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A Creator Melbourne, Australia
A User Melbourne, Australia

Stencil - Cake Decorating, Rectangle, Karl Muffler, 1930s-1950s Reg. No: HT 18253 1

Summary:: This is one of a collection of twenty six cardboard stencil cutouts of different sizes and shapes for creating decorations on cakes. They are used when modelling marzipan or icing. The stencil is placed on the cake surface, and a knife is then used to cut around the shape which is then placed on the cake for decoration. Circular shapes can be placed on top of a cake of similar diameter, and then dusted with icing sugar or cocoa to make a contrasting border when the stencil is removed. The stencil was made by German pastry chef Karl Muffler and was used by him during his career as a pastry chef and confectioner in Melbourne from the 1930s and during teaching cake decorating at William Angliss Food Trades School during the 1940s.

This item relates to Karl Friedrich Muffler, qualified pastry chef and confectioner, born in 1900, who migrated to Melbourne from Germany in 1930, aboard the passenger liner 'Balranald'. Muffler quickly established himself in Melbourne, commencing employment with Bill Ikinger (who had recruited and sponsored him) at his cake shop in Brunswick, as well as joining the long-running German establishment 'Club Tivoli'. Muffler went on to establish his own business, 'The Embassy' in Malvern, and in 1939 married fellow German migrant Mathilde 'Hilde' Mayer. At this time they were members of the 'German Labour Front' of which Adolf Mayer (Hilde's father) was president. On 4th September, 1939 Karl Muffler, along with dozens of other German residents (including his father-in-law), was placed into police custody as an enemy alien. He was transferred to Tatura internment camp and while there undertook woodcarving and drafting classes and worked as a cake decorator. He was transferred to a Forestry Commission camp in Broadford, and finally released in 1945. With no family left in Germany he decided to stay in Australia and became naturalised in 1947. After the war, Muffler accepted a position at William Angliss Food Trades School in Melbourne teaching ex-servicemen new skills in cake decoration. He maintained a connection to the German community though Club Tivoli and died in 1996.
Description:: Rectangular stencil with decorative design in pencil on front and triangular shaped cut out at one end, threaded with brown string. Stencil is from a group of 12 cardboard stencil cutouts tied together with brown string. Stencils are of different sizes and shapes for creating decorations on cakes, used when modelling marzipan or icing. Stencil placed on surface and then knife used to cut around the shape which was then placed on cake for decoration. Wheel shapes placed on top of cake of similar diameter, dusted with icing sugar or cocoa to make a contrasting border when wheel removed.
Acquisition Information:: Donation from Ms Sue Muffler, 2005

Discipline:	History
Dimensions:	57 mm (Height), 185 mm (Width)

More information

Tagged with:	cake decorating, forestry camps, german communities, german immigration, internment camps, pastry making
Themes this item is part of:	Migration Collection, Karl Friedrich Muffler, German Migrant, Pastry Chef & Internee, 1930, Karl Friedrich Muffler, German Migrant, Pastry Chef & Internee, 1930
Primary Classification:	TRADES
Secondary Classification:	Baking
Tertiary Classification:	equipment - cake decorating
Creator:	Karl Muffler, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1930s-1950s This stencil was created by Karl Muffler in Australia but it is impossible to determine how long he used the design for. It is possible that he referred to the stencil even during the latter years of his professional career until the late 1970s.
User:	Karl Muffler, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1930s-1970s