the biggest problem i have is filling the void on sheet cakes when the customer doesn't have a theme or idea on the design of a cake. like on full sheet cakes, i can't write happy birthday to fill the entire cake. i don't have a clue on how to fill the blank areas and to make the cake look really nice but not look like it came from a supermarket. is there a book i can get to teach me ways to fill the blank areas on a cake? help.

I make them give me colors or a theme or something... (I don't do alot of sheet cakes but it can apply to any cake). Then I make them narrow down..."is flowers okay" "What about plaid or stripes or dots?"

One of the first things I ask people is "what are you decorating with" and "What colors will you be using" and that usually helps alot with the design.

In addition to the color and theme, sometimes I ask how old is the person, what's the ocassion and what she likes, maybe a hobby.

I like swirls and scrolls, b/c you can start in the corners and fill as much as you like...did this on my pink baby shower cake w/the footprints on it...my lettering wasn't as big as I planned, so I just kept 'scrolling' until it looked ok!

When I have "sheet-cake-block" , I look at the cakes in Cakery's gallery for inspiration.

She has some great designs and enough cool borders to fill a book! Here is a link to one of her cakes, that way you can just click on her name and "view all photos by Cakery".

HTH

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1314828.html

I like swirls, scrolls and polka dots ( just not all on the same cake! lol!)

Here's a sample of another one who does fabulous sheet cakes, Adria_NyxxTX:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1570701
If you just click on her name from there, you'll see what I mean. I can always spot one of her cakes...... always gorgeous. hth

Here's another one to look at. It's the only I've ever saved to favorites and the only one that would ever inspire me if I did take an order for a sheetcake. I would have never thought you could make it so clean, current and gorgeous!

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1359479.html

Sprinkles!!

thanks for all your help. the pictures are awesome and will be a big help

Here's a good way to fill space. All you do is use tip#2 and squeeze with heavy pressure. The lines will naturally be squiggly like that and it looks so dressy. This one was for a pastor appreciation dinner last fall.