This post didn't get a good response under decorating, so I thought I would post it here. Please let me know what you can't live without!!!!
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!
Any of the Wilton kits would be great, along with a selection of colors.
Wilton books have good basic information for beginners.
A double set of pans-most cakes will want two layers you can bake both at the same time.
parchment paper-I use it for everything
spatulas, ofset and straight, small and large
cardboard cake circles to match your pan sizes.
Cake drums (sturdier, foil covered boards) for display
DH got me for my birthday a new set of baking pans. He didn't get anything fancy. He also got, which I would have never thought of, was spring form pans. I LOVE them. so easy to get a cake out of!! I am just starting out too.
yeah! anything else? which tips do you use the most?
I cant live without my small and large offset spatulas. Piping bags I have a few of the featherlight as well as about a dozen disposables. A few coplers for the bags. I love my graduated measuring cups instead of a one cup cup lol much easier to dip into the flour and sugar. A hand help sifter for sifting icing sugar or coco powder I like the small one for cupcakes or small amounts as well as a larger one. I also like a square tupper ware dish for all my food coloring pastes that way I just look at the top of the lid and I see what color I want. Hmmm all I can think of for now lol Happy decorating.
extra bags are always a plus...i prefer featherweight myself. I would say at least six that way you can work with 6 different colors at one time.
couplers---I have 8 and use all of them either because i have that many colors in bags, or the extras are in the dishwasher.
I can't live without my 1M tip! It is large and I can use it on my cupcakes and larger cakes for borders! Also I use a lot of round and star tips! 2 of everything is great! I know this lady that has her tips in one of those plastic jewelry containers and has each pocket labeled to easily read!
Also, I love to cover my boards in any kind of paper! You can cover your boards with rapping paper, scrapbook paper, tissue paper...then, you cover it with clear contact paper! So easy to use too! Then I finish off with some ribbon! I like to make my cakes like a present!
(wish I had more spatulas and bowls too!LOL)
Good luck getting stuff! I am doing the same for xmas and bday!
StephyG
I would get a 10 or 12 and a 2 and like a 5. (round tips)
also a couple of star tips... like 16 and 18.
also a 104 (get 2)
a few different types of leaves (get 352 - it does poinsettias and I used it for palm fronds...) also one of the other types of leaf tips... 67?
A couple of big drop flower tips (3d?)
I don't like to use the icer tip anymore cuz it is just one more thing to wash and the pastry bag is ruined for any other tip.
Lots of couplers! and caps! (I love the caps for when I use RI)
Sorry about some of the tip numbers. I am too tired to go look in the kitchen right now! 
It's hard to guess what you might need. I started out doing cakes for a hobby after taking the Wilton classes. But now I much prefer doing cookies. So I have a lot of pans I only use every once in a while. I like the suggestion of the smaller pans -- definitely the sets of 6 - 9. I have large pans that I've only used once! Maybe your F&Fr could get you giftcards from Michaels and your local cake decorating supply. That way you get what you need, as you need it. I also have a wishlist of cookie cutters that I keep for when people ask what I want for Bdays and such. Maybe you could create a wishlist, too. My neighbor gets me giftcards from cake supply stores all over the metroplex and it's such an adventure to visit different shops! Gift certificates for bookstores also work...
These are some of my favorite books:
Decorating cakes: A reference & idea bk (The Wilton school) It has mauve roses on the cover.
The Whimsical Bakehouse: Fun-to-Make Cakes That Taste as Good as They Look! by Kaye & Liv Hansen
Pretty Party Cakes: Sweet and Stylish Cakes and Cookies for All Occasions by Peggy Porschen
Creative Cookies: Delicious Decorating for Any Occasion by Toba Garrett
Any books by Colette Peters and Debbie Brown
As far as tip #s -- I have one of most of them and lots and lots of the small round and star. Because I do cookies I don't need too many of the larger #s.
HTH!
Wilton has this kit, which is like a tool box. its blue n grey. It has loads of stuff in it to begin with like tips, diposable bags, featherweight bags, colours, leveler. Its like an all in one. My family gave that to me for my bday (actually i asked for it 
)
this is the link incase u wanna see it:
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30CE7F-475A-BAC0-5C84F2613EBB520D&fid=3E32F5E3-475A-BAC0-560B229FE201C5B8
HTH
Thank you all so much! 
Keep the ideas coming!! 
I like the idea of getting multiple pans of the smaller ones that I will use a lot. Currently I have one each of Magic Line 9x13, 8x8x2, 10x10x2 & 8x2 round and I have to let the cake cool before I can finish the batter.
Tips I have but I think I, will get another one of some of them: 1, 3, 4, 5, 12, 14, 21, 27, 48, 104, 233, 349, 352, 1M, & 1B. I have 4 couplers and 2 large couplers.
I have one 8" (i think) featherweight reusable piping bag and a few disposable bags. I have a small and large offset spatula. A wilton 3-in-1 cake/cupcake cady (got that for mother's day).
I have some clear piping gel that I have not used. Magin Line almond emulsion, CK butter flavor, CK clear vanilla, Wilton teal and sky blue icing colors, and 10 different Americolor soft gel pastes.
Wilton rose lifter (not sure if that is the name) and teh rose nail (or something like that - to make roses) By the way I HATE trying to make roses!!!
candy decorating pens, red & white chocolate melts with one mold of shells/fish
So I do need a storage container - great idea! I also need some books - thanks for sharing your favorites!
Honeydunkes - I know what you mean! I started out making cheesecakes and truffles and now I am decorating cakes. I have an interest in cupcakes and cookies since my childern are just getting into school. Those will be more practical and easier to transport.
stepOnmi - what a neat idea to use those papers and cover in clear contact paper. Is that safe for the cake to be on the contact paper or should I stick with plastic wrap if I put something under it?
So, I guess I'm off to a decent start but I want more - maybe some fondant tools to experiment with. A few cookie cutters. Some instructional books on color flow and royal icing....
Since you said cupcakes... 
Creative Cupcakes by Whittington & Carpenter
Cupcake Fun- Wilton Book
Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
I just love these. I've tried recipes from all of them and have had nothing but success! I have friends who are vegans and this is one of the few baking books that require "odd" ingredients that you have to buy in bulk and hardly ever use. They are actually quite tasty and no one would no the difference. Although the decorations in the Castella book are really too elementary(?) -- she uses very basic piping if at all -- the recipes are good. She gives lots of ideas for flavor combinations. Love all the books by the Country Kitchens people: http://www.countrykitchensa.com/Index.aspx
Invest in some good cc pans. Whenever you find cute cc papers -- buy them! One thing kids love are the little plastic rings I've found at a local cake dec. shop. I have snowflakes, soccers, baseballs etc. Easy to decorate, just pipe grass and poke in the ring! I've also bought some lay-on chocolate molds. Mold a tiny figure and put it atop your cc. Wilton has a cupcake kit. The most important one is the Bismarck tip. It's used to fill the ccs. You'll definitely need the 1M tip for the lovely giant swirl that you see on so many ccs.
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=2A9AFACA-423B-522D-F5C6F759E9566956&fid=2A9AFADA-423B-522D-FC7AC28E03748223
Buy one large Tupperware or Rubbermaid container for icing. I wrote ICING ONLY on the lid and the tub. That way no one puts anything in it that will upset the flavor of your icing. I also have a few Ziploc 1 and 2 cup sizes for this purpose. I have several Ziploc tubs (1 large and 1&2C) marked ROYAL -- I lay a piece of plastic wrap over the top and close it up. No worries of grease fussing up your RI.
I haven't done many cakes, but I LOVE doing cupcakes and cookies!
HTH
What about gift cards to local stores that have cake decorating supplies so you can pick on the things you really want. Or money to use at online sites that you might want to order from.
All super good ideas I would be lost without my turntable, at least six #2s, #3s and a few number 1s. I also use a white bench scraper to smooth out all of my frosting-works like a charm. About a dozen couplers and rings, at least 2 of each size pan, a cake leveler, a level, a tip brush, I also have a set of paintbrushes that I use to smooth out the "tips" of piping work. I also keep a ring of "inspiration"....little snippets of fabric or scrapbook paper or whatnot that I have punched a hole in and threaded on a notebook ring. Just kind of a "jumpstart" if I have "cakeblock" hehe..
best of luck!!!
All super good ideas I would be lost without my turntable, at least six #2s, #3s and a few number 1s. I also use a white bench scraper to smooth out all of my frosting-works like a charm. About a dozen couplers and rings, at least 2 of each size pan, a cake leveler, a level, a tip brush, I also have a set of paintbrushes that I use to smooth out the "tips" of piping work. I also keep a ring of "inspiration"....little snippets of fabric or scrapbook paper or whatnot that I have punched a hole in and threaded on a notebook ring. Just kind of a "jumpstart" if I have "cakeblock" hehe..
best of luck!!!
Okay, you have something to bake in, things to decorate with, now what you need is something to put your cake on. I love using styrofoam boards. I get them at HomeDepot or Lowes. 6X8 sheets. I trace the size I want for my cake and cut them with a serraded knife. The boards are blue or pink and are firm, but light weight. No matter what shape pan you have, you can cut this styrofoam into the shape you need and it doesn't cost much for a 6X8 sheet. Just wrap them and place you cake on them and decorate.
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