Little Survey: What Do You Use/how Do You Do It?

Decorating By The_Sugar_Fairy Updated 6 Jun 2011 , 9:17pm by theresaf

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TJCanadian Posted 23 May 2010 , 7:01pm
post #31 of 73

sounds like fun:


1. How long have you been decorating cakes? 4 years
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? 1-2 a week
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? Mary Maher, Ron Ben Isreal, Mike's Amazing Cakes
4. What type of buttercream are you using? SMBC exclusively
5. How do you level your cakes? with a knife while I save up for my Agbay
6. What type of fondant are you using? Fondx
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? whatever the instance requires
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? some
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? Bubble Tea straw type pillars if needed. PVC pipe if a complex structure
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? no more than 2 stacked to travel

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cs_confections Posted 23 May 2010 , 8:45pm
post #32 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes? about a year and a half

2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? 1 - 2 per month (Hobby Baker - only bake for family and close friends) Work full/over-time and am a true midnight baker.

3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? So many just blow my mind with their talent and creativity!

4. What type of buttercream are you using? 50/50 butter/shortening. I don't care for buttercream that feels greasy and is supersweet, so I finally found one that DH and I like, as does everyone I've made cakes for, so far.

5. How do you level your cakes? Push down method - I can't seem to level straight with a knife and I'm happy I don't have scraps - though DH isn't!

6. What type of fondant are you using? Fondarific for covering, Satin Ice for details, flowers, figures.

7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? Cornstarch

8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? no - but don't use perishable fillings

9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? Wooden dowels

10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? Already stacked

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Kitagrl Posted 23 May 2010 , 8:57pm
post #33 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes? About 10 years
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? About 2-4 per week
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? Mike's Amazing Cakes...on here, probably Rylan although its really hard to narrow that down! So many have so much talent!
4. What type of buttercream are you using? Both crusting and noncrusting
5. How do you level your cakes? Serrated knife
6. What type of fondant are you using? FondX and some Satin Ice
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? Powdered Sugar
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? Yes
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? Bubble Tea Straws and sometimes sharpened dowel through the center
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? As much as possible I travel with them completely stacked.

The_Sugar_Fairy Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
The_Sugar_Fairy Posted 23 May 2010 , 9:03pm
post #34 of 73

You know, this is the first I've ever heard of the "push down" method of levelling. Can someone explain it to me? When do you "push down" and what do you use to do it? Keep all the responses coming! It's fun to read what everyone is doing!

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catlharper Posted 23 May 2010 , 9:07pm
post #35 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes?
2 years professionally, for my family about 24years.
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month?
5-6 per month (just part time right now, also an event coordinator plus a part time office job)
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator?
Rylan, IndyDebi, Ron Ben Israel
4. What type of buttercream are you using?
Store bought at my cake store
5. How do you level your cakes?
serrated knife
6. What type of fondant are you using?
MMF
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant?
PS or shortening...depends on what I'm working on.
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes?
sometimes but not usually
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes?
dowels
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site?
small two tiered will go stacked, bigger than that gets stacked on site but soon I'll have a cake safe and all will be stacked!

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CWR41 Posted 23 May 2010 , 9:24pm
post #36 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Sugar_Fairy

You know, this is the first I've ever heard of the "push down" method of levelling. Can someone explain it to me? When do you "push down" and what do you use to do it? Keep all the responses coming! It's fun to read what everyone is doing!




About "push down" method:
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6825564-.html#6825564
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6488864-.html#6488864

(I'll try to search for more...)

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MessMaker Posted 23 May 2010 , 9:38pm
post #37 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes?
8 months for friends and family. <hobby decorator>

2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month?
5-6 per month at least

3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator?
every one on CC

4. What type of buttercream are you using?
i use the Wilton recipe but i altered it to my Kids satisfaction.

5. How do you level your cakes?
serrated knife or cake leveler

6. What type of fondant are you using?
MMF

7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant?
cornstarch or shortening...depends on what I'm working on.

8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes?
No

9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes?
dowels

10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site?
unstacked, makes me feel like they are safer from disaster that way, but i usually dont travel with them.

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Kaytecake Posted 23 May 2010 , 9:56pm
post #38 of 73

1. About two years.
2. Only 7 to 10 a year for family. I turn down many requests because I'm not licensed. I'd like to be, but I don't live in a small business friendly area.
3. There are too many to list- both on TV and on this forum.
4. I alter the Wilton recipe by adding additional flavor oil or emulsions and I use high-ratio shortening instead of Crisco.
5. I've struggled with cutting off the excess until I tried the press down method someone shared here and I now have much better luck. I also use baking strips to minimize doming. (sp?)
6. I've used Satin Ice, Choco-Pan, and Wilton's. I mix them to get the texture and flavor that I want.
7. I use cornstarch when I want to prevent the fondant from sticking and shortening when I need it to stay put.
8. No, I had bad results when I first started but many, more experienced, bakers seem to have no problems doing so. If I move on to non-icing fillings then I'll have to try again.
9. The biggest cake I've ever done was only a two-tiered cake, so I use dowels. I want to try the bubble straws, if I can find some.
10. I've only had to deliver one tiered cake and it was already stacked. I used the rubbery shelf paper under the cake board and under the cake box so it wouldn't slide and it worked well.

icon_biggrin.gif Fun survey! Thanks.

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cakeandpartygirl Posted 23 May 2010 , 11:46pm
post #39 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Sugar_Fairy


1. How long have you been decorating cakes? off and on for about 15 years but seriously for about 3 years
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? right now it averages about 2 a month
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? way too many to name
4. What type of buttercream are you using? serious cakes mostly
5. How do you level your cakes? usually a serated cake but I wanted to torte a cake this weekend so I bought the wilton large leveler and it worked great icon_surprised.gificon_eek.gificon_confused.gificon_biggrin.gificon_lol.gif
6. What type of fondant are you using? Michelle Foster's
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? mostly powdered sugar for covering the cakes and cornstarch for flowers and shortening for figures
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? I haven't had the need to
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes?some straws that I bought from the austin cake show for 2 tiers but for anything larger than that I use SPS
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site?They are stacked but I haven't had anything larger than a 3 tier


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prterrell Posted 24 May 2010 , 12:10am
post #40 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes?
10 years

2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month?
When I worked at Publix, around 200-300 a week.
Now that I'm not working in the industry and just bake cakes for friends and family birthdays and church events , 1 or 2 a month.

3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator?
I don't really have anyone I admire.

4. What type of buttercream are you using?
IMBC

5. How do you level your cakes?
Most of my cakes bake level, but the occasional cake that needs a bit of a trim, I use a serrated bread knife.

6. What type of fondant are you using?
Satin Ice and Fondarific

7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant?
Shortening

8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes?
If they contain perishable fillings.

9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes?
SPS

10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site?
Depends on the design.

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careylynn Posted 24 May 2010 , 12:12am
post #41 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes? 5 months

2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? about 1 every 1-2 weeks, although it's picking up pace fairly quickly now!
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? anyone I can learn from icon_smile.gif
4. What type of buttercream are you using?
SMBC for fillings and ganache under the fondant
5. How do you level your cakes? leveler
6. What type of fondant are you using? Satin Ice, MFF
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? shortening only, rarely PS
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? usually no, but I'm finding I might need to when it's warmer out ( no AC icon_sad.gif )
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? bubble tea straws
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? stacked

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JanelleH Posted 24 May 2010 , 12:41am
post #42 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes?
About 2 years

2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month?
Quite a few; I don't have to do the baking myself, just the decorating. A couple dozen a week

3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator?
Everyone on CC! I've gleaned so much from these forums!

4. What type of buttercream are you using?
Homemade based on a recipe from a former Wilton instructor

5. How do you level your cakes?
With a bread knife

6. What type of fondant are you using?
MMF or Wilton

7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant?
Powdered sugar and/or shortening, as needed

8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes?
not unless fillings are perishable

9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes?
Tiered cakes I use basic hollow push-in pillars, stacked cakes I use wooden dowels

10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site?
Tiered cakes I assemble on-site, stacked cakes travel already stacked

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Elcee Posted 24 May 2010 , 1:12am
post #43 of 73

1. 2 1/2 years
2. 1 cake every 2 or 3 months (hobbyist)
3. Buddy Velastro (not the drama, not the show cakes, the everyday cakes)
4. Tweaked version of Wiltons or SMBC
5. With a long serrated bread knife
6. Wilton because I'm a vegetarian and it's really not that bad icon_smile.gif
7. 50/50 cornstarch, PS if I want the work to dry, shortening if I want it to stick to my cake
8. Yes, if needed.
9. Hollow plastic dowels by Wilton (just tried these recently and really like them)
10. Stack on site

icon_biggrin.gif

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sugarshack Posted 24 May 2010 , 1:52am
post #44 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes? on and off 20 years
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? now about 1-3 per month
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? rebecca sutterby,swank designs, mike mc carey and more
4. What type of buttercream are you using? mine, shortning based
5. How do you level your cakes? agbay
6. What type of fondant are you using? wilton, massa
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? CORNSTARCH! icon_smile.gif
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? nope
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? bubble tea straws or stress frees10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? stacked

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jolmk Posted 24 May 2010 , 2:41am
post #45 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes? 4 years
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? varies do desserts and candies too
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? Too many to list
4. What type of buttercream are you using? Homemade 50/50
5. How do you level your cakes? wilton leveler / knife
6. What type of fondant are you using? massa, satin ice, wilton
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? cornstarch/ shortening
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? no
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? depends on cake design
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? stacked if possible, otherwise on site

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mamawrobin Posted 24 May 2010 , 3:55am
post #46 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Sugar_Fairy


1. How long have you been decorating cakes? about 10 months but baking for about 32 years
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? several because I work in a bakery......for family 1-3 a month.
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? hard question because I admire so many
4. What type of buttercream are you using? Indydebi's for mine...at the bakery we also make our own but it's the owner's recipe.
5. How do you level your cakes? push down method/bread knife
6. What type of fondant are you using? Michele Foster's Fondant /Wilton(best for bows) for mine....at the bakery we use Satin Ice
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? cornstarch icon_biggrin.gif
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? No
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes?wide straws and cake circles for 3 tiers or less....SPS for 4 tiers or more
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site?


Stacked unless it's a large cake. A large cake partially stacked.

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cakesrock Posted 24 May 2010 , 4:15am
post #47 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Sugar_Fairy

Hi all! Since joining Cake Central, I've noticed that we all do things differently. I thought it might be fun for us all to share with each other what we are using and how we do things. I'll number the questions so that you can just put the number and your answer. I'll answer the questions as well right after posting this forum. Thanks!

1. How long have you been decorating cakes?
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month?
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator?
4. What type of buttercream are you using?
5. How do you level your cakes?
6. What type of fondant are you using?
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant?
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes?
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes?
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site?




1. 8 years -but only a lot in the last year
2. Was doing 3-4 a month, cut back to 1
3.Too many people on CC to name, but Sharon Zambito is fabulous! I love all the cake shows too - Cake Boss and Duff
4. Just tried Sharons BC and LUV it!
5. Have not mastered levelling, tried push-down, usually eye-ball
6. Rhondas ultimate MMF
7. Shortening
8. usually freeze, but have refrigerated fondant cakes
9. Dowels
10. stacked already

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FlourPots Posted 24 May 2010 , 4:56am
post #48 of 73

1. Almost 2 years
2. About 2 a month, but I spend all my free time reading about, looking at, & planning future cakes.
3. I'm a fan of MANY (here included), but these 3 make me weak at the knees
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28439449@N02/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/craftyconfections/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bellacupcakes/
4. Indydebi's
5. Agbay
6. Started w/ Michelle Foster's, Now MMF exclusively
7. Shortening
8. I don't refrigerate once fondant is on
9. Bubble Straws
10. Mine are mostly for fun (& practice) and don't leave the house

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aprilblack Posted 24 May 2010 , 6:14pm
post #49 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes? Newbie..for a few months but baking for about 5 years
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? approx 5-10.
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? Too many to name.
4. What type of buttercream are you using? I use Sugarshack's recipe or Edna's.
5. How do you level your cakes? overfill pans and level tops with serrated knife
6. What type of fondant are you using? MMF, SAtin Ice or Wilton for accents
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? cornstarch
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? depending. sometimes yes
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes?wide straws and long dowel down the center
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? if it is more than 3, stack on site.

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QueenOfSweets Posted 24 May 2010 , 7:15pm
post #50 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes?
Decorated my very first cake 9 years ago and decorated for friends and family only until I started the business almost 18 months ago.

2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month?
Usually 2-6 per month; I work full time and have the cake business on the side

3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator?
There are so many...Sharon Zambito, Rebecca Sutterby, Collette Peters, Bronwen Weber to name a few

4. What type of buttercream are you using?
Sugarshack's Buttercream

5. How do you level your cakes?
push down in the pan after coming out of the oven

6. What type of fondant are you using?
Satin Ice

7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant?
None of the above. I roll my fondant out between two layers of thick vinyl and never require cornstarch, powdered sugar or shortening.

8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes?
No. I only do non-perishable fillings.

9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes?
SPS and only SPS!

10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site?
Stacked, unless it's a more complex construction

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Trinkerson Posted 24 May 2010 , 7:28pm
post #51 of 73

1. I've been decorating cakes for about 7 months.
2. In a month I make 4 or 5 cakes...getting busier each month.
3. Edna De la Cruz I have a serious crush on her. She's not only talented, but she's gorgeous too!!!!
4. I make my buttercream with hi-ratio shortening, 10x Domino sugar, clear vanilla, almond, butter and a little milk or cream. I use the paddle attachment on my KA and let it go FOREVER to get it nice and fluffy.
5. I level my cakes by pressing down on them with a kitchen towel when they come out of the oven. Be sure to wear your oven gloves when doing this to avoid getting burned.
6. I recently discovered Fondarific. This stuff is God's gift to fondant. LOVE IT!!
7. You don't have to use any of it when working with Fondarific, but if I did, I would use powdered sugar.
8. No, I add the fondant last before delivering. When I become more busy, that may be a different story.
9. I haven't done many tiered cakes, but I would probably use wooden dowels or plastic?
10. See #9?

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Malakin Posted 24 May 2010 , 7:38pm
post #52 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes?
For about 2 years.
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month?
Maybe two a month.
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator?
I can't pick just one. No way!
4. What type of buttercream are you using?
Sugarshack's recipe.
5. How do you level your cakes?
Compression.
6. What type of fondant are you using?
Michelle Foster's.
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant?
Cornstarch.
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes?
Sometimes.
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes?
Bubble tea straws.
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site?
Both. Depends on size, type, and structure of cake along with distance.

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1Cake-At-ATime Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 8:30am
post #53 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes? 6 months

2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? 3 a month...business has been picking up though.

3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? Ron Ben-Israel

4. What type of buttercream are you using? American with a mixture of butter and shortening.

5. How do you level your cakes? Agbay

6. What type of fondant are you using? Still deciding which one to use as my "main" fondant. I have used Rhonda's MMF, Satin Ice, FondX, wilton, and Bakels. So far the most workable fondant for me has been mixing Wilton with Satin Ice.

7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? More shortening than anything...I don't have to worry about cracking while working. I also use cornstarch as needed.

8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? I have refrigerated and frozen fondant cakes without issue.

9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? SPS plates with Wilton plastic downs....easier to cut the Wilton dowls

10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? I have traveled with a two tier cake stacked.

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Kiddiekakes Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 2:27pm
post #54 of 73

1. About 10 years but I have been around cake decorating for about 25..My mom had a wedding cake business...
2.I do about 4-6 weekend..
3.I admire many different decoraters and styles..Many here...Sugarchicone..Thanh Thanh..A taste of whimsy...and others
4.Whimisical Bakehouse house Buttercream
5.Small wilton leverlor.I don't do big wedding cakes...It is good enough for what I do...
6.I use white Deccorice from Dawn Foods.
7.Powdered sugar only...
8.yes sometimes...
9.I mainly use hidden pillars and wilton plates but sometime wooden dowels for 3D cakes.
10.I don't deliver cakes but sometimes 2 tiered...never more...

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KitchenKat Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 5:06pm
post #55 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes? About 7 years

2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? Now just 1 to 3 a month

3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? Lots of folks but I love the styles of Whimsical Bakehouse, Planet cake and Pink Cake Box

4. What type of buttercream are you using? All butter IMBC (mousseline)

5. How do you level your cakes? Push down and with a Wilton leveler

6. What type of fondant are you using? Fondex or Satin Ice

7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? cornstarch

8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? no

9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? bubble tea straws

10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? stacked (up to 3 tiers; stack on site if there are more than 3 tiers. It's a weight and height issue more than a stability issue)

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classiccake Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 5:28pm
post #56 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes? Over 40 years...yikes!
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? Around 20 a week.
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? Mike McCreary
4. What type of buttercream are you using? own recipe of butter/shortening combo
5. How do you level your cakes? pat down and knofe if necessary
6. What type of fondant are you using? my own
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? mainly powdered sugar, sometimes cornstarch
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? only for 4 - 8 hours
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? wooden dowels
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? Tiered, b ut is extremely large, then partial assembly on site

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cabecakes Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 8:00pm
post #57 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes? About 2 years
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? Maybe 2 per month (hobbyist)
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? There are so many, I admire Edna De La Cruz, Ron-Ben Isreal, Sharon Zambito, Elaine MacGregor, and I have to include the style of decorating by Joseph Lambeth (I want to learn this technique sooooo bad).
4. What type of buttercream are you using? Edna De La Cruz's recipe
5. How do you level your cakes? Tea Towel Method and when necessary a very sharp carving knife with extra long blade.
6. What type of fondant are you using? MMF only (I haven't found anything I can't do with it and I like the flavor better then regular fondant)
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? shortening (I have read that you shouldn't use corn starch, because it assists in fermentation)
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? Yes, only if perishable fillings though
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? Bubble Tea Straws
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? If 1-2 tiers already stacked, and if 2+ tiers I stack on site. I am a wimp and can't lift more then that and I am too nervous to sit and worry about whether it will survive the journey.

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Rainbow Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 8:29pm
post #58 of 73

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


1. How long have you been decorating cakes? 0n and off for 29 yrs
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? average 5-8 cakes a week
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? Sharon Zambito
4. What type of buttercream are you using? American Buttercream
5. How do you level your cakes? Use a Wilton wire leveler I bought 20+ years ago.
6. What type of fondant are you using? Satin Ice
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? shortening
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? No
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? SPS
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? Stack on Site

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Elcee Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 8:47pm
post #59 of 73

When I saw this thread resurrected, I remembered having replied to it last year so I decided to see what's changed in a year. Turns out not too much, but my new answers are in bold icon_smile.gif

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elcee

1. 2 1/2 years 3 1/2 years
2. 1 cake every 2 or 3 months (hobbyist)
3. Buddy Velastro (not the drama, not the show cakes, the everyday cakes) James Roselle (I took a class with him recently and was SO impressed)
4. Tweaked version of Wiltons or SMBC
5. With a long serrated bread knife
6. Wilton because I'm a vegetarian and it's really not that bad icon_smile.gifA mix of Wilton/Duff's (Fondarific) usually about 30/70
7. 50/50 cornstarch, PS if I want the work to dry, shortening if I want it to stick to my cake
8. Yes, if needed.
9. Hollow plastic dowels by Wilton (just tried these recently and really like them) Have since tried SPS but didn't think it was much better so sticking with the hollow plastic
10. Stack on site only if taller than 3 tiers


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cakification Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cakification Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 10:11pm
post #60 of 73

1. How long have you been decorating cakes? Since November 2010
2. How many cakes do you make a week or a month? Usually 1 a week lately.
3. Who do you most admire as a cake decorator? Not familiar enough with anyone to really admire them. There's tons of people on CC that I admire as business people, in terms of running a successful cake business.
4. What type of buttercream are you using? I change it up often. Right now i love French vanilla BC using coffee creamer.
5. How do you level your cakes? Just with a serrated knife. Wish I could afford the agbay.
6. What type of fondant are you using? Virgin Ice. Love it.
7. Do you use cornstarch, powdered sugar or just shortening when working with fondant? I used to only use shortening, but now I'm finding powdered sugar is more successful.
8. Do you refrigerate your fondant-covered cakes? If they have a perishable filling yes, but usually no.
9. What do you use as a support system in tiered cakes? Bubble tea straws.
10. Do you travel with tiered cakes already stacked or stack on site? Havent had to travel with anything bigger then a two tier so I don't really know what I would do with a bigger cake.

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