I've learned so many great things on CC. What tip or recipe or method or idea or concept is your favorite, or most useful?
I'm fascinated with fondant, and I knew nothing about it before I discovered CC. I had never heard of MMF, and now I love using it. (I don't even burn my fingertips off anymore when making it.)
And I learned how to make a topsy turvy cake, even though my first (and only, so far) collapsed.
And I get so much inspiration from the photos!
Thanks, CCers!

I like the one where you put jam in spaghetti sauce.

Violet in icing cancels yellow to make white.

Using a flower nail as a heating core.

Mixing gel color with rum to paint onto gumpaste for a glossy finish.

ALL of them!! If I had to choice one, the mmf would have to win.

Adding powdered coffee creamer as a flavoring in cake batter and icing! I know some people like the liquid, but I don't use it very quickly, so I use the powdered.
And using a flower nail as a heating core!
Deanna

Yes, people use grape jelly in spaghetti sauce and no, I don't put spaghett in my cakes.

Check this old thread: http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-629729-chocolate.html+chili

I also put pineapple in my spaghetti sauce, TRY IT and YOU WILL FALL INLOVE!

Shanna, I also dip my fries in my shake.

Using yogurt,sour cream,creamer, etc. in cake mixes

My mother used grape jelly in the spaghetti sauce, especially when the home-grown tomatoes were too acidic. The sugar cut the acid, and Italians like grapes, I guess. People put wine in their tomato sauce, don't they?

My favorites:
1. Viva Method
2. Flower nail as heating core
3. Using a dam for filling a cake
4. Indydebi's Icing

after reading about the saran wrap plug, i finally tried it. you are all right, this was fabulous and speeded up filling the bags so much. i will make my plugs now before starting each cake. so neat!

I think maybe the old-timers are using too much shorthand.... Let me expand.

Using a touch of violet color in a yellowish all butter buttercream, will make it whiter.
JUST a little, though; too much and it turns grayish (though that's good for rock or cement walls.)

"WARNING, this website is highly addictive."

There are too many tips that I have learned over the years, but my current favs at the moment are the Melvira method for flat icing, and Leah's tip for getting rid of the bulge around the middle of the cake.

Knowing when to step away & put down the piping bag. A cake can go from elegant to tacky with just one more decoration, dot, rose, border accent, swirl etc.

Gemini's brilliant tip about combining all the leftover Glace' colors to make the base for making the black Glace' for outlining. The icing is muddy and dark, and needs only a little black food coloring. No waste!!! I love that!

The first tip I ever got on here and am still very thankful for came from Indydebi (I'm almost sure, anyway!).

It's to make a little cut the whole way down the edge of a cake before you torte it. Then, once it's filled, you can tell which way it goes back together to be level again.

I don't know if it's a tip, but I just love CC because it shows that there are so many other cake nerds out there. It's so cool to be able to get ideas, insiration and support from others who understand what's it all about. Besides all that, I love the frosting plug tip, and all of the encouragement I've seen to be proud of your work and to sell for what it's worth!