This was tutorial was kindly done by our cake friend Effie.

Equipment Modelling paste 20 gauge wire Pliers Sugar Glue Rolling Pin Sharp Knife or fine scissors Paste colours Dusting colours Flower Drying stand Jem Daisy Centre Stamp Chrysanthemum cutter Gerbera Cutter
Step 1: First step is to make the centre. Using the 20 gauge wire hook the wire as per the picture. Then use the daisy stamp to make the centre and insert the wire into the centre.Allow to dry (I usually make the centres 2-3 days ahead) and then using the liquid or paste colours, colour the centre in the colour of your choice.
Step 2: Roll out the modelling paste and cut out 2 chrysanthemum petals.
Step 3: Once the petals are cut, using a sharp knife or fine scissors, cut each petal into 3 or 4 as per the photo. Repeat for both chrysanthemums.
Step 4: Using some sugar glue, place one flower on top of the other and spread the petals out to make them look full.
Step 5: Moisten the modelling paste with some sugar glue and attach the dried centre. Using your hands, cup the petals around the centre as you need this layer to attach closely to the centre.
Step 6: Repeat steps 2 – 4. Then attach the petals to the centre and this time, instead of cupping them, let them dry relatively flat as per photo.
Step 7: Roll out more modelling paste and this time using the large gerbera cutter, cut out 2 flowers. Vein, using a veining tool or some corn husk. Place one flower on top of the other and attach using some sugar glue. Spread petals out so that flower looks full.
Step 8: Moisten flower centre with sugar glue and attach centre. Allow to dry in flower stand.
Gerberas can be coloured using petal dusts or you can colour the paste before beginning.

Pictures courtesy of Effie

So now you’ve got the ingredients, you’ve got a cake baking in the oven, or cooling on a rack… NOW WHAT? How do you decorate it this scrumptious delight?

There are a variety of ways to improve your skills whether you are a beginner or a seasoned professional.

You can teach yourself through books and trial and error, you can take community college classes, you can take specialist cake decorating classes, you can even go to TAFE!

Books, magazines, websites all provide endless inspiration, instructions and help. The web can provide a further endless array of tutorials and how-to’s, in written or even video form. These can be particularly helpful if you want to learn but there are no classes in your area.

Some fantastic tutorial sites include:

• Aine2 – Extra Icing on the Cake - she has some amazing tutorials, some free on video and picture format and some to buy, they are worth it!
• Nati’s How to’s - some step by step items, some step by step cakes, even some recipes.
• Culpitt’s How to’s – quite a few step by step tutorials you can print out.
• Cakes & More Forum – a searchable tutorial area with a variety of links, still growing.
• Cake Central – printable step by step tutorials, still growing.

For classes you can check out links such as:

• Courses.com.au – a great list of many classes throughout all States.
• Planet Cake – their classes are expensive but considered top notch!
• Macquarie Community College
• Parramatta College – be sure to check out your own local community colleges.
• TAFE (search for Cake Decorating to see options). I’ve listed TAFE NSW, so feel free to check out TAFE in your own state.
• There is also this online Cake Decorating Class that could possibly be interesting, please feel free to comment if you have done it!
• Of Course you can always check with the Cake Decorators’ Guild or the or contact the Cake Decorators’ Association in your state.

Some suggested books for a variety of levels include:

• Lindy Smith
• Debbie Brown
• Maisie Parrish
• Karen Davies

You can also find their books at:

• Amazon.com
• Dymocks
• Angus & Robertson
• Booktopia

How you decide to further your skills is a very personal choice, but practicing at any time or any level never goes astray! You can purchase cake dummies to practice on and most of the time you can keep or re-use them. You can purchase No name fruit cake for $3 from Woolworths or Coles, this makes a solid cheap base to work on. If you practice with marzipan and/or fondant these will act as a seal which in most cases keeps the cake fresh for a while.

Take any opportunity, any excuse you can to make a cake, somebody had a new baby, get to practicing and give them the cake as a gift, a family member having a birthday, show how well you know them by decorating the cake in a personalised fashion and giving it to them as their gift. Christening’s, Graduations, Christmas, Easter, all great times to get to practicing and if people aren’t buying make your effort your gift.

Remember to always take a picture of your finished product so that you can build yourself your own portfolio. Even if it is only a hobby photos will allow you to look back and see how much you have improved, sometimes you don’t see the improvements until the comparisons are staring you in the face!

Have you taken an amazing class and want to rave about it, or found the most helpful book in the world and want to share it with everyone, please feel free to comment and tell us your experience with your personal learning journey.