I'm a neewbie baker/decorator and since my birthday is coming up I decided I would give my family a "wish list" to support my new hobby. The problem is, I don't know what I should ask for .

Feel free to list anything other than a Kitchen Aide mixer. If you suggest tip numbers, let me know if I should get multiples of a particular one.

So, fire away - I'm excited to see what I should be getting!!!!

Thanks!

A turntable - I like my Wilton "cheapie" $8 one
Storage for all the stuff you will be accumulating! LOL
Disposable Piping Bags - Kee Seal are the best
Couplers-several (maybe start with 4 or so?)
Bench Scraper (metal)
Good Food Colorings - I like Americolor and Cake Craft
Some fondant to play with
Lustre Dusts
Large Offset Metal Spatula
Few small straight spatulas
Cardboard cake rounds
Nice Pans - Magic Line are great, though there's really nothing wrong with the Wilton ones
Non-Stick Cooling Racks
Fondant tool set
Small fondant/gumpaste rolling pin

Well ... there's a start. I'm sure I'm forgetting some important things, these are what I use most often.

Agbay cake leveler if you don't have one yet: http://agbayproducts.com/

It's worth every penny

Anything else? Come on all you seasoned bakers - what could you not live without? Which tips do you use most often?

Anyone, Anyone? Please?

Specific tips? OK ...

just about every number 1-12 (plain tips)
18, 20
Grass Tip
Leaf Tips
Petal Tips (104 is pretty standard)
D2

I like to have multiples of the plain tips.

Viva paper towels
fondant rolling mat (I just use vinal I bought at Walmart)

That's all I can add right now. I'm having a pregnant moment.

When you request pans request them in 2's nothing is worse then when you are baking a cake and you have to wait for 1 layer to bake before you can bake the other layer.. way to time consuming so get 2 of each! you need a vinyal mat to roll out your fondant on I couldnt live without mine. and all kinds of molds and cutters to play with. I heart fondant.

I got this tip from a fellow CC member.

Storage containers, the see thru Rubbermaid( or whatever is on sale) for covering and transporting your cakes. Turn them upside down, set cake on lid and it will cover any size cake you make. They come in several diffrent sizes and colors. I could never find a box the right size for my cakes and these containers are so handy and re-usable and less expensive than boxes. Just make sure once you drop off cake you get them back.

You may also want to get a pro turntable, Wilton has one of those too. Or the one from Country Kitchen has one side for round and one side for sheet cakes.

Cutters: leaf, heart, circle, star, flower etc.

sugar-gun for fondant and gumpaste

Heavy duty vinyl from Walmat, great for rolling fondant

extra flower nails to use as heat conductors in your baking pans

pans in 2's are a must
silpats
sugarvail system
air brush
impression mats, pick a few styles
large stainless steel mixing bowls
cake books
tool boxes one for each set of things
1. fondant
2. cakes
3. cookies
4. odd tools ( i have to make a lot of special stands so i
have one for woodworking tools as well, drill, saws, rasp, etc.)
two electric hand mixers (for the just in cases)
a tackle box is very handy if you have to finish a cake at the receiption
hall
there are so many things we need

I second the "2" pans. I got 2 sets of the pans I use most.What a great help!!!!Alos have 4 each of the small sizes (6,8" rounds)

Let's go with an airbrush gun.

My lists generally include anything that will be used up like flavorings, cupcake papers, sugars and sprinkles, dusts, food coloring, parchment bags, treat bags, lollypop sticks, gumpaste mix, etc.
Candy molds are good if you want to try them.
Cookie cutters
cake pans (if you don't have them the Wondermold, mini wondermold, sports ball, mini ball and other basic shapes that can have multiple uses in addition to rounds, sheets, squares, etc)

I'm sooo jealous I wish my b-day was coming!!! OH there's x-mas!!!
I love the kitchen aide silicone mats for cookies. I have shoe box size containers-clear for all my food colors makes it easy to find. Tons of couplers I don't think you can have enough. Definately the cake turn table. I would love a bigger kitchen!!! Large cooling racks and the large cake leveler is a must!!! Gosh there is so many great things to make your life easier. It doesn't matter what your doing you MUST have the tools!!!!!

Oh and Happy Birthday!!!

Some of the first things I Had to go out and buy were.....A turntable, some round pans...I bought 2 sets also. a straight spatula and an angled spatula, I use styrofoam cups and wooden popsicle sticks to mix my icing colors in....less to wash!! Ummmm, and I swear by americolor colors....so much eaiser to use than Wilton. You can never have too much clear vanilla and butter extracts either. I use disposable or parchment piping bags again, for less clean up.

A good thing to have on hand is a variety of luster dust colors. I always find them useful when I wanted to add a little something extra.

Actually, for that matter I like to have LOTS of different colors of any type on hand, including Americolor gel pastes, petal dusts, and airbrush colors so I can have my choice of any medium at any time.

A good thing to have on hand is a variety of luster dust colors. I always find them useful when I wanted to add a little something extra.

Actually, for that matter I like to have LOTS of different colors of any type on hand, including Americolor gel pastes, petal dusts, and airbrush colors so I can have my choice of any medium at any time.

Czyadgrl has Got It

Bench Scraper $1.00
Extra Couplers $0.49
Storage for all the stuff you will be accumulating! PRICELESS

Oh - Thank you all!!!

I will have to look up what some of these items are - others I just want to go out and buy today!

Thanks for the early b-day wish. My list will be on going for any occassion I think the top of the liST will be the turntable & fondant mat with a second pan for my standard sizes (I bought one of 8x8x2, 10x10x2 and 8x2 round) and I feel the pain of having to wait.

Keep ideas coming, Thanks again!!!

Oh - Thank you all!!!

I will have to look up what some of these items are - others I just want to go out and buy today!

Thanks for the early b-day wish. My list will be on going for any occassion I think the top of the liST will be the turntable & fondant mat with a second pan for my standard sizes (I bought one of 8x8x2, 10x10x2 and 8x2 round) and I feel the pain of having to wait.

Keep ideas coming, Thanks again!!!

1M tip for pretty cupcakes
#21 or #32 fpr shell border

turntable ($12 Wilton)
tip storage container
edible food markers
hi ratio shortening (I prefer Sweetex)
Magic Line pans


darkchocolate

How about some quality ingredients or a gift certificate to a store (brick+mortar or online) that sells them...? I threw out the Hershey's cocoa and will only use Callebaut cocoa (there are many other quality brands) and quality solid chocolate too. A nice quantity of cake flour (Softasilk is what people recommend the most), really good quality vanilla...etc.

Stand Mixer KA Artisan $150 at Lowes till 26th
X-tra mixing bowl for mixer
Excedrin
Thousands of toothpicks
Fondant Smoother for Viva method of buttercream smoothing
Viva Papertowel for the Viva method of buttercream smoothing
High Density Paint Roller for the famous Melvira buttercream smoothing method
Non stick baking spray
50 piece tool caddi contains beginers guide, spatula, couplers, tip brush, colors, 19 tips, disposable bags, practice board, flower nails, 10" soft bag. This should give you a really good idea if you want to go further in your decorating & cheaper than purchasing seperatly.
Smaller than 50 piece tool sets also available, check out Amazon
Rubber bandsor pony tail holders for tying off ends of filled decorating bags
Ruler
Beginners Cake Decorating Books
Confectionate sugar
Butter
High ratio shortening
Patience
Foil
Parchment Paper
Seran Wrap
Clear Vanilla
Cookie Sheets great for practicing with buttercream
Thermometer for testing oven temp before you even start
Entire day by yourself so you can start without interuptions
Good sense of humor for diasters & the many mistakes we continue to have
Beer, Coffee, Martini, Expresso or the drink of your choice for relaxing after your first cake, and for during your next cakes.
Decent camera to take pictures of each cake you make so it shows the progress you have made. Later you can use for portfolio.
Some type of note system To keep notes on each cake. How long you baked it and if it was dry & needed less baking, how you liked the recipe, etc.
Relaxing technique maybe some cd's of favorite music, dvds of favorite movies-find something that relaxes you while decorating
Digital Scale much easier for measuring
Couple sets of measuring cups & spoons saves time by not having to wash out 100 times to re-use
Airtight Canister set Fresh ingredients are really important
Giant sifter maybe colander for sifting conf. sugar

Just a few things to think about

You might not think you have room for a KA but if you're making lots of icing and stuff you'll find that it's more than worth the space it uses especially if you are currently using a hand mixer, some icing can take 10 minutes of beating and you can be doing other things during that time.

You'll be surprized at how much room you find once a KA enters your home. Toasters and blenders will be running off your counters! Also, I read on here that BB&B is honoring the Lowes price and allowing the 20% coupon to be used. You just can't beat that price. space or no space.

About that day to yourself, it's not impossible. My girls gave me a coupon book for mothers day. They included things like doing the dishes, a massage, car wash, a day of pampering, and best of all a day to myself. That had to be coordinated with daddy and granny, but I've cashed in on that coupon many times. Start suggesting to your boys they don't have to spend money for your b'day. They can make an art project coupon book that will be fun for all. Good luck and happy birthday.