I love these tips on saving money and being resourceful . . . I haven't ever used a heating core before (no cake that large yet) but I was wondering - - - could you use a tomato sauce can with both ends cut out? Would that work? I have baked in tuna or canned chicken cans before, I did individual cakes for bridal showers and anniversary parties. They came out terrific, used ribbons around them with royal icing flowers.
How would you use the can? Would you use it just like a pan? Put it on a cookie sheet in the oven? I think that is such a great idea!
In my town, the Dollar General store has the play dough fun factory, for 3.00. Check it out, it may be at them all, if not it was regular 5.00 there.
I took a 1 1/4" dowel and cut it to about 2 foot long and sanded it smooth and made me a fondant roller. Didn't cost me a dime. I already had it in my craft supplies. I cleaned it real good when I was done. Saved me $20.
I also bake cakes in my casserole bowls so I do not have to get the specialty pan that I will use once.
I make my own gumpaste and fondant.
I make my own cake boards out of scrap plywood.
Buy that nonslip grippy stuff at the dollar store.
I use some of those cheap 3/$1.00 cookie cutters as fondant cutters.
And always, always buy on sale.
I am IMPRESSED with this thread....I love this site, the talent is awesome, the advice is great, but this thread (thanks Christine for starting it) was probably the most useful to a beginner, like me, who, like many others, picked cake decorating as a hobbie!!!
I have learned so much...love the tuna can idea, the shower curtain, table clothes, playdough toys, all of it ....it is so great!
Christine, with regards to using the can as a heating core, I would think you put cake release or spray on both sides of the can and then "plug" the hole with cake that comes out from the inside of the can, put icing over it and there wont be any hole to fill...only a crack to cover.
keep 'em comin'
this topic is awesome! I have learned quite a few tricks!! Here is one that I thought of just tonight as I was doing it....Instead of those expensive bake even strips that you can purchase to keep your cakes from forming a peak in the middle I just tear up old towels into 3" strips and use those. I wet them with cold water and wrap them around the sides of the pan. Fasten with a large pin. This keeps the sides of the pan from getting too hot and burning the edges of the cake before it cooks through. Keeps the cake level across so there is little waste to cut off. Hope this helps somebody!!
Here's my tip, but I'm sure most people do this anyways. Right after a holiday go and buy up all of the stuff you will need for next year on clearance. Like after Christmas buy bunches of containers, holiday cake plates, treat bags, ribbon, etc... That way you will have it for next year and not have to pay full price when you need it. You just have to have the room to store all of it. That's my problem right now. I have so much stuff that I'm running out of room. 
hey sweetness, we think alike, cause that's what i was gonna tell everyone...awesome! i always buy the colored tablecloths after the holidays for dirt cheap, and since they're usually solid colors like pink for easter, green and red for christmas, blue and red for 4th of july, autumn colors for thanksgiving, you can use them throughout the year on your cake boards. i also do the same for sprinkles, especially around valentines days, with the red and pink ones.
I just clearance shopped after Easter and got lots of great baskets for truffles, and eggs that will be great for making chocolate eggs or sugar eggs. I got this little cupcake holder that will make a great mold for either a sugar box or chocolate box that could be decorated.
One of my favorite tips has been to use an empty Pringles can to place an empty piping bag into for hands free filling.
Make your own "bake release" and it works on everything, not just baked goods! I make huge batches at a time!
1 Part Shortening
1 Part Oil
1 Part Flour
Blend well and store in airtight container. Apply with a pastry brush.
Great idea auntiemcakes.....I just bought 2 ....9" strips this past week...and they were NOT cheap. My mother used to make wedding cakes back when she was younger *wink* and she swore by those. I think im going to have to try your idea!! Im all about saving where I can !
Definitely try the playdough thing. I don't know what it is called! But I was planning to buy a claygun and spend big money when I realized my son had a playdough extracter thingy. I cleaned it really well and wa-la, I had my tool for fondant!
Julie
I use the flower nail a lot and the pop bottle tool is amasing for rounding my icing edges. .
What is the pop bottle tool?
You know, I would also like to know, would love to see a pic of one if you have it 
I read and read the tutorial thing several months back and I swear, I just don´t get it!
Im lovin this thread too !!!
I think the tuna can is a great idea....im going to have to try that one for the ppl at work (my testers) !!!
I've made individual pineapple upside down cakes in tuna cans. I found out about doing it that way from a Girl Scout cookbook.
I use the flower nail a lot and the pop bottle tool is amasing for rounding my icing edges. .
What is the pop bottle tool?
You know, I would also like to know, would love to see a pic of one if you have it
I read and read the tutorial thing several months back and I swear, I just don´t get it!
If you go to the tutorial here: http://www.cakecentral.com/article10-How-To-Create-Faux-Fondant-The-Paper-Towel-Method----Viva.html
And look at Steps 2 and 7, then you'll understand about the pop bottle tool.
HTH,
Christine
I just had a brainstorm. 
I am getting my stuff together so I can go in my crawl space and hook up my ice maker on my refrigerater. It uses 1/4" flexible hose. It is stiffer than straws. I bet you can use it to stack cakes with! You can buy it in precut lengths or by the foot in the plumbing dept at your local Lowes, Home Depot, Menards etc.
Mary
Isn't that made of rubber? Would you want to use that inside a cake? i don't think I would. I'd like to find a package of the heavy straws like they use at Sonic drive ins. I'm going to start asking for an extra straw when I go there from now on. LOL Stock up. You know, once in a while I get one that is cracked.
Hey - that tuna can thing sounds great! 
I was planning on having to get a 4" round pan for a mini stacked cake for the 28th, but I think I'll go measure my tuna cans!!! They may be close enough to that size that it would work - and I have enough of them to bake a few layers!!!
Great topic! Good ideas. I especially like the PVC pipe for roller, icing plugs, and 1/2 paper towel rolls for flower formers. Heres some other ideas (and some of these I have read on this site)
1. Use foam board for cake circles and separators (cut out your own)
2. Use bamboo skewers for cookie bouquets
3. Use liquid food coloring from the grocery store and mix your own colors. (Use this when additional liquid doesn't matter and might even facilitate...e.g. for writing, leaves, etc.)
4. For gumpaste, use marshmallow fondant and add gumtex (1 1/2 tsp. to every 1 1/2 c. sugar) Ex: 1 c. mini marshmallows, 1 T. water, 1 1/2 c. confectioners sugar.
Use a garlic press for hair on any figures of people you make out MMF or fondant or gumpaste. Just push it thru and wa lah you have hair.
Hit up all the rummage sale you can to find cheap cake supplies. Or join the yahoo.com group cheapcycle or freecycle. You can get GREAT bargains from those sites.
Have a cake baking buddy that you can share pans and tools with.
This is great! I love all the ideas. I can't pick a favorite. The shower curtain, tuna cans, and the bamboo skewers are top on my list. The walmart here has stopped selling the candy sticks and I was going to have to orders some. I am a clearance rack shopper myself. When I go shopping I head straight to the clearance rack first.
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