help from a friend.

[2sdae]

This is a reprint of a post a friend of mine put out and I thought it was such really helpful and eye opening info you really wanna take a look. Her advice is as follows:


A re-post of Indidebi:

I'm going to offer some motherly advice here.....

I've seen, over the year or so that I've been on this site, many posts that indicate some of the cake creators have never cut one of their own wedding cakes, or any cake that is stacked/pillared. I've seen comments from folks who just say "I've never done it and dont' know how", but the ones that bother me most are the "what if (this or that) happens at the wedding?" or "gosh, I hope that doesn't happen on my wedding cake when they cut it!"

Except for really strange out of the realm of reality circumstances, I don't believe anyone should wonder "what if" or wonder "will that happen" on their cake. As a cake professional, you should be confident and sure in how you assemble and put your cake together ... not just for taste and looks, but for ease of taking it apart and serving it.

I would like to suggest that those who have never cut one of their own cakes really need to find an opportunity to do so. One of my pet peeves is having to cut another person's wedding cake that is constructed in such as way that it is a nightmare to disassemble it. (The worst was from a local bakery that had a system that practically required vice grips to take the dang thing apart!!) My thought is first, how in the world would a bride or family member figure out how to do this if they were "on their own" and second, if the cake maker had to take this thing apart, I'm sure they'd sure do it different.

Having the experience of cutting a (wedding) cakes gives you a number of advantages:
1) you can see how what you are doing affects the person at the other end.
2) You can see how your construction affects the cake itself (here I'm thinking of too many dowel rods and how it turns the cake into swiss cheese)
3) You can offer real and legitimate suggestions on how to take it apart and cut it.
4) Since you've "been there, done that", it gives you such credibility with your clients when you offer your advice.

If you made a new years resolution to enhance your cake skills this year, I would encourage you to volunteer to stay and cut at least 2 of your wedding cakes this year. Get that experience under your belt .... see how easy/hard it is to take apart your construction ... be confident in how to cut the cake when you give cake cutting advice ... enjoy the compliments of the guests when they tell you personally how beautiful the cake is.

You wouldn't have to do it often .... but reach out and try to do at least a couple.

I think it will make a world of difference in your perspective and your skill level.

[2sdae]

check this out ladies it is worth reading I promise....

[elizw]

i have challenged myself to cut at least one wedding cake by october. i'll let you know how it goes!

[mona1949]

I remember when I had to cut my cousins wedding cake and it was a disaster. It had to be at least 23 years ago. It was a three tier cake and I made a mess of it. But there was no one else at the reception that wanted to cut the cake. The last cake I cut was a two tier heart cake and I did really good if I must say so.

[2sdae]

it can be a pain for sure, especially if you dont have experience with it and a very sharp cake knife too, dull blades drag through cake and what a mess that makes!

[laurafromtx]

I think Debi always has sound advice.

I made my nephew's wedding cake last October and had free reign on the design. I decided to make a 3 tiered square cake, with each tier offset at a 45 degree angle from the one below/above. It was a beautiful cake! But I also cut it and was sitting there thinking, what the H-E-double toothpicks was I thinking? It really shouldn't have been that difficult to cut, but I was trying to cut it from the bottom up without taking the top tier off first. I ended up going ahead and cutting the top tier and working my way back down, knowing I still had extra cake/buttercream leftover to 'remake' the anniversary tier.

Definitely a lesson learned on my part.

[mona1949]

I use a bread knife when cutting my cakes, it works so good.

[cynfulcakes]

Thanks for reposting!!!!!!!!!!

[cupcakeshoppe]

i think i can understand how some people would be hesitant to cut their cakes. especially if they spent a lot of time on it and then they're gonna take them apart. but i always cut my cakes... because... they are always in the process of collapsing LOL

[2sdae]

well, I have had to cut a few that hurt...my m&m was one example..he just looked horrible when I cut off his head top...like a gruesome cartoon lobotomy!!!!!