16: Lifting a Fork to Weddings and Anniversaries in .NET

Encoding Code 128 Code Set C in .NET 16: Lifting a Fork to Weddings and Anniversaries

7 Measure one dowel to the height of your entire cake Sharpen one end of the dowel to a point with a pencil sharpener Insert the dowel in the center of the top tier, and stake it all the way through the center of the cake When you encounter the cardboard round at the base of each tier, use a rubber mallet to pound gently on the dowel and pierce through the cardboard to the next layer

When taking on a cake that requires tiers and more elaborate decorations, it s smart to create a schedule for the baking and decorating required As a general rule, I usually start two days out from the big event For example, if the wedding is taking place late Saturday afternoon, this is my schedule: On Thursday, I bake the cake in the evening, and refrigerate it On Friday, I frost the tiers, assemble the cake, and decorate it Then it goes back into the refrigerator If you don t have a refrigerator that accommodates the entire, assembled cake, skip the assembly stage and simply decorate and refrigerate the tiers individually Plan extra time onsite to assemble the cake and touch up the decorations On Saturday, I concern myself with futzing, checking to make sure that frosting covers any cardboard rounds and that all aspects of the cake are presentable; transporting; arranging the presentation; and incorporating fresh decorations, such as flowers

Transporting your work of art safely is extremely important when you re dealing with a wedding cake Although staking the entire cake with a dowel (refer to the preceding section) is essential, you also can assemble the cake on-site if transporting an assembled cake seems too risky If you re transporting individual tiers, get your hands on appropriately sized skillets one for each tier Place a damp dish towel in the bottom of each skillet (to prevent sliding), and rest the tier on the towel

In a nod to some of my favorite style icons Kate Spade, Lulu Guinness, Dorothy Draper, and Elsie de Wolfe this cake incorporates a color combination that never goes out of style and is always in good taste This cake is shown in Figure 16-2 Don t skimp on the Tahitian vanilla in this recipe; it s distinct, rich, and ultrafragrant Tahitian vanilla is available at specialty markets, gourmet stores, and on the Web Tools: 14-inch round cake pan, two 9-inch round cake pans, two 6-inch round cake pans, 14-inch cardboard round, 9-inch cardboard round, 6-inch cardboard round, #10 icing tip, silicone pastry brush Preparation time: 15 minutes Baking time: 50 minutes plus 2 hours for cooling Decoration time: 60 minutes plus 1 hour for refrigeration Yield: 24 servings For the cake (recipe follows):

6 batches modified Most Excellent White Cake batter (see 6) For the frosting (recipe follows): 3 batches modified Buttercream Frosting (see 8) For the filling: 1 batch Strawberry Syrup (recipe follows) For the decorations: Pale pink food coloring gel Warm brown food coloring gel Dark brown food coloring gel

3 dozen unsprayed bright pink roses, such as the Sexy Rexy, Color Magic, Bewitched, or Disneyland varieties 48 inches pink polka dotted chocolate brown grosgrain ribbon, optional

16: Lifting a Fork to Weddings and Anniversaries Making the Tahitian Vanilla Cake and Buttercream Frosting

6-inch layers for 25 minutes, the 9-inch layers for 45 minutes, and the 14-inch layer for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached

Then invert them onto cooling racks, and invert them again onto racks so that they re right side up

2 Lightly wash and thoroughly dry the strawberries Slice each one into eight even slices,

Brush with strawberry syrup, and spread on a layer of frosting Add a single layer of sliced strawberries before setting the corresponding 14-inch layer on top

4 Repeat Step 3 with the four 9-inch layers and the four 6-inch layers 5 Apply a crumb coat (thin layer) of frosting to each tier, and refrigerate them for 1 hour 6 Divide and tint the frosting as follows: 8 cups pale pink, 2 cups light brown, and 2 cups