Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

I’m planning on making Paul’s moist chocolate cake as the top tier of a wedding cake for a friends wedding in 10 days time. I’ll probably bake it some night this week and freeze it . When would be the best time to defrost it, ganache it and cover it in sugarpaste it for the wedding. It will be eaten on the day. can I ganache it and leave it a few days either in the fridge or in a cool place before doing the sugarpaste or would it be better to out the sugarpaste straight on once the ganache is set? Also, once I have the sugarpate on I won’t be able to put it in the fridge (does funny stuf tosugarpaste I hear) so just wondering what the shelf life will be if just left out somewhere cool with the ganache and sugarpaste on?

Thanks!

Hi Justine

You could bake it any time now and freeze it, at least it’s baked. Take it out three days before the wedding, defrost partially, fill and ganache, put it in a box in the fridge until the ganache is set. Once the ganache is set to your liking go ahead and ice it. Box it up to settle down, keep it in a cool place. The next day you can decorate ready for the wedding. I think the three days will give you time to decorate without stress, but if you think you can complete in two days, go for it The ganache and fondant will keep the cake moist. I would not recommend that you fill with fresh fruits such as raspberries or strawberries, fresh stuff molds and reduces the shelf life of the cake down to a day! I know David advised the shelf life of the site cakes is approx 5 days, what I don’t know is whether he means this cake which is made from fresh ingredients or, the tutorial cakes which are made up from cake mixes. When I’ve baked this recipe we’ve had it wrapped up for longer than that. You say the cake will be eaten on the day, so not much chance of it hanging around for days on end. Hope this helps Justine, g’d luck and let us know you get on. x

Hi Justine,

I am also using this as a top teir to my first wedding cake for a freind of mine. I am planning to take the cake out of the freezer tonight to decorate tomorrow. The wedding is on Saturday. If I get a chance to taste I will let you know how it stands up.

Hi MIWL, I’ve just been reading your reply to Justine and a bit in the middle interested me – ‘the tutorial cakes are made from cake mixes’ – would the cakes used on Paul’s courses be made from mixes then? I only ask because I’ve been on one of the courses and the cakes we were given to use were very nice – if they’re from mixes, what mixes are used because I’d like to get some lol!!
Thanks.

Hi loobianca

Have a look at Paul’s answer on page 79, he explains why mixes are used and who the suppliers are. There’s another answer from David as well but I can’t find it, so frustrating! As for the school cakes, I’m not sure whether they are from mixes or fresh ingredients. x

Thanks MIWL,
I’ve actually ben busy getting the decorations for the cake ready (bride and groom topper and lots of sparkly nowflakes) so haven’t got around to baking the choc cake yet. I’m going to do that tonight for the wedding on Friday. I’ll probably freeze it tonight and then fill, ganache and ice it semi defrosted tomorrow evening giving it 24 hrs to let the sugarpaste firm up a bit and then I have Thursday evening to stack it and pop the decorations on.

Hi Justine

I don’t know when you posted your last comment, but if you haven’t had the wedding yet Good Luck! and if it’s already happened, would love to know how it all went. x

Hiya, the wedding is this Friday so will let you know how it goes!

When you say Page 79, loobianca, what document are you talkling about? Thanks.

Hi Samantha

I suggested for loobianca to look at page 79 in Q&A in reply to her question about tutorial cakes and cake mixes.
If you click Q&A then scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page you will see some numbers, these are the pages, if you click on 84 then click backward and find page 79 you see the answer which Paul gave to another member.