the minefield that is icing!!

Kaz2904

I too wanted to get more into baking and things. Unfortunately, it turned out that in my family we are pigs. We are also impatient. So, I get the cakes out of the oven and we all burn our mouths 'testing' the cakes. You can't ice hot cakes though and as soon as they are cold, I find that I have to [STRIKE]hide them all for me[/STRIKE] put them away so they don't get [STRIKE]scoffed in one go[/STRIKE] damaged . I did ice some cakes one evening though when DD was at brownies. They looked really pretty.
Mmmm, I love cake *dribble* .

motherkitty

Pinkteapot - I find if I put a little drop of milk into the buttercream ingredients before I begin to mix it damps down the icing sugar so you don't make a fog!
I usually make it in a plastic jug and just bash it all together with a fork. If the milk makes it a bit too runny you can always add more icing sugar until it is the right consistency.

mhagster

there's a good thread on the Special Occasions Board , currently the Christmas board, not sure how to post a link, but they have great information & lots of photos which might help.

lapis_lazuli

And then, of course, there's almond icing, aka Marzipan.

For Christmas cakes, it is fruit cake --> covered with marzipan --> covered with apricot jam --> covered with royal icing. At least, that's how my parents taught me.

Volupturaptor

I'd definitely keep it simple, don't buy too much in one go, and start off with glace icing and buttercream. they're both very easy to make can easily be flavoured, and between them can be used for almost everything. Buttercream is good for topping and filling, glace just for topping or coating as it gives a smooth semi shiny look. Personally I never use the ready made roll out stuff as I think it tastes horrible.
An ordinary sponge, flavoured with vanilla/cocoa/orange/coffee/lemon sandwiched with jam/lemon curd/buttercream flavoured to compliment the sponge, with it's sides covered in buttercream can be rolled in chopped nuts/grated chocolate/sugar strands, then topped with glace icing, also flavoured/coloured as appropriate. This is very easy to do, looks great, tastes wonderful and can be written on/decorated with sweeties/candles or any combination of.
If you don't set your sights too high to begin with, you can turn out something great but easy, and it will be a great confidence booster!