History of tiered cakes
In the cuisine of any country you can find a prototype of a cake - a sweet flatbread, a ruddy loaf, a pie. No one knows exactly when the first cake appeared, what it looked like or what it tasted like. But it is known for sure that it was the British who made multi-tiered desserts.
Until the 17th century, cakes were not prepared on holidays in England. At the festive table on birthdays, christenings, and weddings, sweets were served untidy (by modern standards). Cakes or sweet buns were simply piled up or piled up. And by the middle of the holiday, some of the delicacies lost their attractive appearance.
Then the fashion came from the continent to serve muffins with nuts or candied fruits. And already at the beginning of the 19th century, British confectioners competed with might and main in inventing recipes for wedding cakes.
According to legend, the idea for a multi-tiered cake came to the mind of an ordinary grocer when he was walking along Fleet Street and saw the dome of St. Bride's Church. He was so inspired that he embodied this image in the form of a confectionery product. Soon such a presentation became popular, first at the weddings of English and then European aristocrats.
A few words about the basis
If you plan to decorate the cake with fondant, feel free to choose almost any base. It can be shortbread, sponge cakes, and even puff pastry. However, here it is worth taking into account the fact that our delicacy has several tiers. By incorrectly distributing the load, we can run the risk of subsidence of the lower tier, as well as the collapse of the entire structure. We don’t need such troubles, so the bottom of the cake needs to be made as dry and dense as possible. This problem can be solved using shortbread dough.
It would seem that the answer has been found, but there are some nuances here too. They lie precisely in the dryness of the shortbread cakes: not all guests will like such a cake. We'll show you how to reinforce a two-tier cake so that it remains level even when using delicate sponges. But more on that later.
The best cream recipes for a two-tier cake
How to make a two-tier cake without it falling apart - prepare the right cream . More precisely, creams.
Experienced confectioners recommend preparing butter for the lower tier, and chiffon for the top.
Oil cream:
- butter - 350 g;
- condensed milk - can (380-400 g);
- vanilla sugar - 1 sachet.
Beat soft butter with a blender, then mix with vanilla sugar. Slowly add condensed milk, carefully whisking in the mixture after each portion of condensed milk. It is important to achieve uniformity.
Chiffon cream:
- milk - 200 ml;
- heavy cream (at least 33%) - 250 gr.;
- lemon - 1 pc.;
- sugar - 80 gr.;
- yolks - 2 pcs.;
- starch - 2 tbsp;
- white chocolate - 100 gr.
Cooking process:
- Remove the zest from the lemon and squeeze out the juice.
- Beat sugar and yolks. Add starch, pour in 100 ml of milk. Mix.
- Boil the remaining milk. Pour it into the mixture with starch. Add the zest and lemon juice and put everything on the fire.
- Cook until it thickens.
- Remove the zest and cool.
- Grate the chocolate. Dissolve half and add to the cream.
- Whip the cream. Add cream to them (a spoonful at a time) and beat again.
Use the remaining chocolate as topping.
Useful video: master class
After watching the video, you will learn how to decorate a two-tier wedding cake with meringue cream.
To prepare meringue cream, take 4 egg whites, a glass of sugar, half a teaspoon of citric acid and vanillin. First, lightly beat the whites, and continue to beat, heating in a water bath and gradually adding sugar, for eight to ten minutes. After this, remove the bowl with the whites from the water bath and beat for another five minutes.
The cream should be very thick and stick to the mixer whisk. The still warm cream should be immediately placed in a pastry bag and you can start decorating the confectionery product. This cream holds its shape very well. First, a mesh is laid out using a pastry syringe, then wave-like patterns are formed on the sides. If you wish, you can add food coloring to this cream. Then you will have the most beautiful two-tier wedding cake.
How to assemble and strengthen a two-tier cake at home
To make a multi-tiered cake for a holiday yourself and surprise your guests, you need to learn how to connect the tiers. So that all this beauty does not fall apart on the table, so that the dessert holds its shape when slicing.
Necessary equipment
To prepare a two-tier cake at home you will need:
- cake base (you can make it yourself from regular cardboard and foil);
- cocktail straws;
- cake maker;
- scissors or knife.
The base should be slightly larger in diameter (for round cakes) than the sponge cake for the bottom tier.
Assembly and strengthening
Place 1-2 tablespoons of buttercream on the base so that the sponge cake does not move when assembling and decorating the cake. For convenience and aesthetic appeal, the backing is placed on a cake pan.
To prevent the cake from falling apart or lopsided, you can insert cocktail tubes into the bottom tier for safety. They will support the weight of the top “floor” of the cake and prevent it from tilting.
Insert one tube into the center, another 4-6 - in a circle. It is important that the tubes do not extend beyond the layers of the two-tier cake.
Coat the bottom sponge cake with cream. Place the second biscuit. Cover with cream again. Then cover the entire cake with cream. Then the whole cake can be covered with mastic, or you can decorate it right away.
Strengthening a two-tier cake
Of course, skewers and tubes will strengthen the dessert in several tiers, but you should also worry about the product itself so that the tiers do not have a huge weight each.
It is worth noting: When creating multi-tiered culinary products, it is recommended to use high-density cakes, for example, honey sponge cake, as the first base. It is better to create the subsequent remaining tiers from lighter biscuit bases.
A three-tier cake made from whole biscuits will not sag
If the dessert has two tiers, then it is permissible to simply strengthen the base of the first tier.
Insert a skewer into the mastic-covered first tier of the product perpendicular to the base.
Skewers in the finished first tier cake
The skewer will measure our depth of the cake. Holding it with your fingers, we take out the stick.
Measured depth of cake base using skewer
Cut the skewer to measurements. We adjust the cocktail tube to the length of the skewer. Let's compare the lengths.
We measure the food tube according to the length of the skewer
We insert a wooden stick into the tube and insert it into the cake.
The skewer should be inserted in a tube for hygiene and aesthetics
We do the same in several places.
To strengthen, use several skewers with tubes
Now it is permissible to install the second tier of dessert in place, and not be afraid that the top will push through and upset the lower base.
Two-tier cake in the process of decorating with cream
Options for decorating wedding cakes with cream
Decorating a cake with cream can be very varied. For weddings, the cake is most often decorated with whipped cream in pastel shades: pink, beige or white. But they are gradually moving away from this tradition, giving preference to modern methods :
- metal color;
- ombre effect (smooth transition from dark to light shade);
- a color that matches the tone of the bride's dress or the decor of the hall.
White whipped cream can be varied with food coloring and given any perfect shade.
To achieve the desired shade, the dye must be added gradually, one drop at a time.
For a pleasant aroma of cream, you can add ground cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa powder, citrus zest or liqueur and rum.
Different ways to decorate a wedding cake with cream:
- creamy roses along the sides of the dessert; a raspberry, cherry or other berry is placed in the center of each flower;
- for a summer wedding, the best option would be decoration in the form of flowers: daisies, lilies, roses or chrysanthemums;
- to make a beautiful inscription, use a syringe with a special nozzle to make the letters voluminous and curly;
- From colored whipped cream you can make not only flowers, but also leaves and twigs.
Photo of a wedding cake with whipped cream
The most popular are cakes decorated with “ruffles ” - they completely cover the side of the dessert. They can be made in different colors, achieving a smooth transition from more saturated to light - you get a fashionable design in the ombre style.
DIY cake decoration with cream
To make the decoration with whipped cream, you will need a special pastry bag and various curly nozzles. They can be purchased at large supermarkets or specialty stores.
To make the decoration harmonious and beautiful, it is recommended to draw it on paper in advance, depicting a life-size cake
Acting according to the sketch , you will be able to make exactly the drawing that was planned. After filling the bag with cream, begin the procedure of decorating the cake. First of all, the sides of the cake need to be greased with a thin layer of icing or cream so that they become sticky and the cream sticks well.
To make roses, you will need a nozzle with an oblique cut; for a border, a thin tip with a serrated edge. Before applying the design to the cake, you need to test the tips on food paper so as not to make a mistake in your choice.
Variants of patterns with different attachments
Additionally, the cream can be sprinkled with grated chocolate, confetti or other sweet toppings. And also decorate with fresh (or frozen) berries or fruits.
Weight of a two-tier wedding cake: how to calculate correctly?
Before you treat your guests to your two-tier wedding cake and take gorgeous photos with it, you have to go through a difficult path. And it begins with determining the weight of the treat.
To calculate the size of your holiday dessert as accurately as possible, so that there is enough for everyone and there is not much left over, do this based on the calculation of 150-200 grams per person, rounding up. Here are some basic numbers:
- 10-15 people – 2-3 kg,
- 15-20 people – 3-4 kg,
- 20-25 people – 4-5 kg,
- 25-30 people – 5-6 kg, etc.
What the weight of the lower and upper cakes will be is up to you. But the bottom one should be larger, which is logical. Sometimes the upper tier is made in such a way that it can be removed and remain completely young, and the lower tier is divided into guests.
Why choose a butter cake?
Surprisingly, it is the choice of wedding cake that can cause controversy. After all, you need to decide not only on the shape and decoration, but also choose a filling that will appeal to all guests.
several important advantages over all other options :
- reliable shape - the cake will not squint or break while waiting for its “exit” on the festive table, which cannot be said about desserts based on yoghurt or meringue;
- most often it is prepared from a sponge cake, which increases several times during the beating process: a large yield of the final product is obtained;
- butter cake is very rich, unlike meringue or soufflé, which melt in your mouth, so guests won’t want to ask for more, and dessert won’t need to be ordered in excess;
- A butter cake can take on absolutely any shape and be decorated in any manner.
Creamy three tier wedding cake
Single-tier cake with whipped cream and newlywed figures
When choosing a wedding cake made from cream, you need to determine the number of tiers it will consist of. The number of floors depends on the weight and volume of the entire cake. If the cream turns out to be heavy, then a piece of 200 grams is calculated per guest; if it is light, 150 grams will be enough.
If the total weight of the cake is no more than 6 kg, then the tiers can be placed on top of each other, and if more, then use a special pyramid-shaped stand
Most newlyweds opt for sponge cake or yoghurt cake , which is complemented with fresh berries and fruits. Many people will like layers of delicate soufflé, jelly with berries, cheese cream or low-fat whipped cream.
Wedding cake made from whipped cream and berries
