Sleight of hand- The Topsy Turvy Cake

 The idea of a topsy turvy cake is fun and intriguing.  In this case, it is merely an optical illusion.
The first person I saw use this technique was B. Keith Ryder. It gives the impression of a Wonky Cake, but is actually quite level. It can be made and assembled before delivery without worrying about shifting.

Janell's Cakes has a wonderful video demonstration of this style cake.  You can see her construct it before your eyes on YouTube.

For this cake I decided to keep the angles less severe because of the geometric

design I was later using. However, for a more fanciful design, I would increase the angles and add more contour to the tiers for extra flair.

 

  I started with my top tier using two 7" round layers and one 6";

and cut one 6" round pattern out of waxed paper for later use.

 

1. I chilled my layers well, filled and stacked them.

Flipping topside down ( for some reason, that is easier for me)

I contoured the tier with a serrated knife, cutting away the excess.

 

2. Attaching the cake circle with fresh frosting, I flipped the cake upright again...

 

3. and cut the top layer at an angle. 

The more diagonal the cut, the more severe your angle on the cake will be.

 

I then iced the top and flipped the cut piece of cake

 

placing the thick side of the cut on the higher side of the layer, creating a steeper angle.

 

I then frosted the entire tier and chilled well.

 

For the bottom tier, I started with two 10" layers and one 9" layer, then followed steps 1-3.

 this time crumbcoating  the sides for easier handling.

(Sometimes you adjust as you learn!)

 

After centering the pattern and I cut around it, creating a level

surface;

 

then iced the tier and chilled well.

After chilling, I misted the tiers lightly with water

and covered with fondant.

 

I doweled the bottom tier using wooden dowels since I had them on hand, but you can also use

Poly-Dowels.

 

Because this cake had no topper, I didn't want to insert a center dowel

through the top of the cake.

So I pre-cut a 1/2" hole in the center of the 6" cake board .

                                         Sharpening  both ends of a 1/2" dowel about 6-8" long,

I hammered through the center of the bottom tier, securing

into the cake board.

 

I  placed the top tier over the dowel, securing the top tier to the bottom tier.

After that, the cake was ready to decorate! 

Tutorial and photography by Jacque Benson 

2011. All rights Reserved

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

This started out as an experiment. I had tried other recipes for peanut butter cups, but they never tasted quite right. My husband said they just weren't "peanutty" enough. So like the proverbial mad scientist, I went into the kitchen, determined to make a more "peanutty" peanut butter cup!! After a couple of tries, I made some ingredient adjustments and came up with this recipe. I recommend you use a high quality milk chocolate, but it must be tempered. If tempering chocolate seems too intimidating, you can use milk chocolate flavored candy melts.

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Jacque's Peanut Butter Cups

1/4 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts

1/2 cup peanut butter

2  Tablespoons softened butter

dash salt

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

3/4 cups powdered sugar

Melted Milk chocolate ( tempered)

Grind peanuts very fine in a blender or processor. In a bowl, Mix together  ground peanuts, peanut butter, butter, salt and brown sugar. Add Powdered sugar and incorporate until you have a nice dough, about the same feel as a pastry dough. 

If it is too crumbly, add more peanut butter. If too soft, add more powdered sugar.

Roll out on a silicone mat or wax paper about 3/8" thick.

 Using a 3/4" circle cutter, cut out patties and set aside.

Use only what you need. Wrap remaining dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Fill a medium sized Peanut Butter Cup mold  almost half full with milk chocolate.

Using a stiff artist brush, paint the chocolate up the sides of the molds.

Place peanut pattie in each cup. 

Drop enough chocolate over the top of the patties to fill cups.
 Lightly tap mold on counter to remove bubbles. Place in freezer for 5 minutes. Pop out of mold.

Wash mold and repeat process.

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For Easter Eggs, use a chocolate egg mold.  Form the peanut butter centers into ovals instead of round.

 Follow the directions as shown above.

Pop out of mold for your own Chocolate Peanutbutter Eggs.

Now if you want the Easter Bunny to deliver these, you will have to hide them!

Because they are likely to disappear "mysteriously".  ;-)

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Photography and Tutorial by Jacque Benson 2010- All Rights Reserved

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.