Well, in retrospect (and we all know what that means when that word gets pull out of the vocabulary bucket) all I can say is pure buttercream icing should not be used on a triple-layer cake when the temperature is over 70 degrees.
As in...88 degrees?
Also, if one has a vision of a finished design combined with an unfortunate OCD personality quirk regarding things lining up straight, then one should NOT accept the kind offer of help and NOT turn over the task of setting out 60 cupcakes on the display stand.
Also, one must learn not to reach across the kind volunteer who is...who is...indiscriminately, with absolutely no regard for order and design shoving name tags willy-nilly, and...(calm down, calm down) attempt to straighten them.
Lastly, one must learn to bite back an internal scream! as yet another volunteer jams open the outside door, letting the cold air-conditioning air OUT of the room and letting the humidity-ladden HOT air rush into the void (ie: the molecules surrounding my triple-layer 16-POUND buttercream cake.)
Yep...double batch of Silver Palate carrot cake with cream cheese filling and lemon buttercream icing with three pounds of chocolate "Thank You" squares around the edges. Oh ya, those hand-molded chocolate squares? Yet another "good design concept, bad for cutting the cake" ideas.
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g166/Finer_Kitchens/Marilyn%20Library/031.jpg
Now here's a fluke: the library staff decorated the hall and used a small gold-filled pirate trunk as their main theme. Then they hung gold beaded necklaces on each chair. Without ever speaking to them, I used almost the exact same design props for my cake.
Didn't get to play the anagram game as the library staff had each volunteer come up front to take photos.
Click on the link for a slideshow. I start out with a cheap 'n dirty way of cooling down the icing bowl after adding the boiling sugar so I can add the butter. I say "cheap" but...in retrospect I'm using several therapy ice wraps and ace bandages left over from my shoulder surgery and MONTHS of physical therapy. Ya, that little cool-down method probably cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $4,000. Then the cupcake stand and name tags. Then the cupcakes which I cored and added Julia's Pastry Cream to the middle. Icing is my mom's Torte icing with Sandi in Hawaii's great suggestion to use butter instead of Crisco.
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g166/Finer_Kitchens/Marilyn%20Library/?albumview=slideshow
As in...88 degrees?
Also, if one has a vision of a finished design combined with an unfortunate OCD personality quirk regarding things lining up straight, then one should NOT accept the kind offer of help and NOT turn over the task of setting out 60 cupcakes on the display stand.
Also, one must learn not to reach across the kind volunteer who is...who is...indiscriminately, with absolutely no regard for order and design shoving name tags willy-nilly, and...(calm down, calm down) attempt to straighten them.
Lastly, one must learn to bite back an internal scream! as yet another volunteer jams open the outside door, letting the cold air-conditioning air OUT of the room and letting the humidity-ladden HOT air rush into the void (ie: the molecules surrounding my triple-layer 16-POUND buttercream cake.)
Yep...double batch of Silver Palate carrot cake with cream cheese filling and lemon buttercream icing with three pounds of chocolate "Thank You" squares around the edges. Oh ya, those hand-molded chocolate squares? Yet another "good design concept, bad for cutting the cake" ideas.
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g166/Finer_Kitchens/Marilyn%20Library/031.jpg
Now here's a fluke: the library staff decorated the hall and used a small gold-filled pirate trunk as their main theme. Then they hung gold beaded necklaces on each chair. Without ever speaking to them, I used almost the exact same design props for my cake.
Didn't get to play the anagram game as the library staff had each volunteer come up front to take photos.
Click on the link for a slideshow. I start out with a cheap 'n dirty way of cooling down the icing bowl after adding the boiling sugar so I can add the butter. I say "cheap" but...in retrospect I'm using several therapy ice wraps and ace bandages left over from my shoulder surgery and MONTHS of physical therapy. Ya, that little cool-down method probably cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $4,000. Then the cupcake stand and name tags. Then the cupcakes which I cored and added Julia's Pastry Cream to the middle. Icing is my mom's Torte icing with Sandi in Hawaii's great suggestion to use butter instead of Crisco.
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g166/Finer_Kitchens/Marilyn%20Library/?albumview=slideshow
