National 5 Cake

Craft

Essential Knowledge

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Name: Different types of icing or coatingsThere are a number of different types of icings or coatings you can use when covering a cake.These include:

Ganache Butter icing Sugar paste/ fondant icing Royal icing

Use the space below to make notes on each of the different icing/ coatings as we use them.

Ganache

Butter icing

Sugar paste/ fondant icing

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Royal icing

Different types of SpongesType of Sponge Example I have made ()Rich fruit cake Christmas Cake,

Wedding CakeLight fruit cake Cherry cakeLight Sponge/ whisked sponge

Swiss Roll

Medium Sponge Victoria Sandwich/ 3

Chocolate CakeMadeira Type Sponge Madeira CakeTray Bake Brownie

Steps to follow when covering a cake with sugar paste/ fondant icingThe following steps are what you should follow when covering a cake in sugar paste/ fondant icing. They are in the wrong order, use the space below to put them into the correct order you should follow.Level the spongesAllow the sponges to coolRoll out the sugar paste/ fondant icing using a rolling pinMake butter icing to crumb coat the spongeCoat the sponge in the butter icing crumb coating using a palette knifeColour the sugar paste/ fondant icingKnead the sugar paste/ fondant icing to soften itFill the sponges with jam/ curd/ butter cream

Step one

Step two

Step three

Step four

Step five

Step six

Step seven

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Step eight

Colouring sugar paste/ fondant icing OR butter icingIt is important to use gel/ paste colours when colouring icing as liquid ones will not give as intense a colour and can also affect the consistency of the icing being used.

Colouring icing for sugar paste/ fondant: top tipsMake sure your work station is clean and tidy.Knead the sugar paste/ fondant icing to soften itUsing a cocktail stick add a small amount of colour to the sugar paste/ fondant icingWork the colour into the icing by kneading it on a lightly icing sugared tableThe more you work in the colour the more even it will become.

Colouring butter icing: top tipsMake your butter icing first to make sure it is the correct consistency.Use a cocktail stick to add a small amount of gel/ paste colouring.Stir this in to create an even colour.To create a deeper or darker colour add a little more colouring.

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Fault FindingIf you do not follow a recipe accurately sometimes you might not get the result you expected. Fill in the table below to explain what could have caused each of the issues with a cake.The fruit has sunk to the bottom

The cake has sunk

The cake is cracked on top

The cake hasn’t risen

The cake is too dry

The cake has a sugary crust

The cake has a heavy texture

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Raising Agents In order to help a baked item to rise we can use a number of techniques. We can use:

Self-raising flour Baking powder Bicarbonate of soda

The heat from the oven causes carbon dioxide to be released and this helps the baked item to rise.

Lining Cake TinsThere are a number of different techniques which are used when lining different tins to make a sponge.How to line a swiss roll tinCollect a swiss roll tin and a sheet of greaseproof paper slightly larger than the tin.Grease the bottom and sides of the tin with oil and a pastry brush, make a diagonal cut in each of the corners. Press the paper into the tin making sure the corners are neat where you made the cutsRe- grease lightly

How to line a cake tin for a Victoria sandwichCut out a circle the same size as the tin (eg 15cm). Lightly grease the base of the tinPlace the greaseproof circle on topLightly re-grease the top and side of tin.

How to line a tin for a rich fruit cake/ Christmas cakeCut two circles of greaseproof paper the size of the tin (eg 20cm). Make a strip of greaseproof paper which is the size of the circumference of the tin. Fold the strip in half so it is slightly taller than the tin. Fold over 1cm at the bottom and cut diagonal slits in the fold.

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Grease the bottom of the tin and add one circle, position the collar of paper round the side of the tin with the folded piece on the circle. Lightly grease and add the other circle on top.

Testing for readinessCookies and biscuits Remove from the oven as soon as the edges are golden, the middle should be slightly paler. This will give a slightly chewy centre.Sponge cakesThe mixture should have risen. It should be an even light golden brown colour. The cake should shrink away from the side of the tin and should bounce back when pressed lightly.Fruit cakeShould feel firm to the touch and be a medium/ dark brown colour. A clean skewer should be inserted into the centre of the cake, left for a few seconds. If there is no mixture on the skewer the cake is ready. If mixture comes out on the skewer but the top of the cake is brown cover the top with greaseproof paper or foil to stop it burning.

How to Store cakes after bakingHeavily Fruited Cake

Undecorated Cakes Decorated Cakes

Wrap in a few layers of greaseproof paper.

Do not store in an airtight container.

Place in a cardboard box or wrap in foil after greaseproof paper.

Eat within 3 months.

Store in an airtight container.

Fatless sponge e.g. a Swiss roll quickly become dry so should be eaten in 2 days.

A Victoria Sponge cake will keep in an airtight container for approx. 1 week.

If a cake is marzipaned and iced, it must be stored in a cardboard box.

Avoid damp and cold conditions as this can cause the icing to stain and colourings to run.

Do not store in an airtight box as the decoration can sweat.

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Coatings and FillingsPreparing Apricot Jam for a Fruit CakeGently heat the apricot jam in a pot. Once it has loosened up and softened pass it through a sieve (to catch any apricot pieces) over a bowl and leave to cool slightly.Use a pastry brush to gently brush over the cake.It is IMPORTANT to use a jam such as apricot as it is light in colour so will not bleed through the marzipan or sugar paste. Also it does not have seeds such as raspberry jam which could create bumps in the finish.Preparing marzipan to coat a rich fruit cake

knead the marzipan to soften it and to help remove any cracks in the marzipan prior to rolling out

use a piece of string to measure the top and sides of the cake, cut the string so the marzipan can be rolled to the correct size

Roll out the marzipan on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar or on a non-stick mat or between parchment paper to prevent the marzipan sticking to the work surface.

Covering a cake in chocolate ganacheHeat the cream in a pot until it bubbles gently round the edges. Pour into a bowl of chocolate. Stir continuously to combine the two. You should have a glossy ganache.Allow to thicken slightly.Place the cake on a cooling rack with a tray underneath to catch the chocolate. Pour the chocolate over the top of the cake, it should go down the sides itself.Use a palette knife to spread the chocolate gently into any gaps to ensure it is evenly covered.Evaluation Style QuestionsThere will always be at least one evaluation question in the exam. They may look like the one below or be in a different format. You will recognise it as the question wording will always start with the word EVALUATE.When you see this type of question it is important you use the following structure to answer it:

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FACT: provide a fact from the information given or your knowledgeOPININON: state whether it is good or badCONSEQUENCE: state what will happen as a result of this fact

The oven is not preheated, this is bad because it means the Swiss roll might not bake evenly and as a result will not work if cooked at the wrong temperature. The jam is heated after the Swiss roll is removed from the oven, this is bad because a Swiss roll has to be rolled quickly. It is more likely to crack if it is left sitting while the jam is heated.The sugar and eggs are whisked to the right consistency; this is good because it means enough air will have been incorporated into the mixture before the flour is added.The Swiss roll is removed from the oven without testing for readiness, this is bad because if it is removed too early it could sink or be undercooked.

Question types in the exam

1. State/give/name/identifyCandidates should list a number of relevant items or facts. These should relate to the context of the question and do not need to be in any particular order, up to the total mark allocation.Up to the total mark allocation for this question:

Award 1 mark for each relevant point of knowledge.10

Eg Question: Name a suitable raising agent for a Victoria sponge.

Answer: Baking powder. (1 mark for each relevant point of knowledge)

2. DescribeCandidates should define or give an account of points relating to the question. They do not need to be in any particular order. Candidates may provide a number of straightforward points or a smaller number of developed points, or a combination of these.Up to the total mark allocation for this question:

Award 1 mark for each accurate relevant point of knowledge linked to the context of the question.

Eg Question: Describe how to check a whisked sponge for readiness.Answer: Press the top lightly, it should spring back up

(1 mark for correct description of test for readiness)

3. ExplainCandidates should make the relationship between points clear, for example by giving accurate relevant points, showing connections between these and the context of the question. Candidates may provide a number of straightforward explanations or a smaller number of developed explanations, or a combination of these.Up to the total mark allocation for this question:

1 mark for each accurate relevant point.

Eg Question: Explain how good results can be ensured when stencilling a design on to a cake.

Answer: The sugar paste icing should have set before stencilling, otherwise the surface could be damaged by the stencil.

(1 mark for accurate relevant point linked to the context of the question)

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4. EvaluateCandidates should make a number of evaluative comments which make a judgement based on the information provided, related to the context of the question. Candidates may provide a number of straightforward observations or a smaller number of developed observations, or a combination of these.Up to the total mark allocation for this question:

1 mark for each relevant evaluative comment linked to the context of the question

Award a second mark for any evaluative comment that is developed.

Eg Question: Evaluate the following plan for making a Victoria sandwich.

Answer: The oven was not preheated before starting to combine ingredients, which was not good as the cake will not rise well if it is put into an oven which has not reached the correct temperature. (1 mark for comment)

This will result in a close, heavy texture in the finished cake. (A further mark for the development of the comment)

Test your knowledge1. Explain why each of the following faults has happened in a cake:

a. The fruit has sunk to the bottomb. The cake has cracked on the topc. The cake has sunk in the middle

2. Name one cake coating commonly used to cover a heavily fruited cake.

3. Describe how to apply crimping to the edge of a sugar paste cake coating.

4. Explain why sponge-based cakes need to be rested before cutting, filling and coating.

5. Explain the term folding as used in the production of cakes.

6. Describe how you would store a Victoria Sponge cake.12

7. Apricot jam is used as an adhesive for marzipan on a Battenberg cake.

8. Describe the stages involved in the preparation of the jam.

9 . Royal icing is often used to decorate a cake. Name two different piping techniques and explain how to pipe them.

10. Describe how to marzipan a fruit cake for sugar paste.

11. Explain how to accurately crimp around a cake board.

Labelling your cake design

In order to achieve good marks for your design illustration it is important you label the following things on your illustration:

The shape of the cake The type of sponge used The size of cake tin used in cm The shape and size of the cake drum The type of celebration the cake is for, eg birthday, Easter,

Christmas

You also need to provide detailed information about: The colour of icing you will use The type of icing you will use: sugar paste, butter icing, royal icing The type of coating and filling you will use: eg marzipan or jam

You need to label what decoration skills you will use:Eg. Modelling, piping, crimping, texturing, stencilling, embossing, cutters

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Here is an example of what is expected, please note it should read sugar paste and not fondant icing.

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