Q+&+A

My questions

What is the recipe for your favorite frosting?  · How long have you been decorating cakes for a living?  · Did you go to college; if so which one and what did you study?  · Can you make me a list of the material you use in a typical day?  · Where do you get most of your materials?  · Have you always wanted to be a cake decorator?  · What is your favorite cake recipe?  · What competitions have you recently entered? thank you for all of your help!

Her answers

1. I am a huge fan of cream cheese icing. I don't have an exact recipe because I usually make it to taste. I use cream cheese, some powdered sugar, a few drops of vanilla, lemon zest and juice, and a little heavy cream. It is not ideal for cake decorating, but tastes delicious on a carrot cake or lemon bars.

 2. I have been decorating cakes for about 7 years now.

 3. I briefly attended college at MCTC downtown Minneapolis. I did not complete the culinary program because I had opportunities to build my career through Byerly's.

 4. I have a pretty big materials list due to the fact that I make pastries and cakes. I will list the big ones: cream, chocolate, sugar, fruit, mascarpone, cake, icing, fondant, etc...

 5. The company that we use the most to supply us for cake decorating would be Decopac. They are the number one cake supply company in the US and they are local to MN. Albert Uster Imports is a huge supplier when we are making pastries.

 6. I wasn't sure what I wanted to be when I was younger. I had always been artistic and creative, but didn't know where that could take me. My grandmother started to teach me to bake and had inspired my career in baking. From then on I started cake decorating and I just went from there. I have had many opportunities given to me to get me where I am today.

 7. Believe it or not, I am not a huge fan of cake. If I had to eat cake it would be carrot. My favorite cake is actually cheesecake.

 Here is one of my favorite recipes for cheesecake:

<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Crust

<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1/4 cup melted butter <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1/4 cup dark brown sugar <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1 Tbsp flour

<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Filling

<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 32 oz cream cheese (4 8oz packages) room temp. <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1 cup milk <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1/2 cup heavy cream <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 3 eggs <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1 egg yolk <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1 cup sour cream (Daisy) <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1 Tbsp vanilla <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1/4 cup AP Flour <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1 Tbsp lemon juice <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1/4 tsp lemon zest

<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Greese 9 inch spring form pan. <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 2. In a bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and flour. Pour butter over crumb mixture and combine. Press to the bottom of pan and about 1/4 inch up side. <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 3. In a mixing bowl cream together cheese, and sugar until smooth consistency. Add to mixture milk, cream, and eggs until combined. Scrape bottom of bowl to be sure all is incorporated. <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 4. Add sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and flour. Mix until combines. <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 5. Pour filling in crust. <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 6. Bake in oven for about 45-50 minutes or until center is set. Turn off oven and let cheesecake sit for an hour or two before removing and placing in refrigerator. This will help with cracking.

<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 8. The most recent cake competition I entered was at the Mall of America and was organized by the Upper Midwest Bakery Association. It was a lot of fun. We did a 5 tier wedding cake, however we did not place due to some rules that were unclear in the handbook. <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ca <span style="background-color: #000000; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">﻿ <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kes