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- Photo: Werner Kunz / Flickr
Planet Cake is a step-by-step course in beginner’s cake decorating that will have you decorating like the professionals over time. As owner Paris Cutler says, ‘there really is no secret to becoming a great cake decorator other than solid skills in ganaching and covering, an eye for colour and proportion, practice and patience.’ A trainee at Planet Cake will spend a year ganaching, covering cakes and mastering shapes. Beginners are advised to start with round cakes and cupcakes.
Planning
Designs can be followed or tailored as one becomes more confident about one’s ability. Check your recipe two weeks before you bake your cake and ensure that you have everything you need. Some specialist equipment or ingredient may not be in stock.
Proper planning does more than reduce your stress levels: it gives you the freedom to enjoy the experience. And remember, ‘making and decorating cakes always takes longer than you think.’
Prepare your work space
Paris Cutler says about work space preparation that she ‘cannot emphasise enough how important it is to prepare your work space before you start. Make sure you have everything you require including: room in the freezer if you’re going to freeze your cake before decorating.’
She adds that you’ll also need enough bench space and boards, all the equipment and ingredients at hand and plastic sheets to prevent the plastic icing from drying out. ‘Always wrap the icing in plastic, or, if already rolled, cover it with a plastic sheet.’
Planet Cake’s three day rule
Cutler explains that the three day rule is very important. ‘If you want to create a wonderful, professional-looking cake, this is the time that it requires and it is futile (and stressful) to try to hurry it.’ Cakes that aren’t given sufficient time to cool and ganache that hasn’t set properly will lead to inadequate foundations for the rest of the decor.
Day one
Bake your basic cake on day one and allow it to cool. Use a cake that is firm enough to give a good basis for decorating. The cake should also store well. Some cakes can be kept for a week in an airtight container or frozen for two months before decorating.
Day two
Cut and ganache your cake on day two and give it enough setting time. Planet Cake uses ganache instead of buttercream because it allows for clean and sharp edges. It also tastes better and the cake keeps for longer.
Setting up the cake with a smooth, hard layer of ganache ‘hides any imperfections and gives a good foundation’. This allows one to use a thing layer of ready-to-roll icing on day three.
Day three
Decorate your cake on day three. ‘At Planet Cake we only use ready-to-roll (RTR) fondant icing, which finishes with a nice satin shine and is very reliable.’ Use a pasta machine to roll out the icing evenly. Polish the icing with a ‘flexi-scraper’, made from firm and flexible plastic.
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