Hi folks my name is Nigel and i live in the UK, I have been baking cakes for a few months but know i want to start decorating them. The only cake i've have attempted to decorate was my sons birthday cake which i decorated as a Nintendo DS. What i would like to know is what basic decorating essentials should i get to start. I hope to hear from some of you soon.

Regards
Nigel

Are you covering it in fondant or buttercream?

Ok, I'm going to assume that you are starting from scratch here. To get started I would recommend some basic decorator tips. One for writing, one for piping stars and making shells, and one for roses. Off the top of my head I want to say they would be Wilton #'s 3, 16, and 103. Wilton really has some great starter sets available. I good turntable to ice your cakes and a great angled spatula for the same purpose. Oh, and of course some piping bags. The parchment bags are great value, but can get be frustrating to fold. The plastic disposables are handy, but can get costly if you practice a lot. THe re-usables are a good investment, but can be a pain to wash.... so you'll have to decide which way you want to go there.

Hope that helps!!

Happy decorating.

I am also a newbie teaching myself. I went to my local Walmart and purchased a little kit. It has several tips, bags, offset spatula, colors, and a few other items in a neat little plastic box. Although that is a good start, I have found myself back at the store purchasing other stuff just because.

This is addicting!

I have finally found an outlet near me that offers the Wilton classes! I understand it is certainly going to help and can't wait to get started.

Good luck!