I’m sure you’ve noticed the recent craze in cake decorating: the gravity defying cake!

The old days of the “simple” topsy turvy cakes like below are gone.

Now it’s been taken up a notch, with increasing tilt angles and the use of custom internal structures to achieve the seemingly impossible:

They can be intimidating; especially the first one you make. But with that also comes the fun of the challenge and the feeling of pride when you’re done.

I’m an advocate for all of us trying to push past our comfort zones. I encourage you to give them a try if you haven’t. You might be surprised at what you can do.

If you do foray into the anti-gravity cake world, here’s a few basic tips to keep in mind:

•  Plan, plan, plan – Take a good amount of time to really think it through and design your structure. Use whatever tutorials you can find, and apply that info to your specific project.
• Don’t push it – Keep your angles at about 10 degrees, no more than 15. You’d be surprised how “topsy” a 10 degree angle will look.
• Do a test run – If it’s your first go at it, do a dry run with maybe two tiers, to ensure you’ve got all the basics nailed down. You may discover some issues you didn’t expect, and you can resolve them before you do the “real” version.
• Ensure food safety – This is a biggie. Structure cakes use a lot of materials not intended for use with food. Find out what steps you need to take to make sure all parts are compliant with food safety rules. Example: disinfect all PVC pieces before use or paint metal pieces with a food safe paint
• Think about weight – Consider how much weight your structure will need to hold and choose your materials accordingly. A small bag of M&M’s pouring out into a “bowl” would work using a thin wooden or plastic dowel, but a hefty project like the one below will need heavy duty metal rods, flanges, PVC, washers and nuts to keep it stable.
• Support your support – Just like a traditional tiered wedding or party cake, you need super strong support boards under each tier of cake. Use something that won’t flex or bend, like 1/2 inch fomecore, plywood, or MDF (covered with plastic wrap to make it food safe.)
• Break out the ganache – The tiers that make up a gravity defying cake are often sitting at a pretty steep angle. I recommend using ganache under fondant, rather than buttercream. That ganache shell sets up nice and firm to hold everything in place with much less chance of shifting or sliding.
• Have fun! Go ahead and dive in and have a good time. Don’t let fear hold you back. Start small and work your way up to the big time like this beauty:

Full length video tutorial for this gravity defying Birthday Bash cake is available in my online school along with a special offer:

LEAN MORE HERE

Happy Caking!
Sharon

NOLA Photography http://bentzphotography.com/

The post Tips For Gravity Defying Cakes appeared first on Sugared Productions Blog.

Today I want to spotlight one of our new tutorials and guest instructor. Shannon Bond of Shannon Bond Cake Design is an AMAZING cake artist, who in this fondant dominated cake world, has perfected the art of the buttercream ruffle technique.

This hour long video is packed full of valuable techniques, that will help you become a buttercream master! Check out some photos below from the tutorial:
 

Gorgeous symmetrical buttercream rosettes with rustic icing on the top  tier:

Asymmetrical rosettes and free form ruffles, all in buttercream:

All done with one piping tip:

Both of these cakes are taught in the video tutorial.

How amazing is her work?

If you’d like to learn these gorgeous techniques, do take advantage of our special offer:

One month of full membership to our online school for only $3

You’ll get access to the full website, over 300 tutorials, and our private members’ only Facebook group for 30 days. At that time you can stay and pay at the regular price of $10 per month or cancel anytime. No risk and no obligation.

YOU CAN JOIN HERE

I’d love to have you join me.

Sharon

SugarEd Productions

—————————————————————————————–

About The Instructor: 

Shannon Bond is an award winning cake artist based in Olathe, KS and owner of Shannon Bond Cake Design, which serves the greater Kansas City areas. Shannon has been featured in publications such as Cake Masters Magazine, American Cake Decorating Magazine, Cake Central, Cake Design France Magazine, Papilles Magazine, EA Bride Magazine, Australia CAKE!, Sweet Magazine, DIY Weddings Magazine, Party Cakes Magazine, and other multiple online blogs and websites. Visit her Facebook page here.

NOLA Photography http://bentzphotography.com/

The post Tutorial Sale: Buttercream Rosettes and Ruffles appeared first on Sugared Productions Blog.

I’m so excited to announce that my dear friend, Rebecca Sutterby of Sugar Creations, is hosting a gumpaste  flowers class.  If you have not attended one of Rebecca’s classes, you are definitely missing out!

Rebecca is an award-winning sugar artist and instructor. She has been a Food Network Challenge champion as well as the grand champion at the world prestigious Oklahoma Sugar Art Show. She has a special expertise in gum paste flowers, and her classes are highly coveted and rare. If you have the opportunity to take this class, I can wholeheartedly recommend it without reservation. You will not be disappointed!

E-mail Rebecca at rebecca@sugarcreations.com to reserve your spot!

Happy caking!

Sharon

The post Rebecca Sutterby Gumpaste Flowers Class appeared first on Sugared Productions Blog.

The time has finally come!  It has been a long and crazy journey, but we made it! The SugarEd Productions Online Sugar Art School is now open!

I am SO very excited about the new school and all the features we have to offer. It is your one stop place to learn all things cake.

Here is a list of just some of things waiting for you:

• library of outstanding video tutorials featuring myself and other celebrity instructors
• printable photo tutorial library with tons of amazing ideas and how-tos created by some of the brightest talent in the industry.
• printable recipe bank chock full of deliciousness
• access to business, photography and decorating articles you won’t find anywhere else
• member tutorials and recipes – share your favorites with the rest of the community
• member photo gallery where you can marvel at your friends’ creations and post your own
• advice and chat forums with positive conversation and useful information; interact with me and other members anytime you want
• enjoy games, contests and other interactive activities within the SugarEd community
• valuable resources include lists of classes, events, organizations, and offsite tutorials
• special SugarEd store discounts for members only
• new content is added (at least) weekly

We have wonderful guest instructors lined up for you as well. Kathleen Lange will teach us her Lambeth and embellishment piping techniques:

Wayne Steinkopf of Swank Cake Design has filmed four videos for us. This beautiful celebration cake is just one example of what he has in store for us:

The amazing Bronwen Weber and Francois Long  have  fun filled videos on sculpted cakes and structure coming soon:

Here are some more examples of tutorials we have waiting for you, as well as some coming soon:

Gorgeous piping and fantasy flowers:

Fondant figures of many types will be added to our growing library:

Do you want to learn how to ganache  and fondant cover a tall double barrel cake? And learn the popular luster and leaf techniques? We have the videos that will show you how! (The ganache and fondant videos are available now and the luster video will be added Monday)

Learn how to get your cakes perfectly smooth, with level tops, sharp edges and no bulges!

You can have 24/7 access to the entire online school from any computer or mobile device. We add new content every week (or more), so there is always something new to see, learn and explore.

We have tutorials on:

• cake projects
• chocolate work
• flowers
• figures
• desserts
• candy
• cookies
• cupcakes
• specialty techniques
• business
• food safety
• marketing
• and an exclusive series on cake photography you won’t find anywhere else!

AND we have a special bonus for our new members. Everyone who joins will get an exclusive bonus PDF tutorial for this adorable elephant…….

…….AND this cute badge for your profile page:

It really is a wonderful  place to learn and share. Our current members are loving it. (And I thank those of you who have already joined.) I look forward to chatting with you in the forums; we have a wonderful community growing; Please come join us! 

www.SugarEdProductions.com

Happy Caking,

Sharon

The post SugarEd Online Sugar Art School Open! appeared first on Sugared Productions Blog.

I wanted to let you guys know that I will be teaching a 3 hour mini class at the

That Takes the Cake show in Austin, TX

 Saturday, February 23, 2013

Come learn how to get your cakes perfectly smooth with sharp edges like this!  

All supplies included!

CLASS INFO HERE

And you can also enjoy all the great demos, show cakes and vendors at the show.

Hop to see  you there!

Sharon

The post Buttercream Class appeared first on Sugared Productions Blog.

Bronwen is coming back! Yay!

The post Bronwen Weber Mini Classes in NOLA appeared first on Sugared Productions Blog.

 

 

Hello Sugar Friends!

A couple of months ago my BFF, right arm, crazy talented cake artist, and all around superwoman, Wendy, hosted a  basic buttercream class at her shop. It was a wild two days of flying powdered sugar, flinging icing, bench scrapering, smoothing, and all around good clean fun.  I would love to share some photos with you of this rip roaring event!

 

(You can click on the photos to view them larger)

 

 

Here are all the stations set up and the eager students ready to hang on my every word. OK, maybe not that last part, but they were ready to get started.

 

 

 

 

First we learned how to make smooth as silk and totally airless icing in both the 5 quart and 6 quart mixer.

 

 

 

 

Here is the mixer beating the 5 quart bowl full of icing into airless submission.

 

 

 

 

Take a look at THAT! Not. One. Air. Bubble.

 

 

 

 

 

Next Wendy showed us how to make a big ole batch in the 6 quart mixer.

 

 

 

                            

Serious students scribing scintillating synopses.

 

(OK, I admit I had to use the thesaurus for that one.)

 

 

 

Each student then went back to their stations to make their own batch of icing. You have to do it to really get the feel for it.

 

 

Then it was time to fill the cakes.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a student’s filled cake waiting to be iced. No cake dummies in our classes; always real cake!

 

 

 

Pipe the dam.

 

 

 

 

 

Fill ‘er up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ice that puppy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work that top edge.

 

 

 

Students’ turn!

 

 

 

 

 

Melissa’s finished cake. Wowee girl!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day two. Oh yay, we get to ice square cakes now! And first thing in the morning, too. Whose bright idea was that? Oh yeah, mine.

 

 

 

 

Ice the sides.

 

 

 

 

Smooth with bench scraper.

 

 

 

 

Make those corners so sharp you have to register them as a lethal weapon.

 

 

 

 

Scrape, scrape, scrape.

 

 

 

 

Never saw a camera lens I do not like.

 

 

 

 

 

My finished demo cake.

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Donna working her magic.

 

 

 

 

Bridgette getting her smooth on.

 

 

 

 

Nikole admiring her kick butt corners.

 

 

 

 

Deneise is workin’ it baby!

 

 

 

 

 

Wendy, Melissa, and me.

 

 

 

 

Wendy, Mimi, and me. No, I am not pregnant despite how this photo looks.

 

 

 

 

Mitzi in the smoothing zone.

 

 

 

 

Candi. The most perfectionist student I have ever had. And her work shows it.

 

 

 

 

Lovely Dee.

 

 

 

 

Mattie is as sweet as her cakes.

 

 

 

 

This is Kim. She is my number one student. She has attended every single local class I have given since the beginning of the universe. She is a total sweetie and a fabulous cake artist as well.

 

 

 

 

Here is me pretending to show the talented Myrtis something important. No really, it was important. Whatever it was.

 

 

 

 

This is the only picture I have of Heather. Sorry Heather. Heather looks like Leah Remini. Gorgeous.

 

 

 

 

Leticia making her icing.

 

 

 

 

 

This is Lauri. She was at the buttercream class, but I don’t have a photo of her. So I used this one from the topsy turvy class instead

 

 

 

 

Oh yeah, we have fun. And lots of it!

 

 

 

 

Melissa’s square cake. Ouch!

 

 

 

 

 

As if all of that was not enough, we then did a little lagniappe. (Bonus stuff.) Some good old fashioned piping.

 

 

 

And stenciling on buttercream. Yes, red on white buttercream! Do not fear.

Wait for it…..

 

 

 

 

Wait for it…….

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ta dah!!

 

 

 

 

 

And a few lagniappe things on the round cake as well. Impression mats, some airbrushing and my custom top border.

 

 

So that was it! Two jam packed days full of buttercream fun. We were pooped but happy.

 

 

And then……

 

(Cue the Jaws music)

 

da  nutt 

da nutt

da nutt   da nutt     da nutt

 

 

 

 

 

AHHHHHHHHH!!!

 

 

 

 

OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

IT’S SO SCARY!

 

 

 

 

 

 The dreaded blow out! Ruined my cake!!

 

 

 

Heck no, I was not going to let a blow out ruin my cake! And this was a great opportunity to show the students how to repair one. The reason why I got this blow out was because I  had iced my cake the day before right after I unwrapped it from plastic wrap. I did not take the time to let the condensation dry off the sides. Moisture is a main factor in the development of blow outs. So let’s fix it.

 

 

Take your exacto knife or palette knife and surgically remove the blown out icing.

 

 

 

As you start to cut it away, you will be able to see in there where the icing is no longer touching the sides of the cake. Keep carving all of that away until you get the entire area of non adhered icing off the cake. Then let that air dry out for 20-30 minutes in the A/C.

 

 

 

 

                             

Lawsy that sucker was big!

 

 

 

 

Then I fill in the opening by piping buttercream in with a large round tip or the open coupler. (not shown).

 

 

 

                                      

            Then gently smooth that out with a hot palette knife or small spatula.

 

 

 

 

Let the patch crust well, and then come back with a small piece of smooth food safe paper, and smooth it with your spatula or palette knife over the paper, only over the patch. Do not put pressure on the rest of the impressed pattern. Then let it crust for a while longer before you finish the impression.

 

 

 

                         

It is hard to see in this photo, but I have  a small portion of an impression mat in my hands. (I have an extra mat or two that I cut  up for this purpose.) Match up the pattern and then impress the patch. Just be careful, and you will have a seamless matching of the pattern.

 

 

Then I piped  the missing little crosses on the sides.

 

                                        Before.

 

Happy caking!
Sharon

The post Basic Buttercream Class appeared first on Sugared Productions Blog.

Hope to see you there!

The post appeared first on Sugared Productions Blog.

The post BASIC BUTTERCREAM CLASS appeared first on Sugared Productions Blog.

The post Basic Buttercream Class appeared first on Sugared Productions Blog.