Richard Goh’s Cake Deco Class 1: How to Cream a Whole Cake & Pipe Different Patterns Using Open Star Tip

3rd March 2013

I wanted to attend Richard Goh’s cake icing and designing class for the longest time. However, due to the class schedule I could not make it until recently because the class would be held on Sunday afternoon, perfect timing for me.

Basically this is an 8-week cake deco class organized by PA and the class is held at community centre. Each week we got to bring our own cake and decorate in the class, Richard would provide the cream and we just need to pay for the ingredient fees.

What you need?

• A basic round sponge cake (8” or 9”)
• Turntable
• Knife
• Flat spatula (mine was too long, Richard suggested to get an 8” one)
• Wilton open star tip # 22 (or any open star tip)
• Piping bag or make from scratch using tracing paper
• Whipping cream (provided by instructor) (we used non-dairy in class)

What I learn from this class?

• Level and slice cake into layers. If the cake top is not flat you need to level the cake. After which place it upside-down (i.e. the bottom becomes the top). To slice or level the cake, cake should be placed on tabletop. To slice the cake, one hand presses the top of the cake lightly and the other hand slices the cake horizontally (move the knife from left to right or right to left depending you are a right-hander or left-hander). It is time for me to buy a longer knife!

• Crumb coat and cream a round cake smoothly. Although I had attended other creaming workshop before but I was not taught to cream the whole cake in such detail. My classmate, Priscilla, had taken and edited some demo videos by Richard, please refer here for the demo videos.  

• Pipe 5 patterns using Wilton open star tip # 22 (I used #20 which is smaller). Basically the technique can be applied to all open star tips.



Photo credit to fatmumbaking

• Fold piping bag using tracing paper.

• Proper way of holding a piping bag. My habit is to use both hands to hold the piping bag but Richard taught us to hold by one hand and use only the index finger of the other hand to act as stopper to stop the bag from swinging while you pipe. Do not fill in too much whipped cream at one time. Fold the bag opening inwards and your hand should be holding the end of the bag.

• Remedy to overly dry whipped cream.

So here is my ugly cake from the class (pardon me for the poor quality pictures). When D first saw my cake, he described it as “pimples cake” which I agreed.

Since this was the first class, I went to the class without any idea. I didn’t plan and think of how to decorate the cake. Basically I just tried to pipe the patterns I learnt from the class on the cake.

 

As you can see from the picture the cream is not so smooth because the cream is too dry (and of course also due to my “skill”). When the cream is too dry, it is difficult to spread and there will be little holes on cream after spreading. I learnt that not only over beating will make the cream too dry, leaving whipped cream for too long time will cause the cream to turn dry too. Richard taught us the remedy that was to add little bit whipping cream (liquid form) to the whipped cream and mix well (need not whip again). If no more whipping cream, milk will be a good substitute. If not, water can also be used.



Cross section of the cake – sandwiched with whipped cream and blueberry fillings (thanks to my classmate for sharing the blueberry fillings with me).



For the sponge cake I followed the sponge cake recipe in this post, replaced pandan paste with vanilla extract and added 1 tsp of condensed milk. I didn’t do a good job as the cake was quite short. I brought the whole cake to my mother-in-law’s place right after the class for a family gathering. The cake was well-received. I think the cake tasted quite good with compliment of the condensed milk.

I enjoy the class a lot and like the way Richard conduct the class and interact with us. He is very generous in sharing his knowledge and experiences with us. Besides, all the classmates are very friendly and helpful. I really look forward to the coming 7 lessons.