Cooling Racks

[CrtvWngs]

Do you girls use them for your cakes? If so, what brand do you use? I need to get new ones for cakes and cookies.

Thanks in advance!

[jeri]

I use them for cookies but not for my cakes. I have a bunch of them but to be honest... I do not know where I bought them. One of those had them forever things and don't remember back that far!

[CrtvWngs]

Thanks! How do you cool your cakes? Do you wrap them and put them in the frezzer like I've been reading lately?

[jeri]

Originally Posted by CrtvWngs

Thanks! How do you cool your cakes? Do you wrap them and put them in the frezzer like I've been reading lately?

I let them sit in the pan for 10 mintues after taking them out of the oven. I level the cake with the top of the pan then invert it onto a foil covered board. I then let it set until it has cooled quite a bit... an hour or so then I cover them in foil and put them in my cake room until I am ready to use them. I always bake no more than 3 days prior to the event and I never freeze my cakes. Just my preference. I always make sure the cake does sit 24 hours before I fill and coat it though. It just gives the cake time to settle. That's how it's done in my world! I dont' think there is any hard and fast right or wrong just whatever you prefer.

[jeri]

One other quick note... I believe if you are carving your cake... you do want to freeze it. They are easier to work with partially frozen.... I think... I don't do many carved cakes so not something I do often but the ones I have done I have partially frozen.

[CrtvWngs]

Thanks for the inputI did almost the same thing the last time, I baked, let sit in the pan for 10-15 min, then put them on the rack for about a half hour. I then leveled them, stacked them on foil covered boards, and let them sit covered over night. The next day I took them apart and added icing.

I probably didn't need to stack them to let them settle, but it took less space that way. When I leave them overnight I have to keep them in the laundry room, curious cats...

I didn't seem to have any problems, but I do have another question - I notice that a lot of bakers torte their cakes, Is there a particular reason for this or is it just to get more icing into the finished product?

[CrtvWngs]

Originally Posted by jeri

One other quick note... I believe if you are carving your cake... you do want to freeze it. They are easier to work with partially frozen.... I think... I don't do many carved cakes so not something I do often but the ones I have done I have partially frozen.

Thanks! I was reading that thread on CC about that, it seems that is the consensus. I am trying so hard to learn as much as I possibly can before I am asked to do another cake. I just wish I had the cash to experiment more without an occasion

[jeri]

Originally Posted by CrtvWngs

Thanks for the inputI did almost the same thing the last time, I baked, let sit in the pan for 10-15 min, then put them on the rack for about a half hour. I then leveled them, stacked them on foil covered boards, and let them sit covered over night. The next day I took them apart and added icing.

I probably didn't need to stack them to let them settle, but it took less space that way. When I leave them overnight I have to keep them in the laundry room, curious cats...

I didn't seem to have any problems, but I do have another question - I notice that a lot of bakers torte their cakes, Is there a particular reason for this or is it just to get more icing into the finished product?

I do torte cakes IF they are willing to pay extra. They look and taste so much better when torted... but it is a lot more work and is more expensive to do them that way. Cutting into a torted cake is so pretty if it is done right. Be ready for your cakes to be a lot taller when torted. Ganache is a yummy filling to torte with. I have done a chocolate cake with raspberry& ganache... raspberry one layer ganache the next layer and raspberry the final layer of torting and it is sooo good. Very rich but yummy! And it is really pretty when it is cut too.

[CrtvWngs]

Thanks Jeri! I never thought about doing that. All of this is so new to me. I'll tell you something a little embarrassing, since I didn't think of torting a cake, I just bake more, thinner cakes to get that look.

[jeri]

That is an option too! I just like to bake the cake I generally use my 2" pans and slice them in half. It is tricky sometimes getting them just right and be sure to use a level because you can really get an uneven cake if you are not careful. For torting, it is easier for anthing above a 10" to have the cake chilled or partially frozen too. They are easier to work with that way. I just hate freezing my cakes!

Remember... no questions are dumb! I wish I would have had these resources when I started all of this 30 years ago! Life would have been so much easier! It was all trial and lots of error!!!