Most Unused Tool In Your Pantry!!!!!
Decorating By ashianadotkom Updated 30 Aug 2006 , 2:53am by IamSusie
I've never seen the Ateco bags. I usually get a box of 100 of the Wilton bags at Michaels when they have a 40% off coupon in the paper. I've only gotten 2 bad boxes in 2+ years, so that's not to bad IMO.
I have to agree, the most unused cake stuff i have is character pans. I have learned through the years that a few well shaped pans go along way. I have yet to use my doll pan (but thats okay that day will come, i just have to find some girls that need a girly cake)
I had the wilton large leveler, and to be honest i threw it away. It wasn't even worth giving away. I had hoped it was a design flaw when they first came out. The blade was just to flimsy to cut through the cake with out bowing either, up or down. Now i did go and buy an agbay and that i think if the house were on fire i might even go back in for.
I do like the little wire leveler by wilton that one works fine for me.
Oh and on the large coupler, i haven't used that very much either.
Now i must say i'm a cake toy addict, and my advice to other ctas(cake toy addicts) is don't buy the toy until you have a cake you need to do with it. Don't buy it just because you think you will use it, or because it looks neat. Just say no to toys until you know where you will hide it, and when you will use it. You will save yourself alot of $$$
Yes my name is Peg and i'm a cake toy addict
Ok...I guess I'm a rare one, but I love my large cake leveler!!! I couldn't torte my wedding cakes with out it. It' just works for me. It has always come out straight.
I also hate with wilton disposable bags. They seem too slick, if that makes sense. I use parchment most of the time, and featherweight sometimes.
The thing I never use is the sculptor set. I thought I had to have it, but haven't pulled it out of the box yet.
Good Topic.
I, too, bought the icing sculptor at the advice of my Wilton Instructor. It was the only bum steer she gave me. I can't even figure out how to put it together. A drop in the trash can sound appropriate.
Other than that, I use the rest of my cake toys from my Wilton classes. I am sure there are toys out there waiting for me to buy them and not use them...lurking...
Lera
This is a very informative thread! I guess my large coupler is what I never use, I've never bought the cake leveler or the sculptor. I do have a suggestion to replace the heat core, though! Found this out accidentally, I had to be able to tell the difference in two cakes I was baking (both were chocolate, but one had coffee flavoring) and I didn't want to mix them up, so I took about 6 inches of aluminum foil and wadded it up into a finger shape, and stuck it in the middle of the cake to tell the difference in the two cakes, but what I discovered was that it helped the cake bake beautifully! (It was a 12 x 1. Since then I always use rolled up pieces of foil in the middle of my larger cakes!
Also, I went to Houston for a day and just had to go to Make-A-Cake. (They are online, but they don't have an online store ). They sell this clear plastic thing that looks much like a ruler, only wider, and they have it in a 9", 11" and 12" lengths. You place it in the middle of your cake pan and this keeps two different flavors separated while you pour in the cake batters. (You can make a half chocolate/half white cake). This is the 'greatest' tool I've got! (But don't be dingy like me, I forgot it in one cake until I smelled the burning plastic), you're suppose to take it out of the cake batter once you've poured both batters into the pan.
I got one of those plastic inserts for doing a checker board cake. I could never figure out how to pour the cake batter in and not have it ooze out the bottom. Do you need to pour a layer first before it works? I always thought that would be a cool effect inside a cake.
I'm thinking I may have had my batter to runny. I might have to try it again some time.
I'm thinking I may have had my batter to runny. I might have to try it again some time.
I don't have one of these, but I think you are right. You would need a fairly stiff batter.
This one is stiff and you can use it for chocolate cake mixes too.
1 Duncan Hines Deluxe White Cake Mix
1 Jello Instant Pudding Mix - 4 serving size
4 large egg whites
I added 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water (I use whole milk)
1/3 cup oil
Mix on low for 30 seconds, then on medium for 2 minutes. Then bake in greased and floured pan as per the box directions.
For me, I'd say it's the largest sized spatula and a kitchen scale I bought just for measuring icing sugar.
I had a 'counterfeit' Wilton instructor for course 1. . .long story. . .and she said we couldn't make roses and other stuff because our icing wasn't the right consistency, because we weren't measuring our sugar properly or we were using cheap measuring cups. So I made dh buy me a nice scale. Well, after I got an amazing instructor elsewhere for course 2 and 3, I learned how to make icing properly and never used the scale since.
She also made me get the huge spatula because I was having trouble getting my cakes smooth. I thought I could just swipe the cake once with it and that would do it. She never taught us to use a hot spatula or paper towel or anything like that. Probably why my cakes weren't smooth!!
(We're talking about a lady who taught us to make roses that looked like pine cones and said "There!! A perfect rose!!"
She also sold me a Wilton yearbook with pages missing!!!)
Anyhow, that's my opinion, the largest sized spatula and a kitchen scale.
This has been such a great thread to read! I have to defend my large leveler also, I could not cut a straight line without it. LOL
The advice about not buying the cake tools til you can use it or know where you will hide... er... I mean store it- this is such good advice. Wish I had heard it last year when I was getting started!! Oh well, hind sight is 20/20.
I started out loving my disposable bags, til I was forced to make a bunch of parchment bags one day, and finally got good at folding them. Now I'm a parchment and featherweight bag gal. I'll still pull out the disposables if I'm in a hurry though.
sour cream? In a cake? doesn't that make it taste funny?
Oh gosh no, not at all. I mean the commercial sour cream that you use in baked potatoes and such, not cream that has gone sour. No, sour cream, buttermilk or mayonaisse make for some of the nicest cakes around, nice texture and moist too!
Hugs Squirrelly
Wow i am glad i started this tread......
Other tools the i don't use:
icer tip
large coupler
use serated knife for torting
i have a waffle maker used it a few time(was a present)
i was not a big tool person until i started baking cakes
i liked my disposable bag up untill it busted on me while i was rushing to make my sons's cake
my instructor did say that you could melt chocolate in the disposable bags, snipped the tip and decorated with it..gonna try it
i don't use my large spatula's that much anymore
i can't think of anything else right know
i am so glad though that the icing sculptor wasn't just unhandy for me
AShiana
I hate the letter press set. I also don't use that flimsy thing for marking swags on the sides of cakes. I thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread....used it once.
I guess I'm weird b/c I prefer the disposable bags. As long as you don't get a bad box that has aneurysms on a regular basis when working on cakes. I just can't stand cleaning up the bags and I tend to use many bags many different colors at the same time for a single project, so it's just easier (for me) to use the disposable. Am I the only one who feels that way????
I hear ya SheilaF!! When I have a project that calls for many different colors, I only use the disposable bags....And I use them alot for royal too, since I know they are free of grease. I really don't care to be cleaning tons of bags. I do like the way the good bags feel though. I wouldn't trade em, but for multi-color tasks, I use the disposable.
Leslie
Ohh...I forgot. THose darn squeeze bottles for making candies. I hate them!
I DO TOO! And I bought two of the darn things before I learned my lesson. I would rather use a spoon! But I think a disposable bag with the end snipped as mentioned earlier would be the best way to go.
Things I have never used:
Letter press set
Cake divider set
Pointed spatula
Fondant mat....like someone else mentioned it is all bent and crumpled.
Things I have tried but dislike:
The measuring cup that you can push to what measurement you need and fill.
I thought it would be GREAT for the shortening, but MAN what a PAIN!!!
Wilton Fondant ICK
Parchment bags...I can't seem to make them.... I wish I knew...I would probably love them. But I like to be able to change my tips.
Pastry brushes....I still use them, but I am always afraid the bristles are going to stick to the cake release in the pan and then I would have little pastry brush "hairs" in my cakes. I have to go over my pans very carefully to make sure.
Things I couldn't live without:
Cake release
my pringles can
my kitchen aid mixer
Things I wish I had:
MORE COUNTER SPACE!!!! LOL
GREAT TOPIC!!!
Leslie
Okay, I've just got to know, what's the Pringles can for? (hope I didn't miss it in an earlier post in this thread, sorry if I did!). I LOVE my icing tip, couldn't live without it!
Hi Loree!
My teachers taught us to use a Pringles can to fill our bags with icing. You just put the bag tip down in the can and fold the edges over the top and you have an easier time than holding the bag in your hand (well at least I do). Then you just fill with icing. Plus, you can wash the inside of the can really easy, it is very durable.
The large bag that you use with the icer tip doesn't fit perfectly(it's a little too big), but it does the job. One of my classes a lady brought in a jumbo size pringles can that fit it. But I have yet to find that size can!!!
Leslie
Hi All:
What a wonderful thread, so full of advice and experiences. I just joined a few weeks ago, and already I can hardly walk by my computer without logging on to see what beautiful new cakes have been posted. I feel quite overwhelmed and wonder if I'll ever get that good.
Now, as to this topic, my favourite tool must be the KA heavy-duty mixer with the 6 qt. bowl that my dh got me for Christmas this past year. I love it to death! I can put 3 cups of crisco and 12 cups of icing sugar in it and make triple bc recipes. My mom just returned from a trip to NC (I live in Ontario, Canada) and got me the Wilton Icing Sculptor.... but after reading all the reviews on this thread about it, I don't know what to make of it I also have the tilting turntable and like it, however I've never used the tilting feature. I also love the disposable bags, as I've never had one break and I hate washing out the featherweight bags, as they still always feel slick. I love my large spatula and wouldn't trade it, as I find it does a slick job, but I do use the hot water trick.
Whew! Didn't mean to ramble on! I look forward to hearing about more of the decorating "toys" that I covet, especially if they're no good, and I can take them off my list!
Thanks!
Christine
I use the disposable bags a lot too...I prefer the others but use them when I am going to need a lot of colors
...
My teachers taught us to use a Pringles can to fill our bags with icing. You just put the bag tip down in the can and fold the edges over the top and you have an easier time than holding the bag in your hand (well at least I do). Then you just fill with icing. Plus, you can wash the inside of the can really easy, it is very durable.
...Leslie
I just use one of the larger tupperware tumbler cups for this. They fit in those pretty well too. And it's multi-functional (can also be used as a cup)
This thread convinced me to return the icing sculptor...I did. The sales clerk took it out to inspect it, everything was ok she tried to put it back in and had problems LOL, I told her see what I mean. Used the 40% and credit to get 2 8" square pans and featherweight bag that I prefer. Glad I took it back. Wanted to get the cupcake holder but looks like a waste of money as well.
You mean the tierd cup cake holder for displaying cup cakes on tables? Or the tupperware type cup cake holder? I have both (the one from tupperware on the holder) and LOVE them. The cup cake tree is GREAT for displaying cup cakes and other treats at parties. (I have two of those actually). They are really easy to assemble and hold up really well. JMO.
This is a great thread....
About the disposable bags....I really don't like the Wilton kind...they seem to always break. I've bought the Ateco kind, and I've never had a break...I bought a 100 pkg, and I must have used more than half, and no break.
Hey Lemon drop where can i find the ATECO brand disposable bags.
I too prefer to use the disposable bags rather than the featherweight ones.
For some reason those featherweight bags tire me out.
The thing I don't use.. those press sets they had us use in the Wilton 1 class.Haven't touched mine since or the leveler.
Don't get me wrong I've used my leveler with great sucess but i find that the serrated knife works much faster.
Plus I've seen the really big serrated knives at my local restaurant supply store got those much bigger cakes that the regular serrated knife can't cut through.
Also I've got some bundt pans I hardly use but when they came out i bought them up.
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