AI fell in love with the cakes from this bakery that was talked about here last week, and tried to pipe some things on the side of my cake yesterday. Here is their web page. http://whiteflowercake.com/wp/gallery/classic/# I can't isolate one picture, so the ones I like are down a few rows. They have stuff piped on the side. I tried drop strings, kind of know what to do, I can do bigger ruffles on the side, but to pipe a thin line - any advice? I spent quite a while trying to get it! Thanks! Nancy

AAny advice? Practice. Ten thousand hours.

AOk, well, thank you, I did know that. I'm not an idiot. I noticed you do love to answer with the obvious! :)

Let me be more specific, since I obviously need to be. Any advice on how to practice properly? Icing consistency or tilting the cake? Thank you in advance,

Nancy

AThis may be helpful.

http://cakecentral.com/t/744735/white-flower-cake-shoppe-signature-flower/60

Hey Nancy, I also am working on my pipping skills and have found a couple of things helpful.  I do like practicing with royal icing, I guess because it is easy to make and I can use it over a couple of days.  If I'm doing string work, I will usually put some in a bowl and mix some corn syrup with it.  This makes the ri more elastic and doesn't break so easy.

So here are some of things I've used to practice:

1. Print off some design, cover the paper with wax paper (so I can reuse the design) and pipe the design out several times.

2. As the above practice is flat, I also like to take a practice board (like one of those thick white cutting boards) and prop it up.  Before I prop it up I pipe some straight lines across it to be the top and bottom of the cake. Then I pipe between the lines trying to keep it straight.

3. I have also made a stamp to use as a guide for piping on a real cake.  I print off a small design and place an acrylic block over it (type of block used for scrapbooking). Then I use ri to pipe out the design on the acrylic block.  I usually will put 2 layers of ri over the design to make sure I have it deep enough.  Then it can be used to stamp multiple times onto a cake (haven't tried it on fondant) and it leaves the pattern for me to follow.

4. One other think that I find really helpful is the craftsy classes. Wendy Kromer has a class called Lambeth Method.  It is really great as she goes through measuring and marking the cake for the pattern and with this method you are overpiping a lot.  It comes out looking great and gives you a lot of practice on just one little cake (I usually practice with 6" cakes).

Maybe one or two of these will help or will spark some ideas for you. If you have other ideas I would love to hear them as I am always looking for new ways to get better.

AHi, Thank you for your ideas! I bought some royal frosting I can try. I also use the practice buttercream with the shortening, but usually use the SMBC, so I need to practice with that, too. I have an anniversary party coming up, I don't have to pipe, but I might do a little and on another cake I am making for someone!

Best, Nancy