Thursday, May 8, 1997 at 9 PM ET in the Kitchen Conference Room-"GETTING INTO THE SWING OF WEDDING SEASON WITH DOLORES AND PWD SUGAR. JOIN THE PROS FOR FUN AND LIVELY DISCUSSIONS" 
I thought I would start off mentioning some important basics this week. After all, you won't want to bake a wedding cake if you have a lot of basic questions.

OVEN TOO HOT?: If your cakes are baking with HIGH humps, your oven is surely too hot. If they are baking with very high PEAKED humps in the middle it is VERY much too hot. Try reducing your oven temperature by 25 degrees. If this isn't enough, turn it down some more. It seems that all home ovens are NOT calibrated as they should be. I have one oven that's extra hot and one that's extra cool. There are other factors too, such as the seal on the door. If it is not tightly sealed cool air will seep in and make it take longer for your cake to bake. NOTE: You might want to try checking with another oven thermometer too.

WHEN IS IT DONE?: --- BAKE UNTIL DONE! YOUR CAKE IS DONE - WHEN-IT IS DONE Cake Recipes state 350 for all. Some ovens are hotter. But I prefer to bake at around 325 usually for ALL cakes.

LOPSIDED CAKES: Cakes always bake with a rounded hump at best. You can level your cakes by placing a towel on top and press gently until cake is flat on top. (Do this immediately when finished baking). If cake just springs back up when you do this, it is over-done (baked too long) and you must then shave off the hump with a serrated-edged knife. If the oven is hotter in the back -as explained above, the cake is apt to be lop-sided. It will be lower in back because it baked quicker in back. Turn the pan a half turn about halfway through baking to help solve this. If it is still lower on one side, shave off the high side and add the cake pieces to the low side. This way the cake will appear level when you turn it out bottoms-up. Yes, bottom up - you need the top of your cake to be nice and flat. Lopsided or rounded tops are the main difficulty in a disaster.

BOX OR RECIPE DIRECTIONS ARE GUIDELINES. YOU MUST ALSO TEST: TO TEST: Press your finger lightly in the center of the cake (last part to be done). If the cake BARELY springs back up it is done. Testing heavy cakes is different. Then a cake tester may be your best tool. If the cake clings to the tool, bake it longer. This goes for any size cake, large or small.

NOTE: For wedding cakes: Wedding cakes are usually placed on a cardboard the SAME size as the cake. The BOTTOM tier is then placed on a STURDY board 4 inches larger. I use masonite boards covered with Contac Paper. I print my shop name on the back and write down what it will cost if they lose it. (Deducted from the deposit). 

There were several questions about my shop...I'll try to answer some for you. 1. TRADTIONS published by Bakery Craft $6.99 This book contains wedding cakes, small to very elaborate. Most are easy enough to produce and lasting favorites I have done many times. All are in color.

2. A WORKBOOK FOR WEDDING CAKES $16.99 Published by me and the newest book... This book completely covers all techniques very thoroughly. You won't need 10 different books anymore to learn how to do wedding cakes, or for that matter smaller all-occasion too. Complete with photos of lots of cakes - 201 pages.

3. 100 PETITE DOLL PAN CAKES YOU CAN CREATE $6.99 This book contains diagrams and instructions for cakes that can all be created with the petite doll cake pan. This makes your pan worth SO much more! Use it in SO many ways. Example: FOOTBALL CAKE: Put 2 petite doll pan cakes on side with icing between. Ice chocolate, smooth with a paper towel for ball texture. Add white 'design' and writing. Can be served as individual cakes or as the decoration for larger ones.

4. SUGARCRAFT'S RECIPE BOOK $6.99 - sharing our recipes and ideas. (Much here is now shared in the new wedding cake book above).

5. SUGARCRAFT'S CANDY BOOK $4.99 This book explains everything there is to know about compound coating chocolate. Contains all our candy recipes and diagrams as needed. 

**RECIPE* This recipe was requested from me this past week. I thought you might be interest...

COCONUT CREAM CAKE

Combine cake mix, eggs, oil, water and coconut flavoring in mixing bowl. Beat 2 minutes at med. speed. Pour into 13 x 9 " cake pan. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or according to package directions. Mix cream of coconut syrup and condensed milk until smooth. Pike even rows of holes in warm cake with 2 prong serving fork. Pour syrup-milk mixture into holes and over top of cake. Set in refrigerator overnight or several hours until well chilled. Beat cream until soft peaks form. Sprinkle with sugar and beat until stiff but smooth. Frost top of cake and sprinkle with coconut. Serve chilled, cut into squares. Shared by Sandy Von Bibber, on Prodigy years ago. 

COCONUT CAKE 2 (I liked this one because of the sour cream).

Mix sugar & sour cream, stir well until sugar melts. Bake in 9x13"pan at 350d.for 35 min. Add coconut & spread on cake while warm. Refrigerate for at least 1 day before serving. This is a cake that is best 2-3 days later. 
Earlene's part:

Getting into the swing of wedding season with Dolores and Pwd Sugar.

I decided to use a couple of sheets that I give to the Brides at the Bridal shows for tonight. It is general wedding information that a Bride and the cake maker can use.

I belong to an association here in town called the Bridal Service Associates. It is made up of Small Business Owners who have business that relate to the Bridal Industry. There are only two or three business in each catagory and around 20 catagories.

Catagories include Bridal Attire, Bridal Registry/Gifts, Calligrapher/Invitations, Caterers, Designer Cakes, Florists, Hair Styling, Jewelers, and Etc. Your business must be invited to join. A pamphlet is published for the brides listing all of these business. She can be assured that these are reputable businesses who have her intrest at heart. We meet once a month for a meeting and networking opportunity and sponsor two Bridal shows a year. This organization has most of the people in it who refer Brides to me. They now know what I do and the quality of the work. I also know who to refer a Bride to when she is asking for help. When I arrive at a wedding to set up the cake and I am working with people from this organization I know things are going to be handled well and that Bride's wedding will go like clockwork. The following is information that I hand out at the Bridal shows. Wedding Cake Information

1. Decide upon how many total servings you will need.

You are the only one who knows your circle of friends and family - therefore you are the only one who can judge accordingly just how many guests might attend your wedding. RSVP's are helpful as you approach the wedding day and can be used as a check to be sure that you planned for the right amount of people.

One method used in judging how many to plan for in your wedding cake is as follows. If you are sending out 300 invitations, then you are actually inviting approximately 600 people. (Allowing for some family invitations and other single invitations.) For most families if you plan for your total cakes to serve somewhere between these two numbers (1/3) 200 to (1/2) 300 you will have plenty of cake. If a large number of your invitations are out of town then the lower number will probably be adequate for you. If you and your family are very socially active and a large number of your invitations are in town then you will need to possibly plan for a larger number. You will need to decide this based on your particular situation.

2. Contact your choice of a Cake Designer Contact the business or individual that you would like to make your bride's and groom's cakes. Some will require that you make a deposit in advance to securing a date. Booking as much as a year in advance may be needed depending on the availability of the cake maker and the time of year that you are planning for your wedding. Spring break weekend, May, June, July, August, December and January are the heaviest wedding periods in the Lubbock area. Please be considerate of your cake designers time and schedule by making an appointment. Most cake details can be done in one (one to two hour) appointment. A charge may be required for a second or third appointment.

3. Selecting your Cake Design

What are you serving as refreshments at possibly the largest party you will ever have? That's what your wedding is - A party with a ceremony to start the festivities and then a time for your guests to mingle, dance, celebrate and be served refreshments. Whether you serve a full sit down dinner, a buffet, finger foods or just cake, punch, nuts and mints it should be good to eat. The best that you can provide for your guests.

Taken from Austin Wedding Guide Book

The popularity of a pioneer bride was said to be judged by the size of her wedding cake. Guests would bring layers of cake, which were then filled with applesauce and stacked. The more popular the bride, the taller and more numerous her stacks. The bride's cake, symbolic of fertility and abundance, is traditionally a three-tiered white cake, frosted in white royal or buttercream icing.

Tradition, however, has crumbled. Brides are now choosing cakes of German chocolate, Italian rum, strawberry, carrot, yellow and white. . . . in other words you may accommodate your own sweet tooth. Choose your baker by sampling their cakes, if possible, and looking over their albums of cake designs and styles. You will find cakes designed around fountains and bridges as well as multitiered and sheet cakes. Your fantasy becomes reality with a creative baker. Select your baker at least three to six months in advance. . . be prepared to describe your wedding, the number of guests, location and time. Multi-tiered cakes are generally assembled at the reception site. Be sure you allow enough time for delivery and set up. A deposit of 10 to 15 percent is customarily given at the time you place your order. Request a receipt describing the type of cake you've ordered, its filling, icing, style and color of decorations. The decoration on the top of your cake can be as unique as the cake itself. Fresh flowers and delicate glass blown tops are charming decorations. Your baker will give you cutting instructions. Remember, when you make the first cut, hold the knife in your right hand. Your groom's hand closes over yours and together you cut a slice. This is the result of an ancient Greek custom where a couple shared a sesame seed cake to ensure theirs would be a fruitful marriage. The top layer of your wedding cake is generally wrapped and frozen to await the special celebration of you first anniversary. 

NEXT WEEK: "Please join Pwd Sugar for a super discussion about the different kinds of icings - Recipes and hints" I will be away for 2 weeks. I hope everyone comes and helps Pwd sugar out. 

CAKESUP: I find that the later a bride cuts the cake the less cake that is eaten / needed. Pwd Sugar: Dee put some of my cakes on last weeks chat info on her web page.

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