VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Twisted Sisters in Virginia Beach balances their culinary skills, artistry and even a little science daily.
Ariel Doan, one of the employees, moved to Virginia from upstate New York and said the humidity was a surprise.
“I've learned the hard way ... coming in here after I've done a huge cake and it has an air bubble because I had no idea about humidity in Virginia,” said Doan.
The humidity surrounding a cake can make or break the design. For that reason, a humidifier is always running in the shop. That keeps the moisture at an optimal level.
The temperature must be monitored constantly as well. Fondant, a type of rolled sugar, is very sensitive to changes in both temperature and humidity.
“When you're covering a cake with fondant, it has to be cold,” Doan said.
She will take the cake out of the freezer when working with the fondant so that a layer of condensation (moisture) develops. The moisture will help the fondant stick to the cake.
Besides a humidifier, the shop uses bubble teas straws to help support layer cakes and skewers to keep tiered cakes from shifting.
All these tips and tricks are with one thing in mind – creating feelings that are sweeter to the cakes.
“That's what a bakery is, bringing a smile to everyone's face," Doan said. "That's my favorite part of it.”
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