Shiny object syndrome – we’ve all been there
Come on, hands up, who has wasted vast amounts of money on cake decorating tools only for them to gather dust in a box somewhere because you just haven’t needed to use them, or they ended up not being your style of decorating?
When you are put in front of a stall at a cake show, or left to ‘just check there is nothing else you need’ in a cake decorating shop, I think we can all admit to shiny object syndrome!
Since finding my style and niching down, I do find I am a lot more controlled and focused, but when it comes to the higher investment items, it can be scary parting with your hard earned money, in fear of another ‘mistake buy’.
With this in mind, I’m writing this blog to share my top 5 investiment cake items that I could not live without. They have all been worth every penny.
Have you ever been asked what’s the one item you would grab in a fire? Well, keep reading to find out what mine would be!
5. Agbay – professional cake decorating torting tool
In at number 5 has to be my Agbay. For precise and easy torting of my wedding cakes, no matter what the thinness. I love this piece of equipment. Most cakers, who own one, would put this as the item they would grab in a fire situation. For me this is not my number 1, even though I do love it…
4. Insulation Box – wedding cake transporation box
With most of my wedding cake deliveries being 1+ hours’ drive, this is a crucial piece of kit. Any of my buttercream or ganache tiers, that can’t go in my cake safe, need to stay chilled for stacking at the venue. This box works perfectly. And it happens to be raining or windy on delivery? It keeps the wedding cake tiers completely protected from that tricky ‘car to venue’ walk. Oh and no cardboard lids flying off in the wind! (I’m sure we have all experienced that).
So although not strictly a cake decorating tool as such, it’s a complete game changer for me.
3. Ganache Plates – ganache and buttercream cake decorating covering tools
I couldn’t get a true round or square wedding cake without these clever discs.
Those who freehand their shapes, I take my hat off to you!
My Profroster and Evil Cake Genious Frostinator, only just missed getting onto this list. Although I use them for almost every wedding cake (and love them both equally), with my ganache plates, I could life without them by using an alternative method, however they do make my job quicker, for sure!
2. Kingpin Rolling Pin – weighted rolling pin – an impressive cake decorating tool
Oh my goodness, I love this weighed Kingpin rolling pin! It makes light work of rolling out sugarpaste/fondant icing. With it’s handles, it makes rolling without any ridges, so easy, as allows you to glide over the whole length of sugarpaste in one movement.
Aside from a sheeter (an expense I have yet to justify), this rolling pin is a must have. it’s worth it’s weight in gold (and believe me, it’s pretty heavy!). A must for any wedding cake designer who works with sugarpaste/fondant.
1. The Cake Safe – wedding cake secure transportation box
Finally, we arrive at the investment cake decorating tool that I would grab in the event of a fire…my CakeSafe. This has to be, hands down, my number one cake decorating tool and equipment item.
The anxiety I used to experience on the wedding cake delivery journey, not to mention the week leading up to it, was so real. It completely dampened my love of designing and creating my wedding cakes.
Since investing in the Cakesafe, all that anxiety has disappeared. Delivery journeys are a dream…and so much quicker! Before the Cakesafe, an hour’s journey would take one and a half hours due to slowers driving. Accelerating and decelerating would have to be more slowly and taking corners and roundabouts at snail’s pace. Now I just drive normally.
If you have found this blog useful, you may wish to read
Cover image: Shaun Peters Photography
Agbay – www.agbayproducts.com
Ganache Plates – www.cake-stuff.com
Cake Safe UK supplier – www.chrissiecakesandsuppliers.co.uk
Who is Sue Hurst – Wedding Cake Designer in Essex
Hey, I am Sue! I am a wedding cake maker in Essex, specialising in modern and bespoke wedding cakes in Essex, London, Suffolk, Kent, Surrey and beyond. With 12 years of cake making experience, my business has changed over the years, until I found my biggest passion – weddings.
I absolutely adore everything about designing and making wedding cakes. From getting to know my couples, right through to setting up their dream cake (quite often a design they would never have dreamt of before their journey with me).
Having the honour of being a part of such a special day in my couples’ lives, is something I never take for granted.
My blog posts about weddings cakes in the South and South East England are based on experience and are aimed to help you plan your dream wedding.
