What You Needed When You First Started Off Baking Cakes/cupcakes??

Decorating By Laurenbem1 Updated 15 Jun 2014 , 3:49pm by Laurenbem1

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Laurenbem1 Posted 14 Jun 2014 , 6:03pm
post #1 of 5

Hi Guys, 

 

Who better to ask than people who have been were I am today!  I've just started baking and LOVE IT!. I've visited a few websites to see about equipment and resources to get me started properly (the essentials) and I don't find much!

 

Could you help me out? When you first started baking cakes which equipment and resources did you find were useful and what you personally think you wouldn't have managed without??

 

Thanks,

Happy Baking xx :) 

4 replies
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just4fun26 Posted 15 Jun 2014 , 1:18am
post #2 of 5

AA stand mixer is a must. I made one batch of my buttercream without one and never again. I also invested in a good set of round pans. 6" 8" & 10", 2 of each. I did some research and choose magic line. Love them!! Good spatulas, both straight and angled (I mainly use the angled ones) and tips. I actually bought a whole bunch of stuff but I get the most use of what I've listed above.

-K8memphis Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
-K8memphis Posted 15 Jun 2014 , 2:21am
post #3 of 5

you need several large containers to hold your icings and fillings -- rectangular are more efficient than round ones of course

 

parchment to line pans so you never have to wonder/worry about cakes not releasing

 

a long pearl hat pin - oval pearl is more secure to handle than round -- you use it for so many things--like straightening out lettering--it's a little sword that will cut and trim lines of piping-- removing little dit dots off the surface of the cake- poking holes to release air bubbles in icing -- it's invaluable

 

a piece of styrofoam to store your hat pin on and if you stick toothpicks in the rest of it you can store your tips on there and never have to dig them out of maddening little boxes where you have to pick each one up to see what it is--this allows you to see exactly what you have at a glance--

 

a nice pedestal turntable

 

going forward you'll need a rolling pin with ball bearings --

 

keep your eye pealed for an old wooden coke case or a step to elevate you for a variety of reasons--like so you can lean your upper body weight on your fondant (i'm 5'8' ish so it's not about being short)-- so when you use a bain marie at the stove and it's so tall and invariably you have to stir the mixture constantly you can lean down into the pot --instead of raising your arm up and it falling off in short order--and to be able to keep your writing straight when writing on larger cakes--

 

best to you

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bubs1stbirthday Posted 15 Jun 2014 , 2:26am
post #4 of 5

If you are making only small batches of things you will get by just fine with a set of electric hand beaters - I have both a stand mixer and a set of beaters - I rarely pull out the stand mixer - the effort of dragging it out versus the time saving is just not worth it to me - I have made both standard buttercream and SMBC with the beaters and fondant (MM and a scratch version) by hand many times with no problems.

 

The things I love and use all the time are my flexible silicone spatula, a straight edge scraper, piping bags, piping tips, nice thin serrated knife and a ruler for torting neatly (although with practice you do get better at that and can probably ditch the ruler :-) ), a good mixing bowl, nice baking tins and my electric beaters.

 

I still use a small plastic spatula to do the levelling of the filling of my cakes lol and many kitchen utensils can double as a cake decorating tool. As you go along you will think of things that will make your hobby easier/ more refined ie. a level for ensuring a nice level cake when stacking (I just pinch my hubbys and plastic wrap it before using) etc but to just have fun with a cake their really isn't much that you need at all.

 

Happy Baking :)

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Laurenbem1 Posted 15 Jun 2014 , 3:49pm
post #5 of 5

Thank you so much guys!!!!  

 

Going to take a trip to the shopping centre and get all the bits I should need and pick up more as I progress. 

Thanks SO much, been a great help!!!

 

;-D

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