just "volunteeted" to make a 30th birthdsy cake.....

[Inthebeginning]

Not for a huge party or anything. Just a "gathering". So, I have two options (as I'm not brilliant but these are what I do well.

1. Victoria sponge cake, icing as in fondant with "something" on the top.
2. chocolate cake with chocolate ganache. If I did either what could I decorate them with. Which would be nicest. I'm beginning to panic!

Well I've got my course next weekend which I'm really excited about and then my moms birthday is June. I'm not brave enough to start doing them "properly" but it is something I'd really like to do.
How about you? How long have you been doing it for?

Yep a course is really good for getting the basic first, i went on two basic cake decorating courses over 20 yrs ago, then stopped making cakes for about 16yrs, untill last yr i did my very first cake ( the animal cake in my pics) in a long while and decided i still loved doing that type of thing, i've made all of those since last may, a colleague asked me to make her wedding cake in June so i thought, yep i can do this, this confidence may disappear in the next few weeks though, but i'll give it a go, i am nervous making a wedding cake, its a big affair in a castle, has to be good!! no pressure!

Ooh i would love to go on a cake decorating course.Hope you have fun inthebeginning
I make cakes, but i wouldn't say they are of professional standard! nannycook love the pictures of the cakes you made, they are beautiful!

I make cakes and usually have few weeks before to plan, but I made a last minute chocolate one, which was simply a victoria sandwich and around the sides, I lined up chocolate fingers. Alternate milk and white chocolate ones. I tied a ribbon around the whole thing and it looked great.

Very simple, but very effective.

pumkin, you are a sweetie! theres usually loads of courses about in the community centres etc, a few months at a time and they tend to start Sept time, have a look in local papers.It put you on track to make simple things then just practise.

Maureen, mmm, sounds lush, cant beat a choccy cake AND fingers!!

pumpkin I'm ridiculously excited about the course. The woman who does them is amazing. maureen that sounds fabulous! nanny I'm thinking this is going to be the year of getting serious for me. I'm going to go for it! Your cakes are fab

Well i think you should, after you've been on this course things will become so much easier for you, so just have a go and keep learning. My cakes are "ok" i'm limited in what i know but i will attempt things. I've bought so many things to help me in the last yr, its a hobby that isnt cheap, but i do find all the tappits, moulds cutters etc etc so much easier to work with and if you build things up in time, buy one thing a month, i keep all my stuff in a 3 tier storage chest on wheels.Use youtube also thats helpful if you want to find out how to make something. Also theres so many people on here to help you out, very talented, i just looked at LadyDaramel cakes, they are excellent, so much better than mine.

Nanny, my course was amazing! I'll pit photos on profile. I bought loads of stuff ridiculously excited about making some now!

Inthe, so jealous, they're brill,its great when your shown how to do things properly isnt it? You should be well chuffed with yourself. I have a few cakes to make in the next couple weeks, one for next sat, 40th ruby, then the pigs in mud cake, have you seen that cake? And also she wants the same but with ducks, then my grandson, 2more in may , then my wedding cake for June, quiet busy and working fulltime, no wonder i get tired! Have you got anything to do?

It was brilliant, I bought some cake flavourings too. Champagne and pina colada (classy me)
I love the pig cake,good idea with ducks. I'm making some cupcakes for my friends birthday this weekend and then not til June but I'm going to keep practising! How are you feeling about the wedding cake?

Ooo very nice, ah, pinacolada, takes me back to my hols, back to reality, have a look at Fruit cake Inthe,.you'll see the nightmare i'm having trying to make the bloody cake, fine with decorating it, making the dame thing is another story.