It is easy to make a graduation scroll using wafer paper. To make the wafer paper curl like a scroll, I hold it over steaming water and gently coax it to curl over a pencil or dowel rod. There is a picture on my graduation page at: http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/holiday/grad/grad.htm
Other desserts are also shown. So this should help with those special graduation parties.
Another good graduation cake I have online is my daughter Sue’s. This one is quite detailed and I know you can take off on this idea to create an entirely new design.
Petite doll pan: this pan makes a wonderful grad hat and mortar board. Maybe draw a face on it like is shown in my grad page. You could make the square part out of melted chocolate or color flow too. Use the grad's colors and they'll be happy.
Cake: my grandson is graduating this year and I've thought of a special cake to make for him. I am going to make it 2-tier with a ball cake on top...."look out world, here I come" - this is a take-off from the shower cake I made for him before he was born. Then it was a lot different. But these same 'words' still do apply. He'll be going off to college this fall. Not going far...just uptown to Miami U. Lol. He has been accepted. Anyway, I'm going to make something with 'pillars' and the world on the top. Maybe I'll do some 'ivy' - or use what we sell : ) .....sure wish I had Geraldine Randlesome’s lace mat of ivy leaves!
We won't be doing a lot of grad cakes like we usually do. We have a hard time going to graduation ourselves, with all the cakes. Next year the same...my granddaughter Mandi graduates! This reminded me...its a very good idea to gather the supplies you think you'll need for graduation waaaay ahead. We always have a frustrating time trying to keep the right color grad hats and little people in stock.
If you want to make a smaller cake but special, I've used half of a ball cake and an 8 1/2 x 11". I elevate the ball cake using Grecian pillars on an 8" plate. This reminds me of a school house domed building sort of.
Tip: I saw a tip somewhere that this person writes down the school colors every time she gets an order from a new school. Then she doesn't have to rely on people to tell her.
Another note: I finally got my newsletters online for
you to download. I'd been having trouble with not being able to download
zip-files lately. If you are saving them, the oldest one you'd need is
Feb. 99.
I very seldom do graduation cakes anymore. I have been working on one today but that is an exception. Today’s cake is for an architect graduate of Texas Tech. He didn’t like the plain diplomas that they give out so he redesigned one for his cake. On the top left hand corner will be the university seal in white and gold and then all the lettering will be done in black on a white background. I made the seal this morning out of gumpaste and royal icing. I marked a large circle with the lid of a 3 lb sour cream container. Then i cut that out using an exacto knife. Then i found another lid that is approximately 1 1/2 inch smaller and marked a second circle on the inside. Between those two circles there will be written in capital letters "seal of Texas tech university". Then in the center a small wing outspread eagle sits on top of a shield that has 10 cotton boles, an open book, an oil burning lamp, a five pointed star and a key. That seal with all the detail is now in the dehydrator drying and when i get the top of the cake finished i will just place that on the top corner and brush the detail with gold powder mixed with lemon extract.
There is still lots of writing to go on the cake and to get it all straight and on there is going to be a real challenge.
In the past one of my favorite graduation cakes was to simply use the silhouette of a boy or girl stenciled on the top of the cake in buttercream and then to add details such as a basketball, or football or English book or whatever was special to that particular graduate. Finishing it with flowers and writing in the school colors.
A buttercream stencil is so easy to use and gives such a smooth surface. You can use wax paper, card stock or laminate sheets or any type of fairly stiff plastic. Simply cut the design out of the paper or plastic and lay the sheet with the shaped hole on top of the cake. With an angled spatula and soft icing, ice that surface thinly and carefully working from the outside edges into the center of the design. When you have the surface pretty smooth remove the stencil. Let it dry slightly and then place a "viva" paper towel over the design and finish smoothing the icing. Add details as necessary for the design. You can do stenciling with multiple colors using several stencils. But you have to carefully plan out just what colors go on first and how they will fit together and layer for the effect you want.
Rice paper or fondant or gumpaste diplomas are always neat for graduation time cakes. Tied up with real or icing ribbon in the school colors.
When a graduate knows where they are headed next, you might want to do a map with a dot with their school lightly sketched and then a line to the university or skilled training school on the other end sketched lightly. Maybe with a message - congratulations! You are on your way from --------- to ----------------.
Or you might want to do a sketch of the school on one corner and summer things on the opposite corner with a message. Congratulations. Enjoy this summer. The "real" world is approaching rapidly.
Dr Suess was asked to give a graduation speech and it
is in book form and called "oh, the places you’ll go". A neat and
very unusual gift for a grad. But the first and last pages give a
neat message to write on a grad cake.
Congratulations! Today
is your day.
You’re off to great places!
You’re off and away!
........................
S0......
Be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
Or Mordecai Ali Vvan Allen O’Shea,
You’re off to great places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting
so ..................get on your way!
ICES
MHohimer: Hi Nad, got your registration - have
you received the confirmation packet?
Nadgabjoe: Not yet, Haven't check the mail today
MHohimer: Should be there soon.
Nadgabjoe: I found out from the airlines that I
can bring the cake the measurements are ok
Thank you for everything
Nadgabjoe: Do i have to send anything back to you
from the packet
MHohimer: Not to me Nad, but there is an order
form in there for demo
tickets you will want to fill out and send to Edith Hall,
address on form.
CCChefDol: Nad...do you have your cake all made
already?
Nadgabjoe: No not yet How long in advance can you
make it
CCChefDol: if its fake NOW...or anytime...I'm still
planning mine
MHohimer: You should use a dummy, Nad.
Nadgabjoe: I won't get dirty
CCChefDol: Use a dummy and royal icing
Nadgabjoe: Ok no shrink wrap
Pwd Sugar: Dummy's are lighter to carry.
Just cover with saran wrap lightly Nad.
CCChefDol: yes shrink wrap...so you can reuse it
Nadgabjoe: Ok
Nadgabjoe: I want to be able to wash it off
CCChefDol: I would stretch plastic wrap over it
tight then tape it down with that silver duct tape
MHohimer: If you shrink wrap the dummy first, Nad
you can peel it all right off.
Pwd Sugar: Not if it is buttercream Dee.......
Nadgabjoe: I want it to be very easy to handle
and carry
Pwd Sugar: Oh if you have to change planes the
dummy cake is important.
Pwd Sugar: Put it in a box and cut windows in it
so other can see what you have.
Nadgabjoe: They do sell boxes with windows all
ready in them'
Pwd Sugar: Then go to a luggage store and get one
of those handles with straps. It allows you to carry a box much easier.
CCChefDol: are you making a sheet cake Nad?
Nadgabjoe: A twelve inch and 8 inch round
Pwd Sugar: The straps wrap around the box and through
the handle hardware. It is secure and much easier to carry. Voice
of experience here.
REGISTRATION - ICES:
Bridal1: Deadline is coming up very soon for early
registrations
CCChefDol: right! June 1st...get that registration
in before that!!!
ReneeLSchl: is the convention in the same city
every year?
CCChefDol: no Renee
Bridal1: And register for our tour on Thursday
night - the ICES picnic in the park!
ReneeLSchl: have they picked a spot for 2000? too
early?
Bridal1: Michigan Renee
CCChefDol: Renee...check on ICES web site...it
tells you
Bridal1: It's a picnic in the park across the street
- barbeque, and all sorts of things
MHohimer: The tour sheet is in your confirmation
packet Nad.
Bridal1: Square dancing probably, snow cones, caricaturists,
etc.
Bridal1: gambling is another tour on Wednesday
night, I think
GumSeeMow: MH: Dumb question. When folks talk of
KC BBQ, is that MO or KA?
Bridal1: Missouri
MHohimer: The convention is being held in Kansas
City, Missouri.
Bridal1: You'd be surprised how many people call
it the Kansas Convention!!
GOOO8: How does one make the book "stand" without
falling over?
Pwd Sugar: Make it laying down and open GOOO8
CCChefDol: GOOO...I don't think it IS actually
standing. Maybe it is a small cake on tops of sheet cake
GOOO8: Okay, I've done that, thought I was missing
something.
CCChefDol: GOOO...did you see that cake on my site?
GOOO8: I may have but don't recall at the moment.
Will go take a peek once again though. :^)
CCChefDol: Have you read the WHATS NEW in the
cooking club lately? You really should - and quickly. Keyword: cooking
club...better read it SOON!
Pwd Sugar: Please - everyone needs to go to the
COOKING CLUB site and check
what it says.
Akentish: what is cooking club site? why are we
going there?
RClark8352: Pwd, what do I look for at the cooking
club?
CCChefDol: AOL is deleting all chats.
Icing Wiz: WOW all chats I wonder why?
CCChefDol: they don't make any money off of us.
Icing Wiz: well the only reason I got AOL was because
of this chat I pay $26.95 a month
Bridal1: You mean no cake chat???
CCChefDol: I'm leaving when the chats end. I have
a private ISP already
CCChefDol: no more chats, right
GumSeeMow: No chat. No Gum.
Icing Wiz: there will be a chat Bridal on another
ISP apparently according to the message
Akentish: Sorry not quite understanding what is
happening and what is ISP
Icing Wiz: ISP- is your INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER
CCChefDol: AK...aol is dropping all chats like
this...they decided NOT Liz Waters who owns the Cooking club
CCChefDol: but WE won't be hosting any cake chat
at all
RClark8352: What will we do, I enjoy these chats
Akentish: okay so is kitchen no longer going to
be?
Icing Wiz: But according to Liz there will still
be a cooking club just another way to get there
CCChefDol: right ...but the owner is going to a
private web site for cooking
CCChefDol: but NOT cake decorating
Akentish: oh I see that is sad because this is
a really good chat place
CCChefDol: we don't know anymore than what it says
there really
CCChefDol: you can chat on my message board at
least
Icing Wiz: it is the only chat besides an one called
the backyard that I go to. So that means that one will no longer be around
either
CCChefDol: who knows...if we beg, maybe ICES will
host a chat for us????
Akentish: well I'll just have to find another carrier
Icing Wiz: Yeah that would be a great idea because
not everyone that comes to chat knows about ICES yes
CCChefDol: Ak...so will LOTS of us - for certain
on this part
CCChefDol: most ISP’s are only about $18.00 per
month
GOOO8: such disappointing news about the chats
:^(
Nadgabjoe: very disappointing
Icing Wiz: ATT is only 19.95
CCChefDol: yes GOOO...just like another ISP many
years ago
Akentish: They saw a good thing and decided to
capitalize on it I quess
RClark8352: Dol, will you and Pwd start another
chat somewhere else
CCChefDol: RC...and all...I'm not going anywhere...I'll
still be on my web site
MAMATENN: i paid for a year in advance just to
be in touch with the ICES group
Icing Wiz: I don't know I pay 26.95 for AOL
MHohimer: I only pay 19.95 for AOL
Bridal1: why so much Wiz?
CCChefDol: AK...AOL will be the losers but it will
take a lot of time...maybe 1-2 years I prdict
Icing Wiz: I don't know that is the price they
charge me
CCChefDol: RC...we're tired and ready to let you
all do that : )
Nadgabjoe: There is a 5dollar for checking with
drawls
CCChefDol: that was including tax - on aol
Icing Wiz: I heard ATT is good
CCChefDol: You are going to find most other ISPs
more reliable and a darn sight faster!
Rangodam: I don't understand what's happening to
this chat? Can someone explain please.
Pwd Sugar: I have to move my web site. But
I will leave it on the present site until I get it up and running elsewhere
so you won't be lost.
Nadgabjoe: Dolores will your message board be
around
CCChefDol: of course nad...My stuff is NOT on aol
at all...never was, never would be.
Pwd Sugar: Dolores is going to be our place to
ground us in all the changes.
CCChefDol: yep...I'll be here the same as ever
CCChefDol: Only dif…You just won't be able to email
me at dolores777 after I leave. Then you can always still email me at proicer@one.net
CCChefDol: Rang...aol is dropping our chat and
the cooking club
Rangodam: when?
CCChefDol: within 2 months we think...aol won't
tell us the truth
Rangodam: why are they doing that?
Pwd Sugar: We will be here through the end of June
for sure.
CCChefDol: because they don't make money off of
us - never did but we sure were a darn good come-on weren't we?
GumSeeMow: Rango: They don't make any money here.
Icing Wiz: what do they meant they don't make money
off us. I would have used another cheaper sevice if I hadn't found out
about chat
CCChefDol: they make money from advertisements
you see on there server...when you buy stuff
CCChefDol: Icing...that IS where they are going
to be VERY surprised -maybe they'll be happy we left - at first. Even BIG
business can be wrong...remember Prodigy years ago? They
sure were above aol until they made a bunch of wrong
moves we didn't stand for
Pwd Sugar: That is what we were told Icing.
GumSeeMow: C-Dol: You're right. Oh, well. There
are many more servers begging. The only reason I have AOL is for the kitchen
chats.
CCChefDol: You need one local - OR nation-wide
Pies4me: I am thinking of switching carrier too....fed
up with aol lately the only thing stopping me is missing these chat rooms.
Takes half hour to log on and then get bumped. They told me it was my computer!
CARJAR4: Me too
CCChefDol: Pies...ALL servers are faster!
Icing Wiz: we all need to complain tonight!
CCChefDol: they just don't tell us the whole truth!
Pwd Sugar: I think that is the reason most of us
are on AOL. Our sugar fix for the week
Rangodam: how can we complain
CCChefDol: complaining now won;t do one bit of
good...its done and over now
CARJAR4: Where is the best place to send our complaints
too
Scootrputt: steve case?
CCChefDol: CAR...it will do no good at all
Pies4me: in the garbage Car.... they dont care
Icing Wiz: ok well I will tell them they need to
cahnge their minds
ReneeLSchl: aol does make $$ off of us, we use
them just for the chats!!
CCChefDol: believe me, it will do NO good to complain
to anyone on aol at all
GOOO8: yes, I agree with DOL, they're a big conglomerate
now
Pies4me: no, you are right Chef...been there, done
it..
Rangodam: where can we read about it
CCChefDol: keyword: cookingclub
CCChefDol: aol doesn't really care and they have
no idea how many of us will leave FAST
GOOO8: Will anyone who changes their email address
please notify me? I'd hate to lose contact with you folks!
L2jlu2: yes, we all must keep in touch, lets not
lose each other
CCChefDol: If you all send me your new email addresses,
I'll make sure they are posted
CCChefDol: mine is proicer@one.net
Icing Wiz: sounds good Dol
GOOO8: That's a great idea!
Kidzcakez: Thanks, Dol.
Bridal1: My other one is Bridal@Juno.Com
CCChefDol: One thing...sign up with Juno.com or
hotmail.com so you don't lose email priveleges
GOOO8: will you be making a subsection separate
for new emails?
Icing Wiz: yes my son has hotmail
Pies4me: how many are thinking of leaving aol?
CCChefDol: Bridal...do you need any other server?
CCChefDol: me
Nadgabjoe: me
GumSeeMow: Pies: ME
Swtelegnt: me
GOOO8: what limitations are there on juno or hotmail?
Any JPG or BMP restrictions?
ReneeLSchl: my husband would love to leave Aol
, now another reason to
Pies4me: wow
Akentish: me but I do not know who to go to
Icing Wiz: I plan on checking prices i will probably
shift to ATT
ShariH1071: can receive but not send attachments
on juno
Bridal1: Oh, no Juno can connect to the web, but
I have the free one
CCChefDol: You aren't going to STAY with hotmail
or juno probably, but it may be good transition
MAMATENN: I'm locked in for a year
CCChefDol: mama...paid...ask them for a refund
MAMATENN: sure will
CCChefDol: Pies...I won't need aol for anything...why
I am leaving
Kidzcakez: I really don't want to lose this chat.
It has been a godsend to me.
GOOO8: Dolores, I have info about the digital
camera from my friend at work. She has an Epson digital $200 price
range but it came with her new Gateway in November
GOOO8: Pwd-you will have to let me know how you
like your new camera.
CCChefDol: and I thought I'd have to pay thousands
for a digital camera
GOOO8: My husband keeps telling me i shoulda gotten
one but I got the Minolta Maxxum in March
Pwd Sugar: I love it. So far it is doing
great. I'll send you a picture of the computer cake I took with it.
RClark8352: Dol, what about sugarcraft, is that
leaving aol too
Pwd Sugar: Sugarcraft site is not on AOL.
CCChefDol: Sugarcraft has nothing to do with aol...never
was on aol and will remain
CCChefDol: Be saving any info off aol that you want before you leave! You can open your log and save recipes in one file easy and fast
Pwd Sugar: By the way the computer cake last
week came out great. E-Mail me if you want me to send you a pic.
Icing Wiz: I finally bought another scanner but
I am still not sure how to use it I did manage to get one cake pic scanned
and put into a file but I can't remember how I did it
GOOO8: Oh, I am EXCITED now! Send it send
it send it LOL
CCChefDol: Pwd's picts look fantastic
CAROLF7: i dont know how to work the computer that
well, but my husband made me a copy of your computer cake, it was neat.
CarolA5238: the printer for the edible image and
yours is to much the other one is something like 800,
CCChefDol: Carol...get that one...its the WIDE
one and what you will like most.
MHohimer: Why buy a digital camera, just have your
regular pictures put on
CD Rom disk.
CarolA5238: I have to do some real sweet talking.
CCChefDol: you MUST have a scanner with the printer
GumSeeMow: MH: Or scan them
CCChefDol: Pwd took picts last week and sent them
to us already
MHohimer: Yes, but I don't have a scanner.
CCChefDol: people will bring you photos all the
time to do
CARJAR4: Should we all have scanner with the printer?
don't understand
GumSeeMow: MH: $60.00? I tried to scan my photo
and it fried:)
CCChefDol: must own a scanner of some sort
CarolA5238: I have people asking me about the pictures
on a cake and I'd be the only person around here with that type of printer.
GumSeeMow: Aken: Maybe I scanned it in the bread
machine.
CCChefDol: Carol...mine has paid for itself twice
or more
CARJAR4: What kind do you have Dol?
CCChefDol: I know of another person who is doing
picts for someone else too
and earning a lot that way
CCChefDol: I have Kopykakes
CARJAR4: Yes i know that one.
CCChefDol: But I already had a scanner...an HP4c
CARJAR4: What are the prices of them now?
CCChefDol: KopyKakes is the best way I think. Others
are higher
RClark8352: Dol, how much does KopyKakes go for?
CCChefDol: RC: $800.00 for the wide one
CARJAR4: Dol is your scaner an Hp
CCChefDol: I think the scanner would also pay for
us to have
CCChefDol: My scanner is an HP4c
Akentish: Got HP 1120 desk jet got it for $399
CCChefDol: I have an HP 1200c printer too
GumSeeMow: I have Cannon BJC-620. Excellent, but
slow.
Akentish: want to get a scanner how much Chef Dol
Akentish: want an HP they are good used to work
for them years ago
CARJAR4: May I ask the price of your HP4c
CCChefDol: I dont know about scanners now...I paid
over $1,000.00 but they are waaay cheaper now
CCChefDol: $1400.00 with extra ram memory = HP
printer...heavy duty
CCChefDol: KopyKake likes for you to have their
scanner...if you don't already have one
CCChefDol: Gum...the printer of KopyKakes is actually
a BJC but it is altered for us
CCChefDol: HP printers are really best but the
head is on each cartridge and won't do for us to...print the edible pictures
CCChefDol: CAR...get an HP printer...holds up best
I bet. Mine has 4 cartridges...1 ea color
CARJAR4: I have a HP printer its the scanner I
would like to get.
Rangodam: How many do you think a 2 layer
star pan will serve?
Icing Wiz: I am wearing a dress like I was a guest
at the wedding
CCChefDol: Rang...not over 10-12
CCChefDol: it looks small too
Pwd Sugar: Not for $200 I only
wish LOL
CCChefDol: hard to cut
Rangodam: 10 - 12 dol? that doesn’t sound right
CCChefDol: Rang....just a guess...but very hard
to cut
ReneeLSchl: how many mix does it take Rang?
Rangodam: 2 boxes
Rangodam: one box for each layer
Rangodam: I was thinking about 40!
ReneeLSchl: figure about 12 servings per box? same
servings as a one layer 11x15
CCChefDol: Rang...mine takes 1 mix for 2 layers...dif.
pan
Rangodam: that's it, 12 per box?
Rangodam: I have to serve about 40 any ideas? It's
a star theme party, really have to use the pan! She's 10
ReneeLSchl: put the star cake on top of a sheet
cake
Kidzcakez: Rango, maybe you could put the star
on top of a sheet cake.
Rangodam: You mean separate cakes?
ReneeLSchl: put star on top of an 11x15