say, when one door closes another one opens. I forgive and move on. I learned that life is too short to dwell on the bad when there is so much to smile about in the world.

A few years ago I was diagnosed with Lupus and that alone makes me not take anything for granted. I work hard and give my best and try to be a good person. I started doing tutorials to help my students that had a harder time learning. That way I could send them to my website to refresh their memory

and get new ideas. I never expected them to be so popular and all the love and support I have gotten from the cake community has been surprising as well as gratifying. It all started from a small idea I had wanting to help and the reason I keep doing it is because it fills my heart with joy when I hear from people around the world telling me that I have inspired them to create. The other reason I do this is because at the time I started a lot of this information wasn’t as available and I had to learn it on my own.

EAN: What advice would you give to those who are first starting to realize their dream and open their own cake business?

De la Cruz: Like any other business, it’s a slow process. You need to practice and get good at it. I believe that in cake it’s really not about talking and telling people how good you are. Show them your cakes. Let your work be your business card. When people see a beautiful cake, they want one for their special occasion. It’s hard work, but it can be very rewarding.

EAN: If you could choose one tool from your arsenal that you could not live without, what would it be and why?

De la Cruz: I can’t live without my ball tools, my Cel Board and my Kitchen Aid. EAN: What is the most rewarding part of your business and why?

De la Cruz: I love to take pictures. And taking a picture of the finished cake is very rewarding for me. This is a cake that once is done, you won’t ever see again. An image will remind you of the hard work you put into it and the smile you put on someone’s face.

EAN: From all of your beautiful creations, what is your favorite and why?

De la Cruz: I love this cake. Maybe because black can be a difficult color to work with.

The idea came from a rug. Incorporating it into cake was a lot of fun. You can see it in this link:

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just beginning to make wedding cakes. This particular cake was done by a new girl and when they delivered the cake the Wedding Coordinator was not happy with it.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= 10150436200036963&set=a.101503403 16931963.392413.584441962&type=3&t heater EAN: What is the most gratifying part of being a cake artist?

De la Cruz: I love anything that I can create with my hands. To know you start from nothing and all of the sudden under your hands it becomes this really beautiful art.

I felt the same way when I used to design clothes, or when I do anything that requires my brain to use lots of imagination. And I love seeing someone smile because what I did made a difference to them. It’s the most gratifying feeling in the world. A smile is worth more than a million dollars to me.

(Almost. LOL) EAN: Have you ever experienced a cake disaster? If so, please explain.

De la Cruz: Oh YEAH! I remember the first one the most because the owner of the store got stressed out. This was years ago. I was 36 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

My boss called me from the wedding site almost crying not knowing what to do.

She was usually very good at dealing with stressful situations but this was the wedding of a famous person and the stress got to her. I told her to put the rejected cake in the kitchen so they could use it for serving since the cake had the flavors they wanted.

She started driving back to the store and I grabbed all the cakes that we had available and started torting and filling. By the time she got back to the store I was working on the second coat. She helped me with the stacking and in between both of us we finished the cake. It was a 5 tier cake. We did it in less than 1 hour and a half. That cake they loved. That day I learned I was good at solving issues and thinking on my feet.

EAN: What surprises you most with this industry?

De la Cruz: I have seen jealousy and unfair competition in the industry and I don’t like it.

I consider myself a loving person and love to help. So the times I have witnessed this, I try to look the other way. I rather smile and be happy so I avoid the conflict and just hope that someday people will learn that there are better ways to deal with life without having to be bitter and angry.

I prefer peace in my life and stress literally makes me sick so if the problem doesn’t affect me or someone I care about I just move on and keep smiling. This is a beautiful industry, dedicated to create beauty. We are blessed to be in it and I appreciate it. I hope everyone else does too.

Did You Know‌ you can print the tutorials from edibleartists NETWORK

www.edibleartistsnetwork.com

Easter Placecard Setting Cupcakes

Heart Cake

this issue?

Printable versions are available in an easy-to-follow format. Take a moment to download and/or print these items and create your own tutorial library courtesy of Edible Artists Network Magazine.

Love Birds

Blue Gate Cake

Groundhog Cookies

Chocolate and Mini Fruitcakes

More tutorials available at www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com Have a tutorial you would like to share – create an account on our website an upload yours today. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 37

Blue Gate Cake Tutorial

By Edna De la Cruz – Orlando, FL, United States

DOWNLOAD THE PDF 38 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

You will need: • Hydrangea Paper Punch cutter from The Martha Stewart Collection

Things to keep in mind…

• Punch All Over the Page from The Martha Stewart Collection

• Edible images need to stay sealed or

• Edible Images from Icing Images (I prefer the images from Icing Images because they are high quality and strong)

they will dry and crack. Work fast and don’t leave them out of the package when you are not working with them.

• Gum Glue

• You will need to remove the plastic

• Ball Tool

backing from the images before

• Flower Mold

punching.

• Dragees • Piping Gel or Royal Icing

To get started I align the paper with the silver lines on the punch. This will give me enough space at the top to play with the height of the cake. You can change the spacing by adding or subtracting space between lines if you like.

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The Martha Stewart punches have magnets that have to be used correctly or the punch won’t hold to the base. Once you have it in the perfect position press hard. I usually press a few times to make sure it cuts well since the sugar paper can be thicker than other papers.

2

Once you punch the first one use the images on the board to match the design so the pattern doesn’t break.

3 For the second line I use the line of the silver edge to make sure I have enough space to reach the 4 inches I need for the height of the cake.

So the pattern of the top won’t match but I will keep matching the line I am working on to the board image of the cutter.

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5 Then cut the edible image to match the top so it looks even. You can make this smaller by leaving smaller separations or bigger separations depending on your needs.

6 This piece was 4 inches in height as you can see when I place it against the cake dummy. To glue this to the cake you can use some gum glue. Be careful not to put too glue or it will melt the image or make a mess of color on the cake. I usually like to retouch the colors lightly once it is on the cake. You can cut the edges thinner so when you add the next one you don’t have a big space without a cut. It looks a bit smoother.

I like to place the images right against one another like wall paper to line up the seams. For a different look you can give space in between each cut by using the silver area of the cutter as a guide.

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For the lines I cut strips of the edible image. Be careful when designing where the lines meet (especially on the thicker strips) so that you can hide them with flowers.

You can use different sizes for this if you like. Just have fun!

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For the flowers I used another Martha Stewart punch. For each flower I used 2 cuts of the same flower and glued them together with gum glue.

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I placed my punched flowers in a flower mold and pressed them with the ball tool.

You can add dragees to them if you like. I usually do this after they are placed on the cake. You can adhere them using some piping gel or royal icing that is the same color as the flower.

Don’t worry about the flowers not matching perfectly. This will give it character and the whole reason to make them double is to make them stronger.

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I used some piping gel for attaching the flowers to the cake. You can use royal icing if your piping gel is too soft.

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11 I used regular roses, open roses and buds for this topper. The fast rose and the full open rose both are included in my DVD Gumpaste Roses, including how to make leaves buds and even thorns on roses.

I wanted a simple yellow rose so this one doesn’t have much highlighting.

Edna de la Cruz began creating beautiful things with her hands as a fashion designer, doing fashion shows in Central Florida.

Over 14 years ago, she decided to try her hand at cake decorating. She took basic classes with Wilton and fell in love with the art. Today, she not only designs wedding cakes, she teaches through her instructional DVDs, YouTube videos, and in classrooms throughout the country. In April, 2011, Edna was invited to compete on Food Network Challenge, working along side Paul Joachim.

For more information about Edna De la Cruz please read Industry Interview on page 31 or visit www.designmeacake.com. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 43

How To Sell To

David Bernard – Santa Cruz, California, United States

Tip One — Be Ready Don’t make a sales call until you are clearly ready to launch. Getting buyers reactions and opinions on a concept is another story. That’s a great idea. Buyers know the market. They can tell you what’s selling and they are, in fact, your first customer, so informal market research through conversations with in-store buyers and distributors is smart.

Tip Two — Ingredients Matter Whole Foods cares about ingredients. If they don’t like what’s in your product, they won’t sell it. Labels also need to be designed to meet FDA specifications. Make sure your label is to code and you have a functioning barcode. Here’s a list of the ‘bad stuff’ Whole Foods won’t sell. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/unacceptable-ingredients.php

TIP THREE – Understand Your Pricing Strategy We had a client that developed a super-premium, fair-trade, organic, chocolate confection. It was a fantastic product but the ingredients were not easily nor cheaply sourced. The founders figured out their cost of goods but did not figure in the additional distributor and broker costs involved in the sale. When the product hit the shelf they faced the unpleasant dilemma of either losing money on every sale or watching it try and sell at an exorbitant price after the distributor and retail mark up. Whole Foods will add 35.4% to the wholesale cost. If you can’t land on a competitive price that makes you a profit please think twice about launching.

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Tip FOUR — Know the Playing Field By the time you’re ready to launch, you should have a crystal clear understanding of your product position. A position answers three basic questions.

1. What is it?

2. Who is it for?

3 . Why should I buy it?

A well designed brand and package should answer these at a glance and you need to be able to tell the story in a well tuned, elevator pitch. It’s also important to be very clear about where your product will live. Does it go in dairy, body care, produce, grocery? Is it a snack item? Each department has it’s own specific buyer. You need to find the right buyer for your product and understand that person’s turf. Here’s a list of the product categories.

• Grocery, which includes dry goods, dairy, • Produce frozen, & general merchandise • Meat • Nutrition, which includes supplements and • Seafood personal care • Specialty, which includes cheese, beer, & • Prepared Foods wine

Tip FIVE — Follow procedures Buying is done at the regional level and each region has different review procedures. You need to find your regional office and track down the category specific buyer for that region.

That person will tell you what will be required in terms of information, product samples and presentation opportunities. Sounds easy right? In fact, getting the key decision maker on the phone and scheduling a pitch can be a very long and arduous process. This is where an experienced sales person who knows his/her way in and can navigate the system can be an extremely valuable asset.

Tip SIX — Be Local Whole Foods makes a concerted effort to support local vendors. They have a well established ‘Local Producers’ loan program and a designated position at store level called ‘Food Forager’. This person is responsible for identifying local products. This may be a fast track in if you can get the attention of the ‘Food Forager’ for your local Whole Foods and work with them to get placement in your neighborhood store. Whole Food’s makes the ‘we buy local’ claim. Hold them to it! Here’s more information on the program. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/locally-grown/north-atlantic.php

Tip SEVEN — Have Your Web Act Together Buyers these days do a lot of their research on-line. Before you make the call, have your website up and consider the wholesale buyer as your target audience. Have great visuals of people sampling the product at promotional events. If you have the product in the market, show it on the shelf. Show examples of display options. Build a community of real fans. You can offer links specifically for buyers that offer a PDF sell sheets, and sales manager contact information. Buyers want to see a strong brand from a real company that can consistently deliver a quality product. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 45

Tip EIGHT — Be Ready and Willing to Offer Support It’s one thing to get on the shelf; it\’s another to stay on it. Buyers want products that sell and they want to know what you intend to do to make sure your product will. Discounts, coupons and demos are a part of the package which buyers will expect you to provide. Don’t forget to figure these marketing pieces into your budget. And don’t promise anything you can’t deliver!

Tip NINE — Build a Sales Story First This may well be the most important tip of the bunch. It\’s a lot easier to sell something if you can show it’s already selling. Coming to the sales meeting armed with existing figures and accounts helps. There are a lot of good reasons to start smaller than Whole Foods. The main one lies in the fact that independent groceries, coffee shops and farmers markets are simply easier to approach. The key contacts are more accessible and the sales and distribution logistics are simpler. What’s more, the smaller venues can provide a valuable testing ground where you can gather direct consumer feedback and fine tune your concept before moving into the big-time. Whole Foods buyers, most likely, will give you only one chance. Best not to take it until you’re confident you can make the most of it.

David Bernard is the founder of Mythmaker Creative services (www.mythmaker.com). Mythmaker creates identities and package design for artisan, organic and natural food and beverage products. We have a deep understanding of values based positioning and cause related marketing strategies.

46 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

Promoting Posts On If you have more than 100 “Likes” on your business Facebook page, you may have noticed that recently a new button has appeared next to the post button that says, “Promote.” You may be wondering “What it’s for?

And, why should I use it?”

Let me answer those questions in reverse order. First, why should I use it? The answer is pretty simple, to reach more of your fans. Wait a minute! Don’t you reach all your fans with each post? The answer to that question is NO! Facebook limits who sees your post by who has interacted with you in the past. If your posts are receiving “Likes,” “Shares” and “Comments” regularly, then you could be reaching up to 25% of fans. If you post once a week or less, very seldom post pictures or videos and

have very little fan interaction, then your posts may be displayed to 10% or less of your fans. It’s easy to see how many people have seen a post if you are the admin. Just look at the bottom left corner of the post to see that number. If you fall into the latter category of only posting once a week or less and are not using photos or videos in your posts, I would suggest you change your habits before considering promoting your posts.

Now that you know you aren’t reaching 100% of your fans with each post, the reason for the button makes a little more sense. For as little as five dollars you can greatly increase the number of “Likes,” “Shares” and “Comments” you receive. Keep in mind you don’t need to promote every post.

When selecting to promote a post, you will be asked if you would like to promote to “People that like your page” or “People who like your page and their friends.” At first you would think “Of course I want to promote to people who like my page and their friends.” Just keep in mind, if your business is limited to a defined geographic area, you may end up with likes from outside your area of business. While it’s nice to have more likes, it is more important you have likes from fans that will engage with your page.

There is a good chance that people that like your page outside of your geographic area may not engage with your page and, therefore, actually hurt the overall percentage of fans that Facebook displays your posts to.

Give the “Promote” feature a try. I think you will be pleased.

Ken is the owner of The Social Gloo, a new media marketing company specializing in social media management for business. Visit Ken at http://www.thesocialgloo.com.

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Make Your Own Heart Cake Tutorial

1 I start by making a simple Madeira batter.

I’ve coloured it with Sugarflair Ruby...but obviously you can use the colour of your choice....however I don’t like the liquid colours that they sell in supermarkets.

They alter the consistency of the batter too much.

By Rosie Cake-Diva – United Kingdom

2

DOWNLOAD THE PDF 48 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

Madeira is a dense cake...so it holds its shape better than most and is less crumbly when cut. This will clearly help us later when we have to cut out shapes. Don’t worry if your cake takes a little longer to cook than normal. Food colourings, especially the darker colours, affect the way your batter bakes.

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I allow the cake to cool a little, and then I brush it with sugar syrup. This keeps the cake lovely and moist. (I’ll include the recipe at the end of this tutorial…..

It’s easy peasy!) Then I wrap it in tin foil and pop it in the freezer. Freezing can really hold in the moisture and also make a cake much easier to cut. You can allow it to cool first…or even pop it in to chill whilst still warm….but only if you won’t affect other items in your freezer! Just make sure that it’s really well wrapped in tin foil or cling-film (saran-wrap.)

3

Once the cake is frozen...I wait for it to partially defrost then cut out my chosen shape. In this case I’m doing hearts but you can do circles (without having to use a cake pop mould) or any other shape. Simple shapes are easier. If I want to do a more intricate shape such as a butterfly, I ensure that the cake is not really thawed because otherwise it’s liable to lose wing tips etc.

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If you want…you can seal your shapes and keep them in the freezer until you need them.

I’ve now made some plain Madeira batter. It doesn’t have to be Madeira, but one of the problems with a less dense batter is that the shapes tend to rise up as it bakes. By using a dense batter and by not putting too much in…it tends to minimise the problem somewhat. So I’ve greased my tin (I love cake release spray) and I’ve lined the base with baking parchment before spreading a layer of batter and placing my hearts.

6 Here, I’ve placed my hearts in two rows and marked one end of the tin with a ‘splodge’ of batter. Once your hearts are covered… they are lost…so I need this to orientate my cake later. (Trust me….I’ve got this bit wrong in the past!) Don’t be tempted to pop your shapes in AFTER you have filled your tin with batter. This just leads to the batter being displaced and you’ll never get your shapes to stay down. So shapes in….then cover with the remaining batter.

7 If the position of your shapes is important….you could try this little cheat. I used a food-safe bamboo skewer and bent it on one side so it literally had to wedge in to the tin. This is a little easier if the skewer has been soaked in water first.). It actually worked really well… and my fears that it may stop the cake from coming out cleanly were totally unfounded. Perhaps it was helped by the fact that I used a ‘loose-bottomed’ cake tin…but it all came out easily and the hearts had stayed in place perfectly. Result! Next time I would prefer slightly thinner skewers as I could see a little hole…but to be honest…I was looking for it!

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You can also try it in a round tin.

Obviously straight lines are easier so for circles you will need to be a little more creative with your shapes to get ‘round the bend’. See how you need lots of wedge shapes?

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So just slice the shapes at angles to fill in the gaps….and it works fine.

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And just place them carefully in the tin. In this case I should have placed the hearts closer to the centre so that they would be in the centre of every slice. A tighter circle for me next time!

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Then cover your shapes with the remaining batter and bake. My 6 inch tins took about an hour to bake at 160 C …but all ovens perform differently so check that it’s cooked through by inserting a probe or skewer until it comes out dry. If you are going to decorate your cake…and can’t wait to see what it looks like inside…..you can always take out a sneaky slice just to check it, then put it back and decorate.

No one will ever know!

And whoop-di-doop….a little surprise inside your cake.

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Simple Sugar Syrup Recipe This is such a wonderful way of keeping your cakes nice and moist.

When I cut and layer a cake I usually brush or spray a little syrup onto each layer. You can flavor it and you can keep it in the fridge. It’s fabulous and so easy to make.

• 250ml water • 250g caster sugar • 1 tsp of vanilla extract Simply boil up the ingredients and simmer for a couple of minutes. You want the consistency of a very light syrup.

When I’m making a chocolate orange cake I use the juice of one orange (instead of water) to about 3 tbsp of sugar … but the principle is the same. Yummy!

Maderia Cake Recipe on Next Page!

I am a mum of 4 who simply started by baking for my children. I’m always searching for a WOW factor, always looking to surprise and always hoping not to eat too much cake! Please visit me at https://www.facebook.com/rosieoriginals. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 53

Basic Madiera Recipe The Madeira recipe I use is REALLY simple (I think it’s as old as time itself) BUT just make sure you read the method….because the sciency bit is important.

Ingredients: (all at room temperature) • Eggs • Butter (unsalted)

• Caster Sugar • Plain Flour • Self-Raising Flour • Pinch of salt

• Vanilla Extract

Quantities: You’re probably wondering why I haven’t already stated quantities!!! Well it’s because they’re movable….and THIS IS THE EASIEST RECIPE TO TRANSPOSE UP AND DOWN! Here’s how: 1. Weigh your eggs with shells on.

2. Whatever that weight is…..that’s how much butter, sugar and self-raising flour you’ll need 3. Half that weight is how much plain flour you’ll need 4. And I generally put 1 tsp of vanilla extract per 3 egg mix.

(Roughly a 4 egg mix needs about 250g self- raising flour, butter and sugar plus 125g plain flour.)

If you are worried about cholesterol….you can use margarine instead of butter. I sometimes use Flora (But don’t go trying to use margarine in buttercream…..that’s a big ‘no no’) METHOD (Here comes the science bit!)

1. Cream the Butter and sugar (in a mixer if possible) for AGES…. perhaps about 5 minutes.

This bit is REALLY important. Look at the colour. It will go from yellow to a much paler white/cream. This is the process that puts the air into your batter….and many people don’t realise that.

2. Once it’s creamed, add the eggs one at a time and with each egg add a heaped tablespoon of your dry ingredients (both flours and salt). Mix them in on a medium setting just enough to incorporate them. We don’t want to lose our air now! The small amount of flour that you add with each egg should stop the batter from curdling. At this stage, you can add the vanilla extract.

3. Now the rest of the flour must be folded in NOT MIXED. We’re still trying not to lose all the air from our batter. Use a plastic spatula if you have one. When all the flour is incorporated….you’re good to go.

For a six inch tin, I used a 4 egg mix and baked for about 60 minutes at 160 C. (325 F)

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UPCOMING EVENTS

FEBRUARY February 23

MARCH March 8-10

APRIL April 5-7

Panhandle Cake CRUMBS Show Cake International Manchester – Gulf Breeze, FL www.cakeinternational.co.uk/

The Cake & Bake Show – Manchester, England

www.panhandlecakecrumbs.com

manchester/2013

The Panhandle Cake CRUMBS invite you to our 9th Annual Cake Show and Competition on Saturday, February 23, 2013 held at The Gulf Breeze Recreational Center in Gulf Breeze FL.

Cake lovers will be amazed by the variety of sugarcraft, cake decorating and baking supplies on offer, plus the number of Demonstrations, Workshops, Competitions and special features to enjoy. Indulge your love of all things cake, and spend three days in cake heaven this spring.

www.thecakeandbakeshow.co.uk/ manchester

In addition to providing an opportunity to showcase your cake decorating skills, we have planned exciting demonstrations throughout the day and have arranged for numerous prizes to be awarded.

February 23-28

Offering everything from live demos by celebrity speakers to classes with the experts, as well as delicious produce and baking supplies, plus live competitions and so much more...

March 9-10

April 6-7

Garden State Cake Show – Marlton, NJ

National Capital Area Cake Show – Fairfax, VA

www.gscakeshownj.com

www.cakeshow.org

http://ices.org/event/park-city-cakedeco-expo/

Classes, cake competition, live challenge and more.

February 23-24

March 9 - 10

The competition is open to all so come out and compete for prizes and bragging rights! LIVE Cake Challenges on both days are now included in the price of admission. Trophies, prizes and cash valued at over $10,000.

9:30 am Park City Cake Deco Expo – Park City, UT

That Takes the Cake – Austin, TX Massachusetts ICES Weekend of Sharing – Woburn, MA www.thattakesthecake.org The 9th annual “That Takes the Cake!” Sugar Arts Show lands in Austin on the last weekend of February, with a weekend full of events that include the acclaimed cake and sugar art competition, classes, vendors, demonstrations and more.

http://ices.org/event/massachusettsweekend-of-sharing/

Sugar art and cake displays, hands-on classes and demos, youth classes, gourmet bake sale and more!

See our ad on page 26

February 28 - March 3 March 16-17 ICES Midyear 2013 Meeting – Albuqureque, NM http://ices.org/event/midyear-2013/

San Diego Cake Show – San Diego, CA www.sandiegocakeclub.com/events You’ll find something for everyone at our show.

There are gift baskets you can win with raffle tickets, cupcakes for the kids to decorate and EAT, and hundreds of beautiful cakes and other sugar art items to view and enjoy!

If you would like to add your event to the next issue please email Cheryl@edibleartistsnetwork.com.

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edibleartistsnetwork

Edible Image Challenge FEBRUARY 2013 Winners We are pleased to announce the winner of the Edible Image Challenge So many beautiful entries - we are in awe of your talent.

The winner of the $75.00 gift card from Icing Images is

Jenniffer Sills White Here is my entry for the Edible Image Challenge! We made a master dowel in the center of this cake with some copper wire coming out the side to hold the modeling chocolate handle.

Once we got everything iced we added out Icing Image that we had printed out. Since the cake wasn’t perfectly round we did have a little matching problem in the back. Since it was going to be featured in front of a mirror, we used some petal dust to merge and blur were the two images came together. There is no way I could have painted this stein, so I’m so grateful for my edible images!

Jenniffer is the owner of Cupa Dee Cakes. Please visit her Facebook page https://www. facebook.com/CupaDeeCakes.

Her original entry can be found here.

Congratulations Jenniffer!!

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HONORABLE MENTION

Sarah A. Galang I had a last minute cake to make ... that included figures which I had to model (and I take a looong time doing stuff like that). I made this Adventure Time cake, incorporating a lot of image editing and then printed them onto edible sheets. The birthday sign, the hypnotic image with the celebrant’s age (on the top tier)... and the back draft of the bottom tier where all done using edible images. I did do fondant overlay on the image to give it (hopefully) a 3D effect.

Her original entry can be found here.Her original entry can be found here. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 57

HONORABLE MENTION

Shelia Barbosa This cake was tongue in cheek gift for a man’s 50th birthday, from a group of his coworkers.

Her original entry can be found here.Her original entry can be found here.

A big THANK YOU to our sponsor Icing Images.

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HONORABLE MENTION

Sweet Creations This was a Mother’s Day gift box of cookies made with edible images.

Her original entry can be found here.Her original entry can be found here.

What They’re Playing For

A $75.00 gift card from Icing Images A very special thank you to Icing Images for sponsoring our contest! www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 59

By Gracie Prainito

Edible Artist on the Rise

By Gracie Prainito

This month my Mom had a ton of orders for carved cake, which meant a lot of left over cake for me to play with. I decided I would make some cake pops, which by the way, are my all time favorite, I love to take them to school and share them with my friends at lunch.

My Mom has the greatest cookbook all about cake pops, it’s called “ Cake Pop by Bakerella”, and I love to look through and find some great ideas. I’m going to use her recipe with my own little twist.

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I’m sure everyone knows how to make these, so I’m going to share how I created mine. I used these tiny cones I found at Walmart by the Joy Baking company. I made my cake pops and colored the pink for Valentines Day. In the bottom of the cone I placed 3 or 4 valetines hearts with the cute sayings and a lttle of the pnk chocloate to hold them in place. Next stuck a cake ball in the top of the cone, smooshed it in a little so it wouldn’t fall out and then dipped it in the chocolate, added some sprinkles and a red M&M on top. And Viola – Icecream Cone Cake Pops.

Now, I had to figure out how to get them to school, so I wrapped some in plastic bags, with a ribbon, and it they wouldn’t stand up right, and that really bothered me ( I guess I get that craziness from my Mom).

So I took a mini cupcake holder and placed my pops, but they kep jiggling around, and that made me crazy too. My Mom saw I

was getting really frustrated and said, “why don’t you put some choclate in the bottom, and place your cake pops in and hold them until the chocolate melts?” Guess What!!!

It actuallw worked. I placed the holder in a pretty box and then tied with robbon, and we were ready to take them to school.

Gracie is our youngest Local Beat Reporter and is a third grader in Addison, IL. If you have any questions for her please email us at cheryl@edibleartistsnetwork.com and we will be sure to forward your questions to her. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 61

Don’t brave the cold weather to find out if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow this Groundhog Day — stay inside and make your own pop-up groundhog cookies instead!

These adorable groundhog cookies are edible, movable and easy to make. The best part is, you can find out for yourself if we should expect six more weeks of winter from the comfort of your kitchen. So go ahead — play with your food!

Pop-up groundhog cookie recipe Yields 12-15 cookies, depending on size of cookie mounds

Pop goes the... groundhog?

Ingredients and supplies: • 2 cups granulated sugar • 1/4 cup cocoa powder • 1/2 cup butter or margarine • 1/2 cup milk • 1/2 cup peanut butter

Pop-up groundhog cookies recipe

By Sandra Denneler – Wichita, Kansas United States

• 1 teaspoon vanilla • 3 cups oatmeal (preferably quick-cooking oats) • Tootsie Rolls • Chocolate frosting or chocolate candy melts • White decorator candy balls and sprinkles • Black food color marker • Dark Chocolate Fudge Stripe cookies (or a similar cookie with a hole in the center) • 1-inch diameter plastic cake dowels (cut into 2-inch segments) • Powdered sugar (optional)

DOWNLOAD THE PDF 62 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

Mix the no-bake cookie mounds

1

Before mixing the cookies, arrange your plastic cake dowels on a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper. In a large pan on the stove, mix and melt the sugar, cocoa powder, butter and milk over high heat. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat. Add the peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. Mix well.

Form the no-bake cookie mounds

2

With a teaspoon, scoop and drop your cookie mixture around the plastic dowels, forming small mounds about the same size as the Fudge Stripe cookies. Allow the cookie mounds to cool and harden completely before removing the plastic dowels. (Note: Don’t attempt to cut out the center of the cookie after it has cooled, as the hardened cookies will crack.)

Make the groundhogs

3

Soften a Tootsie Roll with your hands or in a microwave for a few seconds. Mold the ears and head, and widen the body so that it has a base slightly larger than the hole of your Fudge Stripe cookies but will fit through the hole in the cookie mound. Secure the eyes and teeth with a tiny dab of chocolate frosting or chocolate candy melts. Make a nose with another dab of chocolate. Draw two black dots on the eyes with an edible food color marker.

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Assemble the cookie

4

Pipe a circle of chocolate frosting or chocolate candy melts onto the Fudge Stripe cookie. Place one Tootsie Roll groundhog over the center hole. Place a cookie mound over both, securing it to the frosted bottom cookie. Allow chocolate to harden.

Play with your food!

Insert your pinky or index finger into the hole to make your groundhog move up and down.

5

6

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Optional: If you want to make it look like your groundhogs are coming out of a snow-covered mound, just sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top.

Growing up, Sandra Denneler’s favorite book was the 1973 World Book Encyclopedia’s Childcraft Volume 11, Make and Do. She’s been making and doing her entire life. An art director at Wichita State University, Sandra also enjoys creating edible art in her kitchen. Sandra and her super-talented, woodworker-hobbyist-husband, Eric, have made a fun home together in Wichita, Kansas and do creative projects that can be seen on their blog, Project Denneler. You can also follow Sandra on Twitter @sdenneler. Sandra also writes for www.sheknows.com. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 65

Edible Art of the Day Edible Art of the Day is dedicated to showcasing the best edible art from around the globe! We’re continuously inspired by the impressive talent of our members.

Here are a few of the recent favorites.

Karen Kavanagh Karen’s Cake Creations Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom 66 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

Mary Sibbit Mary Queen of Cupcakes Arbroath, Scotland www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 67

Gillian Dunphy Gillian Dunphy Cakes and Cupcakes Clare Ennis, Ireland 68 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

Joanne Wieneke The Little Cake Patch Robbinsville, New Jersey, United States www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 69

Jennifer Swenson Sault Sweet Designs Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, Canada 70 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

Debra Edwards Love Peace and Cupcake Vale of Glamorgan, United Kingdom www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 71

Karina Leonard Cake Rise Castlebaldwin, Ireland 72 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

Sevinรง Mercan รงelikel PastaMania Eskisehir, Turkey

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Shaile Socher Shaile’s Edible Art Huntington Beach, California, United States 74 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

Chocolate and Fruit Minicakes Including Chocolate Meringue Frosting And Chocoform Fondant

By Janet Henderson – United Kingdom

• The recipes detailed here can be used for either Minicake Tins or 1 large Tin (as instructed below).

• The Chocolate Fruit Cakes can be decorated in any way you choose. The recipes for the Chocolate Meringue Frosting and the Chocoform Paste are purely optional.

To make the Minicakes you will need either the square or round Minicake tins below:

DOWNLOAD THE PDF www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 75

You will need: • 34 oz Dried Mixed Fruit.

• 6 oz Cherries (chop them up small and toss them in flour, stops them sticking together).

• 8 oz Dark Chocolate – finely grated (at least 80% Cocoa).

• 5 Tablespoons Sherry (If you want a nonalcoholic cake, add 5 tablespoons of orange juice).

• 12 oz Plain Flour.

• 3 oz Cocoa Powder (Green & Blacks).

• 12 oz Dark Muscovado Sugar.

• 12 oz Butter (I use Lurpak).

• 6 Large Free Range Eggs.

• 1 Heaped Teaspoon of Grated Nutmeg.

• 2 Heaped Teaspoon of Mixed Spice.

• 1 Tablespoons of Black Treacle.

• Minicake Tin. • Parchment Paper (I only use Lakeland – See Link below).

• Bowl of cold water (to be placed in the bottom of the oven).

• Cooling rack.

• Pre-heat the oven to 1300.

•G rease and line each Minicake tin – the paper should come 1” above each tin.

• S it the Minicake tin on several sheets of newspaper and place a bowl of cool water at the bottom of your oven (to stop the cakes losing moisture).

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Method Weigh out all the dried fruit into a very large mixing bowl.

1

Add the grated chocolate, cherries

3 2

Add the sherry, stir well and leave for a few hours.

You could do this the evening before you intend to make the cake and cover the bowl with a damp cloth, i.e. allow the fruit to soak in the sherry overnight.

• Pre-heat the oven to 1300. Thoroughly grease and line each tin and the base.

• Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth, adding the eggs, cocoa and flour gradually to this mixture until it has all been added. Add the spices and treacle, and beat until smooth.

4

• Pour this mixture into the bowl of dried fruit, cherries, sherry and chocolate and fold in thoroughly. Spoon the mixture into your individually prepared tins; they should be filled to within about 3mm from the top of the tin (as they will rise a little). Cover the top of each cake with a circle of greaseproof paper, snipping a hole in the centre.

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• Bake in the centre of the oven for 2-3 hours until the skewer comes out of the centre of the cake clean and dry (remember all ovens differ – they take 2.5 hrs in the QC oven).

• Once completely baked, lift your cakes out of the oven and leave to cool for half an hour.

• Use a palette knife to lift each cake tin from the tray, when you hold the cake over the cooling rack, it should simply fall out of the tin. If it does not fall from the tin, give it a gentle push and it will pop out. Remove all the papers from the cake and then do this for all 16 of the cakes

5

• When completely cool, wrap the cakes in Clingfilm, either individually or several at a time and either store in a cool place for up to 3 months, or freeze.

• This recipe is also suitable for a 10” Round Tin.

Recipe for the 2” Square Minicakes • 22 oz Dried Mixed Fruit.

• Heaped Teaspoon of Grated Nutmeg.

• 4 oz Cherries (chop them up small and toss them in flour, stops them sticking together).

• Heaped Teaspoon of Mixed Spice.

• 6 oz Dark Chocolate – finely grated (at least 80% Cocoa).

• 3 Tablespoons Sherry.

• 8 oz Plain Flour.

• 8 oz Dark Muscovado Sugar.

• 8 oz Butter (I use Lurpak).

• 2 oz Cocoa Powder (Green & Blacks).

• 4 Large Free Range Eggs.

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• 1 Tablespoon of Black Treacle.

• Follow the same method as for the Round Minicakes above.

• This recipe is also suitable for an 8” Round Tin.

Chocolate Meringue Frosting This meringue frosting is a delicious alternative to buttercream, however it is purely optional and buttercream is just as good. To make Chocolate Meringue Frosting for one coating on 16 Minicakes you will need the ingredients below: • 4 large egg whites.

• 200g Castor Sugar.

• 50g Cocoa Powder.

• 340g Butter.

• Pan of simmering water.

• Electric Whisk (or similar).

• Thermometer.

• Boil a shallow quantity of water in a pan and leave to simmer

6 • Combine the sugar and egg whites together in a large bowl (this bowl is from a Kitchen Aid Mixer)

7

• Place the bowl over the shallow simmering water (make sure the bowl does not come into contact with the water)

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• Use the whisk from the Kitchen Aid (or similar) and start to whisk - by hand - the mixture in the bowl as it warms

9

• K eep whisking until the temperature of the mixture reaches 140° – 150° • This process will dissolve all the sugar.

10 • Remove the bowl from the simmering pan once the optimum temperature has been reached and the sugar has all been dissolved.

• Return the bowl to the mixer and beat on a medium speed to whip up and cool the mixture down

11

• Check the thermometer that the mixture is now below 100° preferably 90°.

• This is done so that the butter does not melt when added.

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• When the mixture has cooled down the butter can be added, small amounts at a time

13 • When all the butter has been added the cocoa powder should be added

14

• The mixture will initially appear runnier than expected

15

• B eat the mixture on a medium speed for up to 10 minutes to achieve the consistency that you prefer to work with

16

• The meringue frosting can be stored in the fridge for few weeks (if you are not ready to use it straight away). Simply re-beat when you are ready to use.

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Preparing Chocolate Fondant • Chocoform modelling makes delicious fondant to cover cakes. However, it is very expensive and firm to handle on its own

17 • The best way to manipulate chocoform to cover a cake is to mix it with white fondant (sugar paste) • The ratio should always be 50:50

18 • Chocoform is extremely firm to handle initially, and best manipulated after some time in the microwave

19 • Keep testing the chocoform after a few seconds in the microwave until it is the right consistency for you to work with (don’t overheat).

• Mix the white fondant and chocoform together 82 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

20

• Keep going with kneading the fondant until you have a smooth chocolate fondant that can be easily worked with

21

Levelling and Crumbcoating The Chocolate Fruit Minicake • Place some chocolate meringue frosting onto the uneven lumpy side of the fruit cake (26).

• Take a small amount of the chocolate fondant and roll into a sausage shape

22 • Place the fondant sausage around the edges of the cake, pressing it down so it sticks to the frosting and cake

23

• Turn the cake upside down and place onto a 3” board, press it down so it sits firmly and flat (28).

• Keep pressing the cake into the board until the spirit level and your eye show the cake is perfectly flat

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• Some of the fondant will have squeezed out of the base, when levelling the cake. Use a sharp knife to remove this excess fondant away

25 • You now have the perfect template for cake decorating

26

• Coat the cake in chocolate meringue frosting

27 • Use a cake side scaper and the turntable to take off the excess frosting, giving you a super smooth finish

28 • Place the cake into the fridge for the frosting to set.

• The cake can be covered in fondant at this stage or it can be coated in frosting again.

• The cake should always be returned to the fridge between each coat of frosting.

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Covering the Minicake with Chocoform Fondant • Roll out the chocolate fondant to approximately 4-5mm thickness

29 • P lace the fondant over the minicake and gently cover the minicake

30

• Use a sharp knife to cut away the excess fondant giving you a perfectly finished cake • The finished cake for this tutorial has been served without further decoration with a dollop of cream on the side

29

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Finally Thank you for choosing this Chocolate and Fruit Minicake PDF, created by Janet Henderson of Quaint Cakes.

You may wish to progress your skills further and we can help you with this. We currently run several different classes; however they are being updated all the time. If you wish to learn more skills with us then see the timetable on the website www.quaintcakes.co.uk and the other tutorials that we offer.

If there is nothing on the website that quite fits with what you are after, then contact me on 07711871101 and she will organise some bespoke private tuition for you.

If you have any questions or need any advice, do not hesitate to contact me at quaintcakes@talktalk.net and I will be happy help or signpost you in the right direction.

Happy Chocolate and Fruit Minicake Making

Tips If you have gone through the frosting process and ended up with a frosting ‘soup’ (36), it will be because the butter has been added before the meringue mix was fully cooled down. Add some more butter, beat again in the mixer for 10 minutes then leave in the fridge for an hour and re-beat, this will thicken your frosting.

My name is Janet Henderson and I set up Quaint Cakes a year ago and I have a MASTERS in cake decorating. I also write and sell Sugarcraft PDF’s and Recipes via my website www.quaintcakes.co.uk. The recipes are my own, tried and tested many time and enjoyed by a global audience.

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Stress Free Cake Transport

By Kerri Boyd –

Boston, MA, United States

R

aise your hand if you’ve ever had to transport a cake and thought that your heart just couldn’t take the strain. (raising hand) Raise your hand if you’ve ever transported a cake and mourned the crack that showed up in the frosting. (raising hand) This post is for you.

I recently made this baby shower cake for a friend. She had to take it on a 6 hour drive! That’s right, 6 hours!

Obviously, she couldn’t balance it on her lap the whole drive, not to mention that she would be the driver. I had read about cake transport devices that sounded like a dream, but, quite frankly, couldn’t afford the expense.

Time for some engineering and a doit-yourself solution.

Before I show you the transport contraption, let me just address a few quick items to consider. Since I knew that these cakes were in for a long drive, I planned their decoration accordingly. I didn’t put any heavy decorations hanging off the side of the cake, for example. I also properly dammed the filling and supported the tiers as normal for any tiered cake.

Long hours of constant vibration will tend to settle the cake unless it is well supported.

1

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Here’s the part you have been waiting for. Start with a sturdy cardboard box that is relatively close to the dimensions of the cake. My box came from Staples and was 12” x 12” x 12”. This worked out great since my base cake board was a 12” circle. Tape the open bottom of the box together with strong packing tape. Turn the box so that the open “top” is now the side. We’re going to side load the cake later. On what is now the top(used to be the side) of the box, draw a big “X” connecting corner to corner. This locates the center on the box.

2 Using a compass or round lid, draw a circle centered on the cross of the “X”.

Using a sharp knife or box cutter, carefully cut out the circle. My circle was approximately 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Remove the circle and brush the cut edges with your hand to remove any loose pieces of cardboard. Put the cardboard circle back into the box and tape it into place on the outside of the box with packing tape.

See that hole in the center of the circle?

That’s from the dowel, and we need to talk about that. It is common practice to secure a tiered cake from shearing stress with a center dowel that is driven down the center of the cake. This time the dowel will be part of the transportation device. Get a dowel that is taller than the transportation box by about 3”. That made my dowel about 15” since my box was 12” high. Sharpen one end of the dowel. Pierce the box in the center of your cut circle and push the dowel into the box. Wiggle the dowel around to make the whole large enough to allow the dowel to push through smoothly. Remove the dowel from the box and you’re ready to load the cake.

3

Carefully slide the cake into the open side of the box. Mine was a perfect fit so I slid it until the cake board was touching the opposite side. If your box is a little larger than your cake board, I would suggest putting some anti-slip shelf liner under the cake. You don’t want the cake to slide around inside the box.

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4

6

5 Push the dowel, sharpened end down, into the hole that you made previously. Keeping the dowel straight up and down, drive it gently down through the cake until it touches the bottom cake board.

Now the cake is firmly anchored inside the box and cannot shift side to side. Tape the open end closed and you are ready for a long drive.

The process to extract the cake from the box goes like this: Carefully peal the packing tape off of the circle that you cut out of the top of the box. Grab the dowel and gently twist it as you pull up. The cardboard circle should ride up with the dowel.

The large opening allows you to remove the dowel without scraping any crumbs, which cling to the dowel, back onto the cake. Now that the dowel is removed, open the side of the box and take the cake out the same way it went in. The dowel will leave a small hole in the top of the cake. Cover the hole with a flower or topper, or anything that goes with your design.

These particular cakes traveled in the trunk of a car. Other items were packed around the boxes to prevent them from sliding all over the trunk. I think it goes without saying that you would want to place the boxes on a fairly level surface and keep them out of the heat. But I said it anyway.

This method worked flawlessly. This cake was set up at the event by a total cake novice without any difficulty. I hope this method will ease your stress the next time you have to transport a cake.

Kerri Boyd is the proprietor of That Really Frosts Me, a custom cake bakery on Boston’s North Shore. She blogs her cake adventures on ThatReallyFrostsMe. com and enjoys finding creative (and affordable!) solutions to common baking problems. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 89

Roul’Pat® Sasa Demarle www.silpat.com www.facebook.com/ mysilpat The Roul’Pat® from Sasa Demarle turns your countertop into a non-stick workstation.

The handy and reusable silicone mat is ideal for rolling any kind of dough without sticking or requiring extra flour.

The mat can also be used for fondant or chocolate. Cleans easily with just a damp cloth. 16½ by 24½ inches. Suggested retail $48.80. Sur La Table.

Dusting Color Pump Brush Caljava International www.CaljavaOnline.com • http://www.facebook.com/FondXWorld Caljava International strives to create beautiful cake decorations & tools for amazing cake artists. Allowing artists to be able to make beautiful cakes & remain profitable. Caljava is the largest source of readymade Gumpaste Flowers & FondX Rolled Fondant.

The improved Dusting Pump Brush makes applying luster or petal dust color to your fondant cakes or gumpaste flowers very easy. Simply pour 1-2 (2g) jars of dust color into the Pump Brush, pump the brush to dispense, & apply dust color evenly. Less spills, less mess & more savings.

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Pearl Luster Icing Sheets Icing Images

www.icingimages.com Snowflake made out of our new pearl luster icing sheets. The glitter is already in the sheet so no mess!

These sheets can also be printed (gives bling to photos) on as well as cut.

The snowflake shown was cut with the Silhouette Electronic cutter.

His ‘N His & Hers ‘N Hers Cake Tops Beryl’s Cake Decorating & Pastry Supplies www.beryls.com

Cake Toppers for His ‘N His & Hers ‘N Hers Cake Tops for that special event.

Cake Pop Tower Boss Manufacturing

www.bossmanufacturing.com Boss Manufacturing is the creator of a full line of cupcake, cake, cake pop and buffet stands. A family owned and operated business which prides itself on products MADE IN THE USA!

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How should I price my cakes?

By Julie Gibson – Somerset, England

It is very common for new cake businesses to vastly under-price their product This is one of the common questions amongst cake makers looking to start out in business and it is crucial to get it right if you want your business to thrive and to bring you any sort of income. It is very common for new cake businesses to vastly under-price their product and find themselves at the end of their first tax year slowly realising they have worked their socks off for no money at all. However, with some forethought and a simple spreadsheet it is easy to avoid putting yourself in this position.

The most important thing to get right when setting your prices is your mind-set. So many of us bakers start from a position of making cakes as a hobby for our friends and family and therefore see our creations as something we give away and measure only in smiles and not cold hard hours worked and money laid out. If you want to stay in business you need to leave this mind set behind and acknowledge that your skills and time are valuable, are something you have spent years perfecting, something which deserves respect.

Now you’ve given yourself the pep talk it’s time to look at some numbers!

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Firstly set yourself up a spreadsheet and start listing out all of the things you use on a regular basis – ingredients, boards, boxes, sugarpaste, colours, greaseproof paper, ribbon, gas/electricity units, cleaning products – everything you can think of that is ‘consumed’ in the making of your cakes. Once you have your list spend some time sourcing the best prices and note down those prices alongside the item. This will act as your master list for the price of your materials which you can now use to price up different cake recipes in different sizes. This will seem like a lot of work to start with but if you work out prices for your most common cake sizes & recipes and note them down it will make quoting a whole lot easier in the long run.

Once you have these variable costs down you can start thinking about the fixed costs of your business which need to be spread across your cake orders for the year. These will include things like business and public liability insurance, web site hosting, marketing costs, cost of the use of your home, cost of any licences you might need in your country of operation. Again, note all of

these down on a spreadsheet so you can monitor and update them as costs change. At this point you will need to estimate how many cake orders you expect to take during the year and allocate a proportion of the fixed costs to each cake. For instance if your fixed costs are £1000 and you expect to make 125 cakes then add £8 to the cost of each cake.

Now we can start to think about the time you spend on each cake and how much you want or need to earn per hour. As well as the baking and decorating of the cake consider other activities such as shopping, sketching designs, replying to customer emails, delivery, cleaning etc.

The more cakes you create the more confident you will get at estimating the time needed. Your hourly rate is the area where only you can decide what to charge. Some people are happy to earn minimum wage doing a job they love whilst others need their business to support the family or pay the mortgage. It’s a very personal decision but I would urge you to recognise that your customers are not simply paying for the hours you

spend making the cake but for the hundreds of hours you have invested in improving your skills and developing your creativity. Once you have worked out how many hours your cake will take simply multiply by the hourly rate you want and add this amount to the variable and fixed costs you already calculated.

The final element is one which is often forgotten in micro-businesses and that is the profit.

Again, the percentage profit you decide upon is purely personal and will depend to an extent on the amount of capital you have invested. This is not part of your payment for working in the business; it is the return on the investment you have made in your business, the reward for the risks you are taking. If you were a shareholder in a company then this would be your dividend!

Of course, most of us will choose to reinvest it in the businesses we love but to arrive at a proper price for your product it should nevertheless be factored in.

So to summarise – • Variable costs + • Share of fixed costs + • (Hourly rate x hours taken) + • Profit margin = • Retail price of your cake This is of course a broad guide to the mechanics of pricing your products and I have not touched on assessing your competition, finding your place in the market and dealing with customer expectations to name just a few related issues. If you are looking for more in-depth advice I will be running a blog series on pricing during the next few months over on my Cake Office blog where you will also find a private forum where you can ask all those awkward questions you don’t want to ask ‘in public’!

Julie Gibson is the proprietor of Ice Maiden Cakes & founder of CakeOffice.com. For more information please visit her blog at www.cakeoffice.com.

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