Teacher-turned-dessert queen shares the baking tips you need for the perfect cake

When it comes to baking, often what you create in reality doesn’t live up to the cakes you see in recipe books or on Instagram.

But if your culinary creations are in need of a little whipping into shape, you could do worse than listen to Katherine Sabbath.

The Sydney-based teacher-turned-dessert queen has built up a cult following of more than half a million people – after she quit her job as a high school teacher to follow her passion in baking.

Here, speaking to FEMAIL, Katherine shares the top five tips you need to adopt when baking a cake – including her secret to cutting cake so that you get five times as much from every serving.

 

Katherine Sabbath (pictured), from Sydney, is a teacher-turned-dessert queen and baker extraordinaire – and she shared her baking tips with FEMAIL

Katherine told FEMAIL that cooling your cake upside down has one major benefit insofar as it will help to give your cake (pictured) a flatter top

Katherine told FEMAIL that cooling your cake upside down has one major benefit insofar as it will help to give your cake (pictured) a flatter top

1. Cool your cake upside down

While this tip might sound counter-intuitive, Katherine told FEMAIL that cooling your cake upside down has one major benefit:

‘Once your cakes are cool enough to release them from the cake pan, allow them to sit and cool upside down,’ she explained.

The reason being? ‘This will give your cakes a flatter top.’

For the ‘Queen of baking’, this means more room and a better surface for icing with all sorts of pretty decorations.

Recent creations from Katherine have seen her add edible flowers, Mini Eggs and baby meringues to the top of her cakes.

'When decorating naked cakes (pictured) where the layers of cake are exposed, use a pastry rush to cover the outside of each layer with melted fruit jam,' Katherine told FEMAIL

'When decorating naked cakes where the layers of cake are exposed, use a pastry rush to cover the outside of each layer with melted fruit jam,' Katherine (pictured) told FEMAIL

‘When decorating naked cakes (left) where the layers of cake are exposed, use a pastry rush to cover the outside of each layer with melted fruit jam,’ Katherine (right) told FEMAIL

2. Use fruit jam on naked cakes

Naked cakes – which are easily recognised by their absent or minimal outer layer of frosting – have been all the rage in baking for some time now, with countless people opting for the pretty styles at weddings and other events.

But the danger with such styles of cakes is that because the layers are exposed, your beautiful creation can end up tasting quite dry:

‘When decorating naked cakes where the layers of cake are exposed, use a pastry rush to cover the outside of each layer with melted fruit jam,’ Katherine told FEMAIL.

‘This will ensure that your cake layers remain fresh and prevents them from drying out.’

As an aside, jam will also add to the deliciousness of the taste of the cake.

Katherine recommends 'cutting the cake straight across at the longest point and then chopping them into inch-long segments' (pictured)

Katherine recommends ‘cutting the cake straight across at the longest point and then chopping them into inch-long segments’ (pictured)

While, she said, the pieces 'will be smaller, you will end up getting around 30 pieces instead of just six to eight' (pictured: Katherine's cake technique)

While, she said, the pieces 'will be smaller, you will end up getting around 30 pieces instead of just six to eight' (pictured: Katherine's cake technique)

While, she said, the pieces ‘will be smaller, you will end up getting around 30 pieces instead of just six to eight’ (pictured: Katherine’s cake technique)

3. Cut your cake a different way to get more from it

Tradition dictates that we slice our cake into wedges.

But what if you want to get more from your cake slices and make your elaborate creation go that much further?

Katherine recommends ‘cutting the cake straight across at the longest point and then chopping them into inch-long segments’.

While, she said, the pieces ‘will be smaller, you will end up getting around 30 pieces instead of just six to eight’.

Katherine said that this allows people to go back for seconds, while also enjoying a ‘perfect and easy to eat size’.

When trying to make something as pretty as what you see on social media, Katherine explained that there are several steps you can take - namely adding decorations (pictured)

When trying to make something as pretty as what you see on social media, Katherine explained that there are several steps you can take – namely adding decorations (pictured)

Top of her list is investing in edible flowers, which the baker says makes for an 'impressive and effortless finish' (pictured)

Top of her list is investing in edible flowers, which the baker says makes for an ‘impressive and effortless finish’ (pictured)

4. Try edible flowers

When trying to make something as pretty as what you see on social media, Katherine explained that there are several steps you can take.

Top of her list is investing in edible flowers, which the baker says makes for an ‘impressive and effortless finish’.

‘I buy edible organic flowers from local farmers’ markets,’ Katherine said. ‘But you can also grow your own or buy dried edible flowers online.’

Use your flowers on top of your cakes to create a pretty, fantastical look – and then freeze the rest in water and keep them for ‘fancy cocktails’.

According to Katherine (pictured), should you want to create a deeper colour to your buttercream, it's time to invest in some gel food colours - and add them 24 hours in advance

According to Katherine (pictured), should you want to create a deeper colour to your buttercream, it’s time to invest in some gel food colours – and add them 24 hours in advance

5. Create an intense colour for your buttercream

According to Katherine, should you want to create a deeper ‘more intense’ colour to your buttercream, it’s time to invest in some gel food colours:

‘Colour your buttercream with gel food colours and try to do this 24 hours beforehand,’ she explained.

‘This allows the colour to develop over time. If you’re short on time, you can gently heat your buttercream, which helps the colour to “melt” through more easily.’

Katherine is the latest celebrity guest on Zova’s Celebrity Classes, which is a weekly HIIT class provided through an app with the help of expert trainer, Vix Burdon.

To read more from her website, please click here. 



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