National 5 Practical Cake Craft
On completion of this course, you will have produced each of the following to a commercially acceptable standard:
Light/medium Sponge
Madeira
Lightly Fruited
Rich Fruit Cake
Tray bake / biscuits.
As well as the development of practical skills, knowledge will be developed in relation to preparing tins, selection and ratio of ingredients, baking temperatures, tests for readiness, cooling techniques.
Evidence that assessment standards have been achieved will be via practical activity, written assignment and written exam. An assessor’s observational checklist will be completed and you will complete a pupil portfolio/log of all activities undertaken.
Cake Finishing
This section of the course aims to provide experience, knowledge and skills in the selection, design and application of a range of fillings and coatings. These include:
Cream
Sugarpaste
Ganache/Chocolate
Jams/Curds
Buttercream/Frosting
Marzipan/Almond Paste
Royal Icing.
In addition, the will be a range of different finishing decoration techniques developed, including:
Colouring
Piping
Crimping
Embossing/Texturing
Modelling
Stencilling
Use of Commercial Cutters.
You will be required to evaluate the finished items in terms of their overall appearance, (including shape, design proportion, texture and colour balance) and, where appropriate, taste. Again assessment will take the form of a log book/portfolio of practical activities and completion of an assessor’s observational checklist.
The final assessment is based upon a Practical Activity, carried out towards the end of the course. SQA issue a design brief, and from it you are expected to undertake the following:
- Practical Exam 53%
- Written Assignment 22%
- Written Exam 25%
The practical activity requires you to use the skills you have learned throughout the course to bake and finish a cake according to the given design brief. You will work under supervision and the final cake may be subject to visiting assessment from SQA. The written assinment and exam is externally marked by SQA.
Additional Information
Once the school has registered you for this course, you will need to attend all practical and theory sessions and give the same commitment as you would to your other SQA courses. There will be a charge for the course to help cover the cost of ingredients.
