Can you think of anything that is an absolute in regards to what we do? There are a lot of people out there with a lot of different techniques, but I can't think of any way that I decorate a cake that can't be done at least 3 other ways with the same amount of success.

Cake prep:
-freeze the cake and frost while frozen
-refrigerate the cake and frost while cool
-frost the cake at room temp

Frosting the cake:
-spatula frost
-icer tip
-bag with just a coupler

Smoothing the cake:
-the viva method
-hot spatula
-spritzing water

And so on....

Weeelll, everybody has to bake the cake! You can do it in a variety of pans, with or without heating cores, flower nails or magic strips. Lined with parchment and sprayed with cooking spray, just sprayed or just lined with paper or you can make your own flour/crisco type mix and brush it on.

But however you do it, you've simply got to put it in the oven and bake the thing. (I know you were probably looking for something different but it's all I've got! lol)

I think the only absolute is that there ARE no absolutes lol. I mean I have certain things that are, for ME absolute--I only do certain things as certain way, without exception because it's what works for me, but I don't think I know of anything else that is that cut-and-dried. I mean even certain culinary or technical terms or types of recipes, etc that some people think are universal mean a COMPLETELY different thing in another region or country.

The only thing I think of is.....you absolutely have to have the "caking bug" swimming in your veins. Without this bug, caking is...stressful, messy, disappointing, a physical strain, and time consuming. For those who love it, nothing exists but you and that cake.

Caking becomes a part of you, or an extension of you. Part of the fun of it, is figuring out where you fit in and then taking it all the way.

i have a problem when icing while frozen.

my cake will sweat buckets of water.

Now see, that's what I thought. I like the 'need to bake the cake first', lol, it would be kind of messy trying to decorate flour or even batter
I'm going to be putting this topic in my next video because I get a lot of people that are like, 'Well, why don't you do it like this? This other way is better!' And I'm with pinkziab, I have ways that work for ME. And granted, I'm always up for trying a new way but I think a number of people in caking deal in absolutes

I think the mark of a great decorator is having experienced that "aha" moment when you realize that just because "famous so-and-so" does something a certain way doesn't make that technique gospel. And that sometimes lil' ol' you ends up finding a path that leads to wonderful results (and sometimes allows you to teach the teacher).

I get annoyed when I hear a competition judge (not naming names, but I'm willing to bt a few of you have someone who immediately springs to mind) make a comment to the effect of "that's not a great technique" when in fact the result is spectacular. Oftentimes it is just not their own preferred method(s), and they look down on someone for trying (and succeeding!) things in a different way. After all this is an artform.

I am self taught (or teaching). I love seeing or thinking of something and then figuring out how to acheive it. I sometimes thinks it's better to be self taught. You don't have to worry about doing it a certain way. You just do it and acheive it. A great feeling! Thanks to all the CC's for inspiration and encouragement. You all rock (as my kids like to say)!

Just a little gripe. I get really peeved when I have people see my cakes and say, "Those are great. Don't you have enough to do that you're doing cakes now?" I work part-time, have two children, volunteer at the school, participate in church activities, and have a full life. I LOVE decorating cakes. I love the joy that it brings to others. Isn't that enough? I'm sure they don't mean to sound as if I don't do anything and all that I have is free time, but it bothers me. Sorry for unloading on all of you unsuspecting CC'ers.

lol-I get both sides of the coin, this was from my brother, 'At least you're keeping busy.' and this was from someone else, 'Where do you find the time, you've got 3 kids!'
Had I been near my brother when he said it I would have given him an indian burn, but that last one I usually say that if you love to do something you'll find the time to do it.

Or spend the afternoon watching soaps, or the evening watching 5 hours of tv. I don't have a problem with those things, just hearing 'I don't have the patience' from people who do them

[quote="indydebi"]

Ditto.

I also get irritated at the "oh I just don't have the patience for that!" [quote]

Oh, I think that is the #1 comment I get...it basically makes me feel like anyone could do it if they had the patience and time and that it must be nice that I do. I suppose anyone can learn, but makes me feel like they don't see it as a real talent. When someone has a beautiful singing voice, you don't hear people saying "I just don't have the patience for that."

This really is kinda an odd answer, but the absolute I follow is to measure accurately...use liquid measures for liquid, dry measures for dry, etc. Everytime I think I'll just add a bit more of this or that (or to use up the bottle/jar/whatever, I find that there is always something off...or I have some sort of problem. JMHO.

I wing it for cooking, but am OCD when it comes to baking. I know that there are thousands of bakers out there who use a pinch of this and a pinch of that or eyeball ingredients, but I certainly am not one of them!