I have learned so much from all of you on CC and learn something new every time I log on to the site. Thanks so much for all of this wonderful information.

This is a brilliant topic!!!

Another wonderful thing I learned here is drying out fondant/gumpaste faster by placing it in the oven with the light on. Helped me sooo much this summer when my fondant kept wilting from the humidity!!

I'm confused also, wha kind of meat do marshmellows come from??????

Marshmallows contain gelatin, which is made from animals, which is why vegeatarians also can't eat Jell-o. Marshmallow creme doesn't have any gelatin.

A lot of pastillage has gelatine in it as well. I never know whether to confess this to a meat eating bride - it always sounds a bit yuck that the icing has meat products in it...

My best tip that I have learnt on here is that when my (lovely, but useless when it comes to suagr support) other half can't quite understand the stress associated with cakes, I can come here and have a 'virtual' cup of tea and chat with people who totally get it. This has saved my sanity many many times - thank you one and all.

I'm not a vegetarian myself, but I know that a lot of them are extremely revolted if they find out they've eaten something that contains a meat product. Imagine if a strict vegetarian found out later that her wedding cake of all things had animal products in it. Sorry - this is getting off the topic of best tips.

I think my favourite trick is with colouring MMF. Instead of kneeding the colour into the MMF, put the colour in with the marshmallows when you are melting them in the microwave! WOW! What a time-saver--not to mention my arms!

Jackie

way too much to list...but at the top

• flower nail
  MMF
  cake balls

My favorites are MMF, Viva, and all the cake ideas shared from such talented people.

I have to say i learn from here everyday.

without cc i wouldn't know anything about gumtex and gumpaste. ( that is such an important powder for me now)

Lovely recepies.

Cupcake cakes i had never even seen before. exellent idea

buttercream recepies and transfer. ( i haven't managed to make a proper one yet but i will one day)

all the links to the fantastic cake designers pages that i have found from here.

and last but not least the inspiration from the cakes that you all make!
Thanks to all!

kaste28, thanks.Too funny that marshmallows are meat. Something else I learned on CC.

OK - a short list:

MMF
FBCT
Flower nail for sheet cakes
Creamer in cakes & BC
LorAnn oils in cakes & BC
Viva
Cake externder
Etc........

There is just way too much to remember and list it all!!

Thank you everyone on CC!!!

Great thread.

I'll add -
contact paper over fabric covered boards. I do almost all of my bases this way now.

I have learned so much here, but I have to tell you the most valuable trick I learned was about using wires on cakes. I never knew they could rust and such. I had just taken a cake order where they wanted wire curly qs coming out of the cake and I was just going to stick them in! I read a hint here about using a flower pick and putting some fondant in it and then sticking the wire in that. It also was more more stable!

The other thing is the Almond Sour Cream cake recipe here. Its one of my best sellers!

The marshmallow containing meat products is something I've never thought of before. I learn new stuff every day here.

oooh definitely mmf. its yummy and cheap!

I'd have to say that the CC website in general is the best kept secret! From reading the replies to this post I have learned how to clean my tips, make cake balls, and the flower nail trick...all of which I plan to try out this weekend!

I'd have to say that the trick I learned from previous discussions was the VIVA trick and all the hints for MMF!!

Gosh I have learned so much from CC and just from this thread alone I have learned new things. But what I don't know is what is MMF. Going to be trying lots of new tips in the near future. Keep them coming so us newbie can get really good.

Okay, I just learned ANOTHER trick that I tried today and it totally works!!! Instead of buying 3" or higher cake pans, just wrap parchment paper around the inside of your 2" pan so that the paper is taller than the pan, fill the pan with more batter than usual and when your cake bakes, it will rise straight and a lot taller than the pan. It's worked great!!

hmmmm,.. there's been so much, but I'd have to say definately MMF and cake balls!!!!!!!!!!!! Who would have ever thought something so yummy could come from scraps. My daughter and I just made some for the frist time tonight-they were AWESOME!! We dipped them in chocolate and rolled'em in coconut.

I think i've learned 99% of what i know from here!! and DANG, 1/2 comes just from reading this forum LOL
SOOOOO many too hard to pick! But i'll agree with the masses:
FBCT
MMF
Coffee Creamer
Flower Nail

Wow WAY too many to try to pick!!!!!

Thanks for starting this thread! be a LOT easier to use as a reference under one thread now LOL

For me, is on smoothing BC on the cake!!!hehhehe!!!

I would have to say the flower nail trick. From the time I heard about it I started using it and have been ever since. It works EVERYTIME.

Thanks CC.

There are countless of recipes and ideas.

The Viva method is also a very neat idea.

As a newbie, everything I read helps!!! The mmf tip was great since I hated the taste of the Wilton ( as well as the people I served it too). I love to use fondant now. I have sooo got to try the cake balls with the next cake I make. I've also got to try the violet for yellow thing since I use butter. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR EVERYDAY!!!!!

in addition to the ones I read ( I could've missed this):

lining measuring cup with saran wrap for measuring crisco

using dental floss to cut petit fours

freezing cake before cutting to reduce crumbs

using vodka for painting with luster dust

everyone's willingness to help each other.

I'm sure there are many many more, just the only things came to mind after reading through this post.

I would say using the VIVA PAPER TOWELS to smooth cakes. I used to have a difficult time smoothing-the paper towels helped tremedously. I have learned things on this site that I haven't learned in my cake decorating classes. the site is awesome;

Regarding the Vanilla Caramel Coffeemate . . . I just made a cake last night for my son's 2nd birthday today. I added 2 TBS of the powdered creamer to my white cake batter and the scraps were AWESOME!!! Then, I added the same amount (2 TBS) to my WBH Buttercream and that was the best buttercream flavor I have tried! I filled it with whipped chocolate caramel ganache (another recipe I found on a post here) and I can't WAIT for the party tonight!!! I am so glad I made a cake big enough for leftovers. Now I am very intrigued by the other Coffeemate flavors, especially CREME BRULEE!

MMF is the best thing I have learned, so far , but the other thing I learned that is the best is the fact that you don't know what you can do until you try. The ability to share ideas here and get ideas without criticism gives me the confidence to try new things, whether they work out or not!

I have learned sooooooo much on CC

The single thing that saves me the most time is that I can take an equal part of crisco, flour and oil to make what someone referred to as "cake dressing". NO MORE CUTTING PARCHMENT PAPER CIRCLES! I grease and go. I no longer have to circle a spatula around the pan to release it, even though I put down crisco and flour around the edges. I made such a mess flouring the sides. Now I have a ziplock container of "cake dressing" and just use a basting brush to get all the nooks and crannies!