Birthday cake time

[Vickster]

I am endeavouring to make a tractor this year (gulp). Does anybody have any tips as to where I can buy ready coloured regal icing locally?

[Helen GV]

I got some from a shop in Putney- i bought 8 packs of icing and it was around 15pounds

http://www.cakes4fun.co.uk

I have one pack of red remaining which you are welcome to, it's 250g and expires in June.

Helen

[Vickster]

That is really kind Helen, thank you. My son however has other ideas, and has specifically requested a green tractor! I will try to get to Putney tomorrow, failing which I will dye som ebuttercream icing instead.

[Helen GV]

then green it must be! ;-)

hope you have fun, we made a bus and while it didn't look EXACTLY like the picture we got from the internet, and took much longer then the half hour i thought it would (so naive..), i'm still looking forward to the next one

[apenn]

I'm making a birthday cake for my mother-in-law's 60th. Is Putney the closest shop that sells cake decorating equipment? I don't have a car. Please let me know if anyone knows of anything closer.

Thanks,

-A

[nunheadmum]

Sainsbury's has a fairly good range of basic stuff - pre-rolled white icing, food colouring, lots of bits to stick on etc. If you're not trying to meet demanding kids requirements, it may suffice.

Does anyone know if you can paint food colouring onto white icing rather than getting it pre-coloured?

[womanofdulwich]

i think you can but it can "weep" . if you are using fondant type icing i think you can drip it in but hard to get a consistent colour. i think butter icing is the way to go - or glace icing.

[kristymac1]

You can order the stuff online as well - that's how I've done it in the past crazycakes.co.uk do printed edible icing and I found their service to be very good - there are other places you can buy coloured icing online too......

[apenn]

You can also use food coloring to tint the icing.

-A

[Helen GV]

we bought our icing because we wanted red, which isnt easy to do using food colouring as it goes pink

(edited to say that if anyone wants the spare pack i mentioned above you are welcome to it)

[jkb]

'cake expectations' on Croydon Road in Beckenham is great. they will have coloured icing

[woofmarkthedog]

Well...

You could buy a toy tractor in green...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/418Ss4RcsIL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Then make a "green field" cake, & the tractor could be ploughing the field, revealing the chocolate cake underneath

You can buy the tractor and plastic fences ect, at Mr Greens in Dulwich village

He keeps the toy after

You get to make an easier but great looking cake

W**F

[millie42]

There is a fantastic cake making/decorations shop in Bromley - Chatterton Road (Bromley South) - may be a bit closer than Putney.

I have been using it it for all my baking for years.

Michelle

[Vickster]

Cake update:

The green tractor turned out ok (well my son seemed to like it which was the main thing!. I used green and black gel colours from lakeland in buttercream icing and they worked really well.

Thanks for all the tips. Will get more organised and order stuff for next time!

[apenn]

I have nearly full box of 500g of fondant icing sugar if anyone is intersted.

-A

[LoopyMum]

Hi !

I always use sugar flair colouring paste. You can buy a box in all different colours from www.cakecraftworld.co.uk or just buy individual colours. Mix the paste into your white sugarpaste to get your desired

colour. Only liquid colouring turns the icing sticky and soft. Paste is ideal to make little sugar models or colour a whole block of icing.

Tips for next time maybe ?

[edmumof5]

There is a shop in Peckham in the indoor market she has cards etc outside, she sells lots of cake making stuff and the coloured pastes to dye the icing but unfortunatly not pre coloured icing but defo all the cutters n glitters etc xx hth

[LoopyMum]

Just to add to this I am yet to find a local cake craft shop that is local. Is there one ?!

However you may all be interested to know that the Green Cuisine Cook Shop - Lordship Lane has been

a fantastic little find for me. They have baking tins, hundreds of cookie cutters, cupcake decorating

equipment and baking tins for hire. Yippee !

Ashamed to admit I only had my first visit a few weeks ago but I will be a regular now ;-)