So my first cake decorating class went well yesterday, meaning there were no major icing disasters. There is one other student in the class along with me, which means we will be getting lots of special attention from our instructor. Everything was pretty basic and the course was mostly focused on the extreme basics, product demonstrations, and discussion about what will be needed and expected in future classes. I have homework. I have to bake a cake for next week’s class and make icing. Now that’s my kind of homework!
I’ve already learned a few great new techniques that I feel I can put to use in my kitchen when baking.
- Place a damp towel over your stand mixer when using powdered sugar or flour, to keep from making a gigantic mess. Wow, this is really going to change my life. No more kitty prints tracked through flour across the kitchen floor. On second thought, I might actually miss that; it’s kind of cute.
- Use parchment paper triangles to smooth a cake. Simple, yet so brilliant!
- Place decorating tips on the outside of decorating bags, instead of on the inside. Talk about blowing my mind! I’ve once again proven that I have moments when I am a complete idiot! I’ve been doing the complete opposite for the twenty years that I’ve been decorating cakes.
The biggest thing I learned however is that taking a cake decorating class quickly becomes an expensive adventure. This is what I walked out with after class.
Trim-N-Turn Ultra Cake Turntable
I’ve held off on buying a turntable for years. This is going to make decorating a tad bit easier for me. I’m curious to see what Brenna thinks of it. It has the possibility of being a great cat carousel.
Not a necessity, but I can see how this will make moving the cake layers easier, and save me from dropping them on the floor; which means less chance of cat hair on the cake.
I already own one of these, and hate it. The course instructor swears that this one is so much better than the one I own. I’m crossing my fingers that she’s right.
I have already outgrown two different tip storage organizers. This one has a much better construction than the one that I’ve been using for almost twenty years.
I have three cooling racks that I use for cookies, but they don’t work well for cakes.
I’m excited to use these for smoothing cakes. The instructor made it look so simple. I guess I’ll find out next week how “easy” it actually is.
This tip was not included in any of my sets, and it’s used as a quick way to ice the side of a cake. After seeing the instructor use this tip, I decided it was worth a try.
16-Inch Disposable Decorating Bags
Large icing bags are always nice to have, especially ones that you can throw away after each use.
Featherweight 16-Inch Decorating Bag
A plastic bag is nice to have just in case you run out of disposable bags.
This spatula was not included in my kit, and is listed as a required tool. It’s mainly used to remove any crumbs from your icing.
Love, love, love this product! It keeps the sides of your cake from getting burnt during baking.
I will use this in my third class to remove roses from the piping base. I’m not sure why this was not included in my Ultimate Decorating Set.
Parchment squares to pipe roses on top of for easier removal.
I debated on whether or not this was necessary, but decided that it looked like it would make icing cakes easier, so I threw it in the cart with everything else.
Used to transfer patterns onto cakes, before decorating.
Imitation Clear Vanilla Extract
Required for the classes, so that your white icing stays white. I’ll let you know right now that I will never use this in my own kitchen. I am a snob when it comes to my vanilla.
Then there is the list of things that I already own, which I will need for future classes.
I purchased these several weeks ago when I was making a cake that needed to be delivered to someone.
I don’t own this particular one, but I have had a cake caddy for years, and can’t imagine life without it. Mine is flat on the bottom, so that you can turn it over and use it as a huge airtight container for things like fruit salad.
I own two of these. They are a pain in the tuckus to store and clean, but they’ve come in handy more times than I can count.
This if for use in making icing. I picked a can of this up a few weeks back when I was experimenting with different types of icing.
And then there’s my favorite list; the one of all the items I am already dreaming of adding to my “collection.”
I have a feeling that I will be making several trips back and forth from my car to the classroom. There are so many supplies needed for these classes. I’ve also already outgrown my huge storage container that I just purchased this week.
A great way to organize my growing collection of icing colors. I’ve currently been storing mine in my decorating drawer, but it’s not really working for me.
This is great for keeping all the tools together that I will be using for one particular class, so that I’m not always digging around trying to find the right tool.
My instructor mentioned that this is one of her favorite books for cake decorating ideas.
Even though I managed to spend a small fortune on what amounts to a hobby, I’m hoping that this class will be an investment in my future happiness. I’ve always enjoyed baking, and I’m excited to improve upon the skills that I already have. I’m also anticipating some major cake disasters in the upcoming months, but that’s just part of the fun! Now where am I going to store all of this stuff?
Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck
-Colleen
