How To Throw a Cake Tasting Party

Photo Credit:  Dawn Alsager

It was a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon in WA, which was a perfect day for tasting cake!  I had six different types of cake, three frostings, and two fillings.  Part of my NY Resolution is to bake a cake.  So first, I picked some designs and then some recipes.  Everyone asked how I did so much and the answer is to take manageable steps!  Two weeks prior to party I gathered all my recipes.  A week before the party, I started baking 1 cake a day, wrapped it and popped it into the fridge.  Reminds me of a life philosophy I try to live by:  If you really want something, you’ll make it happen.  If you don’t, you’ll make excuses.
   

Photo Credit: Dawn Alsager

1.  Find all the recipes you want to use:  Here are mine in the posting Wedding Cake, Frosting, and Fondant Recipes   

2.  Send invites out early and start baking:  Make sure you leave enough time for yourself (7 day prep was good enough for 6 cakes)

3.  Setup

4.  Start tasting 

Setup

I used the Martha Stewart biscuit cutters to make small round cake sizes. These are amazing and if you bake a lot, its well worth the $10. They make perfect whoopie cookie cutters, flower shapes.  I still haven’t used them for biscuits.

I placed the cake on tin foil covered cardboard cake rounds, then I placed the cardboard on an upside down plate to add height.

I use Chopstick Rest as a place where people can rest the spoon without getting my table dirty.

Lemons & Key Limes in a square glass container for decoration.

Glass place card holders which held the names of the item.

The Wedding Cake Pan set nicely propped for added decoration.

Cake Party Results!

Cakes:Spicy Chocolate Almond – Winner!
I added a little bit of spice by putting 1-2 T of Red Pepper flakes in the buttermilk the night before and in the morning, I strained the milk.  This added a nice kick to the chocolate without it being an overwhelming heat or nasty nibs left over in the cake.


 

- Very close second place
Other Cakes featured:
Red Velvet
Chocolate
Vanilla
Lemon Poppyseed

Photo Credit: Dawn Alsager

Frosting:
Buttercream (using Crisco) – Winner
Whipped Cream Marscapone – Winner
Marshmallow Fondant  - Winner

Photo Credit: Dawn Alsager

I was really worried about making fondant, but was surprised at how easy it was using this recipe.
 
Marzipan (I plan on buying this at the grocery store)

Filling
Blackberry - Winner

Things I Learned

• It’s hard to cut a cake evenly
• In cake, buttermilk is baking soda’s soul mate
• Red Velvet actually has Vinegar in the recipe
• I should have invited more people, we had so much cake left over!

What’s Next?!
In March, I’m taking a cake decorating class from Jo-Ann Fabrics to learn how to so some flowers and basic decorating things.  This May, I’ll be having a Wedding Cake Party with a cake cutting and celebration.