Hey, we get it—not everyone has the budget to order a professional bakery cake.
If you’ve been tasked with making a cake for an upcoming birthday party, wedding, or miscellaneous event, here are four easy ways to make it look like it came from one of the pros, instead of your pantry. If you find that you’re just too swamped with other arrangements to make the cake, just give us a call—we are one of the most affordable bakeries in Apex NC!
Home bakers usually use two cake pans and two layers. The secret to making your cakes look like the ones in the magazines is to make them taller, with three layers instead of two. Remember that more cake pans to fill means you’ll need twice the batter and twice the ingredients, so double up!
One of the biggest mistakes new bakers make is attempting to stack layers with a domed top. Yes, even though the weight of the cake appears to flatten out the dome, it will still look all wonky when you’re trying to ice and move it. Take a long, sharp, serrated knife and slice off the dome with a sawing motion, the same way you slice a bagel.
Make sure to keep the blade at the same level, or the cut will end up lopsided. One trick is to leave the cake in the pan, wait until it’s cool, and then place the flat side of the blade of top of the pan, using it as a guide to slice the top off.
Most beginning bakers will try to decorate the cake while it’s on the plate or cake stand it will be served in. To get that real professional look, set the cake on a cake board, ice it, and then move it wherever it needs to go.
The number one icing mistake beginners make is trying to ice the cake when it’s still warm. This is especially true when using buttercream icing; the cake has to be totally cool, or the butter-based icing will melt right off. Another important icing tip is to use a cake turntable, and turn the cake as you ice. If you almost never make cakes, you might try buying a lazy-Suzan type cabinet organizer, because they’re cheaper and can be used to, well, organize your cabinets when you’re done with the cake.
Looking for bakeries in Apex NC? Sweet Cherry Bakery is proud to provide delicious professional cakes to the Raleigh and Apex area. To order one of our delicious-yet-affordable cakes, just give us a call!
