SLC-S24/W6 | Any cake (Ribbon cake) and decorate
Today, I made ribbon cake in following the instructions presented to using this week's cake challenge where we are asked to make any cake and then decorate it with icing. Today happens to also be the first day that I ever covered the entire cake I made with icing to decorate it. I have been baking cakes but the very idea of decorating it has always been boring to me, perhaps because I don't like too sugary foods. However, according to this week's contest, I have to and I have gained great knowledge about icing if which if I am to practice it again, I will really do better.
One of the knowledge I gained is the fact that there is icing or spraying bag or nylon. I thought one can use any nylon at all. When I told the cake shop owner that I will use any nylon, she laughed at me and then brought out the main cake spraying nylon a d showed me, I had to buy it.
Then, nozzles are another amazing knowledge I gained. Knowing that there are nozzles and they are numbered according to the designs is another wonderful thing to learn. Though I wasn't able to see exactly the sizes we were asked to use. But I designed something.
Then, creating designs on the cake became a nightmare for me. I had to seat down and calm down to be able to get especially the matting around the cake. Even my kids commended me that I really have patience. I am proud that at least, I got the matting design very well
Alright, ribbon cake was the cake we did some weeks ago which is known for it's colours and which is native to the Sri Lankans. I could remember inviting @disconnect to enjoy it with me. I also made chocolate cake in addition but it's just for the fun of making cake and I shouldn't have added it to this picture but I don't have one I took separately for the ribbon alone. But everything came out perfectly.
The preparation is still the same with what I did that week here. But for the purpose of this class, I will list the ingredients again as requested
| Ingredients for cake | QTY | Price in Naira | price in steem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butter | 150g | 510 | 2.4 |
| Sugar | 150g | 300 | 1.4 |
| Flour | 150g | 195 | 0.9 |
| Egg | 3 | 600 | 2.8 |
| Baking powder | 1 1/4 | 100 | 0.4 |
| Vanilla | 1 tsp | 105 | 0.5 |
| Food colouring (green and pink) | 2 drops each | 105 | 0.5 |
| Total | 1915 naira | 9.1 steem |
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| Ingredients for Icing | QTY | Amount in steem | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Icing sugar | 250g | 750 | 3.4 |
| Butter | 100g | 340 | 1.5 |
| Total | 382 Naira | 4.9 steem |
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Preparation process
It is still similar to what I have in that ribbon cake post I made 3 weeks ago, but I will have to repeat it because that's what is expected of us for this week.
Step 1:
I brought out my mixing bowl and ensured that it was well cleaned. Then I added the measured sugar and butter to it and made sure to beat thoroughly to combine. I spent a little time here because this is the foundation of a good cake.
Step 2:
Next, I added the eggs but one at a time and beat thoroughly too to ensure that it is well combined and incorporated into the butter mixture
Step 3:
Next, I decided to add flavour to the mixture to the mixture by added the required amount of vanilla flavour to it and then mixed thoroughly to combine. Flavour is very important in cakes, at least to hide the smell of the egg, lol 😂.
Step 4:
Time to add the flour to the mixture. What I did was to add the baking powder to the flour, mixed it well and the sieved the mixture into the butter mixture and made sure to combine and fold the flour mixture thoroughly
Step 5:
It is time to add form the ribbon by adding colours to the mixture. Since I am going to have two colours, I then divided the mixture at this point into two and added the different colours of pink and green. The remaining colours I bought the last time we prepared ribbon cake
Step 6:
Then, I brought out my 2 cake pans, cleaned them up and greased them with a generous amount of butter for easy removals at the end of the baking. I then turned the different colours differently into their separate pans.
Step 7:
I preheated the oven for 10 minutes, then baked the cakes for about 40 minutes until they are properly baked and the fork I put in came out clean. I also mixed and baked my chocolate cake which is my own favourite. I snapped all three together after baking
Step 8:
Then, it is time to prepare the icing for the decorations, I put the measured amount of butter in a clean bowel and beat thoroughly until it is light
Step 9:
I added the required amount of icing but little at a time and mixed thoroughly to combine
Step 10:
Next was to use the icing mixture to paste or rub on top of the green colour cake, the N spread it to cover the entire surface and then I placed the second colour on it to form a layer as shown in the picture below
Step 11:
Then, since I want to decorate the cake, I used the icing to also spread on the top of the second cake to cover the top. Then I also cover the entire body with the icing mixture crumb as seen in the picture below. Then I placed it in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to harden the icing mixture. Thank goodness that they gave us light last night, I had to take advantage of it. It was my major concern but I am so glad that we had light
Step 12:
Then I took out one of the icing bag that I bought, fixed one of the matching nozzles inside the bag and cut open to the size of the nozzle and put some icing mixture inside. My challenge with icing is that the seller don't even know the sizes of the nozzles she had in her shop. According to her, as a baker, I should know the size and design that I want. Hmmm, I don't know anything about nozzles and so I had to select among the ones she has since no one even looked like the ones used in this week's lesson. I checked 2 baking shops and had similar experience.
Step 13.
Then, with the icing bag that has nozzle in it, I started decorating the cake as shown below. I started matting it, drawing lines and crossing it to form mat design. This is where creativity meets wisdom
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Step 14:
When I was sure I had gone round with the matting design, I proceeded to divide the remaining icing mixture to add different colours for the other decorations. One was pink and the other was the green. What I have here is just the picture of the pink icing mixture
Step 15:
Then I fixed the other nozzle in a different icing bag and put the pink coloured icing mixture, sorry that my flower is different from yours @m-fdo. The reason is because I didn't see the same flower shaped nozzles to buy that could have give the same design as yours. I think I still did something with the nozzles I was able to buy
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Step 16:
Then I was able to go round the cake with the flower design. Then I used another bag to put another nozzle and put the green icing mixture and used it to create another design on the cake as you can see below. Writing my name was difficult because the space remaining wasn't enough. I just wrote ngo. Moreover, I haven't mastered the act of designing with nozzles. I think I need to practice more and more to gain mastery of it. Meanwhile, I couldn't buy the brown colour of the food colour and that is why I used the green colour to attempt writing my name. Hope I didn't do anything wrong? Lol 😂
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List the prices of the ingredients you used in making the recipe, one by one.
The prices of all the ingredients I used for this cake is written on the list above where I listed all the ingredients I used. Hope you wouldn't mind?
What flavor of cake did you choose? Is there a special reason for choosing that cake
I chose to make the ribbon cake. I love the colour combination and my kids love it too. Since I am basically making it for them along with the icing, they loved it a lot. I had to prepare my favourite which is chocolate cake so that I will join them and eat as they are enjoying the ribbon cake.
I also chose the ribbon cake so as to be able to practice mixing the icing again to form the layers. For me, it's a learning process that is continuous
What do you think about this last cake season?. Have you improved your cake knowledge in these few weeks?. Are you satisfied with it?
I think incorporating icing decorations to the cake process is awesome. Decoration is one thing I haven't tried ever since I started making cakes. I also fail when I tried and so I didn't bother to keep practicing. But now that it is a challenge, I had to calm down to do it. I love the fact that we have the liberty to choose which cake flavour to prepare. This way, we show our love for the cake flavour we prefer.
When it comes to cake preparation, I can say that I have significantly improved unlike before when I can't even explain when I am using any ingredients and I wasn't even confident of what I was making them. But now, I have gained more confidence because the ingredients are at my finger tips and the processes doesn't need consulting any written process anymore. I know them very well now and can always prepare cakes at any time and anywhere unlike before when I must consult a given recipe before I can make a cake.
I love everything about this challenge and that was why I had to follow the tutorial from week one. The only week I didn't post my entry was the week I went for burial. Not that I didn't bake the cake but the final outcome wasn't satisfactory to me. Here below is the cake before baking it. All processes were followed but I couldn't gain the strength to start making it right so as to post it. Besides, I prepared it towards the end of the week.
So, you can see that I love the challenge.
 | week 4 cake challenge |
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I'm conclusion, I have been able to pick a cake flavour and bake, showing all the processes there is.
I have also been able to show the processes I took to decorate the cake to come out as it is in the pictures I have shared as well as the challenges I faced in course of making it.
Thank you so much M-fdo for this wonderful cake recipes for these 6 weeks. I will keep practicing the icing decorations because I know there are still more to icing decorations than you have shared.
I invite @okere-blessing @mesola and @dequeen and even @eliany to share their own cake recipe for this week. The lesson post is here in case you need it. Success to you all!
All pictures are mine taken with my device*
This is my introductory post here
https://x.com/NgoziNwank56943/status/1927262016546165108?t=tjemMyxUu6FZhi32cD2CIg&s=19
Waoooo, I'm challenged, will be dropping my entry soon.
This looks pretty good
I love the fact that you are challenged. Please let yours be better than mine. All the best in your entry
Waoooo, thanks so much for the invitation, I will try and participate in this week challenge. Your cake turned out excellently, I wish you success in this contest.
I can't wait to read your entry. Yes, it came out great. Thank you for your response
I'm salivating already, since this learning challenge you have been my motivator I remembered when I didn't want to try knowing that mine may come out bad , but you gingered me and today I can bake well. Looking at this I will surely do mine . Thanks for inviting me. Keep some for me.
I am to have been one of those that encouraged you. You are also one of those that are determined to try things out and that is why you are succeeding. I am glad that you have improved in your baking experience. I am waiting for your entry. Thank you for your response to my invitation
Another cake invitation!
Are you salivating or getting ready to come?
Packing my bags!
I see! I will be waiting for you. Can't wait
Nice cake, was still contemplating on this week cake decorations your colour combo is beautiful.
Thank you for the compliment! I am waiting for your entry
Wow what an amazing cake baking tutorial post. This is explicitly detailed to the point that even a novice can use it as a template to replicate the cake baking.