From Dolores

• MAKE 3-D figures:
• This is so cute and requires so little effort. Let the kids help.
• TO-DO: Easy - add confectioners' sugar to any buttercream icing until it is stiff enough not to stick to your hands. Roll small amounts into balls.
• Mold all kinds of cute figures with it. Just as you would with play dough, etc.
• I have used this technique for many different items over the years.
• When CBs were popular I made a CB by cutting a 9x13-inch cake in half. Ice chocolate. I made all the knobs for it as above.
• I made a 'PIG' using 2 petite doll pan cakes and used this technique for the pig's snout, ears and tail.
• Once I made 3-D 'PENGUINS' in a winter scene skating on a pond.
• Use this concept to make a PEARL necklace for a lovely Mom's Day cake. - Before adding to the cake, dust with edible glitter for more realism. OR press some into a CAMEO candy mold. Unmold and place on cake. OR any other candy mold for whatever theme you are doing.
• NOTE: If it sticks in the mold, mix in more Conf. sugar and make it more stiff. Just don't make it so stiff you see cracks.

OHIO DAY OF SHARING: This weekend in Columbus. 6-states and 2 whole days! LOTS of demos. As I write this I am baking the wedding cake for my demo. Think I can do this demo in an hour? I hope so. I have an electric turntable which helps the most. With the flick of a switch. it turns at any speed and also in reverse. This is 'my secret.' LOL Years ago, before I had it, it took me until about 3:00 AM to do 6 big wedding cakes. Now, it takes me until about 6 PM. Besides, my posture is better. My shoulders were out of whack reaching down to turn the wedding cake and decorate at the same time. I haven't developed carpal tunnel and this could be why. As far as equipment goes, I consider my electric turntable next in importance after an airbrush, which may be the most useful tool of all.

• AnnieCraft: do you carry electric turntables Dolores?
• Dolores777: Yes, they are about $150.00 and worth every last penny too! That is by Kopy Kake
• AnnieCraft: Not a bad price considering the cost of medical bills for Carpal tunnel and bad back!!

• Ms Men: I guess no one knows of a good CURRENT book for decorating cupcakes? (kids)
• Pwd Sugar: Roland Winbeckler has a book with lots of cute cupcake ideas
• AnnieCraft: Try the Wilton yearbook
• MS JPine52625: did you check Amazon.com for books? have 120 just listed under "cake decorating"
• CreAteCak: ms men, the wilton yearbook has some good ideas...

• KevinTina: is the book just beginner?
• (From Dolores)My new book is for anyone. It covers cake decorating from beginning to end. It also contains everything there is to know on starting or running a cake bus. At home. Lots of colored photos. Most of these ARE wedding cakes, but several small ones too. All of them are ones I created myself. The book is for ANYbody:: :contains all aspects of baking and cake decorating clear
• KevinTina: I was wondering if the book would have GP and fondant. Looking for an easy way to learn more about GP
• Dolores777: YES - the book has GP - roll fond recipes and even color pictures of cakes I did
• Dolores777: I told you ---it has everything LOL
• Pwd Sugar: Kevin - I have started my granddaughters out with play dough. The same techniques but a little softer dough
• Pwd Sugar: Next month I'll put on our chat listing some gumpaste instructions - real basic instructions
• KevinTina: Can you recommend a good book?
• JPine52625: isn't there a GP video?
• Pwd Sugar: Nicholas Lodge has a good GP video
• AnnieCraft: Wouldn't the gumpaste book by Wilton be a basic book to start with? S
• havkin: will u have books of ur wed cakes that i got frm u few yrs ago?
• Dolores777: I just finished a NEW book Diane
• Shavkin: Great. On wed cakes? Will it be at Conven 4 sale?
• (From Dolores) Not this year. But maybe next year.
• Shavkin: Forgot to congrad u on ur bk!! "Congratulation"!! Dolores777

• MamaRugRat: Dolores, what is the largest size of silver dragees that your store carries? I'm doing a
• Dolores777: Just the regular dragee...and those are being outlawed.
• MamaRugRat: Why?
• Dolores777: Not really food Mama
• Dolores777: I heard you can't get them in Calif already?
• MamaRugRat: I know, but I need something that might resemble a screw for the xylophone plates. Pwd Sugar: Mama - make a tiny circle of gumpaste cut out with a number 10 tip and with a knife make an indention across. let them dry and paint silver or gold
• Dolores777: Mama:::have you tried the silver and gold dust? Mis with oil or Vodka?
• Cakestmper: Dragees are being outlawed in some states because of silver and gold

• Megan062: i bought a 11' 15' does useing 3 cake mixes sound right?
• Megan062: whats the best way to make it level?
• Cakestmper: Bake even strips willhelp to level your cake,
• Megan Megan062: while baking
• JPine52625: baking strips
• Megan062: those strips really work?
• Dolores777: yes Megan---a very good place to get basics
• (From Dolores) : Megan, I use 2 1/2 mixes for the 12x18 pan. If your cakes bake with a high hump, turn your oven down about 25 degrees. Test for doneness by pressing your finger lightly in center. If cake stays depressed it is not done.
• Megan062: how does the baking strips work on a 11"X15" pan . and how come it doesn't burn?
• Cakestmper: Pin the strips ends together, you must soak in water first, wring out then wrap & pin on pan

FLOWERPOT CUPCAKES:

• Perfect for MOM!
• 1 Cake Mix; any flavor
• 1 1/4 cup Water
• 1/3 cup Oil
• 3 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Nuts; chopped fine
• 36 Ice Cream Cones with flat bottoms
• Buttercream frosting
• Pastry tube and tips
• Food coloring
• Assorted Candies
• Assorted icing flowers
• Heat oven to 350. In large bowl, combine cake mix, water, oil and eggs at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at highest speed. fold nuts into batter. Place ice cream cones in muffin cups or jelly roll pan (so they don't topple over); fill with batter to within 1 inch of tops of cones. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely. Spread frosting on tops of cakes; decorate as desired. Makes 36 cupcakes.

• Megan062: because of my busy schedule i want to bake a cake for Tuesday (wedding shower) how soon can make and decorate
• CreAteCak: Megan 062, I make mine the day before and freeze, its easier to ice that way too!
• JPine52625: I would make Saturday and refrigerate, decorate Sun/Mon
• Megan062: it doesn't matter if i use whipping cream in the icing?
• AnnieCraft: I've never iced a frozen cake It doesn't sweat?
• Pwd Sugar: Whipping cream in the icing will make a difference - I don't know how long that will hold up
• Dolores777: can't use them for what they are designed for - use them for dif characters
• CreAteCak: mine don't sweat, most of time almost thawed out
• AnnieCraft: one of my kids iced a cake while frozen but the cake was soggy inside
• Megan062: any recipe ideas for a not so sweet icing that can stay out of frig for a day or 2 and one that can keep form?
• LeonaClowr: Whipping cream has a longer shelf life than milk
• CreAteCak: ive never had any problems with mine..

• CakeCottag: I have a question about copyright pans. Say the Barbie pan can you sell the pan with your cake to make it legal
• Pwd Sugar: Cake - Sell the pan with the cake in it?
• CakeCottag: no prepare a cake from the pan and sell the pan to them also
• Dolores777: I wouldn't want to chance that - its still copyrighted...may make it even worse
• Pwd Sugar: You can sell the pan but you cannot legally sell any copyrighted design cake
• Dolores777: I don't sell c.right cakes---price too large!...they start the fine at $10,000.00
• AnnieCraft: I think you would be more professional if you explain copyright laws to customers and why you wont break this law
• Pwd Sugar: You better know that customer personally - like it better be your sister
• Lettie Lou: what if you made it and changed the eyes or nose or something
• Dolores777: NO Lettie - that one has been thought of before too. YOU are suppose to be informed annie - ignorance is NO excuse
• Pwd Sugar: If it is a recognizable design - it is illegal
• DUNKLEMAN: I know what you're saying Dee, but they wouldn't want bad press on persecuting a hobbyist
• Pwd Sugar: You are dreaming - They will gladly prosecute a hobbyist
• JPine52625: make you an example
• DUNKLEMAN: Have you known anyone who was fined?
• Dolores777: I have a shop and they ask for home decorators when I say no ---I say I don' know any
• DUNKLEMAN: I just don't understand why they make all those pans when "technically" you can't use them.
• Pwd Sugar: Those pans are for the homemaker to do cakes for her family
• AnnieCraft: They are made for the home decorator for home use
• Dunkleman Dolores777: they make those pans for you to do your child a cake NOT to sell;;;; Wilton has no copyrights
• Luv2ice: what about using a picture from a coloring book or story book and transfer
• DUNKLEMAN: Dee, as a beginner I bought a lot of cright pans. I didnI'd hate to just get rid of them.
• Dolores777: can't use them for what they are designed for - use them for dif characters
• DUNKLEMAN: What a deception to the public, you think they're OK because you can buy them everywhere

• JunoJuno12: I need tips on ICING a cake, I ALWAYS get Crumbs in it:-( HELP!!!
• DaffyDayto: put a glaze on it before frosting to seal inthe crumbs
• Dolores777: CRUMBS:::Icing is TOO stiff
• WSVKJ: Juno: Put down a crumb coat.
• AnnieCraft: Juno use a crumb coat
• JPine52625: crumbcoat it Juno
• DaffyDayto: thinned down frosting
• JPine52625: way thinned down icing
• Pwd Sugar: Crumb coat is thinned down buttercream icing

• Megan062: tell them about the box of roses cake. I can't find the box. I may go to a florist and just ask them
• Dolores777: We have those boxes:::can get at florist
• Megan062: i wonder how much theyll charge me Ours are $1.70 with the liner...need that..liner is enough for 2 cakes.
• Megan062: you mentioned in the directions about the white freezer wrap what do you do with that?
• Dolores777: wrap the board the cake is on in freezer wrap Megan
• Megan062: i think for a real look i may use real ribbon ( in a bow)

• JPine52625: have a 14" sq cake doing, no cake box avail at local shop, any ideas for delivery?
• Dolores777: 14" sq:::can you cut and make a box? I carry an 18" box - it is regular cardboard though
• AnnieCraft: Try cutting down a larger cake box

This week has been very hectic - last weekend I was in Louisiana for their day of sharing. A very rough (filled the barffffff bag) flight home Tuesday morning and the rest of the day was shot. This weekend is dos in Dallas - we are driving - 6 - 8 hours drive down there and back depending on the weather. Gumpaste flowers must be made for next week, phone ringing off the wall. And on top of that I scheduled all of my medical check-ups this week. After the first of may we will all be covered up with cakes for weddings for at least the next couple of months. Busy, busy, busy

• Pwd Sugar: I teach the finger flowers first with only basic equipment such as a ball tool, a cel pad, scissors and gumpaste.
• Luv2ice: Pwd what is a good GP book to start out with
• Pwd Sugar: There is not a real good basic GP book

A window box with flowering hyacinths.

• This is the directions (the best I can remember) about that cake. You will need royal icing, marshmallows, 3 long skewers, large rounded mixing bowls, purple and green food colors, coconut, crushed cookies, tips 48, 18, and a large leaf tip, buttercream icing , a covered 16 x 8 inch sturdy board, and a one layer 9 x 13 sheet cake. Turn your large curved mixing bowls upside down on a table and grease (lightly) the back of them.
• Make your royal icing. (warm egg whites, lemon juice and pwd sugar to the consistency you need.)
• Color part of it green and put in a grease free bag with a large leaf tip. Pipe long leaves on the back of the greased back of your curved mixing bowls. Put aside and let dry completely.
• Place three large marshmallows on one end of a skewer. You will probably need at least three of these.
• Color more of your royal icing a soft orchid or purple. Place in a grease free bag with a number 18 tip.
• Pipe stars with the number 18 tip to completely cover the marshmallows.
• Wrap your stem with green florist tape or paint with green royal icing.
• Remember that your cake will only be about 3 to 4 inches high and you will want a short stem under the flower.
• You will probably need to cut off part of the skewer to get it the right length.
• Stick this in a piece of styrofoam and let it completely dry.
• Mix some green food coloring with water and place in a zip lock bag and place the coconut in the bag and rub the color into the coconut.
• Place on paper towels and blot the extra color and let the coconut completely dry. C
• rush cookies such as pecan sandies, Oreos, etc for the substitute dirt to go in the flower box.
• Bake your cake in a 9 x 13 pan.
• Make your buttercream icing and color enough for the outside of the window box dark green or red or whatever color you choose.
• You will need a small amount of icing in a contrasting color for the trim.
• Brown icing for the top of the window box to go under the dirt and grass. Cut the 9 x 13 cake in half lengthwise.
• Put on a cardboard cut to fit exactly under this half of your cake.
• Put icing on top of the board and glue your cake to the board. Put icing on top of one length for your filling and place the other length on top and you have a square window box. If you wanted an angled window box - carefully cut the sides tapering very slightly so that the bottom will be slightly smaller than the top.
• Crumb coat the sides and top with a thinned coat of buttercream icing. Place a small amount of icing on your sturdy board and place the crumb coated cake on that board centering your cake. Let this sit for a couple of hours. The reason this needs to rest a couple of hours is the icing you are using for glue will set up and then you won't be chasing the cake around and constantly re-positioning it. Ice the sides of the cake with your dark green buttercream icing or your chosen color.
• Ice the top of the cake with brown buttercream icing and sprinkle the dirt on top. Pat down gently to adhere to the brown icing below .
• Insert the skewers with your hyacinth blooms evenly in the window box. Gently insert the leaves around the blossoms.
• Sprinkle the green coconut on top of the dirt to resemble grass .
• Trim the window box with the contrasting color and the #48 tip. Making evenly spaced diamond shapes across the front side of the window box. Border at the base and the top with the #48 tip and you have a cake fit for any spring occasion and maybe even a good one for mothers day.
• If you have more advanced skills you might want to substitute gumpaste irises, daffodils or tulips with gumpaste leaves. If your mom loves pansies you might want to do a flower box of pansies - get creative. This is a fun basic cake that has all kinds of possibilities

• NRJCAKE: Pwd, why do this article? It might open a "whole can of worms"
• Pwd Sugar: Lots of people are asking about this subject - it is to be a general what is required
• Pwd Sugar: but I need some specific for instances
• Dolores777: Instance:::when a local bakery made snoopy for a lady:::she got 2 - said 1 wasn't enough... arrested them for 2 cakes then
• Cakestmper: Its better to know the legalities before you get yourself into trouble
• Pwd Sugar: I promise your names won't be mentioned unless you agree to that

This info in from Oklahoma Mark your calendars! The Oklahoma state sugar arts show and Tulsa centennial celebration will be held Oct. 3,4 .5 and to mark this special occasion the shows directors are introducing a new <u>wedding cake spectacular</u> division to the annual show. This new division should stretch the competitors to the maximum. Contestants will be expected to decorate a 48' round table customized designed to complement the master piece they have created. Height should be 29' -30' entry fee is $20.00. The Oklahoma sugar arts show will be held Oct. 3,4,5 you can get updated information on prizes and entry forms at cakinbake's web page http://users.aol.com/cakinbake/ or e-mail her at cakinbake@aol.com the prize list looks fabulous - enough fantastic prizes to warrant the extra trouble to enter this show.

The ICES show is rapidly approaching - we did discuss trying to do this chat live from the Disney properties. Since there is a special tour that night I felt that would not be an appropriate time for us. Instead I will make a sign and we will have a special table at the Sunday night sharing so that we can get acquainted and put some faces to our fun little AOL names. Stop by and I will have some stick on name tags so we can recognize each other in the room as we are wondering from table to table. 

• Amy Malone: NRJ Were you the one who told me about Colette's class?
• Amy Malone: Great. I used to be intimidated by fondant, but she made it easy.
• NRJCAKE: Amy, what kind of techniques did she show you?
• Amy Malone: We used ready made fondant---really easy, and she's so clever with her designs. We did a lot of crimping as well as bows and drapes. We used half fondant and half gumpaste for the bows

• Luv2ice: where is the show in Fla. being held?
• Pwd Sugar: Orlando on the Disney properties
• Pwd Sugar: Did you get your newsletters today - the demo schedule is included
• Shavkin: Spoke to show dir, Grace, tonite; have booked 1,000 rooms to date!
• Luv2ice: What hotel?
• Dolores777: Pwd sugar posted about ICES in Discuss cake decorating
• Cakestmper: Florida ICES Rep welcomes everyone to come
• Pwd Sugar: Get those requests in for your demo tickets right away.
• Pwd Sugar: THe ICES newsletter - Go to the Discuss cake decorating and look under ICES info. $27.00 per year for 11 issues
• Cakestmper: What kind of cake shop never heard of ICES?
• JPine52625: the only local cake shop never heard of ICES--arggh!
• Dolores777: no wonder they don't have cake boxes JP LOL
• Pwd Sugar: A cake shop that is not interested in growing.
• Cakestmper: You gotta come to Florida, we'll make you feel warm!
• JPine52625: of course they didn't have/never heard of Amer. Cake Decor Mag either
• Luv2ice: Cakestmper what hotel in Orlando?
• Cakestmper: Comtemporary, rooms all booked, Try the Grovener
• Shavkin: I am new to this chat rm, so I'll let u all know I'll be at evening get a tag frm pwdsugar to be recogn, too. The same as demo on Sat at 10:30-11:30 am, "Gumpaste & Fondant a technique I developed. A gumpaste cutter is pressed into the fondant or gp plaque. Then
• Shavkin: flowers are created by forming the petals by lifting them out of the clay/fondant. The fl edge of the gp plaque. Eyelet designs are made. The ruffle remains attached to the plaque flowers are still (remain) attached to the fondant/gp. Then the ruffles are formed on the edge. Along with the handout I will be giving to attendees on Sat. will be a photo of one of my
• Amy Malone: Shavkin--I saw that in the demo list in the ICES newsletter. I'm doing the meringue
• Shavkin: works using the technique. So, everyone will have a momento and sample of tech to have. Re: hotels in Orlando: I believe Grace said 5 different hotels.
• Pwd Sugar: I'll be doing the versitle lace wraps demo this year - grooms cake demo just requires to much stuff to be carried.
• Amy Malone: demo request yet? I just got the list yesterday but don't want to get locked out of my
• Shavkin: Are u all aware of the "Vendors Showcase" on Fri. evening. Sounds like great event!
• Cakestmper: only hotel not completely booked is Grovener, in Disney Village
• Pwd Sugar: They will be showing us the fun new stuff - but no one will be allowed to buy
• Shavkin: Also: Nicholas & Margaret will be demoing for 2 hours from 7-9 that night. 200 people can want it to be a fun time rather than serious aura like during the vendor area at conven
• Pwd Sugar: anything that evening - so it will be a preview of the neat new stuff
• Shavkin: fit in room for demo. The vendors Show Case will begin at 6 (6-9).
• Pwd Sugar: I had one gal come up to me in Lousiana and say Hi Pwd sugar. She has been
• Shavkin: Absolutely. I miss half the stuff as I type, but I'll get used to it. The messages do not Pwd Sugar: attending the chats and just listning seem as fast, so that's good!
• CarolA5238: I think these chats are just great, and I've learned a lot and having a ball!

• Driveway: How many of you operate a business out of your home? How do you get legal?
• Luv2ice: is reading past chats in your web site the same thing?
• Pwd Sugar: You must check with your local health department first and then go from there I have two kitchens - twice the mess LOL
• Driveway: my wife is so excited that she has found some people to chat about wedding cake construction
• Pwd Sugar: Driveway - we are here every Thursday evening from 9 - 10 EST

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