Great Job on the web site!!! So good to see it up and running!!! I know from personal experience that your staff is top notch…keep up the amazing job!!
I am planning to bake a birthday cake for my 1-year old son next Saturday. I have no experience in baking fancy cakes but nevertheless I would like to bake something special for my boy. Hence, the #1 alphabet cake. I already have a recipe for the cake but I don’t know if I’ll have enough batter for this pan. I have some questions here:
– My cake recipe requires either a 12-cup tube or angel food cake pan. I’m wondering if I can use Wilton’s #1 alphabet cake pan.
– If say, I would like to make a 2-layer #1 alphabet cake, can I do it with just one pan? I mean, some suggested I should just buy 2 pans and some said I could put the batter in the fridge while wait for one layer to get baked.
– How do I measure the cake batter if I want to bake 2-layers?
I’d really really appreciate if someone could reply to my queries. I’ve been pondering about baking cake for weeks! Thanks lot.
Although I would be hesitant in using an Angel Food cake recipe for a decorated cake, you can do it… it may be a little bit harder to decorate than a normal, harder cake recipe. The reason I say this is because of the bouncy or squishy texture of an angel food cake which, if you try decorating on it may not hold up as well as a denser cake, especially if you are going to try and layer it.
You don’t need two pans… just bake the first cake, put it to cool on a cooling rack while you bake the second cake. If you are going to decorate them the next day, wrap them both up with ceran wrap and put them in the fridge.
If you want to bake the two layers, do a complete cake recipe for each cake… making sure that your batter fills up to about halfway on the pan each time.
When you have both cakes done though… you will have what I would call a roof on top of a roof cake structure. What I mean is that when you bake 2 x 2″x8″ round cakes… the pans are straight up and down on the sides… so when you put them on top of each other… the result is identical… a 4″x 8″ round cake. With the number 1 cake pan, it is NOT perfectly straight on the sides and has a slight slope inwards which, when you pop one on top of the other will create a Christmas tree shape.
You have two options: either decorate the two cakes separately and showcase them separately (easiest) OR on the second cake, you can cut off the bottom third to a half and put this on top of the first cake which will hopefully be close enough that you will be able to “hide” the width difference with some creative icing.
It’s up to you, but if you don’t have your heart set on an angel food cake recipe I would change that to a denser cake recipe and I would either just bake 2 Number One cakes and showcase them as two cakes OR I would put more cake batter 1 1/2 to 2 recipes in one cake pan… filling the pan 3/4 full and just trying for an extra large single Number One cake.
Remember the number one cake decorating rule: Don’t get stressed out over it… in the end… it is cake and everyone will eat it all the same whether it turns out as you imagine or not!
Good luck and let us know what you decided and how things turned out!
Cheers,
Claire
Hi Menaka
After reading your query and Claire’s comments I completely agree with her advice on baking your “Number One” cake for your son’s birthday. I also agree that you shouldn’t get stressed out. I know its hard but try to see this as a fun project, which, I assure you, everyone will appreciate.
I teach the Cake Decorating Classes for our store here and each time I begin a course I see one or two ladies who are more than a little apprehensive about their cake decorating abilities but then go on to produce the most amazing cakes.
If this is the first time you’ve decorated a celebration cake then you can’t go wrong with Buttercream Icing, especially for little ones. It tastes so great and is lovely and soft. It also colours beautifully when you add the icing colours but remember to use a little at a time until you have the desired effect. And if you are covering the whole cake in one colour make sure you mix up a large enough amount to cover the whole cake. A No 3 or No 5 tip are both good for writing and, if you want to cover any portion of your cake with stars then a No 16 or No 18 tip will be perfect. But if you are looking for a nice smooth finish to your cake top try dipping a spatula in hot water, then wipe it dry and quickly smooth over your cake. When you edge the bottom border of your cake a No 21 Star Tip does a great job and is so easy to apply.
I am enjoying reading about the birthday cake baking. This is the best part of any child’s annual celebration so don’t hold back! If the cake does not rise properly, or you’ve run out of icing sugar, don’t despair. Simply break it into cake chunks, add chocolate pudding and a dollop of whipping cream. Tell the kids it’s “choco-swamp cake” for adventure campers and they will wolf it down. Have fun cooking for your little ones! This is a fun blog to read.
Great article! I really enjoyed the reading. I am hoping to read more from you. I think you have great insight and vision. I am highly impressed with this information.
Kitchen Boutique 
What theme do you use on this blog? Just curious.
Thanks in advance 🙂
Our wordpress theme we are currently using is “Kubrick by Michael Heilemann”
Great Job on the web site!!! So good to see it up and running!!! I know from personal experience that your staff is top notch…keep up the amazing job!!
Hi there,
I am planning to bake a birthday cake for my 1-year old son next Saturday. I have no experience in baking fancy cakes but nevertheless I would like to bake something special for my boy. Hence, the #1 alphabet cake. I already have a recipe for the cake but I don’t know if I’ll have enough batter for this pan. I have some questions here:
– My cake recipe requires either a 12-cup tube or angel food cake pan. I’m wondering if I can use Wilton’s #1 alphabet cake pan.
– If say, I would like to make a 2-layer #1 alphabet cake, can I do it with just one pan? I mean, some suggested I should just buy 2 pans and some said I could put the batter in the fridge while wait for one layer to get baked.
– How do I measure the cake batter if I want to bake 2-layers?
I’d really really appreciate if someone could reply to my queries. I’ve been pondering about baking cake for weeks! Thanks lot.
Hi there Menaka,
I’ve sent your msg along to our cake decorating experts who will reply as swiftly as possible. Thank-you for inquiring and happy baking!
Menaka,
Although I would be hesitant in using an Angel Food cake recipe for a decorated cake, you can do it… it may be a little bit harder to decorate than a normal, harder cake recipe. The reason I say this is because of the bouncy or squishy texture of an angel food cake which, if you try decorating on it may not hold up as well as a denser cake, especially if you are going to try and layer it.
You don’t need two pans… just bake the first cake, put it to cool on a cooling rack while you bake the second cake. If you are going to decorate them the next day, wrap them both up with ceran wrap and put them in the fridge.
If you want to bake the two layers, do a complete cake recipe for each cake… making sure that your batter fills up to about halfway on the pan each time.
When you have both cakes done though… you will have what I would call a roof on top of a roof cake structure. What I mean is that when you bake 2 x 2″x8″ round cakes… the pans are straight up and down on the sides… so when you put them on top of each other… the result is identical… a 4″x 8″ round cake. With the number 1 cake pan, it is NOT perfectly straight on the sides and has a slight slope inwards which, when you pop one on top of the other will create a Christmas tree shape.
You have two options: either decorate the two cakes separately and showcase them separately (easiest) OR on the second cake, you can cut off the bottom third to a half and put this on top of the first cake which will hopefully be close enough that you will be able to “hide” the width difference with some creative icing.
It’s up to you, but if you don’t have your heart set on an angel food cake recipe I would change that to a denser cake recipe and I would either just bake 2 Number One cakes and showcase them as two cakes OR I would put more cake batter 1 1/2 to 2 recipes in one cake pan… filling the pan 3/4 full and just trying for an extra large single Number One cake.
Remember the number one cake decorating rule: Don’t get stressed out over it… in the end… it is cake and everyone will eat it all the same whether it turns out as you imagine or not!
Good luck and let us know what you decided and how things turned out!
Cheers,
Claire
Hi Menaka
After reading your query and Claire’s comments I completely agree with her advice on baking your “Number One” cake for your son’s birthday. I also agree that you shouldn’t get stressed out. I know its hard but try to see this as a fun project, which, I assure you, everyone will appreciate.
I teach the Cake Decorating Classes for our store here and each time I begin a course I see one or two ladies who are more than a little apprehensive about their cake decorating abilities but then go on to produce the most amazing cakes.
If this is the first time you’ve decorated a celebration cake then you can’t go wrong with Buttercream Icing, especially for little ones. It tastes so great and is lovely and soft. It also colours beautifully when you add the icing colours but remember to use a little at a time until you have the desired effect. And if you are covering the whole cake in one colour make sure you mix up a large enough amount to cover the whole cake. A No 3 or No 5 tip are both good for writing and, if you want to cover any portion of your cake with stars then a No 16 or No 18 tip will be perfect. But if you are looking for a nice smooth finish to your cake top try dipping a spatula in hot water, then wipe it dry and quickly smooth over your cake. When you edge the bottom border of your cake a No 21 Star Tip does a great job and is so easy to apply.
Happy Baking
Jane
I am enjoying reading about the birthday cake baking. This is the best part of any child’s annual celebration so don’t hold back! If the cake does not rise properly, or you’ve run out of icing sugar, don’t despair. Simply break it into cake chunks, add chocolate pudding and a dollop of whipping cream. Tell the kids it’s “choco-swamp cake” for adventure campers and they will wolf it down. Have fun cooking for your little ones! This is a fun blog to read.
Great article! I really enjoyed the reading. I am hoping to read more from you. I think you have great insight and vision. I am highly impressed with this information.