Last week our local library invited a lady in to show us some cake decorating basics. The kids wanted to go because there were cookies and frosting involved. I wanted to go because I wanted to learn a few things about cake decorating.
I had way too much fun playing with the frosting tips and patterns. In fact…I sort of forgot that really and truly I was supposed to be there to help the kids.
“Mom…can I have a turn with the squeezy thing?”
Oh yeah.
Anyway…I was enjoying myself so much that after it was all over, the lady offered to let me take the leftover frosting home so that I could keep playing. I decided to ignore the fact that the frosting was loaded with shortening, sugar and food coloring and I said yes please. Hey, it was about decorating…not eating…right?
I quickly baked some cupcakes when I got home then played with my Pampered Chef Accent Decorator to make these flowers:
I thought they turned out kind of cute. I decided that if I was using shortening and food coloring….I might as well throw in a few M&Ms too. Shucks why not? We had a little girl house guest this weekend and she gave me a big smile for these. Yay…someone to appreciate purple flowers with me.
I don’t think I’ll quit my day job…but squeezing frosting out of a tube and making patterns is really cool. I’m thinking that I’m going to redeem a couple of Swagbuck earned Amazon cards so that I can get one of these because it will work much better than the one I have for what I’d like to learn.
Now (because this is what I do) I will experiment with different kinds of frostings so that I can create a yummy one that works for decorating that doesn’t require shortening. And I will play with different ideas for adding coloring that doesn’t require food coloring. (I hear beet juice works well for pink.)
As soon as I have some fun things learned and figured out (and if the result isn’t embarassing to share in picture form)…I’ll let you know.
In the meantime today, check out the carnival going on over at Life as Mom and enjoy all kinds of cake decorating ideas!
I use this recipe: http://www.chow.com/recipes/10856
You can either use regular milk instead of the soy or cut it out altogether.
I want to learn more about cake decorating myself! I want to make my little guy’s first birthday cake, so I should probably start practicing!
I always make my icing(frosting) with butter which works well as long as you keep it in the fridge i.e. while you’re piping with what’s in the bag you have to keep the rest in the fridge – in summer anyway.
I have a small home cake business and I use powder sugar, meringue powder, vanilla, butter and water to make my icing. Have fun!!
But will beet juice make the frosting taste like dirt? :>) I’ve snuck canned beets into smoothies a time or two and Hubs will always notice the dirt flavor!
I am just starting to decorate cakes. I have looked into different frostings (instead of the shortening ones.) Like another poster mentioned to just use all butter. This consistency leaves much to be desired. Someone else mentioned coconut oil (solidfied…then again the cake will have to be refrigerated until eaten). There must be a way!!!
This weekend I am going to make a “garden” themed cake for my dad ( he loves to garden). I will post if it comes out reasonable. Have you seen Bakerella’s blog site…very cool.http://bakerella.blogspot.com/
We make two frostings that are 100% sugar free:
Cream cheese frosting
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 c butter
1/2 t stevia
1 T honey (or to taste)
Mix it up and add milk to get it to desired consistency (doesn’t take much) Carrots work for many things, and there are also natural dyes available. ;) The Squirrels Nest has some, which works if youre in America.. (http://www.squirrels-nest.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.catalog&categoryID=1)
Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup agave nectar (or maple syrup)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered milk (non-dairy works too)
I sift the cocoa and milk powder. Whip it all up and you’re good to go. It gets ROCK hard in the fridge so I pull the cake out to let the frosting “soften” before serving. ;)
Oh, and I’ll also say that Maple Sugar and Coconut sugar can be subbed scoop for scoop with real sugar soo.. if ground fine enough I bet you could get a really tasty frosting from them.
Kendra
Personally, I prefer the Wilton cake decorating supplies… You can usually find the basic sets for $10-15…
Hi Laura,
You would LOVE LOVE LOVE this DVD we just got for my girls last week.
http://teachinggoodthings.com/homemaking-skills/basic-cake-decorating-dvd-2/
They wanted to learn more about cake decorating so we got them this after reading the reviews. It is great and teaches SO MUCH. We have a little tradition here that on each birthday the birthday child get to pick his/her birthday dessert and pick how we will decorate it if it is a cake type treat and then they get to decorate it either w me or alone. I guess starting that when my girls were just toddles has started a passion in their hearts for decorating b/c now at age 9 & 10 they LOVE cake decorating. We wanted to learn more professional ways so we got the DVD. My girls and I watched the DVD together and just keep saying…wow…that is so great we can’t wait to try it out. She goes over almost everything you need to know. She does NOT use healthy ingredients at all, but we are going to play around w that for our family.
I saw some healthy shortening at Azure I was going to do research on to try. B/c w this DVD and decorating you need a good frosting. She teaches you how to make so many things on the cake and tells you what tools to get at walmart. It is basically several cake classes in one DVD!
Oh, Whole foods has natural colored dyes. They are not cheap but they will last a long long time.
You can get the supplies for Wilson things at Walmart. I see them on sale some too. Walmart has started carrying a huge amount of the products. Yippee B/c we do not live close to a hobby lobby!
Also, would you share your cupcake recipe?
Have a great day.
Jessica
I *HATE* frosting made with shortening! I find the slimy texture to be repulsive. Butter can be substituted for either margarine or shortening in equal amounts. Use it room temperature and REALLY cream it.
I love cake decorating, but it requires a great deal of concentration on my part (probably because I’m an undertrained overachiever who likes to tackle roses and such) so I don’t often do it as I have 5 distractions right now (6 if my husband is home. :D )
Awesome! I can’t wait to hear what you learn. I make frosting with butter. Smitten Kitchen had a recent chocolate recipe that she made with sour cream.
Very cute — as a mom of four boys, I approve the purple flowers. ;)
I can’t wait to read about what you come up with! I love to make homemade cakes and frosting! I have played around and I find that a mixture of butter and cream cheese, along with vanilla and sugar and milk works well. Add cocoa if you want a chocolate cream cheese frosting-yummy! I have not tried it with any sweetener other that white sugar yet. The big challenge would be to figure out a recipe for fondant that did not require shortening. I made my daughter a tea pot cake for her 5th birthday, and I covered it in fondant. I made marshmallow fondant, but it has shortening…a lot of shortening. It felt really strange buying crisco at the grocery store…I felt the need to explain to the cashier why I was buying shortening…you know, my excuse. She looked at me like she could have cared less…but I was actually embarrassed to buy it! Which is why I am not sure I would be able to make your homemade vanilla recipe…unless you can order that stuff online?
here is a pic of my teapot cake:
http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v644/33/3/827382570/n827382570_2046059_9747.jpg
I agree…why not add a few M&Ms.
They’re adorable, Laura!
Check out yard sales or CL for decorating supplies! Last weekend, someone was selling four big boxes of cake pans (all different shapes) and tons for decorating stuff for $25. I have fond memories of the decorated cakes my mom always made for birthdays. She must have stayed up til midnight!
Your little flowers are so cute. I want one of those piping bags too but I’ve been told that ziplock bags (with a little hole cut off one corner) work better for piping – I’ve yet to try them though.
Summer
I like the purple flowers and I’m impressed. Maybe I’ll try it – I havea two year old who would love purple flowers..or pink!
Butter works well for frosting and I *think* you could use coconut oil if you kept it refrigerated. My problem is how to substitute for powdered sugar! I can’t make a good “cake decorating” frosting without it! If you figure out that conundrum, I would LOVE to hear about it. :-)
Beet juice makes pink. Shredded carrots boiled with a little milk makes yellow. :) Very cute cupcakes!
hi laura, i just came across your blog and am loving it! these cupcakes are adorable!
Looking forward to some natural food coloring options! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing Laura!!
Hi. I treasured to drop you a quick note to impart my thanks. I’ve been observing your blog for a month or so and have picked up a heap of good information as well as enjoyed the way you’ve structured your site. I am attempting to run my own blog however I think its too general and I would like to focus more on smaller topics.
I worked at a bakery for a couple of years, and the decorating was definitely the best part of the job!