Beginner's kit-what would you recommend?

Hi there,
I am a keen baker but am very new to the world of decorating cakes (not professionally or anything!) What would you recommend as a starter kit please?

Many thanks for your replies-I am really looking forward to learning lots on here and chatting to like minded people!! (think my hubby is fed up of me going on about cakes!!!)
Nickyxx

Hi Nicky,

Welcome to CU - I hope that you are able to make some useful friends on here. I am not a cake decorator myself, but we do have plenty of expert bakers on here who I am sure will be able to help you. You may like to try the search facility at the top of the page just to get you started and see what others have come up with.

Best wishes,

A.

Hi Nicky!

And a nice welcome from me as well...

I could probably only send you towards a site where to buy a good kit...but I am sure you have googled a few sites yourself and are probably after more personal advice.

I personally would book myself onto a course to learn a few tricks of the trade....in fact it is really something I would like to do but I unfortunately I don't have the time right now.

What kind of decoration would you like to do? Anything special?

Alexia

I recently attended a cupcake decorating course which has started this new obsession with me!!! I enjoy using buttercream and fondant to decorate cakes but I am a real beginner! Have some sugar flair products and some cutters and tools. Am fancying some of the embossing rollers but don't want to get ahead of myself!! Thanks for the welcome everyone-I am desperate to bake today but am doing well on my diet so don't want to tempt myself to eat!!!! What a hobby to have when you are dieting!!!

What a hobby indeed....

A friend of mine is really into cake decorating. I have to get her share some of her tricks here on Cooksunited. In fact it was her who also sent me this link: cakes

Is that what you have been learning/doing as well? All these cakes look way to good to be eaten actually so maybe that's a good thing in regard to your diet. And you simply have to sell them and make a fortune!

Happy Easter!

Alexia

Hi Nicky!

I'm friends with Alexia, and love to bake!

I too am obsessed with cake, researching ideas, buying tools, testing new recipes and of course, trailing my products!
I would recommend trying anything you fancy or like the look of! Practice makes perfect and it's good fun along the way!

A few things I would recommend to buy:
A piping set with a selection of nozzles - disposable bags are better I find, less mess!! Larger nozzles gives bigger and better swirls!!
A set of modelling tools for sugar paste - iT contains the ball tool, shell tool, blade etc - its amazing what effects they can create!
A set of shaped cutters to cut out nice toppers for any sized cake - geo shapes are so versatile, my heart shape is severely over used!!

Not sure where you're based but my favourite website in th UK to buy from is 'thecraftcompany.co.uk'
They have a great selection and one of the cheapest I've found!

I have a page on Facebook called 'Cakes by Ruth' based in Maidenhead, UK
You can see where I started (very basic) and where I'm pushing myself too now!
I love presenting my friends and family with a cake or two!

Hope I've helped! Happy baking and decorating!

Ruth

Ps defo invest in am embosser......I have the quilter and I love it!!

Hi

I started buy buying a few cupcake decorations and wrappers, tried to make my own theme so I bought all things silver..silver cupcake wrappers and silver cupcake pearl decorations for decoration and then had a play.

Hope you have fun..

All you need for beginning cake decorating is ready-made sugarpaste icing which you can just use like playdo. If you'd rather have a go at making it from scratch then you can see how here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkn3bWmquTk&feature=plcp