# Cake Knife



## sweetie pie (Feb 18, 2011)

Hi! I am reading Chef Marcel Desaulniers. He recommends a 12" serrated cake slicer. Is a slicer a knife? If so, can someone recommend a brand? 

Thank you


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Yes, a cake slicer is a knife.  It's a long, thin, serrated blade with a rounded tip. 

I like the Victorinox / Forschner 12" "rounded wavy slicer" aka "bread knife" with the Rosewood handle.  It's also available with a plastic, "Fibrox" handle.  A little over $40 with wood, and a little under $30 with plastic.

You can spend more, but you won't cut cake any better.

BDL


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## sweetie pie (Feb 18, 2011)

Thank you! I have the Mac Pro bread slicer. it is almost new and has a 10 inch blade. Would the one you suggest work better? Chef Marcel recommends a 12" blade.  

Also, does the surface you are cutting on make a difference? 

I seem to cut very uneven slices of cake. I cut the cake while it sits in a domed glass cake holder. The lips of the plate arch upward. Is this the problem?


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

sweetie pie said:


> ... I cut the cake while it sits in a domed glass cake holder. The lips of the plate arch upward. Is this the problem?.


Probably...


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## sweetie pie (Feb 18, 2011)

I think so too. Yesterday botched slicing a simple zucchini bread. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lookaround.gif


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

I use a MAC bread knife daily, the knife never "cuts crooked", /img/vbsmilies/smilies/laser.gifsometimes the operator does though /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

The Forschner 12" rounded tip is not "better" than the MAC. The Forschner is, however, a 12" rounded tip knife -- which is what you asked about.

FWIW, the MAC is 10.5", not 10". So, the next question is: Is the extra 1-1/2" helpful for splitting cakes? Yes, it really is.

Does a rounded tip make much difference? If you're always careful, not really,; but if you occasionally catch things with the tip through inattention, then yes;

if you've determined to buy a new, specialty, cake knife, the Forschner is less expensive.

Would I buy the Forschner. No. My MAC handles all my baking needs, but I almost never split large rounds. From what I gather, you don't truly _need _the 12" knife, but it would probably make your life a little easier.

Hope this helps,

BDL


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## sweetie pie (Feb 18, 2011)

I'm sorry if I didn't explain it correctly but I am not trying to split a cake round. I want to cut slices of a cake so they look neat.  I seem to be butchering the cakes I works so hard to make.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Aha! 

A 12" can make things a little easier than one 10" or 10-1/2", but not by much.

A round tip is less prone to get you into trouble than a pointed one, but not by much.

There's not much difference between a flat and curved profile, when it comes to cutting slices.  You may find curved a little better, because it creates extra knuckle space.  How important that is, depends more on whether you use a cake stand or cut at table level than anything else.  On the other hand, there's no law which says you can't use a flat profile knife at an angle.  Just remember to saw gently, rather than simply drag the knife through.

The MAC is a better bread knife than the Forschner, but not by much. 

I've never been much of a cake baker, but the more I bake the more often I split them.  That's almost certainly true of you too, so don't discount that aspect too much.

We have a MAC and love it, but we don't do much cake. 

In your shoes, I'd get the 12" Forschner.  But your shoes would probably be too small and look funny on me.

BDL


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Sweetie pie,

  Can I ask, what is happening when you slice. Is it crumbly? Is it sticking?

We cut quite a few cakes. We use a straight edge. But it does have a granton style. You really need that air for seperation.

It would also due dbl. duty as a meat slicer. We use Mundial only because I bought a lot of 40 or so for about 10.ea.

If you are ever going to slice/split cakes then you will really need a wavy edge with a granton grove.

Have fun

pan


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## sweetie pie (Feb 18, 2011)

[quote name="boar_d_laze" url="/forum/thread/66634/cake-knife#post_358682"]
Aha!

A 12" can make things a little easier than one 10" or 10-1/2", but not by much.

A round tip is less prone to get you into trouble than a pointed one, but not by much.

There's not much difference between a flat and curved profile, when it comes to cutting slices. You may find curved a little better, because it creates extra knuckle space. How important that is, depends more on whether you use a cake stand or cut at table level than anything else. On the other hand, there's no law which says you can't use a flat profile knife at an angle. Just remember to saw gently, rather than simply drag the knife through.

The MAC is a better bread knife than the Forschner, but not by much.

I've never been much of a cake baker, but the more I bake the more often I split them. That's almost certainly true of you too, so don't discount that aspect too much.

We have a MAC and love it, but we don't do much cake.

In your shoes, I'd get the 12" Forschner. But your shoes would probably be too small and look funny on me.

BDL
[/quote]

I don't know, I think my shoes would look cute on you  I am cutting on a cake stand and I think that is the problem. I baked yesterday and put the cake on a cardboard before putting it on the cake stand and was able to cut perfect slices. I would like to get the Forschner knife. It looks very cool and Cooks Illustrated also rates it very high.

Thanks for you help. I appreciate it, very much


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## sweetie pie (Feb 18, 2011)

[quote name="panini" url="/forum/thread/66634/cake-knife#post_358722"]
Sweetie pie,

Can I ask, what is happening when you slice. Is it crumbly? Is it sticking?

We cut quite a few cakes. We use a straight edge. But it does have a granton style. You really need that air for seperation.

It would also due dbl. duty as a meat slicer. We use Mundial only because I bought a lot of 40 or so for about 10.ea.

If you are ever going to slice/split cakes then you will really need a wavy edge with a granton grove.

Have fun

pan
[/quote]It seems to be tearing the cake and making the crumb look crushed.

Thank you


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

OK,

 Than I agree with BDL on the serrated.

If you are in the states and are going to buy Forschner. PM me with the price.

I have a poker buddy who has a nice store and reps them. I might save you $

We have to split hundred of cakes. All of us find it the easiest to use a wavy blade with granton groves.

Well he couldn't locate any 14's so he took a doz. wavies and put the groves in himself. It's a piece of art.

Let me know. We've also kicked around doing a short video on slicing cakes from 4" to 24"+.

If we get it done, I'll shoot one out to ya.

jeff


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## sweetie pie (Feb 18, 2011)

That is very nice of you, Panini.

Are you a baker?

I take my baking very seriously and I'm kind-of-a-perfectionist when it comes to ingredients and baking; however, the decorating part alludes me. I've only been baking for a year but everyone thinks I have a talent in this area. In reality, I seek out the best recipes .

Is this the knife? I have been watching this knife. It has gone down in price from $44 to $37 today. It could go up tomorrow, Amazon is funny that way


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

sweetie pie,

  Yes, that's the straight edge. If you think you will ever split cakes, then you probably need the wavy.

We play Wed. nights. Let me see what he has in stock for demos. Are you in the states? I really don't mind doing things like this for CT people.

I just sent some things off to thetincook, etc. I'm sure the least that will happen is he'll do a 2 for. Let me find out. Then we can figure

out which other one you may want. If this is for personal use, I think you may like the rosewood. They are much nicer on the hands.

I will gladly show you all the tricks of splitting cakes and such. It really hard. I've been baking for many years. I left being an Exec. Chef on the hot side

about30 yrs. ago. I studied Pastries and baking and decided I only want to work for myself. We have done a bunch of things. My wife left an advertising

career and joined me in the current project. We've done the retail bakery for the last 12 yrs. We are at out limit. We suffer from a severe compaction problem.

So with this economy we decided to take a space 2 doors down and we are going to do an authentic Italian Deli concept. Letter of intent is being

done tomorrow. We're both kind of left brain people with the risk gene. LOL. There is a website somewhere on our profile. It shows what we do.

If you're not in a rush, let me check out the knife situation for you.

Jeff


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## sweetie pie (Feb 18, 2011)

Thank you so much! I am in the states. The only thing is, I have a gift card from my daughter on Amazon so I was hoping to use it. But I thank you very much!! Does Amazon carry the wavy one?

I bought 1 1/2" pans in 8 and 9 inch for the purpose of layers. But, as I advance, I might well be splitting cakes.

I was originally looking for a 12 inch serrated slicer as recommended by Chef Marcel Desaulniers in his books; especially for slicing 9 x 13 pan cakes into neat squares. When I used my 10 1/2 inch serrated Mac Pro bread knife, there were crumbs all over the squares from the sides of the cut. It was a mess.

Good luck in your new venture. Where I come from, Salumeries were very popular. I now live on the west coast and Italian ingredients are hard to come by. I asked my local supermarket butcher (there are no private butchers) for paper thin chicken cutlets and he had no idea what I was talking about. He suggested I freeze a breast and cut thin slices /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif helllllp!!!

I'll check out your profile. Thank you SO much for your help. It is very nice to meet you

isabelle


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

I gotch ya. Nice daughter.

I'm not having any problem aquiring equipment.  Ingredients is another story

take care

jeff


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## sweetie pie (Feb 18, 2011)

Gorgeous creations on your website Panini! The first cake in gallery 2 of the bride cakes made me melt!!


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## wagstaff (May 30, 2011)

sweetie pie said:


> Gorgeous creations on your website Panini! The first cake in gallery 2 of the bride cakes made me melt!!


I'd have to agree. Really beautiful cakes. I don't remember ever having made a cake myself in this lifetime (probably I have with a Betty Crocker box, but if so, that would have been a few decasdes ago). I love the look of cakes on the site, though, Panini. Realliy beautiful.


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