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Teddy Bear – buttercream piping warming up?
Hello 🙂
I’ve just finished making the teddy bear for my daughter’s first birthday and am really pleased with it! I made a grey bear with white pads and ears and a pale pink nose. Thank you for such a great course – I’m def going to do again, maybe as different animal – rabbit, puppy and experiment with different ‘furs’ – does anyone have any tips on piping for these?
Anyway, the main point…! While I was piping (I used fudge buttercream) it was perfect to start with and peaked nicely, but by the time I was piping the back of teddy, the buttercream had obviously warmed in my hands and went slightly sloppy and the peaks weren’t very defined. Any tips apart from the obvious – popping into the fridge for a bit?
By the way, I missed out the sugarpaste step on this as I didn’t want too much icing. I baked the cake, cooled, shaped into teddy and then froze. Then when I was ready for ganache, I got out of the freezer and starting ganaching straight away – it set immediately so I could do two coats in 10 minutes, then put back in the freezer, still frozen! This was perfect cos I wanted to get ahead as much as I could.
The evening before I wanted to finish the teddy I defrosted overnight, still wrapped, then took off wrapping in the morning and let any condensation go. Transferred to board fine – really sturdy – and ready for piping!
Found this site only 2 weeks ago while googling teddy cake and wow, I can’t wait to make more! THANK YOU!! 🙂
Hellogoldengoose25
How lovely that all worked out so well despite the butter cream going a bit mushy! I believe some people add a teaspoon of merriwhites powder to stabilise butter cream, just mix it straight in during creaming. I read it either on Paul’s facebook or another one last summer when the weather was really hot, wish I’d taken more notice. I believe it also helps white butter cream stay whiter. Just google ‘merriwhites for butter cream’ and see what it throws up.
And the teddy held together alright without the sugarpaste? This is a question frequently asked on Q&A.
Thanks so much MITW
I will try the merriwhites powder next time.
The teddy held together fine although I did put a stick down through the head and body just in case! I used Paul’s moist chocolate cake which I found nice and dense so held together well – some places I didn’t even use ganache to stick together. The ganache was very strong though – used good quality dark chocolate, and maybe doing two layers of ganache helped to strengthen as well. The sugarpaste for the ears, foot pads and muzzle all stuck onto the ganache really easily.
I keep looking at it – it’s just sooo cute!! Already thinking of the next reason I could make a cake… def caught the cake bug…! Thank you thank you thank you 🙂
Thanks goldengoose25, if anyone asks again about leaving the sugarpaste off, your feed back will be so helpful.
Have a great time with your new cakes, it gets addictive! Oh, why don’t you post a picture on Paul’s facebook? he loves people to share their creations. x
I made the bear too for a baby shower but added a sugerpaste dress. It looked and tasted fantastic (if I do say so myself 😛 ) but my only issue was that I ended up with too many sugarpaste layers, most of which people generally don’t and didn’t eat. I did think that if I made it again I would not use the sugarpaste just the ganache and buttercream so it’s good to know its actually worked for someone!
I used white chocolate ganache with Paul’s cake recipe with white chocolate ganache and strawberry jam between my layers… Very tastey if anyone wants to try!
Hello Rehaf
I often use the same combo as yourself and find it’s very popular with my ‘customers’. They’re all friends and family so I do get good feed back on flavours. I know what you mean about the sugar paste so the feedback from goldengoose25 is very helpful. As an alternative to sugar paste modelling chocolate could be used for garments like the dress.
