Decorating Supplies--are they really a 'must-have?'

I used to be a farmville addict. You know--that free game on facebook.com that allows city folk and country bumpkins alike become thriving farmers. You plant crops, harvest them, sell them, and buy expensive farm equipment. It's a game that gives the player no actual physical rewards--it's all online fame (albeit farming fame).

After months of building up my farm and playing hours on end, I up and decided it was a moronic to devote so much time and energy in something that gives no emotional or physical dividends. I deleted the application from my account.

OH the horror! The withdrawal! I was itching to harvest just one more crop. It was country crack on my computer screen.

It was about this time I decided to get more into photography and doing things other than computer hobbies. Doesn't the great outdoors inspire you? Walking outside and just being still and quiet gives a person a sense of being little and at peace--even for a moment.

Southern sky, Colorado Springs

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs

I've got three orders this week and one already for next week for cakes. I must say that I'm super excited! I've never had people actually ordering my goods--I usually just give my sweets away. I'm so happy I'm able to create something delectable and tangible for someone.

In preparing for the cakes I'm making, I've been searching out supplies. I am making a two tier layer cake for a baby shower. I'll need dowels, cardboard cake rounds, parchment paper, the cake and fondant of course, and food color. Don't forget the imagination!

I've done a bit of research on tiered cakes and from what I gather, it's most important to make sure your cakes are level, cooled, and that supporting dowels are inserted into the cakes to make sure the cake is stable for tiers being placed on top. You hear horror stories of cakes falling over or tipping at the event. I want to avoid that at all costs!

Another thing about working in the field of cakes is wondering about cake decorating supplies. Do you REALLY have to buy all those decorating tips for frosting? What about fondant tools?

There's things that certainly aren't a must-have, for instance, the fondant pizza cutter tool. Just use a knife or your usual pizza cutter. Some things do come in handy-- like a long serrated knife for leveling or a pedestal lazy susan for decorating. There are wants and there are needs.

Needs: Cake pans. Icing spatula.

Wants: Fondant smoother, a measuring mat for rolling out dough or fondant (just measure!)

As for the frosting decorating tips, I certainly like all the choices. Some tip decorating kits come with a little guide to show you how to use the tips. Certainly helpful! If you are serious about piping frosting onto fondant or icing, I highly recommend the tips.

I've made a few fondant cakes in the past and have not found a need for the fancy expensive fondant tools found in decorating aisles of the store. I use toothpicks, spoons, forks, whatever I need to get the desired look and shape. Cookie cutters come in handy as well. Perhaps if I knew the purpose of the tools I might find a need to buy them and find a use for them. As it is, I'm cheap! I use what I've got and I make it work.

For instance, I make sure to prepare my homemade marshmallow fondant to the T, I level my frosting on my cake before I place the fondant on top, and I smooth the fondant with my bare hands and a paper towel to take out any marks. That fondant smoothing tool is a great tool to have but I make it work without it. Perhaps later as I get to be a perfectionist (even more than I am already), I'll purchase a tool like that and others I might use.

All in all, if you have the money and you are serious about cake decorating, start out with the basics-- a long serrated knife or a cake leveler. Icing tips. A rolling pin. Sturdy baking pans and quality ingredients. All the fancy things can come later once you've perfected what needs to be laid as the foundation for your future ventures.

Best of luck! I'm off to buy ingredients for my cakes later today. My goal for tonight is to make fondant tulips for one of the cakes. I'll let them dry to hard and then later, I'll paint them with edible color dust mixed with vanilla extract or vodka. If I get adventurous, I might even make chocolate molding clay! Yes!

Have a fantastic day!