There are so many tips/tricks that i have learned on cc, here are some:

- Cutting cakeboard slightly smaller than cake so that fondant won't crinkle
- cake balls
- Spackle knife for smoothing buttercream
- chocolate transfers
- using crisco to roll out fondant (no messy powder marks) and using
vinyl table cloth so it won't stick
- using electric blanket to keep chocolate warm while doing chocolate transfers
- cupcake cakes
- bubblegum roses

I have to agree with everything everyone posted before me but would like to add a couple more.

-Piping a dam of frosting around the edges of the cake before adding the filling.
-Using a plastic putty knife to get nice sharp edges.
-Using a center dowel to support and steady stacked cakes.
-Putting the pastery bag in a tall glass to make filling it with frosting easier.
-Putting dirty tips in a bowl of soapy water in the microwave to clean them. ( completely submerged in water)

I know there are more but that is what I came up with for now.
KimAZ

Support and inspiration!

I love all the things mentioned although i haven't gotten to try them,i am trying the coffee creamer and the carmel made from condensed milk for brownies tommorow i cant wait! Oh i just read about bubblegum roses i never would have found that without this tread! Thanx! I love CC

ok....before I answer I would love to know about the "tube of icing?" Obviously I missed class that day when the memo was handed out..lol!

You can use the canisters that crystal light (walmart brand) comes in, as well to hold bags. They are plastic and shorter, so they don't take as much space.

ok...hmmmm best tips huh? Sheesh, where to begin. DEF..the FBCT!!, VIVA, and now my newest little trick...violet for white...yay!!

CC is like the gift that keeps on giving!

Although I learned it from my instructor - I like the "plastic tube" method for frosting -for those who may not have seen it, here's my original post.

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-38404-tip.html

Personally I think it should be listed as an article

My new favorite is the Agbay leveler. I finally got mine and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

I also love the tip of lining the bottom of the cake pan with waxed paper or parchment paper. I NEVER have a cake stick in the pan anymore. No matter how long I leave it in the pan.

I love the VIVA tip. The flower nail tip. For round cakes giving the pan a spin before you bake the cake to keep the cake level.

This board is a MUST have for any cake decorator.

Joanne

Okay, what the heck? I missed something. What is:

Viva paper towels - What are those used for????
2. FBCT's are great! - What does that stand for?

I guess I have been out of the loop! Still don't know what those two items are used for. Shoot fire, I don't even know what a FBCT is!

Help! Educate the gal in the boonies!!

Viva paper towels are used to smooth your icing once it has crusted.
FBCT stands for Frozen Buttercream Transfer, there is a great how to article on this site.
When adding violet to your BC to get it white, you use very little. I just poke a toothpick in the violet and add that to the icing, mix and see if I need more. It does not take much at all.

Almost forgot! The upside down smooth icing technique is great!

Here's two to add to the list:

(1) If you forgot to bring your eggs at room temperature, just submerge them in tepid/warm water in 2-3 minutes. Always works for me!

(2) If you forgot to bring the butter to room temperature, use a grater with large holes and grate it just like cheese.

newlyweds thank you ever so much for that tip about the saran wrap in the piping bag. I didnt know about that one will have to try it soon.

VIVA and flower nails!

I've learned everything from this site. It's a great inspiration.

VIVA, BABY

There have been so many great things I have learned. This website is addictive I check in to multiple times per day at work. All these are great thanks to everyone.

Whare you put your icing in plastic wrap and then in the piping bag that has got to be one of the best ones for me. The flower nail, Viva, MMF, Americolor . But this tip helped me so much, my oven is not level Ive tried and tried etc to get it level someone said to rotate your cakes throughout the baking I have not had one unlevel cake since.

My all time favorite is the spackle spatula. It helps me keep the icing level as I smooth.

Debbi

Finding Americolor& the violet trick for buttercream
I have got to try the flower nail trick because my baking strips wont fit on all of my pans.

Im still shocked over the violet-yellow thing!!
Great to know though, because yellow tinted frosting is annnoyyyinng!! I want WHITE!!

gosh that saran wrap thing sounds great, may have to make a cake to try it out.
My favorites are viva, mmf, the flower nail as a heating core, and all the great ideas I can get just browsing photos and from all the other addicts

Adding cocoa powder or chocolate to frosting so you don't have to use as much black coloring to make black frosting!

The best kept secret I have learned-THERE ARE SO MANY TALENTED AND WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE SAME THING AND COME TOGETHER AS A FAMILY TO LAUGH, LEARN, SHARE AND CARE!!!

newlywedws - Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That plastic bag tip is terrific!!! There are soooo many things I've learned from this site, especially the great ideas I've gotten from looking at everyone's beautiful cakes. The very best thing, though, is learning that there are so many wonderful, giving people out there willing to share their time and expertise. Thanks to all of you!

Hmmmm... let's see... I learned the VIVA trick, FBCT, MMF, luster dust, using wrapping paper to coordinate with the cake, the bench scrapper trick to smooth the icing, wrapping the cakes in plastic wrap while they are warm, using the microwave to clean the tips, freezing cakes....what a time saver!!! I have also learned how to make fondant roses and to use gum paste. The violet to cancel out the yellow just blew me away!! My hubby told me that of all the things I have leaned from CC, that has to be the strangest thing that works!!!

I could go on and on!! I have learned so much from reading the forums and going through the pictures. The first thing I do when I have a new cake to do is to go onto CC and find inspiration!!


edited to add: I forgot all about the flower nail trick!! And I am going to have to try that plastic wrap method for the icing bags!!

BTW - Did you all know that you can make MMF okay for vegetarians by using marshmallow creme or fluff instead of marshmallows? I have to do it this way, because my son and lots of his friends are vegetarians. And to make it chocolate, I just substitute some cocoa powder for part of the powdered/icing sugar. It's sooo yummy!