There are three major cake decorating competitions coming up over the next couple of months.

First up is The Blacktown Show, it never seems to garner loads of entries, probably doesn’t help that it’s first cab off the rank in only a couple of weeks.  Check out the dates and schedule info HERE.

Next is The Castle Hill Show, entries are open till almost the end of February but don’t leave it till the last minute to get them in!  Check out the dates and schedule info HERE.

Last but not least The Sydney Royal Easter Show.  Postal entries have already closed BUT online entries close Wednesday 3rd February (inclusive), so if you want to give it a burl, then get online NOW!  Check out the dates and info HERE.

Good luck to all who choose to enter, remember to let us know how you do!

http://www.blacktownshow.com.au/

To be held:

Friday 19th to Sunday 21st February, 2010

Schedule:

http://www.blacktownshow.com.au/pdf/2010%2087th%20Annual%20show.pdf

Enquiries:

Mobile: 0428 395 875
Fax: 9671 7148
Showground: 9621 4626

I’ve been wanting to do a class for a while, but have had some difficulty in deciding where to start!  With some cake decorating experience behind me, it was hard to know where to throw myself in.  If you are having the same issue then don’t be shy in contacting Planet Cake as they will help you find a starting place.

So finally I got the opportunity to do a Planet Cake Course, I can’t explain how excited I was.  I bought their book, which I then passed on to my niece, I need to buy myself another now!  And we even gave one away on the blog when they were published.  I don’t know what I was expecting but I loved the book when it came out, I really liked the cake designs, and the progression the book took, from beginners to more experienced decorators there is something in there for everyone.

But I digress so back to the class.  It started on a Saturday, the beginning of the rest of my cake decorating career…. heheheh so to speak.  I parked the car and nervously headed to the Planet Cake studio.  What would it be like? Would I be able to keep up?  Would my cake be a disaster when I finished?  Would their be any other newbies?  What would Anna Maria be like? And well you know all the general questions that I’m sure everyone on their way to their first class would have!

There’s a real weird quality when Handi walks in the door, like this familiarity…. you feel like you know them, you know these faces, like you know the faces of the people from your favourite TV show, Joe Blow on the street might not know him but you’ve seen him on TV, he’s a star hehehehehehe!  Thankfully Mr Star had coffee and was able to direct me down to the coffee shop for my caffeine fix, I was worried how I would possibly be able to decorate without having my skim mocha first whew!

The class maximum was 12, this class had 10 students, after introductions it appeared that all the other girls had done at least one if not more previous Planet Cake classes, so I was the virgin of the bunch.  Having said that, many were more than happy to revisit some of the early steps either because Anna Maria was new to them as a teacher, and they were interested in how she showed the steps or just to help refresh their minds in what to do.  This made me feel better that I wasn’t holding the class back in any way.

Everything is waiting for you when you arrive, tools, cake, board etc, but excitedly some tools were new to me, and I soon discovered that some of them I would not be able to live without and others I wouldn’t be spending money on, that’s the beauty of classes like this!

I won’t bore you with a step by step per se because really if you’ve done or are going to do a class you’ll have or will get to experience it first hand.

I’ll sum things up in what I learnt.

• Torting a cake….. I was to discover the trick to getting this done right is actually all in the right knife!
• Ganaching…. what did I learn here?  That you may need to spend more than 5 minutes ganaching to get the finish you want, but this will actually save you time and fondant later!

• X-ray film… if you can get your hands on some then DO!!!  In an exciting twist for me I had to recently have a couple of x-rays!  So here I was ready to go with some, I cut mine up the minute I got home!
• Working with styrofoam, it’s messy but get your hands on some sand paper and don’t be scared to give it a go.
• A groove board for wiring leaves and flowers….. I hated it, I tried it and didn’t like it, we were told Greg Cleary can’t work without his, more power too him, you should try it for sure, I hated it….. just one of those things! ;D
• Airbrushing… I’m glad mine had little closed bottles, I kept spilling the colour everywhere, helpful tip do it over the sink!

• Rolling fondant Planet Cake thin… I was nervous as all hell, I’ve heard and seen how thin they roll the fondant, I just wasn’t sure if I could do it, light bulb moment of the day, right up there with the torting, the most helpful thing in getting this right is that you have a rolling pin that works for you!  You know I have to admit I have a very supportive cake friend who has been telling me for months that I should get a big heavy wooden rolling pin, I’ve been yeah yeahing her for months…. after falling absolutely in love with the wooden rolling pin at Planet Cake I went and purchased two as soon as I was able to get to a shop that sold them!

• The secret to perfect stripes, invest in a pasta machine!  I came home and bolted mine directly to the table, I can’t believe I left it sitting in it’s box for over a year!

All the while Anna Maria was really great in going round the class, helping correct technique, giving further tips and advice and so on.

The girls in the class were a laugh and a half.  Some of them had plans for their cakes, birthday’s, orders, and so on, and some didn’t, mine is still sitting in it’s box as I couldn’t figure out who to give it to… and part of me doesn’t want to see it dismantled hehehehehe

For those of you who are interested my new tool list included:

• A sharp long knife for torting, the other side can be used for smoothing the top of a ganached cake
• Big heavy wooden rolling pins
• A variety of flat and angled spatulas in different sizes
• X-ray film
• A couple of very sharp paring knives
• Silver card board bases
• Bench scrapers
• A couple of different sized cutting boards
• Pasta machine
• A large plastic table cloth (cut up into large but usable covers – great for cutting all those stripes up but not having them dry out)

For suppliers try the Planet Cake Store, Sweet Pak Aus, Food Utensils, Spotlight or any from the list in the far right column, don’t be scared to shop around! ;D

When I started decorating I went and did a community college class, and I found it fantastic.  The teacher I had was great and I was able to learn some important basics.  Now after a couple of years of decorating, even a couple of competition entries and quite a few cakes under my belt my thirst for knowledge has not disappated, however, my time is at a premium, I want to be able to get in and out with my learning and Planet Cake really achieved that for me.  In one weekend we touched on ganaching, covering, corners, spots, stripes, styrofoam work, airbrushing, creating a flower, and a little bit of modelling.  That’s a lot of things to cover in one weekend, and somethings we just touched on, but we all had the opportunity to experience each thing, and these I feel that the new skills I’ve learnt will only improve my cakes in the short and long term.

People look at Planet Cake courses and say they are expensive… yes in some respects in comparison to other things they can seem that way, but after doing one, what I came out of the class with and what we covered in content I really got more than my value for money.  Most people I know who’ve done one class, like a tattoo, can’t wait for the next one, other classes, such as community college classes require you to bring your own ingredients, your own tools, and there’s often homework that you need to do as well, don’t get me wrong I loved my community college class when I did it, but at the end of the day the costs are not all that different.   So yes I am already planning my next Planet Cake class.

As with everything cake decorating related, don’t be shy in trying different things, have a go at a Planet Cake class and see how you feel about what you learnt.  Remember their methods are just that one particular way of doing things, the point is to take what you need and discard what you don’t. Don’t be shy in contacting them either, I’ve found every single person I’ve dealt with at Planet Cake to be super nice and more than helpful.

Join me tomorrow when I announce an exciting Planet Cake sponsored competition… yep there’s a Planet Cake voucher to win that will enable you to do a Planet Cake Class!  I’ll be letting you know what you need to do to enter to win!

Recently having released a book called Planet Cake, which flew off the shelves so fast many were left waiting for the next print run, they have decided to expand their classes outside of Sydney.  First stop has been Melbourne.  Lucky enough to involve Cake Friend Fran, who has helped them find a venue and get the classes off the ground, they recently ran a week of classes which were attended by many a known Cakes & More Cake Friend! 

Classes range from beginners to the more experienced, including Novelty, Cupcakes and Demonstrations on how to master their enviable ganache method.  I’ve yet to come across someone who has come away from the class without a great looking cake!

Now taking bookings for Brisbane, there are threads on the their forum for those in Western Australia and South Australia to register interest in the hope that they will eventually make it there also.  Having said that I’ve known other cake friends who’ve flown into Sydney or Melbourne for classes and not been disappointed.

Classes to do seem expensive.  But everything is supplied and you do come away with a cake that you could onsell to help cover some of those costs.  Again, I’ve yet to come across someone who didn’t find the class worthwhile or worth the cost in the end.

Remember if it’s not for you for now the book offers a comprehensive guide to their ganaching process and a lovely mixture of cupcakes and cakes.  While I’ve heard some people complain that the book didn’t contain the popular mad hatter/topsy turvey design, I have to say well come on folks they had to save something for the second book!

Here are some pictures and comments by some of Cakes and More Cake Friends who attended the Melbourne Classes.

Fran

who helped facilitate many of the classes and taught the Mad Hatter class.

Make sure you check out her flickr stream - http://www.flickr.com/photos/franjmc/

 “It’s a fantastic, day of fun, learning and chocolate, how can you beat that?”

Yana

Make sure you check out her flickr stream – http://www.flickr.com/photos/28607271@N02/ 

“The course was fantastic and I highly recommend it .”

Lili

Make sure you check out her flickr stream - http://www.flickr.com/photos/liliscakes/

“I’ve been doing workshops and classes for over 3 years and got more out of the first 2 hours than I have in the last 3 years. It was fabulous being part of the PC class and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to take their skills up a notch!”

Effie

Make sure you check out her flickr stream - http://www.flickr.com/photos/designer_cakes_by_effie/

“Handi & Fran were wonderful teachers/facilitors. They were happy to share their knowledge and love of cake decorating.
Very informative and learnt heaps of tips and tricks for decorating the PC way.
Cant wait for some more PC courses to come to Melbourne!”

Helena

Make sure you check out her flickr stream - http://www.flickr.com/photos/31041954@N07/

“It was a very worthwhile experience, I loved every second of it – it was informative, constructive, everything is included in the price including the cake so all you have to concentrate on are the various techniques in decorating you’re there to learn. I’ll definitely be enrolling in another course in the future.. The instructors are fantastic – very entertaining too!”

Rouvelee

Make sure you check out her flickr stream - http://www.flickr.com/photos/rouvelee/

“The Melbourne Planet Cake courses were a delight to attend. Fran and Handi make a fantastic team and are the best teachers. I especially love learning the orchid and the magnolia flowers. I would definitely be back for more courses.”

You can check out or register for their classes here. Check out our list of places to buy books here if you want to buy the book. 

All photos courtesy of the participant, permission sought to use photograph and quote, thanks girls.

On the Lifestyle FOOD Channel, you can check out when it will be on next here.  If you have IQ make sure you Series Link it. 

The first episode was a hoot to watch and I just can’t believe how he lifts those cakes around I really need to get cracking on my upper body strength!

Special Guest is Lindy Smith.

The Seminar will open officially on Sunday Evening 23rd August and will finish at 3.00 pm Friday 28th August.

The programming information and application form can be seen and downloaded from the Association website: http://www.cakedirectory.com/cdaofnsw/15NatSem.html

Non-members can attend without joining the Association. Costs are higher though than those for members.

Final payment due beginning of June.

EDIT 22/06/09: ‘Day Only Registration Forms” have now been released for those people who cannot attend the whole week just come for a day, remember Lindy Smith is going to be demonstrating! Forms can be downloaded from the website.

EDIT 3/07/09:  Want to know who is demonstrating on what day?

Monday demonstration list:
Lindy Smith – UK
Mary Ann Gonsalves – WA
Stella Abraham
CDA of New South Wales
Victorian Cake Decorating Society
National Executive
See the National Competition entries.
The day will finish with afternoon tea at 3.45pm.

Tuesday demonstration list:
Lindy Smith – UK
Kath Swansbra – NSW
Gail Dorter – WA
Greg Cleary – Qld
South Australian CDA
CDA of New South Wales
The day will finish with afternoon tea at 3.45pm.

Thursday demonstration list:
NSW Cake Decorators Guild
John Quai Hoi – Vic
Queensland CDA
Rita Nicholls – NSW
Western Australia CDA
Tasmanian CDA
The day will finish with afternoon tea at 3.45pm.

Friday demonstration list:
Lindy Smith – UK
Paris Cutler – Planet Cake
Jillean Crouch – Vic
The day will finish with afternoon tea at 3pm

Information also available here

Merimbula is located halfway between Sydney and Melbourne, this South Coast tourist town is the perfect place to enjoy the beautiful white sand beaches, rainforests, lagoons, and mountains of the South Coast NSW.

Special guests from Tasmania and Melbourne helped round out the many other decorators who gave of their time to demonstrate or help with the organisation.

Demonstrations (to name but a few) included things like 10 flowers to create with a primula cutter, gelatine flowers, how to make a peony, airbrushing techniques, ribbon roses, and much much more.

It was great to meet other decorators from other branches, to chat and trade ideas, thoughts, tips and more with.  A range of ages meant there was always someone to talk to!

The food at the RSL (where the seminar was held) was fantastic from the service down to the desserts!  Friday night bought a buffet meal while Saturday was the masked ball, which was a three course sit down meal.  The one thing that I would have liked to have seen here is on one of the nights it would have been good to be placed randomly at tables so as to have the opportunity to chat with other decorators from other branches, I mean it can’t be that scary we all had at least one thing in common right?  There was plenty to talk about.  But having said that most people were relatively open when you simply went and introduced yourself or asked for questions or help.  I was lucky enough to have one lovely lady even take the time to invite me to her room one evening to actually show me some things that I had been asking questions about.

On top of the ability to buy some goodies from the 4 shops that set themselves up at Seminar, we also received a goodie bag and a nice thick book of all the notes and instructions for each of the dems.

If you are wondering if it was worth attending?  From my perspective definitely.  There was loads to learn and heaps of tips and tricks to pick up.  Were all the dems great… well no but there were enough great and good dems to make up for the ones that might have been better spent getting a cup of coffee.

The Association will be holding their seminar in August, in Sydney.  Can’t find the time or money to attend all week, no worries, there is a day rate so that you can just attend one day, remember UK Cake Decorator and Author Lindy Smith will be demming apparently some things that have never been shown anywhere else before.  And in addition the chance to meet up with other decorators is a great opportunity to learn something you may not yet know!

The schedule is here http://www.ancda.org/sugar_craft.htm (there are clear contact details if you need to ask any questions).

VENUE:
CITIGATE HOTEL
169 -179 Thomas St
SYDNEY
23rd – 28th August 2009
Entries close 1st July 2009

The Competition is open to all financial members affiliated with the Australian National Cake Decorators’ Association Incorporated (ANCDA) and also International Delegates and any other interested persons attending the National Seminar

EDIT 22/06/09: A reminder that entries for the National Competition close 1st July.

Piping Gel

Ingredients:

1/2 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water

Instructions:

Combine sugar and cornflour in a small saucepan, gradually blend in the lemon juice and then the water. Stir over high heat until mixture boils and thickens. Colour as desired.

Additional Info/Comments:

Store the mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If it becomes too thick, stir in a tiny amount of water, a little at a time until gel reaches a pipeable consistency.

Have you tried this recipe or another one?  Is there a brand of piping gel you like to use, let us know what you like to use, leave a comment.

17-27 September, 2009

Schedule: http://www.royalshow.com.au/competitions.asp

Entries Close: Friday 24 July, 2009

Exhibit Delivery Dates: TBC

Exhibit Collection Dates: Tues, 29 Sept 10am-8pm & Wed, 30 Sept 10am-4pm

Address: Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom Road, Ascot Vale