Moving Forward - Art & Caking
Hi there blog reader! Good day. Excuse me for disrupting your day with this cheesy blog post about cake and art. You may be wondering or asking this question, 'who are you?' To answer that question, "I'm Baking Jeannie. The girl next door baker-caker. Owner of this blog and is an #illustrator. Yup! I'm an art illustrator.
It's been almost two years since my last blog post. Today I'm driven to write this post for a couple of reasons:
Someone, a fellow caker, asked me for the rum cake recipe I used (I love to share, some times I over share, please see below)
After reading a heart-felt blog post by Rebekah Naomi Cake Design (August 23, 2018) she said what most cake decorators are feeling and just too scared to say--I'm throwing my two cents in.
My cousin keeps nagging me about "you need to blog on a regular basis, blog, blog, blog, blog!'
So here I am blogging. Now let me try to make this post an interesting read for you before you fall asleep or worse go and find something better to do.
Caribbean Rum Cake
The most delicious #rum #cake recipe was in my last blog post - Caribbean Rum Cake. It's my all time, hands down best rum cake. I use it for tiered cakes but with a little tweaking. I also found they bake best in the Fat Daddio's cake pan or a good bundt baking pan.
I have a good tip for you if you are using this recipe for tiered cakes and not using the Fat Daddio's cake pan. Here's what you can do to get a very good result - at the ending of mixing before pouring batter into baking pans, sprinkle and slowly stir in (by hand) a 1/4 cup flour. My 'Baking Yoda,' Chef Deloraine said it gives added structure, the high ratio of rum in the recipe quickly breaks down the structure. I sometime add a 1/4 tsp baking soda (when I am not using King Arthur flour).
It can be daunting when you are baking and at the end your cake just fail. I believe that's the reason cake pops have become many bakers best Plan C: Cake Pops. Some of my best cake pops are made using the messed up cakes. I have about 40 of those delicious babies in the fridge waiting for some chocolate coating.
Cake Art - An Illusion
Last week I was in one of those 'down in the cake dump' mood. Why? I believe only cakers can understand this feeling. The overworked and underpaid feeling; the feeling of not being appreciated for the work you do and that it is a form of art, worthy of the price you ask.
In the last year and a half I have answered so many request for custom cake quotes, yet my business declined because I am way out of most budget. Earlier this year I quoted a custom wedding cake for a couple. Later the coordinator told me I should have charged twice what I quoted. For the types of cakes I do, it should be twice.
After reading Rebekah's blog post last week, I looked back and saw how much work I put into creating these cakes and wondered "why?!?" Many times I have considered quitting but there is something deep inside telling me, there got to be more to this. My heart breaks when I read about cakers in this business doing amazingly excellent work and are not able to make any money for their hard work.
Since making money is not what this is all about, I have snapped myself out of this illusion that I am a 'cake artist'. For real. I will strive to become the artist I know I can be--illustrating the world of sugar-art in ink and watercolor.
Last year I picked up my painting brushes and ink to stroke the longing in my soul for meaningful artistic outlet. I'm just loving it. Even though I am still baking cakes, however, it's those cakes I want to do that values my artistry. In the meantime look out for what's coming your way.
My altered ego on Instagram, @inkandbluejeans, is having fun creating #watercolor and ink illustration. I will shamelessly say, go check out my feed, like a few things and follow to see what's coming down the pike. #inkandbluejeans
Till next time, walk good and happy caking!
Baking Jeannie
