Wedding cake

Lorraine Pascale demnstrated hiw she made a round 3-tier sponge wedding cake on TV a few days ago. If you Google her, you'll see the recipe. Hers was a red velvet cake, made by adding a full botte of red food colouring. She gave a few tips, too, like using an icing smoother, ready rolled fondant, assembling and finishing at the venue, and using dowels to support the sponge with the weight of the other cakes.

I would start with Google. My mother made me a 3 tier fruit cake for my wedding and I made one for my daughter and I don't think we got much more than 50 slices from them. Once you know the size you need you can start working out the ingredients (sounds so easy doesn't it?) I'm not sure about freezing it, obviously sponges are frozen commercially - but who knows what they put in them. Perhaps as you have plenty of time you could try freezing one for a while and see how it defrosts. I'm sure that if you get the research done early the end result will be beautiful

Thanks, I'm going to start experimenting. Hope she wants round as it seems they are easier to ice! All my previous icing has been of the snow scene type!

I am pretty sure you can freeze them and I would wrap them in foil then cling film. Definitely dowels or the bottom one won't take the weight. I think you need bigger portions of sponge than you would if it were fruit.

I have only dabbled, with advice from a friend who is brilliant, but you do need to heat apricot jam, seive it and brush on cake before using the ready to roll icing. It is better to put on a thin layer first and then brush it with vodka before adding the final layer. Yes a smoother is excellent and imo essential.

I have bought some cake decorating things online from Surbiton Sugarcraft but if you go to their shop you will be very confused as there is just too much to take in. (HQ, sorry I don't intend to advertise, just recommending honest!). When I ordered it arrived the next day.

I think it is possible to hire the big cake tins but not sure where from.

I think it is a lovely request from her, you must feel very happy.

Good luck and have fun.

Thanks for the advice about warming the jam, I had forgotten about that. Yes it is a lovely request, her mum died many years ago when she was a young teenager and I know she is already feeling sad that she isn't here to join in with wedding preparation and excitement so I'm keeping a low profile , just smiling and nodding and am thrilled to be asked. If I get too panicky about it though, Im just going to buy it for her!!!

You may have found the answers by now, but this may help: www.deliaonline.com/community/yourrecipes/baking/Scaling-cake-ingredients.html

Off subject a bit but does anyone watch 'Ace of Cakes' which appears on several Freeview channels? Some of their creations contain hidden support structures, and the basic tiered shapes always have dowels.
I use a layer of butter cream (as they do on the programme) beneath the fondant icing, it makes it stick well and evens out any imperfections as well as keeping the cake moist.
Of course if you are anxious there is always the option of making a tower of cupcakes with a small cake on top for the official cutting, which can look amazing, and you know there is enough to go around.
Good luck!

Yes, Shysal, I watch that from time-to-time. I love anything baking related. I made my daughter's five tier wedding cake. It was fruit, and heavy, so needed quite a lot of support in the way of dowels. It stood up to the day well, and there was plenty to go round!