Does anybody use it technique? I would like to learn some tips.......looks really nice. But I don't see it used vry much I ws wondering if it was an outdated technique.

Anyone know of any good 'how-to' sites or books?? Bronwen Weber has an example on her site.

http://www.bronwenscakes.com/wedding.htm

The first wedding cake on the second row is an example of this technique.

Lambeth is a method of overpiping layers of decorations. Toba Garretts book has examples. One of here cakes features the Lambeth method. She lists is as selling for $15,000.00

I haven't found any books that clearly demonstrate the method. Maybe someone else knows of a book.

They're teaching a class at the Wilton school on this method in October. It's way beyond my price range, but it's definately something I want to learn. Hmmm... must put that on my wish list.

Rachel

There is a book by Lambeth titled The Lambeth Method of Cake Decorating. I've had the book for years and have never achieved the look. It's no wonder that most of his cakes were made for royalty and those who perfect the style can *really* charge for it.

I talked to my teacher about it today and she said that everyone she knows who has ever done it or learned it has said, "Yeah right, never again." I'm still interested in learning it, but DANG, I can't imagine the amount of work she said it is.

Rachel

looks nice but if you all are looking into it and the lessons are that expensive and books that hard to understand, i sure that i'll just be admiring the pictures of this technique

It seems that it only has four layers in the pictures provided. Am I looking at that correctly? Is there anything to it besides overpiping a few layers? Am I over simplifying this?

I know what you mean about it looking simple. I'm surprised to find out that it's not. I've never tried it, but they give instructions on how to do it in some of the old Wilton yearbooks I have. I wonder why it's so traumatizing! I remember reading that you have to let each layer dry in between.

The Wilton Way of Cake Decorating Volume Three has some beautiful cakes with the overpiping and very good instructions. You may find it on e-Bay.[/img]

It sounds stressful.

I took a Lambeth Method class from Edith Gates in 1964. It was a 5 day class and I have never worked so hard in my life. Beautiful work, but really time consuming. And you have to wait for each line of piping to dry completely before adding the next so that it stands up and doesn't lean over. We did one cake with 3,000 apple blossom made with a 101s rose tip, petal by petal. By the time we had done 1/4 of them people were asking their tablemates if they could borrow some cornstarch, royal icing, etc. and the answer was usually "Yes, but in exchange for 2 dozens apple blossoms."

I did my own wedding cake in the Lambeth style in 1971, took me 18 hours to complete. As beautiful as it is, it isn't really practical. No one wants to eat rock hard royal icing, and doing a Modified Lambeth in buttercream just isn't the same effect. Here are two photos of my Lambeth cakes. The first is in royal, the second is a modified design in buttercream. Pretty, but like comparing apples and oranges. You just don't get the same effect in buttercream. I have my original Lambeth book from 1964, paid $29.00 for it at the time the most I had ever paid for a book. Now try and find it for under $200.00 and it is a bargain. And by the way, there are two Lambeth books out there, one being a simpler version with mostly baked goods. The one with the original Lambeth overpiping is called
Lambeth Method Of Cake Decorating And Practical Pastries.

Royal Icing
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=ShirleyW&cat=0&pos=126
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=ShirleyW&cat=0&pos=127


Buttercream

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=ShirleyW&cat=0&pos=128

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=ShirleyW&cat=0&pos=129

Shirley, both of those cakes are gorgeous!!!!

I'm amazed at the amount of detail that you were able to achieve with the b/c; I would never have thought it possible.

I'm totally awed by your talent.

Here are some past Lambeth threads:

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-52298-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-47762-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-24418-.html

HTH

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-51253-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-51213-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-50925-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-50011-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-50098-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-33768-.html

Lambeth book:

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-27280-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-26199-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-21594-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-24934-.html

Thank you Jan, that is very flattering. I just got out some old photos, and I am talking 43 years old. Here is my completed class project from the Lambeth class taught by Edith Gates in 1964 in Long Beach, Ca. We had a cake exhibit of our work when class was completed and the cakes were judged. Mine came in second. Wish I had a photo of the first place winner, it was very Victorian and elaborate.

Shirley, it's a good thing I can type my response because my jaw is on the floor.....

That's just a fabulous creation.

Do you happen to have a picture of your wedding cake.....

Thank you very much.
You know at the time of my wedding we had a terrible photographer who didn't get any pictures of the cake. I have old snapshots that relatives took of the cake and of us cutting the cake but I'm not even sure where they are. If I come across them I will see if I can scan and post them.

I'm speechless. If Toba's little thing costs $15,000, yours must be at least $80,000! Ms. Shirley- you are brilliant (so is that teacher!). I am in awe. I can't say how stunned I am.

Just. . .wow.

I'm sorry Nick, I didn't mean to highjack your thread. I just thought you might get a kick out of seeing this old photo. I was young and energetic then, don't know if I could put in that much work on a cake today.

I'm impressed too, Shirleyw, that is an absolutely fantastic creation! So much work! Beautiful!

Thank you Janice. I can remember actually crying at the end of that class just from sheer exhaustion. We were all feeling the same way.

Sugar-Fairy -

Hang onto that book! Have you priced it on eBay lately? They are getting a fortune for it! I have two copies, and both are in a safe deposit box, along with my Wilton Encyclopedias. I even have the supplement to the Lambeth book, and the pattern books for the encyclopedias!

So glad I bought them when I did. In the past two years, the Lambeth book has quintupled in average price, and I have not seen the pattern books for the encyclopedias since just after I won my last auction on them at eBay.

Theresa

bronwens link didnt work for me

Shirley,

My copies of the book are in the bank, so I will have to go and check. I see that it is plate number 3 on page 19, so I will start the reference from there, but to tell the truth, I recall the book starting with pastries, then working toward cake decorating at the back of the book.

I will let you know within a few days, but if I am right about how the book is arranged, I do not think it is from that book.

On the other hand, that type of decorating is from that era, so either way you have a goldmine CD there. It could be copied from a small number of very, very valuable cake decorating books that are unknown here because they are UK publications.

I saw a book last year on eBay that sold for almost $200 USD. The book was only 119 pages, and it was nothing but plates of cakes from that era. Gorgeous designs. I bid up to $100 on it, and did not come close.

Theresa

There was another British cake decorator who did designs very similar to Lambeth, he was called Nirvana and had 4 books out. I had all of them and sold them a few years ago. I can still see them, leather bound, smaller than Lambeths book, the covers were Brown, Maroon, Dark Green and Dark blue. Those designs templates could have come from one of those books..

This is really cool stuff! I love learning about old techniques. I have heard of this before but never really knew what it was. Thanks for all of the interesting information, everyone!

I would love to be referred to as "madame"...