Cake Ideas

I get most of my ideas here. I practice with cakes that I sell at low price.

Me too, I do cakes for friends and family. I take a theme suggestion for the kids parties but that's it, then I do whatever strikes my fancy and the cakes a total surprise to them. I just wish that I could do my own flavors but the kids usually request their favorite, I'm so sick of choc chip cookie dough!!! I don't like cookie dough, and I recognize that the cake tastes great but I want to branch out and try some new ones!

I've been doing cakes about four years but I truthfully only do maybe 6 a year or so, I get 'caked' out and I don't think I could really make a living at it, even though I'd love to own my own shop one day, that's not really going to happen.

1. I get ideas from many places; CakeCentral, books, magazines, other people, the internet etc

2. I don't know about perfecting; I am learning and improving all the time. Some things I think I am quite good at and other things I have a long way to go.

3. When I want to try out a new idea, the finished results go along to my husband's work place, where everything is enjoyed and appreciated. What about a retirement home or nursing home; as a nurse myself, I can tell you how much any cakes would be appreciated by many elderly inhabitants of nursing homes.

4. You can practice some things in spare half hours; working with new fondant shapes and cutters; making different colours and tints ( fondant again). I often do this type of task while listening to my daughter's homework.

5. Sometimes one looks at all the wonderful cakes posted on CakeCentral and sighs. But do remember; we are always highly critical of our own work and greatly admiring of other people's work.

6. I am sure you make some beautiful cakes which are greatly enjoyed.

We all have to start somewhere. Carpenters don't just pick up a hammer and automatically know how to build a house. They take their time learning the fundamentals, getting the basics down and then perfect their craft.

Where do I get inspired? Other cake decorators like Sharon Zambito, Loraine McKay, Edna De la Cruz and Ron Ben Israel, Cake Central, Cakesdecor.com and google images!

Your wedding cupcakes will be fine. I like your mocha cupcakes in your photos, they look divine.
I do a lot of beachy things because, well, I live at the beach! Lol! In my photos, you will find cupcakes with sea shells, star fish and sand dollars. They are white chocolate which I mold in candy molds and place on top of the cupcakes. Easy Peasy.

How do I get inspired? People make a request and I try to fill that request. I do best if they just let me have free reign over the design. I have been called creative all my life. I used to drive my mother nuts with scraps of cut up paper left on my bedroom floor after a serious crafting session. I have always loved working on arts and crafts.
30 years ago, I apprenticed as a baker, completed the apprenticeship and worked full time in a bakery next to men lifting 50 pound flower sacks. And I have the arthritis to prove it! We'd turned out over 500 pounds of bread dough per day, in a bakery near the Jersey Shore, Literally!
It's only been the past few years where I was able to take my baking skills and my love for the arts and combine them. I am nurturing my business like a new born babe, as I continue to work a full time job, working with special needs students. The cake decorating is my therapy. I get lost in the creative process and I love what I do.

Want to learn how to do gum paste roses? You have plenty of time between now and September to learn how to do them wonderfully. Just jump in and do it! You will never really know unless you get your hands into it.

Perfection? Not yet! Each cake I work on, I strive to be my absolute best. If something is not where I want it, I try to do it better the next time. I get furious with myself for spending 4 hours on a cake and hammering up the writing on the cake in 5 minutes.

A tiny pearl of wisdom: Very rarely do you get to revisit a cake design. Try to do it your best the first time.

What a wonderful, encouraging post! So nice of you to be so helpful....