where and what to buy for cake decorating.

[Twit]

I have just started to decorate my own cakes, I was given a cake decorating book for my birthday after constantly complaining about the quality of birthday cakes in the supermarket.
My question is this; where [online] would you recommend I buy my bits and pieces, and what should I buy?
I have had a look around and am feeling overwhelmed by the choice. What colour paste should I go for? I am also a bit confused about edible sparkle/glitter powder. Some websites say it it inedible, some say it is non toxic and you could eat it.

Wrap it in greaseproof then foil while it's resting/being fed. Once it's got marzipan/icing on it doesn't want to be airtight anyway.

I've just put the final layer of royal icing on the top of my square Christmas cake, I'll finish the sides in the morning. The two round ones are fondanted already and just need decorating. And I have 12 days until DD3's due to appear - eek!

Ahh Debi, can completely sympathise that happened to us, but we found the real house of our dreams, so I still think they were complete F**kers but glad it happened

Urgh, Debi, much sympathy. We had that happen twice last time we moved, the second set did it on the day we supposed to exchange . It worked out okay in the end but moving house is such a stressful, frustrating time that I'm not doing it again any time soon.

I've put this weeks' cakes on my profile. Now I only have a 40th cake and 6 mini christmas cakes to do by the weekend . I've got no more orders until Dec 16th after this and I think I'm going to keep it that way. Too many cakes .

I need your collective genius to help me with the 40th cake though. It has to incorporate travelling, teaching, children (the recipient's) and something to represent our village. How do make all those things gel on one cake? I don't want to just plonk some models on the top and round the sides but I'm all out of inspiration. HEELLLLLLLLPPPPPPP!

OH MY GOD! Olihan! Your cakes are amazinggggggggggggg!!

im going to add the couple ive done on here - but they are cr*p compared to yours. did you do a class or self teach?????

Olihan the house is brill

Had an idea but as I started to type it sounded way too complicated and forgot about the village aspect

Oi there Olihan, and where were YOU last night then mrs? We had the lab and everything last night, and Sheila was full of festive cheer.

Are you coming back next term then?

Let me think about your cake dilemma.....models of the kids with suitcases and books with something iconic from the village - do you have a village emblem (we do here ). Sorry that's not v imaginative.

I've done my 9 mini cakes, 1 large cake (with the weirdy banana big-lipped swags) and am about to crack on with big cake no2 featuring a mouse and wrapping paper.

Olihan those cakes are wonderful!
iv recently got in to cake decorating 2
there is so much kits out there id does get a bit confusing what you really need and don't need.
i have just been collecting bits here and there.

I like the look of your new cakes Olihan

Your house cake is amazing Olihan, you make them look so easy!

I've just finished the first of the Christmas cakes (pics added) - it's the not-too-important-just-for-us one that no one else will really see (apart from you lot of course!)

moosey your cakes are amazing 2! love the Christmas cake and the pony is sooo cute
i made our Christmas cake the other day, but as it was cooling on the kitchen side my ds climbed up and took a big chunk out of it!!
i didn't know what to with it so made it in to a packman cake

Moosy not moosey sorry!

loving your cakes aswell moosy!

Moosy love it

I have added my hippo cake, made a few mistakes, but its all a learning curve as thay say

Now need to get on with christening cake

Need your opinions on an engagement cake I'm doing,
the girl loves orange & elephants, so her mum has asked(or maybe I volunteered[grr]) for 2 orange elephants,
I threw in the possibility of icing the cake orange,
I have a picture of an orange wedding cake with black flowers on and it looks stunning,
so I was thinking orange cake
black hearts
then large black heart with orange elephants on
too much???????what do you think?
Thats if they look ok as orange elephants if they don't I'm back to the drawing board!

Aren't we all jolly clever

LOVE the hippo PlumBum - and maybe just black elephants on the orange cake...too much orange maybe, or what about grey elphants with black words and adornments iyswim

Moosy, your pony cake is really good. I fear I am going to be asked to do such a thing for one of the dd's birthdays (that or a blessed deer). I will have to remember that you have done a convincing lying down horse.

The first of my Christmas efforts are up on my profile.

How much do you think I can charge for the mini cakes and the angels? Marks is selling a slightly bigger sized mini cake for £6 atm. Do you think I could get away with £4 each ? If I sell them for much less they will be running at a loss , which I know is par for the course with donated things but still, would grate a bit.

What do you lot think?

Yeap Slubber I was originally thinking grey elephants, but the mum said about making them orange, oh once I get this christening cake done I will set to work, it also all depends on how this squires kitchen paste goes in the icing,
going to have a look at your profile now

I've only ever used Squires Kitchen colour paste as it's what I had first until yesterday when I bought some Sugar Flair ones and they're so different! The SK ones are more like gel and not so intense, I did like the SF ones so will buy them in future.

Is this for a christmas fair, I think £4 is a fair price no pun intended, you may even be able to charge more, you know what people are like at christmas fairs they get carried away
I'm loving the snowflake cutters you are all using
And a mouse in wrapping paper dosen't sound good but I love it

Ta PlumBum, ok will tell the ladies on the stall to go for £4 and if there are no takers they can price slash to £3.50

yes I see what you mean about mouse in paper not sounding that delightful as an adornment to a cake but he's quite fun isn't he? Had a hell of a job afixing his teeny tiny little paws

The mouse is so cute - not sure I have time to paint wrapping paper though.

Fruit for cakes has been soaking since Sunday because I had to go away for work - cakes will get baked tomorrow. Anyone got any good cheap sources of bulk marzipan ?

Tesco?

That was going to be my first point of call. Actually, I was going to check the price online and then see what price my friendly cake shop are doing, since I need to go in for boards and icing anyway - if it is more or less the same as Tesco I will go with hers on the basis of supporting local businesses.

Christmas cake #2 done and pic added.

Slubber I love your mousey wrapping paper, the paper lokos really papery

i made my first attempt at a 'figure' yesterday and done the stig for ds2 birthday this weekend. now got to make the actual cake. doing a red velvet cake, so wont make until sat as im not sure how it will freeze. everyones cakes look amazing! well done!

does anyone have a good fruit cake recipe? want to make some xmas cakes x