After a few cakes now, I am discovering more and more issue to troubleshoot so I am listing all my questions below, I wold very much appreciate your help and experience.

1. Color buttercream and fondant without them becoming BITTER. It happens often with deep colors.

2. How do I pack and deliver a buttercream tiered cake without having the cake moving a bit and the buttercream messed up? I had this cake on a platter 2 tiers in place and the other one waiting to be arranged on-site. I had them in those large plastic container for pastry shop. Though I was very careful driving and had put something under the platter to prevent it from slipping, it slipped and one side of the icing was a little bit damage.

3. Am I the only one, using the cake bible to find that the recipes in wedding section (for example the cake to fill 3 size pans and serve 150 people) does not provide enough cake for the pans? Once, I had to do twice the recipe for the white cake.

4. Impression mat: how to you get a neat impression on buttercream without having the buttercream coming out on the mat. I did it with the IMBC which was crusted from the fridge but it left the cake not smooth and bearly leave an impression.

5. How do you put luster dust or any type of dust to a buttercream cake without having the buttercream coming out in the brush. I did it with IMBC as well and after a few strokes, I had a fatty brush that was not pleasant to use.

6. How do you organize your pillars? I have plenty and have not find a good way to store them yet.

Thank you very much!

Creole

1. The only way I've been able to get rich colors w/o the icing turning bitter is by using the Americolor icing colors. Black, is best to achieve by first starting with chocolate icing to get you half way there.

2. I deliver mine as is w/o a box for that reason. The box is just too close to the icing for comfort for me. I have an SUV so I just crank up the AC and put the cake in the back (trunk of the car) and drive like I'm driving an 18 wheeler.

3. Haven't used the cake bible but want to.

4. The impression mat has to be dusted with corn starch so that it does not stick to the icing is what I've been told but I've never tried it on my own.

5. I personally only use luster dust on royal icing, fondant or gum paste items my self (by painting it on) but I have heard of ladies mixing luster dust with a bit of clear spirits (like vodka) and air brushing the stuff onto buttercream cakes.

6. I put my pillars in an empty coffee can that I decorate with left over material so it's not an eye sore to look at.

Let's see:

1. I agree, use Americolor and you won't have to worry about the bitter problem...if you must use Wilton, make sure you use the Red No Taste, and for black start with chocolate buttercream so you won't have as far to bring the color.

2. I have delivered all of my cakes already stacked so I don't have to worry about this problem. If I am delivering a small round in a large box, I cut a hole in a cake board the same size as my round so it "fits" inside without moving around the box.

3. I'm sorry I can't help you with this, I don't use the Cake Bible.

4. As far as I know the impression mats only work with crusting buttercream, so not the IMBC.

5. I have painted on a buttercream cake with luster dust, and you just have to wait until the buttercream is really crusted, which I assume IMBC wouldn't.

6. I don't have any idea for this either sorry! HTH!

Thank you Reenie and Ribbitfroggie.

I use americolor as well except that this time, I mixed it with wilton color to get the right shade. Maybe that is where it is coming from. I'll stick to Americolor now unless using a small amount of Wilton. Thank you!

Ribbitfroggy, I delivered the cake stacked as well, except for the top this time. However, I did not have any problem with the top layer, jsut the bottom layer as it is the one that can touch side. Maybe it was because the platter was about the same size as the cake.

Thank you for all the info.

Please ladies and gent, keep it coming.

Creole