Decorating tips

Pigwidgeon

So now that I'm one semester into college and working, my decorations skills are slowly but surely improving.

It's a friend of mine's 21st next month and she has asked me to make her some cupcakes for the party.

I'm fine with the batter, and making the cupcakes and piping. But as its for something a bit more than just for myself, I wanted to try something a bit different/special for her.

Does anyone have any ideas of something new I could try decoration wise? I'm pretty much open to trying anything.

Acoshla

Make some sugarpaste decorations for on top, flowers, hearts, etc? stuff4cakes.ie, Decobake, Kitchen Compliments and lots more cake supplies shop would have little packs of sugarpaste (Tesco, Lidl and Aldi do too but supply shops have lots of colours) and you could get some plunger cutters and make very cute and easy decorations.

Pigwidgeon

Thanks for the tips, I went into kitchen compliments today and got some sugarpaste and cutters. It's 20% off all this week, so I chose a good time to go in!

I've a quick question about the sugarpaste though, from what I've read I should knead it until it softens up and then roll it out. The one I got is ready to roll, do I still have to knead it? Also, when rolling it would you recommend dusting it with icing sugar or using vegetable fat there seems to be some conflicting views out there!

Sorry for the stupidity, and probable obviousness of these questions, I've just never worked with sugarpaste before!

Acoshla

Yeah knead it a little bit, just until it's a smooth ball and there are no cracks.

Some people use icing sugar to stop it sticking to the work surface, I do this. You just have to make sure not to use too much icing sugar and not to knead it in too much or it'll dry out. And just keep moving the sugarpaste, don't roll it more than 2/3 times in one direction or it will stick to the surface.

Other people use vegetable fat to keep it moist and to almost stick it to the surface when cutting out decorations, I've never used it really unless my icing was drying out.

DreamC

Acoshla wrote: »

Other people use vegetable fat to keep it moist and to almost stick it to the surface when cutting out decorations,

I am one of those "other people" And I prefer to use vagetable fat - only a tiny amount. Just smear lightly your board and rolling pin and wipe them thoroughly with a piece of paper towel. Roll the paste and then just flip it over BEFORE cutting any decorations. That would prevent sticking.

OR

Put a piece of the rolled out paste over the cutter and use a little pin to roll over it rather than scraping the cutter and the paste against the board.

Acoshla

It's so funny how there's like two camps on it I wouldn't even know where to start using vegetable fat/Trex for it!

Pigwidgeon

Thanks for the tips, I gave them to her the other day and she loved them. Her mum was really impressed too and has asked me to make another batch for her for next week, so I'm delighted.



It's not the greatest picture because I took it off my phone, but I was pretty happy with how they turned out.