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 Post subject: Tuxedo Cake - whipping cream question
PostPosted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 3:16 pm 
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Location: Virginia
So I finally decided to put my toe in the water as far as selling my cakes (thanks Fitzie and Nancy, for adding to the chorus of encouragers), and on Wednesday I delivered tuxedo cakes to 3 different realtors that DH has connections with (he's an appraiser). They are my test group because many of them give their home buyers/sellers gifts at the end of a successful transaction. A fabulous cake would create a great opportunity for a final point of personal contact, and could create some positive buzz for that realtor among the client's family and friends. At least that's my thinking right now.

Unfortunately I neglected to mention to them that the cakes required refrigeration. Oftentimes when I give someone that cake, I do think to tell them that. But in this case, I was super pushed and it didn't occur to me. And I didn't think to follow up about it because truthfully, I assumed anyone would be able to tell that it was a whipped cream frosting and would know it needed to be kept cold!

Anyway I found out this morning that 2 of the 3 didn't keep theirs in the fridge. Since no one's gotten sick, I think all's well. (At least I hope so, because it would be the end of a short baking career if I gave someone food poisoning :? ) But I'm just curious if I was totally off-base in thinking the need for refrigeration would be obvious, and second, do you think if I hadn't thought about this today and hadn't told the one person who still had cake left that it should be pitched, would they have gotten sick from it after 2 days on the counter? Or is that something any of you have pushed to the limit inadvertently (as far as not refrigerating whipped cream) and it's been okay?

Aaargh!

Emilie


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 Post subject: Re: Tuxedo Cake - whipping cream question
PostPosted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 5:18 pm 
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Posts: 1149
Never assume that people will know what to do with anything. A sticker on the cake box is a good thing.
Whipped cream out for two days could very well cause issues when eaten, depending on how warm the room was.
Best of luck in your endeavors!


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 Post subject: Re: Tuxedo Cake - whipping cream question
PostPosted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 10:16 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:33 pm
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First of all, yay Emilie! :mrgreen: And second, A sticker sounds like a good idea. I assume too much only to find that people really don't know this stuff.
Nancy


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 Post subject: Re: Tuxedo Cake - whipping cream question
PostPosted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 4:40 am 
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Location: Chico, CA
Congrats on taking the first step Emilie. I agree with Nancy, never assume folks will have common sense. A sticker is a great idea. However, may I suggest that next time you do another of your frivolous cakes that does not need special care. Realtors are constantly on the move, so a cake might sit in their car for a while before being delivered.

You might want to do thank yous yourself and take some to your hair salon, etc. If you do make sure to leave cards with info to contact you. Just a thought.

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 Post subject: Re: Tuxedo Cake - whipping cream question
PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:05 pm 
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Thanks for the tips, ladies. And yes, a label on the box is definitely the way to go. I've actually done that in years' past when I'd sold the cake a few times, but I think what kept me from thinking about it this time was because recently when I gave one to a friend and did mention that it needed to go in the fridge, she acted (in a nice way) like "Of course I know it needs to go in the fridge!". So my old brain was just playing tricks on me, I guess.

So Alina, your feedback about temperature and realtors being on the go so much is exactly what one of my test subjects (who fortunately didn't get food poisoning) said. And Friday night I made a Swiss meringue buttercream as a test, since it's very shelf-stable. I was going for the same lightness and not cloying-sweet characteristics of the whipped cream, and it was really good and also very light. But it wasn't as good overall. Plus those type of frostings are a PITA, with the cooked syrup, etc. There's no way that kind of labor would ever make it worth my while. And any kind of easy buttercream with powdered sugar would be so sweet, I think along with the ganache on top it would be too much.

At this point, I'm wondering if perhaps I should think about other potential businesses who give nice gifts to clients but wouldn't be challenged as far as the temp issue. Who knows... but I'm tossing it around and really appreciate the feedback in the process. Thanks!

Emilie


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 Post subject: Re: Tuxedo Cake - whipping cream question
PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 7:39 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:33 pm
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Location: Northern California
Fwiw, World Peace cookies or high end brownies would hold well and look nice in cellophane bags...
caramels?
These are great:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/01/sa ... -caramels/

I make brownies every year for DH's office and people remind me way ahead of time. Those Epicurious brownies from The Farm are my favorites.
or bundt cakes/pound cakes

Its cool that you are doing this :ugeek:

Nancy


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 Post subject: Re: Tuxedo Cake - whipping cream question
PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 8:45 pm 
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Emilie, how about the Crispy Magic Frosting. It is not too sweet and does fine at room temp. It is super easy to make.

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 Post subject: Re: Tuxedo Cake - whipping cream question
PostPosted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 7:43 am 
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Thanks Nancy and Alina. I'm kind of stalled at the moment. Higher-end cakes are really the only product that would make it worth my time at this point, and the feedback I got from that realtor is that a price point over $25 or so would probably be prohibitive. (My client gifts in the past have always been much more than that, but in all fairness, I wasn't buying them for a lot of people.)

So I think for now I'm just going to sell the Tuxedo cake as a celebration cake and see how that goes. And Joanne's Crispy frosting is a good idea, Alina, for those times that it can't be kept chilled. Although the SMB I tested on it really wasn't too sweet -- it just didn't match the overall taste of the cake with whipped cream frosting. I'll definitely give it a try though -- part of it might just be because we're so used to it with the cream frosting.

And thanks for that brownie recipe, Nancy. I've tried a lot of good brownie recipes but am still looking for one that I really love. Will look that up and make them the next time we need something sweet around here. Probably today :)

Thanks!

Emilie


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 Post subject: Re: Tuxedo Cake - whipping cream question
PostPosted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 4:37 pm 
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Hi Emilie, I am posting the adaptations I made to Nancy's (Epi/Gourmet) recipe. So easy. Link to original directions at bottom:

CHOCOLATE BROWNIES*****
Great moist brownies, kept well and froze beautifully.

These are probably the fudgiest brownies we've ever tried. They taste even better the day after they're baked. Brownies keep, layered between wax paper in an airtight container, 5 days. These can also be baked in a metal 9" X 13" pan. See link for original recipe for directions. I used [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F5IB3S/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1] this mini muffin tin [url]


Oven Temperature: 325°F

Servings: 18 Yield: 54 mini brownies

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 9 hours

12 oz. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
12 oz. fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
1 tsp. espresso powder
5 extra large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1¼ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 cup plus 2 TBS. unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
3 cups sugar
1/2 tsps. salt

You will need enough tins for at least 54 mini muffins. If not can do 48 in 2 tins and bake the rest in a small metal pan. If tins are not non-stick, use muffin papers.

Put butter with chocolate in an 8 cup Pyrex measuring cup and reserve the wrappers. Use the wrappers to butter non-stick mini muffin tins. Put Pyrex in microwave on 60% power for 2 minutes Take out and stir. If chocolate is not fully melted put back in at 60% power for an additional 20 seconds Add espresso powder and stir to mix. Let it cool a few minutes before adding eggs. While the chocolate cools, measure flour and cocoa into a separate bowl and use a whisk to stir together. Add sugar and salt and whisk again. Once chocolate has cooled to room temp, add 1 egg at a time whisking after each until completely incorporated. Add the flour mixture stirring until combined and then for an additional 50 strokes. Batter will be very thick.

Use a medium disher (40) to fill the mini muffin cups. They won't rise so fill to the brim. Wipe any excess that falls out of the cups. Place tins in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325°.

Take out of fridge and bake one tin at a time for 18-24 minutes. Check at 18 minutes by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out wet, continue to bake for an additional 5 minutes and check again. Cool on rack in pan. To make sure the muffins will release from pan, rotate each one, and then refrigerate for a couple of hours. Can be placed in airtight tin or wrapped well in pan. Take out, wrap well. These are better the next day.

Recipe Type: Brownies, Chocolate, Desserts, Epicurious, Gourmet

Source: Gourmet 2/2010
Web Page: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... ies-102992

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