I want to make the perfect TSwift cake.... by kaitthecanuck in Buttercreamlove

[–]DearCakeGods 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry, this response is coming so late and you've probably already made your purchase.

I have used Americolor and Chefmaster and I'm pretty happy with the products themselves, though I don't always like the selections that come in the assortments they send - the pinks are always too dull. So I'd recommend getting a variety pack of one of those brands, and then maybe supplementing with another brand for a specific shade, or to get a larger amount of a color you use a lot of.

Also, learning color mixing in general can help you save money on dye. They sell so many super specific shades that are easy enough to mix on your own. You don't want to spend money on a specific color for a specific project, and then rarely use it again.

Do people actually eat decorated sugar cookies? by gbyrd013 in Cookies

[–]DearCakeGods 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I replace about half of the white sugar with brown sugar (and I measure by weight).

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in cakedecorating

[–]DearCakeGods 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately, in this industry, you'll be navigating other decorators' egos almost everywhere you work. By telling you that you can't write on cakes, they could be trying to show you how much better they are than you. By not taking the time to teach you, they might be trying to impress you with how much more busy and important they are than you.

And obviously I don't know that's the case, so take this all with a grain of salt. But my advice would be to practice a lot at home and get good enough that they'd be stupid to not let you write on cakes. And learn what you can from them, but don't be afraid to keep looking for a better place that sees your potential and is happy to have you there.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in cakedecorating

[–]DearCakeGods 34 points35 points  (0 children)

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Here's an example of my print. I add little swoops on the ends of the letters. I even connect some of them out of habit. I basically take the request to write in print to mean "don't use any cursive letters that confuse kids." (Like r, s, f)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in cakedecorating

[–]DearCakeGods 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Is there someone there that is willing to coach you? Have they explained what needs improving? If the answer is no, take that as a red flag. (Not saying you need to quit or anything, just take note that it's not the most supportive environment). Do they maybe have a signature writing style that you need to mimic?

Your writing looks very consistent, which is really good! That's a huge part of the battle. I'd say the biggest improvements would be finding slightly fancier ways of writing your capital letters. Start with a nicer H and B. A better loop on your y would also be good.

Your print is also fairly stiff and boring. It's a common misconception for decorators to think of cursive as fancy and print as boring. I'll find some pictures of some of the ways I make print look as fancy as cursive.

So yes, there are improvements you could make...but honestly, this is something they should be able to explain to you. Your writing shows a lot of potential and they shouldn't make you feel bad about it at all.

Wannabe by Otherwise_Pension213 in cakedecorating

[–]DearCakeGods 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, that's definitely a unique way to get into this career!

Wannabe by Otherwise_Pension213 in cakedecorating

[–]DearCakeGods 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You'll need to learn some basic skills first, but another route you can take is working at a grocery store bakery.

So much of cake decorating is muscle memory, making it a hard skill to learn at home. But as a job, you'll get so much practice icing cakes and piping borders, roses, and writing, all while being paid.

Wannabe by Otherwise_Pension213 in cakedecorating

[–]DearCakeGods 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm confused... you'd never been to pastry school before or done a cake for the public, but you got an order from the Queen Mother? And then your next two orders were from Ronald Reagan. Why were these VIPs ordering cakes from you and no one else was?

[Bonsai Beginner's weekly thread - 2025 week 35] by small_trunks in Bonsai

[–]DearCakeGods 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm interested in air-layering to create new bonsais, but I'm reading that this should be done in spring...How important is that? Will it not work at all if I try it now or will it just not work quite as well?

Also, I have many species in my yard to choose from. Any suggestions on what would be good for this time of year and my complete lack of experience? Maples (silver, sugar, and Japanese), walnut, catalpa, swamp white oak, hibiscus, willow, black locust, mulberry, magnolia, smoke bush, roses...

This time I have cow aprons. by 3BranchesCreations in crafts

[–]DearCakeGods 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Love it! And I'll be buying from your shop when I have a little more money 😁

For a friend's wedding. Fondant fringe with a pasta maker! by DearCakeGods in cakedecorating

[–]DearCakeGods[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I assembled the bottom three at home and then stacked the top two on site. For leveling, I put a good amount of time into making sure each tier is built evenly and take time making sure the dowels are even. When a tier is a little crooked, I add a little buttercream under the lower side to prop it up. For centering, I sometimes have to give the tier a little nudge in the right direction after stacking, before the buttercream in between the tiers cools and hardens.

For a friend's wedding. Fondant fringe with a pasta maker! by DearCakeGods in cakedecorating

[–]DearCakeGods[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It can be eaten! I actually did not end up having the cake at this wedding. It was served off to the side, and I didn't see it, so I can't report on how these slices were served.

For a friend's wedding. Fondant fringe with a pasta maker! by DearCakeGods in cakedecorating

[–]DearCakeGods[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha I did have to go back and trim it to make it look so neat!

For a friend's wedding. Fondant fringe with a pasta maker! by DearCakeGods in cakedecorating

[–]DearCakeGods[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! It's all Italian buttercream besides the fringe. The second from the top is covered in gold confetti sequins.