Gizmos, Gadgets and Basics – Cake Baking Supplies
If you are new to sugarcraft, or even if you’ve dabbled a little, you know there are pages and pages of cake baking supplies designed specifically for cake and sugar artists. While you can load your kitchen with gadgets, gizmos and molds of plenty, most of us don’t have the room for everything.
There is nothing worse than reaching for a tool that is not there. And while there are some of those that can get by with a fork and their ingenuity to make a sugar flower, most of us aren’t that talented. Tools allow us to invest the most time and effort into creating versus figuring out how to create.
We put together a list of some of the most used and essential tools to help build your kitchen arsenal and get you started on the journey into the world of edible arts.
And always remember, your imagination is a priceless tool that no other person can possess. It is what separates us as artists or chefs as opposed to simply being bakers and cooks.
Dresden Tool – The Very Basics of Cake Baking Supplies
The Dresden tool is one of the most useful modeling tools you can have in your kitchen. While you can purchase a full set of modeling tools, the Dresden tool will probably be one of your most-used and can be bought separately. Use this tool to create details in most any modeling project.
Stand Mixer
Unless you are on a workout program to tone your arms, a good-quality stand mixer is a must-have. From buttercream to cake batter, we can’t imagine a kitchen without this essential.
Fondant Smoother
The key to an amazing looking cake covered in fondant is perfection. That’s right, wrinkles, nicks and other blemishes in your fondant will take away from any fondant-covered creation and lead the eye away from the amazing art attached to it. A fondant smoother is a simple tool used to completely smooth away all those imperfections.
Bench Scraper
This is a versatile tool used in all aspects of the kitchen, from prep to cleanup. A bench scraper should be in your tool kit no matter what type of kitchen you have, from a professional bakery to in the home. The bench scraper is known by many names including: dough cutter, dough knife, pastry cutter, bench knife, and dough scraper. Use it to scrape your work surface clean, portion dough and transfer foods. Be sure to invest in a good quality scraper with a metal blade.
Ball Tool
A ball tool is second to none when doing modeling work. From rolling out petals, to creating joints and grooves, this tool is a stand-alone although it can be acquired in a modeling tool set.
Piping Supplies
The crème-de-la-crème of cake baking supplies is piping tips. You can find a piping tip and bag for every single type of shape and size you will ever need. Always have a piping bag on hand. Remember, most tutorials specify which manufacturer’s tip to use because a Wilton No. 1 and a PME No. 1 aren’t necessarily identical. You can purchase full kits of piping bags and tips or all the parts separately.
Chef Torch – An Essential Cake Baking Supplies
A chef’s torch is a must-have when working with sugar. Use it to heat up sugar sculptures and bend them to your will.
Rotating Cake Stand
I don’t know anyone who likes to move around a cake as opposed to moving the cake around while applying icing and other decorative elements. This is especially useful for smaller cakes and small work areas.
First in Cake Baking Supplies … The Icing Spatula
Icing! Who doesn’t love icing? But working with icing requires more than a butter knife to look professional. To get out all the air bubbles and create a beautiful base for your art, invest in a good quality metal angled spatula
Food Safe Brushes
A set of food-safe brushes will come in handy with nearly all projects you do. From flat ends to rounded dusting brushes, add a variety of useful shapes and sizes to your baker’s toolbox.
Conversion Chart
Admit it, while we are proud to be Americans, the whole separate standard of measurements is a giant pain. If you want to follow recipes and tutorials from the global edible art community, you will have to know your conversions backward and forward—or keep a conversion chart for quick reference. We recommend the latter.
If you would like more information of small kitchen appliances that are perfect for bakers and sugar artists read this article.
Cake Baking Supplies … What’s Your Favorite?
Anything you’d like to add to this list? Please share with us below.
