I apologize if this is covered somewhere else, but I've dug through the forum for days without the answers I'm really looking for.
I'm a part-time caterer and would like to start doing wedding cakes as well. I've got the Wilton round and square cake pans in the 3 inch and the 101 piece decorating kit to start off. I'm going to take some decorating classes, but for now, I'm just looking at buttercream, no fondant.
First question - are there any other MUST HAVES?
Second - for stacked and tiered cakes, what is the best white and chocolate cake recipes? I know its subjective, but I want to make sure the recipes not only taste good, but can stand up to the weight. I know fondant cakes need a firmer cake, like a pound cake.
Third - if you could only give one piece of advice to someone starting out, what would it be?
I need all the help I can get. Thanks. 
Andrea
Start with this recipe - it's really, really good - and has lots of flavor variations. Also - the regular vanilla recipe with mini-chocolate chips is a favorite of mine.
If you're going to bake 3" high layers - you're going to need a leveler to split/torte your layers.
Also, I'd recommend checking out the cake decorating videos on youtube.
Nope! I'm a dork and forgot to paste the link!
Sorry! Here you go...
http://www.recipezaar.com/69630
Patience..... That's my one word! And for someone who is just beginning I would recommend a High density foam roller. they are found in the paint department at walmart or hardware stores. They were an invaluable tool when I frist started out. You use them on crusting butter cream...I would suggest buttercream dream found in the recipe section. After the buttercream has crusted use light stokes to finish smoothing out the cake.
Can you do borders, flowers, roses, etc. with the buttercream dream recipe? It obviously must crust - because you mentioned it.
I think the best tip I learned was using Viva paper towels for smoothing buttercream cakes. People think that its fondant, and its not!
hi! How can you use viva towels; you have to wait to be crusted the buttercream, right?
I think that a cake turner is a must have item. It really helps move the cake to where you want it so its easier to decorate.
As far as recipes go, I LOVE the "darn good chocolate cake" recipe from The Cake Mix Doctor book. I get tons of compliments on this every time I make one.
My best advice for starting out is resist the urge to splurge. Once I got started with my classes I just couldn't stop myself from buying more and more cake supplies. Although if you do catch the cake decorating bug, make sure you find coupons and use them frequently.
So if I use a crusting buttercream to ice the cake, do I use the same icing for scrollwork? Maybe add more meringue powder first? Or should I use royal icing?
Do you typically freehand scrollwork or do any of you use the templates you press into the side? I'd be afraid the icing would pull away with the template.
I am still learning. for scroll work I use both a template and free hand. I haven't tried the viva mehod but I have tried Melvira's roller method. I like it a lot. I agree with ponderiffic rest the urge to sluge unless really needed. I fell into that trap and now I am really selective or try to be. I still have a weakness for books.
I use the same icing - you ice your cake with thin - so just save out some of your icing in medium consistency for the scroll work before you thin it out.
I do scroll work both ways (with and without the template) - you just press the template in very lightly to leave a indent - the icing will not pull away if you've let it crust.
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