Wedding cake problem:(?

well i have just started my business as a wedding

cake baker and designer, and i need some serious help.

wedding cake: hello! its a big deal. a wedding without a cake is the BIGGEST mistake, so i am going to take this

very seriously. i know how to bake the cake and my flavors are absolutely delicious, but idont kno how to decorate it! this lady asked me to make her one, and im done, but its absolutely plain rite now. like: NOTHING on it except a layer of frosting. what am i supposed to add to it? and how do i add fresh flowers to tthe top? what frosting/icing techniques am i to use? PLEASE HELP!

Wedding cake problem:(?
Those are all things you should have learned how to do BEFORE starting a cake business. Thats why most cake places, like the one where I ordered my cake, are run by professional pastry chefs. They go to school to learn all those techniques.



As for what exactly to put on it, the person who orders the cake is supposed to tell you what they want. And you should have full cakes (usually pictures will suffice) for potential customers to look at so they can get an idea of what kind of service you provide and you should be able to replicate them should anyone want what they see. If you really are a cake designer you should have no problem creating your own designs. But if you do need ideas, check out pictures of wedding cakes online and change them around a bit to form your own creations.
Reply:hi, if you have just started your business you should really get practicing on icing decorations straight away. I would suggest buying a 'fake cake' base and try out different designs. There are lots of websites around that can help but suggest you have a few more practice sessions, maybe take a course on cake decorating and build up your confidence before taking on anymore clients.

There are many different types of icing to use, in the UK Royal Icing is used for the more traditional style wedding cake, you could use sugar paste etc for the flowers. Look for Sugar Craft on the web for ideas.

For decorating with fresh flowers you need to use a small plastic cone (often called a 'flower pick') which you put your decoration into and then push into the top of the cake. This cone protects the cake from any wires or flower stems.



Hope this gives you some ideas! Good luck with your new business.
Reply:Okay, rather than telling you that you needed to practice first here is some real advise since you are already half way through the cake making.



1, to use fresh flowers on a cake go to a florist and ask them to arrange a small posy of flowers to suit the size cake you are making. They will know what to use that will last well out of water (roses are ideal if you put them in on the day of the wedding)



2, cut the stems of the posy very short (not so short that the posy falls apart) and wrap them in aluminum foil.



3, cut a small hole in the top tier of the cake (better to make it too small than too big) and insert the posy, you may need to add a little frosting to hold the flowers straight



4, go to barnes and noble and check out their cake decorating books, there are some excellent books, I would suggest you buy a couple for inspiration and techniques for the next cake.



5, don't give up, each cake will improve and before you know it you will be pro



6, watch 'Ace of Cakes' on the food network, he rocks!
Reply:There are tons of options for designs in icing. Maybe before you started your business you should have studied and prepared for the decorating of the cake first. I suggest you look into a cake decorating class as soon as you can. In the meantime check out the web sites for Food network. good luck!!
Reply:Hello



Flowers do look gorgeous on a wedding cake see the link below for some wedding cake flower designs.



Also why not buy some books from Amazon they can be really reasonably priced and give you advice and ideas.



There are probably some books on starting up your own business too.



Best advice - don't give up! and keep your business records in good order !
Reply:HOW ABOUT USING CARNATIONS OR BABY ROSES ON TOP. ASK IF THEY LIKE BUTTER CREAM OR WOULD THEY PREFER WHIP CREAM. FIND OUT THE COUPLES FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS AND GO WITH THAT. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR NEW BUSINESS. HOPE IT HELPED.
Reply:You could put bows of buttercream icing with small flowers on each bow. Bows and flowers should be in her wedding colors.



On top use a cardboard round to set on top of the wedding cake. Tthe flowers could be used in a mound shape or you could a flower ring with the bride and groom on top.



Good luck in your business.
Reply:ive always thot that would b an awesome job.



word 2 the wise tho; find out exactly wat a customer wants. sit down and talk with them about it and take notes, draw a sketch, watever. u will want to find (as i said) exactly wat a customer wants, so if they "dont know" or want it to be a "surprise", find out if their wedding is themed, wat the main colors are, the names of the couple, important memories, etc. this will definitely help you.



congratulations on the business. i hope all goes well.
Reply:If you use real flowers make sure they are organic, otherwise the pesticides will get into the icing and make all of the guests sick.



If I was you, I would look at pictures on the internet and try to get an idea of what I want it to look like...hopefully that will help!
Reply:Ask the bride. Find out what her tastes are. Is it a formal wedding or something more casual? Does she have a wedding theme of any sort that you could incorporate into the ckae design?
Reply:For the love of god, whatever you do, don't add any of that stuff that makes the bride lose her sex drive!!! One taste of wedding cake and BAM!!!...she's done.

Just joshin'.....
Reply:WOW!!! You are a very ADVANTAGEOUS woman......
Reply:Take cake decorating classes! A lot of community colleges offer them.
Reply:make flowers on it



do ridges around it



whatever you think looks cute just go for something original....



google some images of wedding cakes and just try it!
Reply:Since this is one of your first clients I'd keep it the simpler the better. Do you know her colors?? You could add some flowers courtesy of her florist.....or make plans with the florist to have her arrange the flowers on the cake.



Another thought is use the colors from her wedding, run down to JoAnns or some other fabric/craft store and get ribbons. I've seen that wrapped around the bottom of each layer and it looks SO elegant!



I think if you look on the Do-it-Yourself network.....www.diy.com they offer tips on frosting



Hope that helps and good luck!
Reply:Wow, you have gotten yourself into quite a dilema!! Why would you start a business you know nothing about. Many people can bake a good cake. Decoraing it is the part that makes it special!! If you don't know what to put on it, I suggest a different line of work!
Reply:I'm sorry but I am not sure if you should have accepted a wedding cake job with out havign done a few pratice cakes.



As for flowers that is pretty simple and the easiest way to decorate a cake, ask the bride what she will be using in the wedding and if she can breing some flowers by (that is usually provided by the florsit or bride to the baker) pipe a small simple dot border along the base of each layer.



Small icing dots that are piped on at symetrical spots around each layer are also very simple and clean looking.
Reply:The lady who did my wedding cake last summer used an airbrush gun to decorate. She had these little ceramic (or plaster something like that) flowers and she decorated the flowers with food coloring and an airbrush paint gun. The cake looked beautiful. You could probably get the same kind of flowers at an arst and crafts store.
Reply:If you do have to use fresh flowers try and rinse them as much as possible as many growers use lots of pesticides that may not agree with some people.
Reply:Oh my! I can't imagine having a business that sells wedding cakes and not knowing how to decorate one! I took Wilton classes, but even after 3 months, I never would have attempted anything fancier than a birthday cake.



Go to http://www.wilton.com/ and you'll find ideas and some basic instructions.



Good luck!