ISO: ISO Wedding Cake Bakers..(more--long)

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jennifer_in_ma

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Sorry, this is a bit long, but I could really use some help!

My sister-in-law is getting married in June. She has asked me to make her wedding cake. Now, I have made about three wedding cakes for other people, but I am no expert. The thing is, she wants a chocolate cake w/ raspberry filling. At first she wanted chocolate frosting, but has now decided on white buttercream. All of the cakes that I have made prior to this have been white cakes. Since she knows that I have made cakes for other people, I really couldn't say no, but I am being to question my sanity!

I have The Cake Bible (Rose Levy Beranbaum), so today I thought that I would do a trial run of the choc butter cake for 150 (I only made the 6" and 9" part of the recipe). I have tried a regular size choc cake from her book before. No matter what size, I seem to have the same problem--it turns out a bit dry and crumbly. I don't think that I overbaked it, because I was testing the cakes pretty regularly, and took them out as soon as I had a crumb free test. I made a raspberry simple syrup w/ Chambourd. I split one layer and moistened it w/ the syrup, wrapped it well and put it in the freezer. I then split another layer, moistened it and did a crumb coat w/ Wilson's basic buttercream (butter, shortening, x-sugar) and put that in the freezer. I left the little one out for my hubby, but when we tasted it, it was pretty crumbly. He ate it anyways. smileys/smile.gif

So, does anyone have a good chocolate cake recipe, preferably in amounts and such to make a three tiered wedding cake (12", 9" & 6")? Beranbaum always advises against using a regular sized cake recipe and putting it in a larger pan, but I am beginning to think that I might just have to.

Problem number two (of many, I antipicate..): I live in Massachusetts and the wedding is going to be 6 hours away from us in PA. We will probably be going down there on Thurs, the wedding is Sat afternoon. I don't know what kind of kitchen I will have access to, but there is a kitchen at the location that my MIL tells me I can use (but there will also be food prep going on, since I think they are making the food themselves). Otherwise, I am stuck in my MIL's small kitchen at her house. I am anticipating making the cakes ahead of time and freezing them. Hence the tests on freezing the unfrosted and frosted layers. I thought that if I could do that and just take them out of the freezer as we leave the house on Thursday, then maybe they won't be too bad for Saturday. Has anyone tried this? All of my other wedding cakes I have frozen w/out frosting and slightly moistened, but again they were white cakes and seemed moister to begin with. (I have been making the BA Tiramisu Wedding Cake recipe for most of my wedding cakes--it is just fabulous and stays flavorful and moist, even w/ freezing).

Any thoughts, suggestions, kicks in the butt for saying I would do this, would be immensely helpful. Thanks!

 
Hi Jennifer, many people have reported bad results with RLB's cakes ..

ie, they come out too dry. So, it's definitely not you, it's the recipe(s)!

Meanwhile, I have two chocolate cake recipes I would highly recommend - one is the "Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake" posted in the Favorites folder - of course, you'd have to adjust it for a three-tier cake. (there are sites that will give you cake-pan sizes and substitutes, such as Sarah Phillips site, baking 911.com, which by the way, has a forum called "Ask Sarah," and one of the folders is dedicated to wedding cakes, so you will find good info and help there). Getting back to the bundt cake, it is absolutely fantastic, with a deep dark chocolate taste, and a nice, tight crumb, so it's easy to slice cleanly without any crumbling, and would be equally easy to frost. (The recipe doesn't use frosting, but serves it plain with whipped cream and raspberries). It's also very moist, even moister when tightly wrapped in plastic and left out on the counter overnight. The second one is "Devil's Food Cake with Fluffy White Frosting," which I make into a two layer cake (the original cuts the layers in half for 4 layers). It's delicious, very moist, with a looser crumb than the bundt cake and an excellent chocolate taste. Let me know if you want me to post it.

I would say that of the two recipes, the Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake would be the easier one to work with. I assume you'll be doing a trial run, so you can check them both out and see which one you prefer. Either way, they're both great recipes.

 
Hi Jennifer. I also will be baking my daughter's wedding cake, so am interested in >>

replies to your post. I also have a question. I notice that wedding cakes on display have tiers that are about 4" thick. Are these tiers each like a 2-layer cake? That is, will be be making a 6" two layer cake, a 9" 2-layer cake and 12" 2-layer cake? Jennifer, will your cake be serving 150? The wedding here will be much smaller and I was wondering what size tiers to make. There will be about 35 people.

Re your question, someone posted a wonderful chocolate cake recipe that included a chocolate icing made in the blender. The cake was wonderful and moist, but for a 9" cake. That might work if increased.

 
Thank you, everyone! (more)

I am so glad to hear that other people have had problems w/ RLB cakes--I thought it was just me!

Thanks for the links, I think I will take your advice, Meryl, and try a regular chocolate cake recipe, and test it out in larger cake pans. I have a fabulous one that I usually use for any 9" cakes--Old Fashioned Choc Cake from BA, I think Sept 1997. It is the easiest cake recipe I have ever made and stays very moist.

Gail_in_FL: I think the wedding is going to be about 100-125 people, so I am figuring to make all three layers. I don't think that they are planning to have any other desserts there. I have a three tiered stand from Wilton that I use, it is so much easier than trying to tier them one on top of another. For such a small wedding, you may want to only do two tiers, or make the layers smaller, ie: 10", 8", 5"? The number of layers I use really depends upon the cake that I use. RLB's cakes rise up pretty high, so I sometimes only use two layers. When you then figure the filling and the frosting, they usually end up looking pretty tall. I have also used four layers. When I make the tiramisu cake I usually split one cake into 4 layers and with the fillings they turn out tall. I would highly recommend that cake, if you are interested, I will post the recipe for you. It is so easy to work with and tastes delicious. I have had people just rave over it. I will also try to post some of my pics for the cakes that I have done in the past...Once I figure out how!

 
For Jennifer & for Gail_in_FL

Hi Jennifer,

>My sister-in-law is getting married in June. She has asked me to
>make her wedding cake. Now, I have made about three wedding
>cakes for other people, but I am no expert.

If you’ve done it before, a few tips, and you’ll do fine!

>The thing is, she wants a chocolate cake w/ raspberry filling.

A raspberry flavored buttercream? Or fresh raspberries? Or?

>I have The Cake Bible (Rose Levy Beranbaum), so today I thought
>that I would do a trial run of the choc butter cake for 150 (I only
>made the 6" and 9" part of the recipe). I have tried a regular size
>choc cake from her book before. No matter what size, I seem to
>have the same problem--it turns out a bit dry and crumbly. I don't
>think that I overbaked it, because I was testing the cakes pretty
>regularly, and took them out as soon as I had a crumb free test.

In my experience that actually will make for an overbaked cake. Pulling it from the oven as it begins to pull away from the pan is the perfect time (more of a crumb-cling stage, not moist batter of course, but when just a few crumbs cling to the tester) because the cake continues to cook in its pan for several minutes more before it starts to cool. And, if you ever feel a cake is too dry, just reduce the flour by 1/4 to 1/3 cup for the next go-round (or, as you’ve done, moisten with a sugar syrup). I’ve never had a problem with The Cake Bible and I’ve baked extensively from it (I just dislike the format!). Also, with chocolate, the minute you smell chocolate the cake is generally done. If you keep baking, you generally lose the chocolate flavor.

>I made a raspberry simple syrup w/ Chambourd. I split one layer
>and moistened it w/ the syrup, wrapped it well and put it in the
>freezer.

I’ve never frozen a cake that I’ve moistened with simple syrup, is this a test cake, and have you tried it? I’d be curious to see what the result was. I generally don’t freeze cakes.

However, I’ll share that when I first started out I had a bad habit, and that was such nervousness that it caused me to make ‘back-up’ layers (which later went to a soup kitchen or senior center)! I’ve since stopped that but will still occasionally make a second large layer, in case it’s needed, and if it isn’t I’ll donate it.

>So, does anyone have a good chocolate cake recipe, preferably in
>amounts and such to make a three tiered wedding cake (12", 9" &
>6")? Beranbaum always advises against using a regular sized cake
>recipe and putting it in a larger pan, but I am beginning to think
>that I might just have to.

It’s actually pretty easy to adapt... there are charts available online showing how much batter is needed for each size & shape of pan and here’s a chart I’ve found helpful (this type of information exists at the back of most wedding cake books too) -- click on the LINK -- I've posted here in case it doesn't take:

http://cooksdream.com/batterdata.php

The one caveat (someone may have already pointed this out) is not to double leavener!

For a chocolate, I’ve found that devil’s food remains moist, and meets the expectation most brides have for ‘chocolate’ (unless they’re a chocoholic, like me). In the Martha Stewart Weddings book (her first one) there is a great recipe for a chocolate cake (sorry, I don’t have the book or recipe handy, I searched online but didn’t find it, your library might have that book) and I’ve made that in every size from 6”h x 3”d up to a 24”h x 3” round (split-pan which is a half-circle shape). However you could also adjust the recipe for the cake you’re used to making by making just a couple minor adjustments (add cocoa, subtract flour, add melted chocolate). There’s also a good chocolate wedding cake recipe on Epicurious.

As for travel and transport, you can make most everything and (chilled) tote it with you. I don’t have any experience freezing cakes, so can’t help you there. If it were me, in the manner in which I usually work, I’d bake the layers Wednesday, cool, and wrap well. Syrup can be made in advance and toted with you. After arrival, on Friday, I’d make any additional filling, buttercream, crumb coat, and chill. I’d finish assembly and decoration Saturday morning. If it means hauling a stand mixer along with me, I’d do it. And if you have a dining room you can work in, or a spare room with a table setup, you can accomplish the cake assembly without being in the kitchen. If it means bringing a folding table with me to work on, again, I’d do it. I generally don’t rely on having everything I need on arrival so tote a ‘breakdown’ kitchen with me (just helps keep me sane if I’m assembling cakes away from home).

A couple more thoughts:

A pastry bag with a 3” icing tip works wonders for me. I’m able to efficiently crumb coat a 3-tier cake in under half an hour. It’s really ALL about the tools.

Try to work with fresh flowers (organic), or sugar flowers you buy from a local wedding cake maker, so that decoration is quick and easy (it just relieves some of the stress).

As for transport, of any kind (in a car, from house to yard, etc), it’s far easier on your nerves if you dowel the cake (2 or 3 long dowels from the top through all 3 layers is enough... you can even keep them long and remove them once the cake is placed in its final spot and then decorate the top).

>Any thoughts, suggestions, kicks in the butt for saying I would do
>this, would be immensely helpful. Thanks!

No, I wouldn’t do that, it’s a generous thing to do with your time!

I’d recommend developing a timetable for yourself, by day, so you’re confident you know what needs to be done (and when, around other wedding activities) so you can accomplish this and not feel frazzled by the time of the wedding. List each tool you think you’ll need, each ingredient, and attach a copy of each recipe. Pre-measure your ingredients (bring along a second batch, in case of a spill), etc.

Hope some of that helps...

RuthSF

http://cooksdream.com/batterdata.php

 
Oops, sorry, here's the part for Gail_in_FL!

Hi Gail,

>I also have a question. I notice that wedding
>cakes on display have tiers that are about 4"
>thick. Are these tiers each like a 2-layer
>cake?

Cake pans commonly come in 2” depth and 3” depth (they do come deeper as well), so it can be any combination of layers baked in those pans, split & filled, to get the height you want.

>The wedding here will be much smaller and I was
>wondering what size tiers to make. There will be
>about 35 people.

That depends on how many tiers you want and the depth of the pans you’re using (for 2” layers, 2 layers for each tier, a 6” round and an 8” round technically gives you enough servings for 36 people). However that leaves no room for second servings, for servings that fell apart during cutting & transferring to the plate, or for a top tier for the couple. So instead click on the link for that chart (in the above post) and it may help you decide.

I generally make 3 layers, even if it means a small cake, and I don’t count the top layer in my numbers for service. If the couple is leaving on honeymoon, it’s nice to freeze that for them, or for the parents to take home to snack on after the party.

Hope some of that helps...

RuthSF

 
Hi Jenn, I actually did a few of the things you mentioned...

FIRST OFF, though, the two 3-layer chocolate cakes I made were for later wedding events, not the prime photo-op situation, so I wasn't quite as panicked as there was potential for.

Sandi mentioned above that I had used Gourmet's "chocolate layer cake" recipe. Also moistened it with Chambord and simple syrup. Bumped the recipe to make 3 layers (6,8,10). It got rave reviews from everyone and stayed quite moist, even after being frozen. The only real problem I had was putting on the crumb layer of icing...took me forever. But that can just be my level of inexperience at this.

The first cake I baked at home, froze, then brough into work, split, moistened and iced in our cafeteria. Lugged in all the equipment (decorating tools, icing, turn-table) and did it all there. I just didn't feel comfortable traveling with the cake already layered. So the pain of lugging equipment was balanced by the reduced fear of cake layers sliding off.

I did the second cake completely at home and didn't think to turn on the AC. Big mistake. You want cold...at least in Florida in mid-summer you do.

Are your layers going to start out 3" tall? Mine were 2"...that turned into 3" by the time I was finished with all the icing. Will each level be two stacked layers...or just one?

I can now see there should be at least 3" difference in the various layer diameters. 2" wasn't quite enough visually.

 
Let me first say how thankful I am for this forum. (more)

I always know that I can get some great advice and support from everyone here. Thanks so much to all of you! You have calmed the panic. I plan on pulling the frozen cakes out of the freezer this weekend to see what they taste like. I am also going to try my favorite recipe in a larger pan. And I think that lugging everything with me will just have to be done, like Marilyn says. I would rather not have to worry about what equipment I might have there. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I think I am going to have to freeze the cakes. I just don't have the time on Wed to bake them all, since I will be working my regular job up to Wed night.
Thanks, again, everyone. I will keep you all up to date as the trials and error continues!

 
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