Wow, KayDay, I'm jealous! Just to have a dedicated work space would be just awesome!!! But I just do cakes for family and friends so I shouldn't complain...

I love how you have the recipes/instructions posted up. I have my icing recipes and things I refer to all the time taped inside a cabinet door! That should definately have been on my list of must haves!

Everybody pretty much already covered my essentials.

1. cake leveler
2. wilton caddy stocked with all my tips and tools
3. for fondant a good cutter thing
4. my 8" (3" deep) round pan
5. my turntable

Bowls lots of bowls.
Most people mentioned the basics.
Good Baking Pans (Magic Line)
parchment triangles, tips and couplers
Good cake recipes and icing recipes.
Creativity
A Kitchen Aid Mixer, asked someone special in your life to purchase it for you as a gift for your birthday or anniversary, christmans present. That is how I got mine!

I just discovered the Wilton Cake Release, which works great
Icer Tip is a huge must - it really saves you time so you can spend more time on the 'fun' decorating

Here are some additions to the "Don't waste your money" section...

Message Letter Press Sets
Wilton Wide Fondant Rolling Pin (My regular pastry rolling pin works better)

I love my little workspace...but it is far from the room I truly NEED. The stuff shown in the photos and a couple of fridges and an old time big stove are it... well and a sink..lol. But yes I am lucky to have what I have.

ok i guess i will put mine up too!
1. A good mixer, i love kichen aid
2. star tip. easy and looks great on everything
3. Metal puddy knife. smooths like nothing else.
4. A freezer. it does wonders
5. my plastic icing holders, i hate the bags.
6. my cake saw with
7. A LEVELER!! so important to mee
8. parchmant paper
9. turn table
10. powdered sugar i go though so much

This is a great thread for beginners!!

Most of my important ones have been said already, so I'll just add to all of the above.
Here are my "must-haves" in no particular order except for number 1:

1. Kitchen Aid Mixer!!!!
2. Fondant Smoother (not just for fondant, but also for smoothing buttercream with papertowels)
3. Blue Shop Towels (if you live in Canada, we don't get Viva here )
4. Pizza cutter for playing with fondant
5. Letter stencil (if you're nervous about writing)
6. Silicone spatulas
7. A good camera to make your own cake album

Hope that helps!

Purple Petunia

I would say the number one thing to have is support from your family and friends...I find that the support I receive is what keeps me going.......the "stuff" falls into place as you need it. Friends and family promote your business/talent as well as keep you on track when you have a disappointment or feeling bad about yourself.

Slowly obtain the items you need............pretty soon you'll have so much stuff you'll be writing a post about "hey guys, how do you store your cake stuff?"

I am suffering right now, but DISH GLOVES. My hands are raw and cracked from having my hands in dishwater so much this past weekend. A good hand cream too.

My main goal right now is to perfect a basic cake. I think you need to get the smooth frosting down, along with a good tasting cake first. To me those are the two most important elements. Without those you have nothing. Just my two cents!