"Aces of cakes question"

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Chile Chef

Sous Chef
Joined
May 11, 2009
Messages
853
Location
Winter Park Fl, Or Bust!
Ok every time one of them enters the cake challenge, They seem to lose pretty big, and never win, However their cakes seem to rock on they're show.



Anyways does anyone else notice this too? Or is it just me?
 
Duff won his fifth try at the Food Network Challenge. It was "Cereal Skylines" and he did, of course, Baltimore. Elizabeth Falkner (who I really like and "get her work" has never won once) called him on the fact he used a dowel in his skyscraper and he was bummed out but fixed it and took the $10,000.

He fully admits that he didn't plan out his cakes before (like the boat that totally fell over) and so that one he practiced several times to get the timing and technique down.

I have only seen Duff on the challenges and none of the other staff, and Duff hasn't been on since he became "famous" on his own show. Can I look forward to seeing Geoff and/or others? Here in Canuckville (for Casper's sake) we get the episodes months (even a year) after the US.
 
Duff won his fifth try at the Food Network Challenge. It was "Cereal Skylines" and he did, of course, Baltimore. Elizabeth Falkner (who I really like and "get her work" has never won once) called him on the fact he used a dowel in his skyscraper and he was bummed out but fixed it and took the $10,000.

He fully admits that he didn't plan out his cakes before (like the boat that totally fell over) and so that one he practiced several times to get the timing and technique down.

I have only seen Duff on the challenges and none of the other staff, and Duff hasn't been on since he became "famous" on his own show. Can I look forward to seeing Geoff and/or others? Here in Canuckville (for Casper's sake) we get the episodes months (even a year) after the US.
I agree with you on every account, If Anna/Ben wasn't so busy they would have won I think. I really like Anna, and I really like that one lady, Shes cute short and pudgy, Her hair is blonde and she makes good cakes.


I wish I knew her name brimer or something like that!
 
So Anna and Ben did a challenge? Well, now I know they lost but would still like to watch it. What was the challenge name?
 
Yes, I want to know which episode so I can watch. I am used to knowing who wins/loses but I still like watching the cakes, specially if it is someone I "know".

Don't worry, you didn't ruin it for me. I am excited to know they were on one! Just don't tell me who DID win!
 
Last edited:
Yes, I want to know which episode so I can watch. I am used to knowing who wins/loses but I still like watching the cakes, specially if it is someone I "know".

Don't worry, you didn't ruin it for me. I am excited to know they were on one! Just don't tell me who DID win!
The theme is Ice age, Ice age from the movie.


"That was a good movie by the way"
 
I have a hard time with chefs that make food that's looks good but they really don't care what it taste like. It's like all show and no go:rolleyes:. I can't remember one time someone said how great his cakes tasted. If I ever have a cake I want to blow up, I know who to call :huh:
 
I have a hard time with chefs that make food that's looks good but they really don't care what it taste like. It's like all show and no go:rolleyes:. I can't remember one time someone said how great his cakes tasted. If I ever have a cake I want to blow up, I know who to call :huh:

Actually, they DO care how their cakes taste. They have mentioned quite often their different flavours and I remember a couple of times where people mentioned they loved to eat Charm City Cakes cakes. One in particular was at the Elementary school in Hershey Pennsylvania where they did a huge chocolate bar and kisses to mark an anniversary of the school! The kids raved about it!

Remember, the business is Charm City Cakes and it goes way beyond what you see on "Ace of Cakes".
 
Actually, they DO care how their cakes taste. They have mentioned quite often their different flavours and I remember a couple of times where people mentioned they loved to eat Charm City Cakes cakes. One in particular was at the Elementary school in Hershey Pennsylvania where they did a huge chocolate bar and kisses to mark an anniversary of the school! The kids raved about it!

Remember, the business is Charm City Cakes and it goes way beyond what you see on "Ace of Cakes".

Yes I understand that but, When they use Cisco to make the icing white instead of butter, only because butter is yellow is what I'm talking about. It's more about looks then taste, When I taste fondant It's taste closer to cardboard then butter cream. and It reminds me of a hound dog trying to get peanut butter off the roof of his mouth. It's pretty easy to fool a bunch of kids with sugar. Heck let's put a 5lb charge of C4 in a 5lb bag sugar and light it off that will be a big show
 
Yes I understand that but, When they use Cisco to make the icing white instead of butter, only because butter is yellow is what I'm talking about. It's more about looks then taste, When I taste fondant It's taste closer to cardboard then butter cream. and It reminds me of a hound dog trying to get peanut butter off the roof of his mouth. It's pretty easy to fool a bunch of kids with sugar. Heck let's put a 5lb charge of C4 in a 5lb bag sugar and light it off that will be a big show

Um, uh, I make cakes professionally as well and MY buttercream is half butter and half shortening and people rave about the taste as well as the looks. Sorry, I don't want to get into an argument about this so I will stop here.
 
Yes I understand that but, When they use Cisco to make the icing white instead of butter, only because butter is yellow is what I'm talking about. It's more about looks then taste, When I taste fondant It's taste closer to cardboard then butter cream. and It reminds me of a hound dog trying to get peanut butter off the roof of his mouth. It's pretty easy to fool a bunch of kids with sugar. Heck let's put a 5lb charge of C4 in a 5lb bag sugar and light it off that will be a big show
Therewere time my mother used crisco and butter, to make an icing, she would add powdered sugar and then mashed fresh strawberries, my dad who would not eat frosting prefering just the cake loved her icing. So did the neighbors..Fondant, I love the stuff, smooth and the taste of my daughters wedding cake was excellent..I feel we each have likes and dislikes, who is to say my likes are wrong and theirs right? We like what we like, that does not make us the village wrong guy..Nor does it make you wrong for not liking it..just the difference in good people..I think this makes the world go round and interesting.
kadesma
 
I learned how to make a butter cream with butter and shortening, I like the taste and texture. I freeze the flowers when I make them.
I learned Royal frosting, for dried out styrofoam cakes...to use a number of times...not to eat.
I never learned fondant for cakes...I think it's interesting but can't imagine really using it for cakes though I'm sure it 'can' be done...and done well. It's fun to watch though. They use fondant almost on every cake on that show.
 
I love Ace of Cakes. I worked as a cake decorator for several months and although I never did anything as amazing as they do on the show, decorating cakes is an art and is so much fun to do. It's so much harder to do at home without a full stock of every decorating supply you could possibly need.
 
I love Ace of Cakes. I worked as a cake decorator for several months and although I never did anything as amazing as they do on the show, decorating cakes is an art and is so much fun to do. It's so much harder to do at home without a full stock of every decorating supply you could possibly need.

There are many things you can do.
- find a cake supply shop in your area where you can rent pans so you don't have to own every shape.
- for a square wedding cake recently I used my one 12 inch square pan for the largest layer and a 10x15 rectangular pan for the 6, 8 and 10 inch tiers. I needed to cakes per tier so that meant less waste.
- As for piping supplies, I did not start out with a kit of tips. Instead, I bought an empty box, asked what the main ones I needed were and then just bought new ones as I needed them. They are individually inexpensive and I built up quite a collection in no time.
- I found buying a few couplers, and disposable bags in bulk, better than investing in reusable bags, though I do have several of them now.
- for colours, buy your basic paste or gel colours and check on the Wilton or other sites for ratios to mix them to make other colours - then they don't dry out when you keep buying a new colour or shade.
- I have found that online wholesalers, even with their shipping fees, are better for buying fondant. Some of their house brands are just as good (or better) than the popular brands and cheaper.

Hope that helps a bit.
 
There are many things you can do.
- find a cake supply shop in your area where you can rent pans so you don't have to own every shape.
- for a square wedding cake recently I used my one 12 inch square pan for the largest layer and a 10x15 rectangular pan for the 6, 8 and 10 inch tiers. I needed to cakes per tier so that meant less waste.
- As for piping supplies, I did not start out with a kit of tips. Instead, I bought an empty box, asked what the main ones I needed were and then just bought new ones as I needed them. They are individually inexpensive and I built up quite a collection in no time.
- I found buying a few couplers, and disposable bags in bulk, better than investing in reusable bags, though I do have several of them now.
- for colours, buy your basic paste or gel colours and check on the Wilton or other sites for ratios to mix them to make other colours - then they don't dry out when you keep buying a new colour or shade.
- I have found that online wholesalers, even with their shipping fees, are better for buying fondant. Some of their house brands are just as good (or better) than the popular brands and cheaper.

Hope that helps a bit.


Thanks for these tips! I will definitely take your advice.
 
Back
Top Bottom