Where do you buy your tools? From the baking tins to the decorating tools.
What stand mixers can you recommend, and where to buy?
Food colouring, which is best to use for the fondant colours?


What is the British equivalent to the 'shortening' ingredient I see used a lot around here? Same goes for 'butter flavouring'.

I'm sure I will have lots more questions at some point

I use www.design-a-cake.com for all my baking supplies. They havent let me down so far.
There's also www.haveyourcakeandeatit.org.

I hope that helps with one of your questions.

i also use design a cake for supplies. as for food colourings use sugarflare gel colourings as it does not make the sugarpaste/fondant sticky. and as already said trex or white flora is our shortning equivelent.
As for the mixer i have a Kenwood KM010.

Thank you ladies

I found the link for the design a cake site took me to one of those awful add sites. it's actually https://www.design-a-cake.co.uk But I found it easy enough. Both fab sites!

Another question: Are the dummy cakes all polystyrene? Only I have an awful phobia of that stuff, it makes me feel ill when I hear the stuff rubbing or being cut *shivers uncontrollably at the thought*.

I have never used cake dummies but i have used florist oasis as a cake replacement as i wanted to carve it to an awkward shape

tools - lakeland, www.apieceofcakethame.co.uk www.cakescookiesandcraftsshop.co.uk (and my local shop/s)

not got a stand mixer - one day i want a kitchen aid. kenwood have a good rep though.

colouring - always use gel colours for fondant or gumpaste. i have wilton, they do the job, but i will be changing to sugarflair/ squires kitchen as they run out.

not seen butter flavouring, i guess it must exist. or else just stick with vanilla extract - or use real butter.

i went to my local foam store, and asked the guy for something i could use as a cake dummy. he pulled out some foam, and i was set! its like stiff cushion foam, works a treat!
xx