As a baker or cake decorator, we all love to try new cake trends – whether that’s in the texture, pattern, theme or colour and this Top Forward Cake is the latest trend in cake designing.
Start by laying a silicon mat on top of your baking tray followed by a parchment paper. Place the mousse ring in the centre lined with acetate sheets.
Take your frosting in a piping bag and apply it on to the base. Also add a layer on to the sides. Using a spatula smooth the frosting really well. Make sure the frosting sticks to the acetate sheet evenly.
Add the first cake layer. Now again fill the gaps around the cake really well. This is essential or else you will get gaps all around the cake once you demould it.
Add a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake and smooth it out too. Place the final cake layer and repeat the steps of filling the sides and top of the cake well. Smooth out the frosting.
To smoothen it well, dip your spatula in hot water, wipe off with a paper towel and then use this warm spatula to smooth the frosting on top.
Freeze the cake for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, with the help of the silicon mat move the cake to a rotating turn table. Then easily slide the cake ring off, remove the acetate sheets to a perfectly frosted cake.
Take any complimentary coloured buttercream and add it at random spots on the cake. With a bench scraper just smoothen. Do not go overboard as you do not want to smudge the colours. This is known as Watercolour Technique.
Then to make the standing cake, slice off one end of the cake, just a small portion. Frost the base lightly.
Time to make the cake stand. Keep your Cake Board ready.
With the support of the parchment paper lift the cake and using the help of a spatula easily and confidently transfer the cake on to the board in a way that it is standing on the sliced portion. Since the cake is frozen this step becomes so easy. Peel off the parchment paper.
Smooth the front of the cake with a warm bench scraper. Once you are happy with the finish, you get a blank canvas and feel free to decorate as you like.
Top Forward Cake Design
Using a stencil I am applying a very thin coat of buttercream on one side of the cake. Adding a secondary colour at random spots to create marble effect. Dabbing the corners of the design with gold lustre dust.
Remove the stencil to reveal a beautiful design.
For the flowers I am using artificial flowers the choice is yours though if you wish you can use real dried flowers too. Just make sure to tape it well using cello-tape before placing on the cake.
So thats our finished standing cake or top forward cake.
Video
Notes
My number 1 tip for this cake, is obvious from my above mistakes portion, which is to make enough frosting to fill the sides of the cake really well. Since it is buttercream, even if you make more you can easily store it for future, so nothing goes waste.
Certainly you can avoid all this and follow the method for frosting the cake the usual way which is crumb coating and then frosting. But when you make the cake stand it becomes a little difficult to frost the back side of the cake smooth so I prefer this method.
If you are going to store the prepared cake for long or making it for selling it to clients then do soak the cake to keep it moist for at least 3 days.
Once the cake is frozen, it would hard for you to smooth the sides or the top of the cake. So using a warm bench scraper or spatula would work better or wait for the cake to come to room temperature a bit and then smooth the sides.
If you are going to follow the stencil method of designing, then make sure to apply just a thin coat of frosting on top. If you apply thick the frosting will peel off when you remove the stencil and nothing will stick to the cake.
We get this acetate sheets for a ridiculous price at craft shops so buy it from there and not from bakery stores as they totally rip us.
Wrapping the stem of the dried flowers using a cello-tape and then placing it on the cake is always a good idea.
If you are a homebaker and would like to learn how to price this Top Forward Cake for selling then do consider checking this post on Cake Pricing Guide.
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