This is my final post!  I’ve loved learning more about cake decorating, but it’s hard!  I worked on a cake today and had many problems.  I was covering the cake with fondant, which I’ve never worked with before.  I probably should’ve stayed with buttercream, but live and learn, right?

I did come into the cake decorating process knowing a lot.  I leveled the cakes and covered them in buttercream.  Rolling the fondant, without cracks and breaks in it, was difficult.  I was originally going to try to make a two-tier cake but after struggling for too long with the top tier’s fondant, I just stuck with the bottom tier.  Because of this, I didn’t really have a plan for the buttercream designs, so they aren’t the best.  But it was my first cake and I felt overall it wasn’t too bad.

I think if I were to do this project again, I would do some “trial runs”.  While learning about fondant, I could roll some out and practice.  While reading about buttercream piping, I could try some designs.  I’m quite good at baking, but decorating is another story!

I wanted to post some pictures of my cake, and I will.  My camera cord is currently not working and I’m trying to figure out another way to post them.  Check back if you’d like to see the final product. 

I think middle schoolers could benefit from a project like this.  Studying something that truly interests them and creating a project that suits their needs.  For example, maybe a student who is interested in movie making can study the subject and then direct a short film and show the class.  This can be a documentary or something he or she wrote.  This thinking can be applied to many different areas and I think would resonate well with that age group.  Middle schoolers tend to be rather independent and being able to study something they love and create a project they feel really expresses what they’ve learned.  This correlates with AASL standard 3 which states, “share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society”.  Sharing this knowledge with fellow students will benefit them. I also think the webbing step can be integrated into the classroom.  When I was a freshman in high school, I had to write a term paper for my English class.  The Internet wasn’t as popular then, but since it’s such an integral part of everyday life now I think it would be useful to review developing key words and searching the Internet.  Knowing the best way to search the Internet will be invaluable to students throughout their education.  I think this correlates with AASL standard 1 which says, “inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge”.  Webbing takes a topic and breaks it down into smaller steps.  Especially when identifying key words, students develop critical thinking skills and by searching in this way, knowledge is easily gained.  Research is all about gaining knowledge.  Here is a link to the AASL standards: http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/learningstandards/standards.cfm.

Before the project I tended to blindly approach projects.  This helped me break things down and go step-by-step.  I never felt really overwhelmed – partly because I really enjoyed the topic, and partly because the breakdown of the project really helped push me through.  I knew where I was going.  Now I can approach other projects in similar ways – not groping around blindly, but with understanding and purpose.

PS: Wishing post to come!

I really want to be a better cake decorator.  I have a little experience with decorating cookies (at Christmas), but I’ve never decorated a cake apart from basic frosting.  I think it’s important to know basics of decorating because by learning the “theory” of decorating, it will translate into actual decorating.  Well, by now, it should be obvious I’m going to try my hand at decorating a cake!  I’ll post pictures or a video when I’m finished as well as my “wishing” post.

Anyone interested in cake decorating or the theory behind it can learn from this project.  I’ve learned so much more than what I’ve posted as far as answers to my questions.  Cake decorating is an art and takes a lot of hard work!  My family and friends aren’t as interested in decorating (though they do like to watch the Food Network Challenge shows!), but they do like to eat my creations!  I don’t know if I’ll ever want to try and say, teach a class, on decorating (if I am ever good enough to do that!), but it’s been really fun learning more about it.

This is point where I really wanted to be able to answer at least some of the questions I posed earlier.

“What is the difference between different kinds of icings and frostings and when is the best time to use them?”
baking911.com offers a lot of good information about this.  Essentially this is really dependent on the look and taste you’re going for. http://www.baking911.com/decorating/icing_glaze_choices.htm – Has a great table for this.  The most common icings are buttercream, fondant, and royal icings.  Buttercream and royal icings are best for piping designs.  However, there is a technique to roll buttercream, like fondant.  This often tastes better than fondant, but in a warm environment melts easily.  It’s also more difficult to work with because it’s softer than fondant.  Rolling a frosting is done to achieve a smooth look.  It often looks good, but not everyone likes the taste of fondant. Another icing must be applied so the fondant can stick, so those who might not like fondant can still enjoy a frosted cake.  Any other icing can be underneath – royal, buttercream, even ganache.

“What is the proper way to roll fondant?”
My books outlined this well, but I wanted this information to be on a website as well if anyone was interested. http://www.wilton.com/wedding/makecake/fondant/index.cfm – Wilton is a leader in the cake and candy industry.  This outlines rolling fondant and covering the cake. http://www.wilton.com/wedding/makecake/fondant/fondantamounts.cfm – this is a good table to see how much fondant you’ll need for your cake.

“When do you use fondant and when do you use gum paste for molding?”
Gum paste is used for making fancier decorations, like flowers, leaves, and more, and dries hard.  Gum paste can take a long time to fully dry, but when stored properly can last a long time.  Fondant hardens some, but never fully.  Decorations can be made from this as well.  Information from baking911.com.

“When there is a lot of weight to cake, when do you use rods to keep it up and when do you just use something like modeling chocolate?”
Dowel rods are essential for tiered cakes.  Rods help the lower tiers bear the weight of the upper tiers; otherwise, they would collapse.  Also, place them on a base that can handle the weight of the cake.  Also, dowel rods must be placed in the top tier if a heavier ornament is placed on it. http://www.wilton.com/wedding/makecake/building/index.cfm.  I’ve found that modeling chocolate is used to retain the shape or hold the weight of something.  On Ace of Cakes, I’ve seen modeling chocolate used twice.  Once, they make a cake shaped like a bull.  They cut fondant to look like hair and placed it over rolled fondant.  The weight of the “hair” was too much for the fondant so it fell off.  They then covered the bull in modeling chocolate and that could hold the weight of the fondant.  The second time, they were constructing a cake for the Hairspray premiere.  The cake was very tall, so they covered it in modeling chocolate to retain the shape and keep it from falling.  If fondant was used, it probably would’ve fallen off because of its height.

I’m so glad I was able to find answers to many of my questions.