Sugarcrafting - where do I start please help!!

[PipIsOutNow]

Hi I am hoping that some of u sugarcraft as I have posted this in arts and crafts and had no reply. I am starting out on sugarcrafting and am going to make my first cake this weekend to have a go at the fondant icing!! There are a few things I would like to know tho like what do you do with the cake once you make it? Do you chill it before icing it? What about after icing it? Plus how many days before the even would I need to make it? And if I get good enough I eventually want to sell them...for anyone who does this how do u work out your prices? By how many tiers? How detailed it is? How much it costs to make plus whatever?

I would really appreciate some advice as I have never done it before but am very excited about my new adventure!! And have ordered lots of tools to get me started! Oh also, where is the best place to get supplies from like icing? And does everyone use gumpaste as well as sugarpaste?

Thank you in advance!!

bump xx

why not post this in 'food'?

I have made lots of birthday cakes etc and am doing my sisters wedding cake next month so not a professional but have done it a few times. Make the cake at least 2-3 days in advance so it doesn't crumble too easily when you handle it. I have only ever used apricot jam or a thin layer of buttercream to hold the fondant on (hate marzipan). If you are doing tiers you need to get little pillar things that go into the bottom tier to support the weight. I would assume the best place for supplies of you are looking to do it professionally would be an online wholesaler. My mum made my wedding cake and got white chocolate curls online. i had a friend at uni who went on a course and learnt how to make little flowers and things - can you do something like that?

thank you trixie!! do u charge for your cakes? if so where do iu start with prices as iv had some interest already (providing my examples go ok)

iv watched lots of videos on how to make flowers etc so feel quite confident to have a go...im not sure there are any courses in my area i could have a look into that one...do u make flowers then leave them dry or put them straight on cake?

i hate marzipan too...how do u store the cake then to stop it drying out? do u freeze it? and what is the best recipe u have for buttercream?

can u recommend any useful tools?

If you're on facebook try this one fans of cakebaker they have some amazing advice and recipes on there

I've recently started out myself and love it. I'm doing matching castle cakes for my DC's joing birthday next month and I can't wait!

i will have a look on facebook now!! i am so excited to have a go at my first cake this weekend!! iv been making my own cakes with my nan since i was 8 and have always loved crafty things like card making...cake decorating is defo the next step for me, i cant wait to get into it!! just wanna get a little portfolio going so i can show people what i can do...cant believe iv not even started yet and already people have asked me to do cakes for them!! no idea how much to charge tho to start off? price it costs to make plus £10 or something sound ok?

If you have a look through that page, go on the discussions, there is (IIRC) a part to help you cost up. For a starter, what you've said would be agreeable, but once you really get going, if you want to do it for a living, you need to charge an hourly rate for making it. So intricate cakes cost more IYSWIM

thanks imnotaslimjim the discussion pages arent working at the mo tho :(

will keep trying

my friend wants me to make a two tiered cake with a thomas the tank figure on and a name and number...how much would u charge for this?

I just got a book off Amazon and followed it to the letter. I'm going to do a friends christening cake in a while. I always take a picture of the creation so I can marvel at my own cleverness for the forseeable future

I make cakes for friends and family and have done for a number of years.

You sound very enthusiastic but I would say before you think about charging for cakes you need to do some first for practise. It is much harder than you may think to decorate a cake and many hrs of practic will be needed to learn simple decoration. You need to learn the answers to some of the questions youve asked first. Your first 20 or so cakes you may not be able to charge for due to the standard. Then only you will be able to decide the cost. It all depends on where you live and the number of hrs spent on the cake. Baring in mind that sometimes you cant charge what you think its worth. For example you spend 10 hrs making and decorating a cake. At minimum wage that would be £60 + ingredients. Not many pople are going to pay you £60+ for a birthday cake. This means you work for less than minimum wage most of the time. Then if you sell them you have to have a food hygiene certificate and declare your earnings.

If you want to make a go of it the best thing is for you to buy some starter books. These would give you answers to most of your questions and help you start. I wouldnt even think of doing a two tier cake yet until you have mastered a single tier.

Good luck, im sure you will enjoy it.