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Making a cake with Magnus Irvin  Contrary to the advice of most bakers, the most important thing about a cake is not what it tastes like but how it looks. Bearing that in mind I hope the following suggestions may be of help to the aspiring cake maker.When considering the production a of a sculptural cake it is important to get the cake mix right. My cake mix is a closely guarded secret that I am happy to share with you here. For the cake mix: I start with a basic Victoria Sponge mix - equal amounts of flour, butter and sugar with eggs thrown in, (shells off). I find that reducing the fat, adding more flour and baking for twice the recommended time gives a more solid cake. I then leave it hanging around for a month until it resembles a breezeblock. It is now ready to carve. Shaping and decoration: Cake is not the best medium for fine detail. Certain bits of body such as feet, faces and hands are difficult so I do most of the fiddly work with marzipan. I then roll out the icing and lower it gently onto the cake. One has to be care full when placing rolled icing over protuberances as it has the tendency to split. To avoid this I lick my finger and rub it over the stressed area. I also use this method to join bits of icing. I know this is frowned upon in most patisseries but my oral hygiene is known to be of the highest order. Magnus' decorating tips When making a hermaphrodite remember that glace cherries are great for eyeballs and nipples and the bit peeping from under the foreskin whilst Kiwi fruit and lychees make decent testicles.  Should the novice patissiere wish to make a life-size figure, I would recommend the following:
I hope this has been of some use. May good fortune smile upon your baking.  back
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