Finding Inspiration in the Kitchen
People sometimes wonder where I get ideas for decorating the cakes I bake. I find inspiration for my decoration by looking on the social media of other creators to gather ideas from various different pages. I also tend to be inspired by my ingredients and flavors and will often use these characteristics to personalize the decorations for a cake or dessert. Cookbooks with great photography are another way that I find good decorating techniques in addition to the recipes.
I have taken some basic baking courses at King Arthur Flour, but I am mainly self-taught in baking and decorating. I have learned a lot about baking through television and social media and I have developed my skills for baking and decorating by consistently practicing and experimenting with new techniques.
One of the biggest lessons that can be learned from decorating is that sometimes less is more. It can be very tempting to decorate with many different mediums (edible products) and materials, but sometimes there is simply nothing better than a sleek, defined, and clean dessert without excessive decorations. Another lesson I have learned while decorating is that it is important to experiment. On a recent commission of mine I was working with liquid sugar for some tanghulu fruit and I placed the molten sugar into cold water to dispose of it without damaging my garbage or sink.
To my surprise, I found that the sugar hardened and crystallized into beautiful amber shapes that I thought would make the perfect decorations. This is a great example of experimenting in the kitchen and getting some very interesting results.
My favorite medium for decorating is typically piping. Piping is a classic decoration throughout all of the dessert world, and it is a prestigious and elegant skill. My favorite thing about piping is that even simple designs can be extremely difficult to execute. In my opinion, a dessert with intricate piping shows off excellence, skill, artisanship, and creativity beyond other mediums of decoration. Piping is a timeless classic when it comes to decoration and presentation, but there are many other mediums and styles I enjoy. Though I have never been too skilled with it, chocolate work can be stunning and elegant, and I see it as one of the most respectable skills in baking and decorating. Sugar work is also extremely beautiful and shows off skill and artisanship. That being said, not everything has to be intricately decorated with jaw-dropping techniques — sometimes natural, and simple decorations can be very powerful also. A nice rustic, heart-warming, homey dessert can speak for itself without stunning decorations, and natural decorations
like flowers, leaves, nuts, and fruits can also be very beautiful.
If I have any advice for other young people who enjoy the culinary world I would say that it is important to experiment in the kitchen and have fun while creating really delicious food. It’s best to test everything out, tweak your favorite recipes, and find new and creative ways to have fun in the kitchen. Cooking and baking can be a true art form, and decoration is a great way to express creativity and artistic ability.
Lemon Berry Mirror Glaze Cake
Ingredients
For the lemon cake:
- Boxed white cake batter mix
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) lemon juice
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) finely grated lemon zest
For the lemon syrup:
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) lemon juice
- 118 ml (1/2 cup) sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
For the berry compote*:
- 355 ml (1 1/2 cups) mixed berries
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) sugar
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 227 grams (8 ounces) butter
- Two 227 gram (8 ounce) packages softened cream cheese
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 967 grams (8 cups) confectioner' sugar
For the white chocolate mirror glaze:
- 350 g (12.25 ounces) high quality white chocolate
- 19 grams (5 1/2 teaspoons) gelatin powder
- 301 grams (1 1/2 cups) sugar
- 156 ml (2/3 cup) condensed milk
For the tanghulu decoration (optional)
- 402 grams (2 cups) granulated sugar
- Sliced and skewered fruit
*Or substitute any type of home made or purchased berry jam.
Preparation
- For the lemon cake: If you wish to bake the cake from scratch the recipe will be equally as delicious, however I usually opt to use the boxed mixes to save time in the kitchen. For the lemon cake I typically use a boxed white cake mix batter. Prepare according to package instructions, adding the lemon juice and lemon zest to the batter. Pour batter into two 20-23 cm (8-9 inch) cake pans and bake according to package directions. Allow the cakes to cool, and remove from the pan.
2. For the lemon syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine the lemon juice, sugar, lemon zest, and 118 ml (1/2 cup) water. Place over medium-high heat until the mixture boils, then remove from heat. Allow the syrup to cool before straining and transferring to a separate container.
3. For the berry compote: In a small saucepan, combine the berries, sugar, and 30 ml (2 tablespoons) water. Using a fork or muddler, mash the mixture until the berries are crushed. Place over medium-low heat and simmer until the berries are cooked down and the mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and allow the compote to cool before transferring to a separate container.
4. For the cream cheese frosting*: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Beat until blended, gradually adding the confectioners sugar. Continuously scrape the sides of the bowl and whip the frosting until it is thick and smooth. Reserve about 237 ml (1 cup) of the frosting in a separate bowl, add 60 ml (2 tablespoons) of the berry compote, and stir until evenly mixed.
5. To frost and assemble the cake, start by leveling the cake layers and brushing the bottom layer with the lemon syrup. Then add a thin layer of the berry compote to the base (bottom) layer of cake. Next add the berry frosting and spread it evenly. Brush the top layer of cake with the lemon syrup and add it to the base layer of cake. Using half of the remaining frosting, thinly frost the cake to form a “crumb coat” to seal in stray crumbs. Set aside the remaining half of the frosting at room temperature, and place the cake in the fridge to chill. Once the crumb coat is set, remove the cake from the fridge and frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting, spreading as smoothly as possible. Place the cake in the fridge or freezer and allow the frosting to set overnight to prepare for the mirror glaze.
6. For the white chocolate mirror glaze: Place the cooled cake on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Place the white chocolate in a bowl. In a separate bowl combine the gelatin powder and 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of water and allow the mixture to coagulate. In a saucepan combine the sugar, condensed milk, and 118 ml (1/2 cup) water. Heat until the mixture is slightly boiling, stirring occasionally. Add the bloomed gelatin and stir the mixture until the gelatin is dissolved. Then remove the mixture from heat and pour it over the bowl of white chocolate. Allow the hot liquids to melt the white chocolate, and then mix the mixture until it is smooth and silky. Cool the glaze while stirring occasionally until it reaches a temperature of 34°C (94°F). Then pour the glaze over the cake, allowing the excess glaze to pour off onto the tray. Cool the glazed cake until the glaze is set.
7. For the tanghulu fruit decoration: In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and 237 ml (1 cup) water. Boil the mixture until it reaches a temperature of 149°C (300°F). Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool briefly before carefully submerging you sliced and skewered fruit into the mixture. Set the candy-coated fruit on a sheet pan lined with parchment to set. For the abstract sugar decorations, simply pour the remaining sugar mixture in a bowl of cold water in a ribboning motion. Allow to set and remove from the water. Arrange the decorations as desired on top of the cake, and serve.
*This recipe requires a large batch of cream cheese frosting, so the recipe may need to be prepared in separate batches depending on the size of your mixer.
Brady Hanson
Brady Hanson published his first recipe for The Cook’s Cook at age 15. He has been cooking and baking since he was in the fifth grade, and has been creating and testing his own recipes for a few years now. He is currently a high school junior in seacoast New Hampshire. Besides baking and cooking, he participates in football, track and lacrosse, and is an avid skier as well.His family is what inspires him to bake and cook, and the ability that food has to bring people together inspires him also. In the future he looks forward to pursuing a career in the culinary and restaurant industry, and furthering his passion for cooking and food.
Read more from Brady Hanson
