These cakes are first covered with a plain white icing and then decorated in any colors desired. The candle holders on the birthday cake, which may be purchased in various colors, correspond in color with the decoration on the cake. Original ideas and designs may thus be worked out in an attractive way to match a color scheme or carry out a decorative idea. A pastry tube is the most satisfactory utensil for this purpose, but a tiny paper cornucopia made of stiff white paper may be used to advantage for the decoration of small cakes and even for certain designs on large ones.
87. The cake that comes out of the pan with a smooth surface is the one to which an icing or a filling may be applied most satisfactorily. Unless absolutely necessary, the cake should not be cut nor broken in any way before it is iced, as a cut surface is apt to crumble and produce a rough appearance. If the cake must be cut, as is the case when small fancy shapes are made out of baked cake, the pieces should be glazed with a coating of egg white mixed with a very small quantity of sugar and beaten just enough to incorporate the sugar. Then, if they are allowed to dry for 4 or 5 hours before being iced, no crumbs will mix with the icing.
CAKE ICINGS AND THEIR PREPARATION
88. VARIETIES OF ICINGS.--Icings are of two varieties: those which require cooking and those whose ingredients are not cooked. In uncooked icings, which are easily made, sugar, such as confectioner's, is moistened with a liquid of some kind and then flavored in various ways. The more common of the cooked varieties are made by beating a hot sugar sirup into well-beaten egg whites. After being flavored, icings of this kind may be used without the addition of other ingredients or they may be combined with fruits, nuts, coconut, etc.
89. UNCOOKED ICINGS.--Confectioner's sugar is the most satisfactory for uncooked icings, and it is the kind most commonly used for this purpose. The finer this sugar can be secured, the better will the icing be, XXXX being the most desirable. As such sugar forms very hard lumps when it is allowed to stand, it should be rolled and sifted before it is mixed with the other ingredients. The material used to moisten the sugar may be lemon juice or some other fruit juice, water, milk, cream, egg white, butter, or a combination of these. Enough liquid should be used to make the icing thin enough to spread easily.
90. The ingredients used in uncooked icings determine to a certain extent the utensils required to make the icings. A fine-mesh wire sifter should be used to sift the sugar. A bowl of the proper size to mix the materials should be selected, and a wooden spoon should also be secured for this purpose, although a silver spoon will answer if a wooden one is not in supply. To spread the mixture on the cake, a silver knife produces the best results. If the icing is to be put on in ornamental way, the equipment already mentioned, that is, a pastry bag or a paper cornucopia, should be provided.
COLD-WATER ICING
- 1 c. confectioner's sugar
- 2 Tb. cold water
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
Add the sugar to the water and lemon juice, beat together thoroughly, and spread on any desired cake.