The Contemporary Buttercream Bible Read Online Free Page B

knife
    • Pen or pencil
    • Thin cake board
    • Ruler
    • Cocktail stick (toothpick)
    1 Measure the height of the bottom tier of your cake
    with a ruler. This measurement will be the guide for
    cutting your dowel rods. Use wire cutters, big
    scissors or a serrated knife to carefully cut as many dowels as you need (see step three) to the same
    length (A).
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    A
    2 On a piece of paper or a thin cardboard, mark out
    the outline of the next tier up and cut the paper or
    card to size. Centre this template on the bottom tier of the cake and use a cocktail stick (toothpick) to
    clearly mark the outline (B).
    B
    3 Mark the position for the dowels and insert the
    dowel rods into the bottom tier, evenly spaced
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    about 4cm (11⁄2in) in from the edge of the marked
    outline (C). Push the dowel rods straight down until
    each touches the cake board (D). The number of
    dowels to put into the cake depends on the size of
    the cake. The bigger the cake, the more dowels
    required.
    C
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    D
    4 Repeat this procedure for every tier on the cake. If it is really a tall cake, you will need to insert a long dowel straight through all the tiers, through the
    centre of the cake to stabilize it.
    Tip
    To measure the height of your cake tier you
    can push a dowel right into it from the top until
    it touches the cake board, then mark the place
    on the dowel that the cake frosting reaches,
    using a pencil or pen, then remove the dowel
    and cut it off at the marked length.
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    Cupcakes
    Cupcakes are always fun to bake – there’s less
    pressure than when you make a full-size cake. You
    can try out swirls and peaks and perfect your piping
    technique with these basic patterns. However, the
    small scale of a cupcake also allows you to practise
    the piped flowers you will find in the following
    chapters. Why not try one of each flowers to create
    a lovely garden of buttercream? Then check out
    how to make a cupcake bouquet at the end of the
    Piping Flowers chapter.
    As well as ideas for a range of lovely patterns and
    textures to pipe on your cupcakes, on the following
    pages we will also share a simple adaptable cupcake
    recipe that always works for us.
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    Simple Cupcake Recipe
    This is a great basic recipe, which you can adapt to
    suit your needs by swapping the vanilla extract for a variety of other flavourings.
    You will need…
    • 150g (51⁄2oz) plain flour
    • 150g (51⁄2oz) sugar
    • 150g (51⁄2oz) butter
    • 2 eggs
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    • 2 tbsp milk
    • 1⁄4 tsp baking powder
    • 1⁄2 tsp salt
    • 1-2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • Mixer (hand-held or stand mixer)
    • Mixing bowls
    • Spatula
    • Sieve (sifter/strainer)
    • Measuring spoons
    • Two twelve-hole cupcake baking pans
    • Cupcake cases (liners)
    • Oven thermometer (optional)
    Makes about 15–18 standard size cupcakes
    1 Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2. If
    the temperature is too high, there is a tendency for
    your cupcakes to rise too much and become
    ‘domed’.
    2 Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar
    in a bowl for about 20–30 seconds, or until light
    and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and milk to 86
    the bowl and beat for another 10–20 seconds, or
    until the mixture is smooth.
    3 In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking
    powder and salt, and set aside.
    4 Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Reduce the
    mixer speed to low-medium and beat for 20–40
    seconds until all ingredients are just combined, do not over-beat. Scrape down the side of the bowl with a spatula.
    5 Put one cupcake case in each hole of the cupcake
    baking pans. You won’t have enough batter for all
    24 holes, probably nearer 15 or 18.
    6 Divide the batter between the paper cases and fill
    cases about two thirds full. We use an ice cream
    scoop to distribute the batter equally. It is best to use greaseproof (wax paper) cupcake or muffin
    cases as the plain paper ones have a tendency to
    peel off the cakes.
    7 Bake in the middle of the oven until the