My name is Emilia Triay, a former Dietitian with a double major in Nutrition and Fitness and Dietetics from Florida State University. In 1996, I decided to become a stay-at -home Mom and, during that time, discovered my interest in decorating. I wasn’t much of a baker, but after battling with mixes, pans, and ovens, I discovered a very easy doctored cake that became my salvation. I did, however, love decorating the cakes and, after taking the Wilton courses, decided to become an instructor. After teaching for seven years, I decided to open my own cake business. During the years I had my business I learned all the mistakes one can make with cakes, but I always felt as though I had a guardian angel helping me survive the countless disasters. The experience made me a better baker and decorator and helped me bullet proof my techniques.
After three years of being in business, I suddenly began experiencing excruciating pain in all my joints as well as extreme exhaustion. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and within 4 months closed my business. The doctors assured me that this would be a lifelong ailment, but that “we could manage the symptoms.” After 4 years of battling horrible pain, I discovered, through a naturopathic physician, that what I’d had all along was a gluten sensitivity. In less than a month of giving up all gluten, I miraculously became pain free. Within 3 months, I had regained my health and energy. Until the summer of 2014, I worked part-time as a cake decorator at a small bakery in my town. I gave up decorating when I accepted a position as a Spanish and Art teacher at a small private school. Because I still love the art of cake decorating, I plan to keep up with all the new techniques.
One of my favorite things to do is to teach cake decorating, and how to sculpt using fondant , gum-paste, and any other sugar medium that feels like play-dough!
My favorite and only recipe that can be turned into chocolate, and marble too:
Betty Crocker yellow box (it could be Pillsbury, or Duncan Hines)
Follow directions and bake accordingly to the box, I always used canola oil.
Once it is done take out of the oven wait 5 minutes.
During the 5 minutes:
In a small pan bring to a boil a cup of water and ½ cup of sugar. As soon as the sugar has dissolved remove from heat.
In a measuring cup measure ¼ cup of Amaretto liqueur (Classico Amaretto di Amore, but any other will do), plus ¼ teaspoon of almond flavor, then add the water-sugar mixture until it measures one full cup. For a different flavor use ¼ of a cup of rum (dark brown Bacardi) to ¼ teaspoon of orange flavor (this was my signature cake). Or, another alternative flavoring is to just 1 teaspoon of add vanilla, or almond flavor to the 1 cup of sugar syrup.
Next, get a piece of aluminum paper big enough to fit the bottom of the cake and place on a cardboard (do not fold edges). Then invert the hot cake on the cardboard with the aluminum foil. Fold the sides of the aluminum foil up to create a basket like around the cake and pour hot syrup mixture evenly all over cake. Because the cake is so hot, it absorbs the mixture and the aluminum foil holds in the liquid that might drip.
Cover the hot cake with saran wrap and leave it over overnight at room temperature.
For an 8” cake I use ½ to ¾ of a cup of mixture, for a 10” 1 full cup and so on. As the cake gets bigger I add more, however be careful and don’t overdo it or your cake could become too wet. It can be used for wedding cakes too. It freezes really well.
When I did wedding cakes I used to cover the cake boards between cakes with aluminum foil to avoid problems with moisture. And I always baked on the three inch high cake pans. I did not use fillings since the cakes were already so wonderfully flavored. Never had problems with icing blow outs!
Cakes can be covered in buttercream or fondant. And best of all the cakes can stay at room temperature until final destination. During very hot summer days I did refrigerated the cakes.
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Thank you, Emy, for sharing your recipe and photos with us!
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