1. Need the perfect column or log? Use a fondant smoother. The handle lets you easily control pressure, while the flat surface ensures that your column will be smooth and even all around.

2. Sprinkling powdered sugar or cornstarch can be messy. Fill a new sheer stocking with powdered sugar or cornstarch. Tie the end of the stocking tightly and lightly dust surfaces before rolling fondant.

3. Those tiny lustre dust powders can be a pain to open. Try using a bottle opener. You’ll find that the lid is the perfect bottle cap size and your fingernails will thank you.

4. Ever tried lightly steaming fondant with a steamer? Steaming makes fondant glossy, aids in smoothing out the fondant surface, and helps get rid of small cracks, fingerprints, pin holes, and excess powdered sugar or cornstarch. Adding that small amount of moisture also helps set lustre dust.

5. Keep those cakes moist by adding simple syrup. Boil a 1:1 ratio of sugar and water over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Allow syrup to cool and use a pastry brush to apply to your cake.

6. Things can get slippery in the kitchen especially when you’re icing or adding décor to a cake. In these cases, non-slip mats are a decorator’s best friend. Don’t worry about purchasing pre-cut mats. You can easily make any shape or size mat by purchasing a large roll of non-slip mat. And the best part is that it’s re-useable.

7. Forgot to get that stick of butter out of the fridge? Add hot water to a glass and let sit for a couple minutes until the glass is warm to the touch. Pour the water out and place cup upside down over the butter. You’ll have room temperature butter in just a minute.

8. Need some buttermilk? Say no more. Grab that plain yogurt in your fridge and mix with a little milk or water until you have a buttermilk-like consistency.

9. Get a good support system. Old-fashioned wood dowels or solid plastic pegs can push the cake out at the bottom and cause tiers to become uneven. Try poly-dowels or even smoothie straws. These hollow dowels allow the cake to pass right through the middle while giving good support.

10. Refilling piping bags can be a mess. Try placing the bag into a tall cup and folding down the bag around the cup. Now you’ve got both hands free to add your frosting.

These new Blooming Peonies have been a huge hit!  They just arrived a few weeks ago, and they've been flying off the shelves.  Their nice full 4" size, with flexible petals make for the perfect cake topper.  This design is instantly becoming a new favorite.  They're available in both White and Pink.

Shop: White Blooming Peony | Pink Blooming Peony    ***comes in a convenient window box display for easy reselling.

Come out to Las Vegas and check us out at this year's IBIE: International Baking Industry Exposition.  This is a special baking show that occurs only once every 3 years.  If you love baking and anything related, this is an exciting show for you. At our booth this year, we will be having a bunch of exciting and brand new products that we will be launching at the show, along with hands on demonstrators teaching at our booth all day, each of the 4 days.  You can find us at booth #1225.  See you there!

Details about IBIE:

Show Website: www.ibie2016.com

Dates: October 8-11, 2016

Location: Las Vegas Convention Center | Las Vegas, NV

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who uses FondX Rolled Fondant for all of their cake designs.  And we know that over time those fondant pails can start to accumulate and take up space.  For most, extra storage space is hard to come by, but it’s also hard to just throw away good quality storage containers.  So we did some research and experimented with some creative ways to reuse our FondX Pails:

Over the years we’ve also talked to FondX users about what they do with their empty pails after they’ve made their cakes.  There have definitely been some interesting ideas of how to recycle old FondX pails.  Here are some of the examples they’ve shared:

• - Perfect size to marinate a whole chicken overnight.
• - Their pets, it’s a great size for food
• - As a home for smaller reptiles
• - Great for gardening needs or as a flower pot
• - Perfect for storing food or ingredients
• - Useful to those who go fishing
• - Fits a lot of children's small toys
• - 2lb pails are a great shape and size to store and dispense ribbons (see video)
• - If you're in a pinch, works as a lunch box ;)

There are tons of ways to recycle your FondX pails.  We’d love for you to share your ideas with us too.  Feel free to post a picture of your idea and tag #FondX so we can see it!  Now go out there and collect your pails and if you don’t need them, there are tons of people from different industries (ex. Farmers) who could definitely make use of them.

Congratulations to Ellen of Camarillo, you are our August winner of a 12 color pack of 2 lb FondX Rolled Fondant.  Thank you to everyone who entered to win.  Don't give up hope yet, we will have another drawing next month.  If you have created a Caljava Account you are qualified to win next month.  If you are new to the site, please feel free to enter your email in the form down below and that will enter you in for the next giveaway of the 12 color pack of 2 lb FondX Rolled Fondant.  Good Luck!