Just wondering what is the best tip or trick you've been given that has completely revolutionized the way you make or decorate cakes? Has someone given you that one special idea or tip that has made your cake decorating life easier, better, more interesting???

One of the things that I loved learning about was smoothing my buttercream with a roller. I always dreaded smoothing my buttercream, but the roller makes it so fast and easy!

Amen! I bow to Melvira the Goddess ever since I learned the roller method. THE best tip EVER!

I would add when I learned that moving my hand FAST when doing scrolls and cornelli lace (instead of trying to go SLOW and CAREFUL) was much better.

I learned from a fellow CCer that when making colored MMF, mix the food coloring in w/ the melted marshmallows. This method eliminates kneading the coloring into the finished MMF saving me lots of time and effort.

The first tip I ever got was the best

"Have fun first, worry about the cake second"

So far, the best tip I've found is using a royal icing transfer (RIT), instead of trying to create an image freehand on the top of a cake. I learned about it from cakehelp (Sara) in one of the forums.

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-648450.html

I think it was Gemini who posted this tip:
To make black icing for cookie outlining, combine all your leftover icings (all colors) to make a murky color, then add as much black food coloring as you need to get true black. You don't waste the small amounts of icing, and you don't need to use lots of food coloring.

My favorite tips are how to use the icer tip and how to smooth buttercream with a Viva paper towel. Both tips came from my Wilton Course I instructor 22 years ago. I use both skills on every cake I make.

When transporting cakes or cup cakes put tacky shelf paper in the bottom of the box and on the floor of the car where the box will be placed. Great success with getting cakes and cupcakes transported safely.

All of the tips I have ust read are really cool. I will have to try all of them.

Sorry, I have nothing to add though... Oh wait... I haven't tried it yet, but I read that if you use King Arthur black cocoa powder to make chocolate buttercream, it comes out BLACK to where you don't have to add food coloring!

Sugarshacks smoothing techniques. Hands down.

Okay... I actually thought of something that I HAVE tried, but it has to do with the baking of a large cake. I absolutely do not like that heating core. Instead, after I spray my pan, I spray my metal flower nail, turn it upside down and put in the center of the pan (or use more than one and position evenly) then spray the rest of the nail. Then I pour my batter around it, making sure that it doesn't come up and then bake the cake. It worked beautifully!!!

Oh yes, me too with the flower nails. I use several in the larger cakes!

my best tip came from cc and it was to put icing bag into a drinking glass, tip down, roll bag over glass and fill with icing. I love that tip

Jeff Arnett's upside down method. I don't use crusting icings or fondant, only meringue icings. It works great with IMBC, SMBC or mousseline. Jeff if you are reading this, you rock!

I think my best tip for black icing is to buy canned chocolate frosting (pillsbury or DH), add PS to it (too stiffen) and then add black coloring. Love that idea. You won't have to use very much black coloring to achieve the black.

I love the icing plugs! Use them all the time. Eliminates the icing coming out of the top of the bag and so easy to clean up.

When making roses I use a Hershey Hug for the core center. It eliminates having to use the large round tip for the core and using up another bag. I use the hug cause the top of it is always white. I store them in the freezer and pull out how ever many I need for a cake. Plus people like the surprise of the Kiss in the middle more than gobs of frosting.

I love the Hershey Hug idea.

Hello everyone. I love this thread. I think it was a great way for us all to share some really great tricks of the trade. I wanted to share two tips that i have picked up along the way. I always have a problem with my cakes baking leveled and Sandy Shepard's video on monkeysee.com showed how you can take a clean small towel and place it directly over your cake and press down all around the cake, so it levels your cake before it cools completely (no cutting). Tried it and it worked like a charm. Also thanks to one of the great posters here on CC, they shared some videos from famous decorators on Satin Ice and Collete Peters used piping gel to hold drapes in place on a cake. I love that trick.

[quote="klat7292"]

What are icing plugs?

[quote="sugaah"]

There are instructions on this site for them. I am not great at searching this stuff out or I would try to find it for you. But there are pictures that show exactly how to do them, which I think would be better than me trying to explain. Sorry

[quote="learnincakes"]

Is this what you mean by icing plugs.
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-38404.html

That is it! Thank you for finding it. I love using them and for storing my icing. I use stretch tight plastic wrap, it clings better than most. I tried glad and it did not cling well enough. You will amazed how nicely these work.