Caution: Cake in Progress...

I did learn a lot this week. After deciding on banana nut cake, I made a batch to try the recipe. It tasted really good. It was moist and had big pieces of pecans. But thought it would be too overwhelming if both layers were the same, so for balance, I decided to just make the other layer a butter cake. The banana nut cake came out very dense. The butter cake batter was very 'fluffy' and rose quite high in the oven. When I leveled the butter cake, I didn't bother to make it the same height as the banana...which after slicing the cake, I wish I had. Lesson learned. Then I crumb coated the cake with a cream cheese frosting (yum!) However, I learned that the smoothing technique of placing a piece of paper towel over the cake then smoothing with a fondant smoother thingy after it has been refrigerated for some time, doesn't work all that well on cream cheese frosting.

Also, I went on the internet to find out what past students have experienced in taking this first Wilton course. There are so many people that have taken this course! I love that I'm able to tap into that knowledge. So I was also able to see what to expect in class, so I could practice at home. After checking out different coloring page patterns online, and even practicing a Hello Kitty design, I decided to go with the standard fish template that came with the ultimate kit and is featured in the Decorating Basics booklet. Figuring blue would be a good background color for the fish, I mixed up some buttercream icing and added the Blue gel coloring. This came out look like a night blue. So I ended up using Teal gel coloring to get this shade of blue.

Another thing I learned is to let the cake cool in the refrigerator (and let the frosting dry a bit) WITHOUT the cake covered. I had put it in the cake carrier (thanks Danette!) before putting it in the fridge to help protect it from dings. But it left the icing very moist and when it was time to smooth it out, and do the pattern transfer, it stuck to the paper.

So later in class, we did pattern transfers, where you get a basic design, trace the design outline onto parchment paper using a gel icing, then place the design face side down onto the surface of the cake to 'transfer' the pattern. I used a pink gel icing that comes in a tube which I bought at Walmart. I outlined the fish onto the parchment paper. I learned that it's better to use very thin lines since the line expands when pressing it onto the cake. Also, there were large globs of gel where several lines met or overlapped. So...mentally noted. Also, we used a small paint brush that came with the kit and brushed the back of the parchment paper to help the design 'transfer'. I had to lift the design up a few times to check if the amount of pressure I was using was working.

After the pattern was transferred, I realized that I really only needed to trace the outer lines of the fish since I was going to fill it with the foundation color, I was going to cover up the outlines of the little fin and the eyeball. Anyway, when I was piping the outlines with icing, I didn't completely cover the gel outlines, so when I got home, Jake asked if the color 'leaked'. I tried to scrape off some of the gel that was showing, but realized it was a waste of time, and would just put another tally in the lesson learned column.

So here's how the cake turned out:

It's plain, I know. But it took like 2 hours just to put the gel transfer, the fish, and the yellow trim on this thing. I cannot work at the Vons cake decorating counter yet. Maybe I can be allowed to dot the i's on the birthday cakes. Although the teacher Susan said we'll be practicing doing the 'shell' border in class on cupcakes next week, she showed me how to do it, so I got some early practice. She also gave me tons of ideas on how to further embellish the cake....but I just ended it here and will begin thinking of what flavor cupcakes to make for next week :-)

The next morning, I sliced the cake:

As you can see, the top layer is much taller than the lower layer. So next time I make a cake, I'll make the layers even steven. After scraping off the blue icing, it tasted GREAT!!!


So thus endeth this entry on my first ever Wilton Decorating Basics Course 1, Class 2 Fish-Decorated Banana Nut Butter Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!!! My mind is now deliciously reeling with cupcakes, cupcake cup colors, frosting colors, flavors...... oh the possibilities!