Okay Everybody, Answer This Question!
Decorating By patton78 Updated 20 May 2018 , 9:24pm by CalaMom
I have only been a member of this site for a few days. I couldn't possibly begin to list all of the tips and new things that I have learned.
I haven't been able to try them yet but I can't wait to try VIVA and the flower nail trick. I almost ordered a heating core today. I am so glad I didn't.
Everyone is so helpful and willing to share on this site. I really appreciate everyone's willingness to share their ideas, and help out when there is a question. I hope that I can be a help or encouragement to some of you some day. Thanks so much CC ladies!
At least the warning that this place is addictive is in the right place! LOL I've only been here a week or so - and I've learned so so much.
What I like best:
1. That everyone here is so helpful and giving. That they share freely! Good karma!
2. FBCT
3. MMF
4. Answers to ANY question I might have
5. The awesome gallery photos
VIVA BABY!!!!
I love the viva paper towel trick!!! I could never get the wax paper to work right! I also love the FBCT!!!! Life is soooo much easier with it!!! I also love the MMF----people actually like it, so all your hard work is actually eaten....not tossed to the side! This web site is awesome. I have really been inspired and I have had so many nice comments on my pictures, it really helps me out!!
I agree with everyone that said the flowernail and the Chocolate Transfers.
I think my favorite is the cake extender for cake mix of adding a sm. pkg. of pudding mix, an extra egg, and use milk instead of water.
I agree that learning from others on this site has made me make myself "reach beyond" what I thought I could do more than a few times!! 
Wow! I learned so much by just reading the thread.
Anyway, my fave trick that I almost always use is the Crusting Buttercream Recipe and the Flower Nail trick.
Love it love it love it...
Oooh...and adding creamer to buttercream to make it less sweet, as well as adding finely ground salt!!!
I am also new here and I am definitely addicted. I have been doing cakes for many, many years and have recently begun doing cookies. I love that everyone is so willing to help and encourage each other. Cake decorating is much more passion than job and no one else, besides another decorator, can really understand that.
I have not made cake balls yet, but I am excited to try them soon. Thanks everyone for such a great website!
OMG! I cannot get over the amount of things that I have learned just by reading this post!!!
The cake balls sound AMAZING!!! I cannot wait to try this one!
I could have used the fodant tip of crisco and the vinal tablecloth last week 
!
I LOVE this site!!! Thank you everyone for your great ideas!
OMG! I cannot get over the amount of things that I have learned just by reading this post!!!
The cake balls sound AMAZING!!! I cannot wait to try this one!
I could have used the fodant tip of crisco and the vinal tablecloth last week
!I LOVE this site!!! Thank you everyone for your great ideas!
What's the Crisco and Vinyl tablecloth tip?
There are just too many tips to just pick one.........
1) saran wrap icing plugs (this is the best!!!)
2) Paper towel method (followed by #3)
3) Computer paper method
4) Mixture of powedered creamer and Hot water for Buttercream Icing
5) Pressing the cake level as soon as it comes out of the oven (no scraps...yeah!!)
I know there is more... just can't think of them right now.
alicegop, could you please explain cake dressing a little more? I have never heard of it. I make such a mess with the flour and I always end up using to much. Do you mix all together?How long can you store? thank you.
oh yea, aine2's tutorial on how to make faces best tip along with everything else mentioned above.
love this site
I would be happy to! I don't really measure it, I scoop some crisco into a ziplock container and a scoop of flour so it seems to be about equal parts. Then I add some vegetable oil so that is a little thicker than cake batter. I mix with a fork. I use a basting brush (pastry brush? Something with bristles on the end) to paint my pan. I pour the cake mix in and it ALWAYS just pops right out of the pan. NEVER EVER STICKS! I wish I knew who I got that tip from. THANK YOU to whoever it was!
lcdmarie~What you do is take your excess icing when you store it or when you want to use it after you make it and wrap it up like a piece of candy in plastic wrap and just cut off one twisted end and put that end down inside your decorating bag and use as normal. When you're done, just pull out the plastic wrap and toss and put in another color, change or clean your tip of course
!I learned this years ago from the lady I took lessons from! It's really nice especially if you're limited on bags or only using a few colors with the same tip.....
Amy
I just did this yesterday, it was AMAZING!!!!!! I'm never going back to the old way
1. Make your own cake release.
2. Use eggs that are at least 1 week old.
3. Your cake will never be perfect (TO YOU) and that's okay.
4. Each cake will be better.
5. No matter how new you are, you can help someone else who doesn't know something you do.
6. If YOU don't understand something, ask here and someone else WILL - and will tell you how.
2. Use eggs that are at least 1 week old.
Oh that I hadn't heard before...what's it about?
Seeee....how much we rely on everyone's ideas...we are growing together....sharing is caring and there is a whole lot of that going on here...no wonder we are addicted.
I've learned soooo much it's hard to narrow it down to just ONE!
My favorite has to be the Viva paper towel method. It has saved me tons of time and stress.
FBCT and MMF. Both are impressive, inexpensive and taste good.
My favorite is the gallery! I am not very creative with ideas so the ability to look up an idea and see what others have done is a GIFT! Thanks to all who post pictures and sometimes even directions! I also love MMF and all the recipes!
Thanks to all who share and are so creative!
Tracy
Favorite thing I learned from here was on a topic "what's your favorite tool". I Absolutely LOVE my playdough Fun Factory!!!! 
Works wonder for fondant borders ect. Only tool I used on my grad cake in my gallery. Including the tassles on the hat. Not Bad for $4.99!!! 
okay, after reading 12 pages of post, I had to take some notes...I learned some new stuff!!! yippee!!
the best thing that I have learned is the mmf and the fbtc.....I love to wow people with my cakes,event though I can't draw worth a darn.
I also, learned about pricing myself too low....and got the confidance to price my cakes to make it worth my time.
and confidence to make wedding cakes, even though I took the wilton classes and learned about wedding cakes, I was too nervous to actually do one for real. now I will be having a booth at a bridal fair next month. wow. thanks cc!!
melody
I've been a CC member for a little while, but feel I've learned sooo much here!! My favorites would have to be (in no particular order):
1. Using a silpat to roll out fondant - haven't had it stick yet!! (I use Satin Ice Fondant) 
2. Smoothing he sides with a spackle knife
3. Flower nail - so much less needs to be cut off my cakes, if any at all!
4. Americolor for red and black
5. Starting with hot pink then adding a touch of red to get RED frosting
6. Lowering oven to 325 to bake
These I haven't tried but am dying to:
1. Hershey kiss rose
2. Agbay leveler - am saving my $$ to buy one!!!!!
3. Microwaving tips and couplers
4. Sifting cake batter
5. Adding powdered creamer to cake mix
~Chelle
I have chickens and couldn't figure out why sometimes my cakes would split in half horizontally.
Seems new eggs have a different PH or something and it messes up the chemical reaction of your cake. It turned out that it was only when I used the newest eggs it did that.
Started using the week old eggs - VOILA! no more splitting!
I have two favorites that have changed my methods forever.
1. Wrapping the icing in plastic wrap before putting into the decorating bags.
2. Microwaving the tips (and couplers) in soapy water.
Do you have to "scrub" or just rinse after the microwave treatment?
There are just too many tips to just pick one.........
1) saran wrap icing plugs (this is the best!!!)
Is this the buttercream transfer method or somethingelse?
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-38404-tip.html
Check out this link: this is what I was talking about. Saves LOTS of time for me, not messy (which I am when trying to put the icing in the bag) and allows me to change colors quickly without changing the bag. That is my #1 most FAVORITE tip.
Wow. There are way to many to name. I really like the viva method and the icing plugs. It would be to hard for me to pick which one it better. So, please don't ask. I've also gained a lot more confidence since becoming addicted. lol. To all those that use the cake release recipe...have you thought about using the baking spray with the flour in it? That's what I use and it works great for me.
one more thing, I just remembered because I am doing it now, is to use the handy dandy dehydrator to dry your gum paste rose center. I want to get started on them soon, so I am leaving them in dehydrator over night.
great tip!
melody
I just love this post ... so I must bump!!! hehehhehe
My favorite thing I have learned from CC is.... I CAN DO IT!!
(not to meantion Viva, can't leave her out!) Thanks for sharing all your tricks. I read this 2 days ago and as a result tried the flower nail, pressing cake down while hot, wrapping while warm, and the caramel vanilla creamer.
Thanks to all!
S
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