I'm new to making flowers and needed some foam to form my petals. I didn't want to pay over $3 for the tiny Wilton foam square in the cake decorating aisle so I went to the fun foam aisle and bought the extra thick fun foam 8x10" for $1.49. It worked great!
Wow!! It took me three days to read all of these, but great information. Thanks everyone! I'm a newbie, so I don't have much to share, but I really appreciate all these new tips... can't wait to use them!
Welcome to your new addiction Crystle!! 
I lost count as to how long I've been reading all of this. But I finally got through it! Wow!! This is am amazing thread!
I did read every page, however my tip could have been mentioned and I'm just forgetting or I skipped over it on accident. Anyways, here 'goes...
When frosting/decorating a cake on it's display cake stand, take individule pieces of wax/parchment paper and side them 'just' under all sides of you cake so that the stand is completely covered, You just want the w/p paper just slightly (~1-2 inches) tucked under the cake. You can do this by placing the p/w paper down in a square or circle pattern (depending on the shape of your cake) around the stand and then set you cake on top. You dont want to use one sheet of w/p paper under the entire cake because that will make it too difficult to remove without sliding your cake around. The purpose of doing this is so that u can make a mess around the cake while decorating and then when you pull your papers out from under the cake, you will have a nice and clean surface on your stand. Sorry for the length! Everyone probably already knows this trick but I thought I would share just in case. =]
Awesome i got a tip. Well this maybe a no brainer for most but for a Newbie like me, I thought I should share it. Well I ran out of plastic wrap [to put in my measuring cups] or it grew legs and walked off some where???? I couldn't leave the house right then the baby was a sleep So....
I grabbed a clean plastic grocery bag to place in my measuring cup to measure my shortening so I would have a easy clean up. Like I learned from many of you on here. :0)
I grabbed a clean plastic grocery bag to place in my measuring cup to measure my shortening so I would have a easy clean up.
FYI, those aren't foodsafe. The clear ones in the produce department are, as well as Ziploc bags, for future reference.
I grabbed a clean plastic grocery bag to place in my measuring cup to measure my shortening so I would have a easy clean up.
FYI, those aren't foodsafe. The clear ones in the produce department are, as well as Ziploc bags, for future reference.
Good to know Thank You! Dang I always have tons of zip lock bags. Well The cupcakes were not for anyone but for the house. But i think we will live. "I Hope!" hehehehe! Will use a zip lock bag next time for sure. Hopefully there is not a next time and my plastic wrap won't walk off.
Wowser finally made it through all 39 pages, most tips i used are already there so now just to think of a secret that i can contribute. I'll be back!! 
When I make MMF, I add paste coloring to the melted marshmallows before adding the powdered sugar. It gives an even color and I save time not kneading fondant forever.
Also I use CK black paste for making black fondant. It doesnt make the fondant have a bitter/chemical taste that Wilton brand does.
I dont make huge cakes, and if I have to deliver a cake I dont want it sliding around in the back of my car. I put rice (bulk from Sams club) in tube socks and tie off the end of the sock. Then I place the filled socks on the sides of my cake boxes to keep them from sliding around.
I have really enjoyed the tips. My tip is to make your own baking strips for your pans.
You can buy the silver ironing board cover fabric at Joanns, it only takes a quarter of a yard to make several. I then cut up an old towel into strips, along with the ironing board cover fabric and stitched them together. They work wonderful. I also made a few short ones, for when I use pans that I don't use very often that are odd sizes, that I need a few extra inches.
For small decorating jobs, or in a pinch, use wax paper. Tear off 12-18 inches of wax paper, fold in half along length. Pinch at the center of the fold and form your cone from there. Fill with icing, then trim off the extra from the top.
I've been playing with the Cake Play isomalt sticks. I found the best thing to use for filling the molds is a silicone heart shaped cupcake baking cup. The heart shape make a built in pouring spout. The silicone cup work well for melting the sticks in the microwave and also for handleing the hot isomalt.
i save the slick peel-off paper from the back of contact paper. i just cut it into rough squares and let it roll back up into a tube...add to it as i go... this tube is stored in the drawer beneath my mixer. this way i can grab a piece with one hand (which is always when i remember i need it!) for my messy spatulas, measuring spoons, etc.
Thanks everyone for the great tips!!
Here are some I have:
1. I use the Viva paper towel smoother method too. But I have found that it works better for me if I use my hand first to rub around gently on the outside of the papertowel. The warmth of my hand makes the buttercream extremely smooth. Then I can use my fondant smoother to gently rub over to make sure everthing is still level.
2. I bought a $5 towel and ripped/cut it into strips about the height of my pans. I soak them in water, wring them out so that they are still wet, but not dripping and wrap them around the outside of my pans. I just use a straight pin or safety pin to secure the ends to each other. This is my homemade bake even strips. Works like a charm and I wash them if they get messy. I was AMAZED at how much better my cakes turned out - not just that they are more level (no more domed centers), but that the edges are not crusty at all.
3. I just recently started my cake business from my home. I wasn't getting the best pictures of my cakes to post on my website and Facebook pages. So, I bought 2 yards of black broadcloth fabric and I either tape it up on a wall with a table next to it or else I tape it to a piece of foamboard and lean the foamboard up against the wall. Then, I take a box or cake pan and put under the draping fabric (on the table or counter). Place the cake on the box/cake pan and snap my pictures. The black background makes the cake stand out. You will not notice the wrinkles in the fabric. Great consistent pictures everytime!
4. For cake boards - I bought one of those woodburning tools on clearance a while back. It has the exacto knife tip in the kit. I buy white foam board on sale at Michaels when it is 50% off (about $1.50 a sheet then). I use a pan to trace out the sized board I need and cut with the hot exacto knife. Cuts like butter! You can then cover the foam board in scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, or whatever paper you want. I also sometimes just keep the white board and hot glue ribbon to the exposed edges. Then just cover with cellophane and viola! - you get custom cake boards for each and every cake. Sounds a lot more time consuming than it is, but it is really easy!
I dont know if its been posted yet, as I havent had time to read them all, but for me is to spray Pam into the measuring cups, spoons when needing to add ingredients to my recipe this way it doesnt stick and easy to clean, and also using a HOT spatula that has sat in hot boiling wataer on the stove to smooth my icing.
And....wearing gloves at all times ESPECIALLY Airbrushing
Finally made it through all 40 pages!!!
I check out all the local thrift stores for cake pans, bowls and things I can find a use for in my baking kitchen (I have a seperate kitchen just for baking). My favorite saying is " Oh, I can use this for ...!"
When using salt in your recipes try popcorn salt, it's the same thing but has a finer grain!
When making my butter cream icing, I put my stainer on top of the bowl and then set on top of my digital sale, zero it out and then add the amount of powdered sugar into the strainer - saves time in measuring, I did see a tip about doing the same thing with the crisco - gotta do that one!!
This is WONDERFUL - love all the tips!!!
Happy Baking!!
Wow! These tips are fantastic!
I don't have much to add right now as I am still a newbie. But one thing I do is always crack my eggs on the counter top and not the side of a bowl - make for a clean break and I don't get small pieces of egg shell in the mix.
Yeah not a great tip - but it is all I have at the moment. Now back to read all of the tips!
Oh my I didn't think I would EVER get thru this thread!!! There are some AMAZING tips on here. I have a few I should add:
I use a laptop table on wheels to put my cakes on when they are done or I'm finishing them up. I make alot of sculpted cakes and they don't fit on a turn table as well.
I bought a large self healing mat from the craft store to cut my designs on. I also have a rotary wheel and some quilter squares that I use. It helps me keep my lines nice and straight and the self healing helps me not to have "holes" in my cutting mat.
I keep graph paper in my supplies at all times. If I need to draw out a design I can just graph it and the cut it to that size in my fondant.
When trying to draw detailed pictures on a cake I always mess up. The school in our area was having a sale and I bought their old over head projector. Now I project the image right onto the cake and rarely mess up!!
Have you ever seen those plastic carrying cases that kids put their matchbox cars in? Well guess what... They are the perfect size for the small Wilton colors. I have all mine organized in the case. Now I open the case and grab the one I need!
The rest of my tricks have already been covered in this forum!!
Happy caking everyone!!!
Like you, I've been reading and haven't seen mine yet. I use fishing line to cut even my cake. I don't see the need to buy the wire flattener to cut off the uneven part of the cake, so I just wrap the line around my fingers (similar to flossing) and when run my fingers along the edge of the pan. The cake is even and I don't have to store a tool that I know my two year old is going to run off with!
There have been so many pages of good tips in this thread that I don't know if I read this here, read it somewhere else or just made it up! Following up on ltlepaw's idea of leveling cakes with fishing line, I've been leveling and torting mine with dental floss: I place several toothpicks around the sides of my cakes at the height I want to make the cut, then I lay a piece of dental floss all the way around the cake on top of the toothpicks, pull the floss tight and then keep pulling till the circle is closed and the cake is totally cut through (like a garotte). I got so tired of crooked layers, even from my Wilton-style leveler that I just had to find something that would work. This will have to do until the financing for my Agbay comes through.
There have been so many pages of good tips in this thread that I don't know if I read this here, read it somewhere else or just made it up! Following up on ltlepaw's idea of leveling cakes with fishing line, I've been leveling and torting mine with dental floss: I place several toothpicks around the sides of my cakes at the height I want to make the cut, then I lay a piece of dental floss all the way around the cake on top of the toothpicks, pull the floss tight and then keep pulling till the circle is closed and the cake is totally cut through (like a garotte). I got so tired of crooked layers, even from my Wilton-style leveler that I just had to find something that would work. This will have to do until the financing for my Agbay comes through.
Wow, wow, wow....GREAT idea! Can't wait to try this!!
Wow!! Just finished all 40 pages!! I'm still pretty new at this, so all the ideas are very appreciated. A few tips I've picked up on-- hanging file folders work great for storing stencils, molds, and texturing sheets. I use an x-acto knife to cut out wax paper liners for my pans. Just set the pan down on the wax paper, and trace around with the knife. If you angle the knife in just a tiny bit, it cuts it just to fit inside the bottom of the pan. The twinwall plastic sheeting (the plastic that looks like cardboard) that hobby lobby sells for cake boards (for like $8 for 4 half sheet boards) Lowe's sells in big sheets (it's with the plexiglass) for around $6. Could be cut into any shape you need very easily!! I shop around alot. I compare prices on a lot of things, and look for the best deals. It's not always cheaper to buy in bulk, despite popular belief!!
I just thought of another tip. I wanted a large turntable for when I am decorating sheet cakes. I found a TV turntable at a garage sale and it works perfectly. It is the size of a 1/2 sheet cake.
This is exactly what I use for my large cakes! It works great!!
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