Geodes are most definitely still a hot trend in the cake world and this heart shaped geode topper is the perfect thing to top off a special Valentine's Day cake! Let's take a look at how it's done step-by-step, I'll bet it's easier than you think!

Step 1

Take a good sized piece of aluminum foil and create a dam about ½" wide.

Be sure to fold in the ends to seal them up.

Spray your foil with just a little bit of vegetable spray to keep your geode from sticking. This is VERY important. I made this topper awhile ago and forgot to spray my foil and the foil did not come off.

Step 2

Heat up some Simicakes pre-made isomalt in the microwave in three different silicone cups.

Using any food gel color, color one white, one a dark color of your choice and the other a lighter version of the dark color with a little bit of white mixed in.

Step 3

Color some sugar crystals to match your colored isomalt using a little bit of alcohol and food gel.

Mix in some sparkly dusts such as diamond dust or disco dusts to add a bit of sparkle and shine to your crystals.

Step 4

Add a layer of your white isomalt to the foil dam you created.

Sprinkle some sugar crystals on top of the white layer.

Next, pour in a layer of your lighter colored isomalt.

Lastly, pour in a layer of your dark colored isomalt.

Sprinkle a layer of your colored sugar crystals on top of your dark colored isomalt.

Step 5

As your geode begins to cool, begin pressing in the crystals and shaping it so that that it looks a bit lumpy and not quite so even. This is a geode after all.

If necessary, use some small bottles to hold the dam in place at the right width while the isomalt cools.

Continue shaping lumps into the geode.

Step 6

Once your geode has cooled enough to hold it's shape but is still warm enough to bend, quickly remove your foil and again, if you remembered to spray unlike me, it should come off pretty easily.

Working quickly add some texture to the geode, especially the top white layer. Be sure you aren't letting the geode get too cool or you will not be able to shape it into a heart.

Step 7

Shape your piece into a heart by pinching in the center and folding the ends around.

Step 8

Torch the ends of your geode to soften them up enough to insert a wooden skewer securely in the end.

Use the torch lightly on the surface to smooth it out a bit.

Last but not least paint the outside edge with a metallic highlighter dust to give it a lovely finish! Liz is using Albert Uster Gold Highlighter here.

That's it! You've created a beautiful geode heart topper that's sure to impress anyone who sees it! They'll think you put much more effort into it than you did and that's always a plus right?

If you're looking for an awesome cake idea/recipe to put this beauty on, check out the 24 layer cake tutorial Liz used to put hers on! I mean TWENTY-FOUR layers of delicious man, you can't pass that up am I right? Links and tutorial below.

Recipes and links for the 24 Layer Cake:

Chocolate Cake Recipe

Buttercream Recipe

Caramel Sauce Recipe

Ganache Recipe

Berry Glaze

Edible Gold Leaf

Bridal Show Tips For Vendors And How To Make The Most Out Of Bridal Expos

Bridal show tips that really work can be hard to come by. Seems like everyone has things that work for them but might not work for others. These are my best bridal show tips that I've used over 20 bridal shows and expos in the last ten years.

Back in 2012, I was at the height of hustle! I attended every bridal show, inspiration shoot and said yes to every bridal magazine request. Looking back, I was crazy busy but most importantly, I was making very important connections in my cake career and I didn't even know it.

Why am I sharing this with you?

Well, you might be thinking about attending a bridal show, doing an inspiration shoot or submitting a cake design to a magazine and wondering... is this worth it? What am I going to get out of this?

I can't speak for everyone but I can speak for my own experiences. The following are a few photos from 2012 and I'll tell you what each experience cost me, what it got me and what is still paying off to this day.

Bridal Show Tips - #1 Create Unique Cake Designs

The first and most important bridal show that I ever attended was the Marry Me Bridal Show. Why was this one so important? This show really focuses on the wedding cake, and unlike other shows, they really forced me to be creative. I was given 20 inspiration boards with different themes for weddings and I was tasked to make a wedding cake based on that board for the show. Each cake had it's own table and was displayed with the inspiration board.

Before this show I honestly had never really designed a wedding cake from inspiration. Usually brides brought me a cake design they found on Pinterest and I might tweak it a little but I didn't TRULY figure out how to be creative until this event forced me to.

Before this show I honestly had never really designed a wedding cake from inspiration. Usually brides brought me a cake design they found on Pinterest and I might tweak it a little but I didn't TRULY figure out how to be creative until this event forced me to. Out of these cakes, four went on to set viral wedding trends (rustic birch cake, purple bling cake, art deco cake and grey and yellow lace wedding cake), one got me published in my first magazine AND I got the cover (grey lace wedding cake) and countless other features in blogs.  Best yet? I made some incredible connections with the photographer that took photos of all the cakes, wedding planners who then invited me to inspiration shoots where I was noticed by others in the industry including rental companies like Something Borrowed and florists like Swoon Floral Design who I am friends with and collaborate on projects to this day.

Bridal Show Tips - #2 Industry friends are like gold! 

Let me tell you, there is nothing more valuable than friends in the industry. It's like multiplying your reach with each connection. Whenever someone needs a cake, I've got photographers, florists, venues, rentals and even magazine editors giving out my information and in return, I do the same. Together we are much MUCH stronger than apart.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to reach out to other vendors at shows. Just give them a slice of cake to break the ice. That usually works for me.

Bridal Show Tips - #3 Bridal Show Vendor Checklist!

Many people ask me what they should bring to a bridal show. This kinda seems like a no-brainer to me but maybe people over-think it. You're a cake decorator right? Bring some cakes! Not just blah cakes either. Cakes that show off your best skills. Cakes that take advantage of the hottest trends right now. Cakes that will woo a bride allllll the way from across the room where's she's getting shmoozed by the local grocer and draw them into the awesomeness that is your cakes!

Other things to consider bringing:

• Bring the cakes that you want to make! Whether it's sculpted, rustic, ornate or traditional. Brides will order what they see.
• Postcard sized handouts with all your info on them and some lovely high quality photos of your work. I Order mine through vistaprint.com and it's really inexpensive for the quality. Don't forget business cards
• Email newsletter signup form! Offer a discount on future orders if brides sign up for you newsletter, a very valuable tool for follow-ups and keeping yourself "visible" to potential clients
• Samples of your best cake. Some do cupcakes but I feel that is a lot of work, especially when some shows can have hundreds of visitors. We used to bring sheet cakes and hand them out on tissue paper. Bring a friend to help you slice and serve. Your job needs to be greeting and talking.
• Portfolio of other cakes. Some do printed which is a little old-fashioned but can still work. I had a slide-show of cakes running so multiple people could watch at a time.
• Booth decorations. There are a lot of ways to set up a booth. The following are a few examples but basically you want some risers to lift up the cakes in the back (usually cake stands or some simple boxes will do) some table decorations that accent the overall style like vases of flowers, plates with treats or small decorations. A backdrop. This is purely optional but it can add a big impact! I've done fabric, paper, wood. Pretty much everything. Having an interesting space will help potential clients remember you later and also attract other vendors in the industry.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

#4 Bridal Show Booth Ideas

Now please do not judge my setup. At the time steampunk was all the rage lol.

But this setup did it's job. These cakes told everyone that walked by "Oh hey there, I'm not your average boring cake".

Once they would get close enough to make eye contact with, I'd quickly introduce myself, hand them a piece of my BEST flavor of cake and ask them when they where getting married, what was the theme of the wedding and if they wanted to setup a tasting. I made sure to ask them to email me asap as my calendar was filling up quickly (always best to put a little urgency in there).

#5 Engage With Everyone!

I got a lot of brides from this event but the clincher was that little gold and green cake on the right. You see that was a cake idea that I had in my mind when the Pantone color of the year was emerald. As I was leaving the show, I was carrying this cake to the car and a local photographer stopped me in my tracks. She was stunned by the gorgeous cake and asked if I would like to work with her on an inspiration shoot. I had no idea what an inspiration shoot was but I of course said yes. I like to say yes and figure out details later. On a whim I also gave her my chalkboard wedding cake which she thought would be a fun "groomscake". I really didn't think it was all that special but that was my first wedding cake to go viral and actually set a trend. See the full inspiration shoot here. 

That photographer was Hazelwood Photo  who went on to photograph many of my cakes including the rustic birch cake and the beachy wedding cake and even my daughters first birthday party. All which have gone viral, in part I'm sure because of the amazing quality of the photo!

Pictured below are the photos that I had of these SAME cakes (I didn't even have a photo of the chalkboard and Indian cake) Not exactly viral worthy.

Best thing about a photographer that takes amazing photos of your cakes? They submit these photos to magazines, blogs and other far reaching sources. Because of this photographer, I've had my cakes published on 100 layer cake, green wedding shoes, MOD wedding and countless other places. These images of course get tons of reach with brides, those brides pin these images and before you know it, a trend like the chalkboard cake blows up! If this happened once, I might call it a fluke but four times? Nah... Get yourself a photographer friend asap.

Another amazing thing that happened during my first bridal show was meeting other talented vendors who where just starting out and looking to make a name for themselves. I remember the first time I ever saw the work of my favorite florist, Swoon floral design and I was WOWED! Never in my life had I seen such creative bouquets. I nervously introduced myself and soon we where planning to collaborate on some cakes.

Since then we've not only ran into each other multiple times during cake deliveries but also during inspiration shoots! Turns out wedding professionals like to work with the same people over and over again so if you've got a photographer and a florist who you love working with and they with you, you'll all get more work in the long run plus it's always way easier working with people you know! Your styles will vibe together and communication is easy. She even collaborated with me on an episode of Outrageous Wedding Cakes to create crazy cool florals to accent our Under the Sea glow-in-the-dark wedding cake.

So what happens if you don't make ANY connections with other vendors during a bridal show?

Fret not. Magic can STILL happen! One of the cakes that I made for these bridal shows was a plain grey cake with some lace piping and simple yellow flowers (or at least I thought it was plain). It got noticed by the right people at the shows (still not sure who) and one day I got a call from Portland Bride and Groom Magazine asking if I could make them another version of the cake to be published in the magazine! SQUEE!! This was HUGE for me. Not only had I never been published but Portland Bride and Groom was the biggest local bridal magazine in our area so I would really be reaching my target market. Not only did I get published but I also got the COVER! Hello! I'll never forget the feeling of seeing my cake on the cover of a magazine for the first time.

The editor loved this cake so much, she actually invited me to make it again for a best of Portland Bride and Groom Magazine party to be served to all the guests. I remember feeling SO awkward at that party. I was with my husband but we literally knew no one. We decided to sit at a table with one other woman who was also sitting alone and looking awkward. Her name was Krissy Allori and was another (then) wedding photographer. We became fast friends and since then she has shot nearly every one of my headshots, she took all the photos for my book and have collaborated on countless projects together. Most recently a giant foodie cake on the Food Network show, Ridiculous Cakes in celebration of her new blog!

Want more cake ideas? Check out the 2018 wedding cake trends collaboration!

Once I got featured in Portland Bride and Groom, more offers from other magazines started coming in. Not too long after, I got asked to create a dark chocolate wedding cake with fresh berries for one of the nicer hotels in Portland. I didn't know any of the other vendors and remember feeling very shabby in my buttercream stained clothes and messy bun when I arrived to set up my cake. The hotel was very posh and all the other vendors looked very put together. I remember dropping that cake and getting the heck out of there. What I didn't realize is that my work had caught the eye of one of the other people there, Lane from Something Borrowed PDX. At the time she was just starting out but was quickly growing in demand for her amazing eye and great taste. She liked my stuff and asked me to make a cake for her shortly after for something called an "inspiration shoot".  I said yes of course.

Bridal Show Tips #6 - Re-use Cake Designs

An inspiration shoot is where a bunch of wedding vendors get together and do a "fake wedding". Everyone contributes their time and products for free in efforts to create great looking photos that they can then use for their website, to submit to blogs, advertising materials etc. It's a great way to get ahead of the trends or even make them. Lane was ALWAYS in the best inspiration shoots so from that moment on, when I was asked to do one, if her name was on the list of vendors involved, I would always say yes. This of course helped get my name out to more vendors in the area, more brides and in two short years I had a very tight knit group of very professional people that I loved working with, tons of clients and even won best wedding cake from the prestigious Oregon Bride Awards.

So why am I telling you this?

Because I want you to STOP measuring your success at a bridal show based on how many business cards you handed out or if it was busy or not. Success comes in many many forms and most likely in a way that you're not even expecting. I say partake in as many shows as you can afford. Talk with anyone and everyone. Bring your best work. Don't be afraid to stand out! Put yourself out there and don't worry about what you're going to get back in return. Make the people around you look good and that comes back to you. I promise.

Looking for a bridal show in your area? Check out this resource for finding a bridal show near you.

It's so fun to see what new, amazing trends emerge in the world of cakes. A Russian bakery called Kalabasa recently sparked the newest design craze. Kalabasa calls them "feather cakes" but they have become known as "brushstroke" or "paintstroke" cakes. They have an incredible modern art feel to them and I couldn't love them more. It's a fairly simple concept with a striking impact. Endless color combo's paired with other trendy designs like splatter, drip, fresh fruit and flowers make for a fabulous style fit for any occasion.

I'd be thrilled with a wedding cake like this wouldn't you? Stunning!

Lots of other's have jumped on board with the whimsical style and come up with versions of their own. I particularly love the gold splatter paint on this cake.

A beautiful wrapping ombre effect.

Purples with a pop of teal.

Love the rainbow! Step by step instructions for this on thecakeblog.com.

This one just screams unicorn doesn't it? Without any signs of an actual unicorn.

This one has a tropical feel with it's bright citrus colors and actual citrus. Citrus makes for fun cake decor doesn't it?

This cake has a Malibu theme inspired by Miley Cyrus's latest song. This YouTuber takes inspiration from popular songs for his cake designs. How cool is that?!

This one has a more literal translation to it with it's pineapple design which I think is so cool! Click the photo to see instructions for this cake as well as a video tutorial!

A lot of times we cake decorator's strive to come up with something new that will take over the cake world if even for just a minute. Most of the time it ends up being the things we least expected. Who'd have thought that simple brushstrokes of chocolate would make such a statement? Perhaps Kalabasa knew her designs would create a stir and perhaps not, but either way we are sure glad they did.

Bling baby. Who doesn't love a little bling every once in awhile? Or a lot of bling once in awhile? Okay, I am sure there is someone out there but we aren't talking to that person today. Today we are talking to all of the other folks out there that like to get their sparkly shine on and swoon with the rest of us. Let's take a look at some gorgeous photos of our latest tutorial officially titled, the Purple Bling Cake.

This is a re-make of a cake Liz did very early on in her career and since then it has been pinned, shared and re-posted thousands of times. Now you can learn how to make it!

This cake is mostly about the bling but look at those orchids! You can't ignore those. They are so incredibly beautiful and realistic! In this tutorial, Liz shows you step by step how to make these lovelies from creating all of the components to dusting.

What's more impressive than having real bling on your cake? Edible bling. People will be amazed that you can actually eat all of that sparkle. Not that you'd want to, but you could and that's what matters.

We have a Silicone Diamond Mold perfect for this cake available in the shop!

Learn how to create this gorgeous and unique piped pattern that could be used on so many cake designs! You'll also get to see firsthand an incredible brand new product called the Dragee Kiss in action! It's so new it is not even available on the market yet but will be very soon! Click HERE to visit their soon to be launched website or HERE to visit their Facebook Page to stay updated. I can't wait to get mine!

Overall there's no denying this cake is an eye catcher. It's totally on trend with the ultraviolet color for 2018 and personally I don't think Orchids or Bling are ever going out of style.

Become a Premium or Elite Member of the Sugar Geek Show today to gain access to this tutorial and hundreds of other intermediate to advanced cake decorating tutorials! Don't forget to also check out the many FREE Beginner Tutorials and Recipes we have available!

I'm just going to warn you now, this post is a doozy. If you're not in it for the long haul this time you might as well turn around now and go back to whatever you were doing before you stumbled upon this blog post. If you are up for it, then you won't regret it! Today we are going to show you step by step how to carve a female bust out of cake, ACTUAL cake. Let's get to it shall we?

First off, you need a structure to support your bust and head. Liz has constructed a structure out of a 12" wooden board, a ½" metal flange she has screwed to the board, a ½" male adapter and some ½" PVC pipe.

You'll want to measure your PVC to about where you want the top of the shoulders to be. It helps to print out a template to measure from. If you are a Premium or Elite Member of the Sugar Geek Show, the template Liz uses in this demonstration is available to you with the lovely Egyptian Goddess Bust Cake Tutorial. Using PVC cutters, cut your PVC at the correct height.

Cover your flange and PVC pipe with aluminum foil tape. This can be found at local hardware stores, Home Depot, Lowe's, that sort of thing. The PVC pipe is food safe but everything seems to stick to aluminum foil tape better. No matter what, you need to cover the metal flange.

Add a little buttercream to your board to act as glue for your first cake layer.

Liz based the size of her cake layers off of the size of her template. She used a half sheet cake for the first two layers and a smaller section for the very top to cut down on waste. You always want to give yourself room to carve away. If you make your cake the exact size you want it to be finished you will not have room to carve.

Add your cake layers, followed by a generous layer of buttercream. It's easiest to use a firm, robust cake for carving like the Chocolate Cake Recipe Liz is using here.

Use your template once again to get an idea of the width from shoulder to shoulder and cut away any unnecessary excess giving yourself a little wiggle room for carving.

Determine the width from back to front. Liz estimated about 5" at the top. Cut the back at a slight angle and the front at a slightly more extreme angle. Remember, we have lady lumps to carve.

Use your template once again to determine where the arms will begin.

Cut a notch of cake out on either side of those areas.

Do the same for the back, slightly angling it in toward the back area.

Slightly round out the back area.

Cut a small amount out underneath of the front for the boobs.

Now basically begin rounding out any sharp corners or edges. After all we are round.

Cut a triangular notch out of the top of the chest between the boobs. Round the top of the chest area out out as well.

Continue rounding out any edges that are too harsh and don't look natural.

Once you have your basic shape you are going to put some of those cake scraps to good use! Add a bit of chocolate ganache to a bowl full of your cake scrap and smoosh it together with your hands. Wearing gloves for this is recommended for easy cleanup.

Chocolate Ganache Recipe

Your mixture should look like this. Not entirely combined to mush but somewhat marbled with cake lumps and buttercream still. You have made a cake clay that will now finish off your shape!

At this point you can add your (normally finished) head. Last week I posted a How to Use a Chocolate Skull Mold Tutorial for this purpose. Check out that post for step by step photos and instructions and the information is also shown in the video above!

Measure the height with your template and cut it to the correct length. Then just stick it in there!

Now you can begin using your cake clay to create your neck. Build up the neck from the bottom of the skull to the body and add in some trapezoid muscles and shoulders.

Continue adding your cake clay anywhere that needs built up or the shape perfected and rounded to the correct proportions.

Don't forget to connect the neck to the bottom of the jaw with a slope.

Add some definition to the collar bone. 

Cut some small notches where the arms meet the back to add some more dimension to your bust.

Do the same to the front.

Be sure to connect the back of the skull to the spine with the same angle you did for the front of the neck so it looks natural.

Once you are happy with your overall shape you can cover the entire bust in a layer of chocolate ganache. Chocolate ganache is recommended for coating sculpted cakes because of it's extra stability.

Use an acetate smoother like those from Innovative Sugarworks to smooth out your coat of ganache. After adding your crumb coat of ganache you would chill your cake for about 20 minutes in the fridge and add a final coat the same way smoothing it really well with your hands and a little bit of warm water if needed.

And there you have it! The basics to sculpting a female bust out of cake. For more in depth bust sculpting tutorials become a member today and check out the several we have to offer!

I realize it may seem like magic now but we know you can do it! Use our Chocolate Skull Mold and give it a shot, I bet you will surprise yourself! As always, we love to see your pictures so share them with us if you give a sculpted bust cake a go!

One of the biggest things Liz Marek is known for is her bust cakes. Liz came up with the ingenious idea of using a chocolate skull as a base to sculpting faces. I mean it makes total sense right?! It gives you a perfect map of where things should go and about how big to make them and that right there is half the battle of sculpting a face. After all, we have a skull as a base, so why shouldn't a sugar sculpture have one too? Then she, with the help of Sidney Galpern of SimiCakes, took it one step further and created an amazing isomalt eye technique that will blow your mind and I will show you how to do that in another post! Liz recently did a live demo on how to use her chocolate skull mold and I am going to break it down into step by step photos for you as well.

Before you start...

Buy the Chocolate Skull Mold from our online shop and then get yourself a $1 pencil container from your local dollar store to use to hold your mold.

Melt down 4 lbs of candy melts. Candy melts are best because real chocolate will stick to the mold and not release the way you'll want it to.

Fill the back half of the skull until it's just below the top. Fill the front half of the skull all the way to the top. Try not to over fill your mold to avoid unnecessary spillage and mess. That being said, the skull does not have to be perfect by any means, we are after all just covering it up.

Place the mold in the freezer for about 10 minutes to give it a quick set.

Then continue to fill the back half of the mold to the top to act as the "glue".

Close the mold and snap it together. Place in the freezer for about an hour to fully harden.

If by chance your skull comes apart...

Just add a little more chocolate in between the pieces to glue it back together.

Once your skull is fully set, use a drill and a 1" paddle drill bit to drill a hole into the back half of the skull.

You don't need to drill too far, maybe about an inch tops.

Fill the hole with more melted chocolate.

Stick a small length (exact length doesn't matter at this point) into the hole and let set until firm, another couple of minutes.

Then your skull is ready to set onto your structure! Liz created a face sculpting stand for sculpting faces ahead of time using:

• (2) 14" wooden boards
• ½" metal pvc pipe flange
• ½" female pvc adapter
• ½" pvc pipe (about a 6" length)
• ½" pvc coupler
• Lazy susan
• Screws

Screw the lazy susan in between the two wooden boards. Then screw your flange to the top board and insert your female adapter, pvc pipe and coupler. Easy peasy! Then once you are done sculpting your face, you will be able to easily transfer it to your final structure with completed bust.

This will allow you to make incredible bust cakes with ease! Next week we will go through step by step how to make the bust structure and sculpt the bust from cake! If you missed the live demo showing all of this, definitely check it out below! It's both educational and entertaining.

Have you ever fantasized about having a burger three times the size of your head? Of course you have. Just like real dreams, we've fulfilled your desire but it's not exactly what you had imagined. This giant burger is all cake. That's right, that is not a greasy, savory burger you're looking at, it's dessert. Wash it all down with our giant gummy beer, of course you'll be chewing the beer, not drinking it. Talk about a complex set of confusions for your taste buds! A sweet burger and chewing your beer, we like to mess with your head.

How cool is this giant gummy beer?! It looks like a regular old condensating glass full of beer with a nice frothy head, but you can in fact just take a bite right out of it. The discovery behind the froth is a bit of a funny story. Remember my Working Gumball Machine Cake Tutorial with the edible glass globe? Before I got that right I went through many phases including how NOT to get nice, clear gelatin and how to make a huge frothy mess of it. We looked at it and thought, that would make some cool stuff! Including perfect beer froth. Happy accidents are the best kind, aren't they?

Here are some up close shots of the burger in all it's realistic, messy glory. It's truly hard to choose one thing that is most impressive but I have to say the realisiticness (I've taken the liberty as a blogger to make up my own words) of that bun is down right incredible.

One of the tricks to making cakes look realistic? Im-per-fec-tions. That's right, screw it up! Give it flaws! That's life man and the sooner you embrace it the better. The broken yolk oozing down the burger, the messy ketchup schlopping out of every nook, the tears and bubbles in the cheese, these are all big reasons why this cake looks so lifelike and Liz shows you how to create every detail.

Every burger needs a side of fries and ketchup for dipping. This burger needed giant fries and lots of ketchup for dipping.

How cool does this slice look? Probably the most unique looking slice of cake you'll ever see.

Here you can see the contrast between the inside of the cake and the outside of the cake. Once you cut into it, you can see that it really is layers of cake but until then, well, people just may not believe you.

Dan himself is in awe.

Many of the techniques found in this tutorial along with techniques from the Breakfast in Bed Cake Tutorial were featured on the brand new Food Network Show Ridiculous Cakes! Check out the Food Network site or check your local listings to catch Liz on TV showing off her incredible realistic food cake skills!

Huge thanks to the sponsors of this cake, Renshaw Fondant, Simi Cakes Isomalt and Icing Images Decogel. These amazing effects would not be possible without your incredible products!

Whats the difference between dutch process cocoa powder and natural cocoa powder and how can you substitute one for the other? 

Dutch processed cocoa powder (also sometimes called "alkalized," "European style," or "Dutched") is washed with a potassium carbonate solution that neutralizes cocoa's acidity to a pH of 7. Although all cocoa powders can vary in color from light reddish brown to a richer dark brown, the Dutch process gives the powder a noticeably darker color which most bakers like because it makes the chocolate very dark when you bake it.

Dutch processed cocoa powder has a smoother, more mellow flavor that's often associated with earthy, woodsy notes. There are also heavily Dutched "black" cocoa powders that bring the cocoa powder to an alkaline level of 8. This the kind of bittersweet cocoa you'll find in Oreo cookies.

*This blog post may contain affiliate links to products I love and recommend. This doesn't cost you anything 🙂

Do You Know What Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder Is?

Have you ever tried out a new chocolate cake recipe and thought YES! This tastes amazing! Then a few months later, it falls flat? What went wrong?
Well, it could be your cocoa powder!

Not very many people know that there are different kinds of cocoa powder

In a nutshell, there is natural cocoa powder (like hershey's) and alkalized (dutched). But what does that even mean?

*photo via seriouseats.com

Chocolate is naturally acidic, so natural cocoa powder typically has a pH between 5 and 6 which is pretty much in the middle of the scale. Natural cocoa powder has a sharp, citrus flavor.

Alkalized, or "European style," or "Dutched" dutch processed cocoa powder is washed with a potassium carbonate solution that neutralizes cocoa's acidity to a pH of 7. Although colors may vary, dutch processed cocoa powder is usually darker than natural and has a smoother and more mellow flavor.

Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder Brands

There are also brands of heavily dutched cocoa powder that result in a much darker color (like the guittard cocoa noir we used in our Dark Chocolate Cake Recipe) or Cacao Barry Extra Brut which is what I use in my standard chocolate cake recipe that has been wowing my clients for over a decade!

What does this all mean?

Can You Substitute Regular Cocoa Powder for Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder

Basically, you can't always switch out your cocoa powders for any recipe. If you're using dutch processed cocoa powder then baking soda won't react with it, hence a flat, dense cake. And if you're using baking powder with natural cocoa powder, you might have the same problem. If you're tweaking your own recipe, just remember: Baking soda for natural cocoa powder, baking powder for dutch processed cocoa powder

If you don't have dutch processed cocoa powder and the recipe calls for dutch processed cocoa powder and baking powder, substitute the same amount of natural cocoa powder (like Hershey's) but replace the baking powder with half the amount of baking soda. For instance, if the recipe calls for ¼ cup dutch processed cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon baking powder, you can substitute ¼ cup Hershey's cocoa powder and ⅛ teaspoon baking soda.

So which one should you use? Basically, look at your recipe. If it says baking soda as the leavener (and you're in the US), most likely you'll be using natural cocoa powder which is lighter and has a reddish hue (like hersheys) and if your recipe calls for baking powder, you're most likely using a recipe that calls for Dutched cocoa powder which will result in a darker, fudgier cake. What if your recipe calls for both? Use the cocoa powder that the recipe recommends to be safe!

You can see here the difference in rise when you don't use the correct leavener. One time my cake turned out really short and I couldn't figure out why. I quickly figured out my mistake! I had accidentally grabbed the baking soda instead of the baking powder.

So for a nice fluffy, balanced and full-flavor chocolate cake, make sure you're using the right cocoa powder and the right leavenings! And don't forget to check out our delish recipes for fool-proof chocolate cake!

Chocolate Cake Recipe using Cake Flour
Guiness Chocolate Cake Recipe
Dark Chocolate Cake great for using in sculpted cakes

What could possibly be better than breakfast in bed? Breakfast in bed that's actually cake, that's what. When I tell you that what you're looking at is in fact entirely edible I mean it is in fact ENTIRELY edible. I know what you're thinking. Of course it's edible, it's breakfast! No, I mean nothing that you are looking at is what is seems, it is all re-created from sugar, right down to the plate, glass and yes even that shabby chic wooden breakfast tray. So when you bite into this delightful creation your taste buds are going to be uber confused.

I have to tell you that when I first saw this cake I was going back and forth trying to decide if the tray was part of the cake or not, I genuinely was faked out. I could tell the handles were real so thought the tray must be too, then I noticed the cake board at the very bottom and that is truly the only thing that gave it away. Bravo Liz, bravo.

Pancake cakes have been popular for quite some time now and gravity defying cakes have always been popular. Put them together and you have a shoe in for success.

In this tutorial you will learn how to get incredibly realistic details on your pancakes including that bubbly cooked texture, golden brown color and slightly melted "butter". The pancake cake it self is indeed a Pancake Cake Recipe that you'll definitely want to check out.

This little ensemble right here is just incredible in itself. NONE of what is on that plate is savory. When you dive into this plate you will be tasting gummy bears, cookies and just all out sugar. Did I mention you can even eat the plate?

These lovely little home-baked Chocolate Chip Cookies can be found on the Toxic Sweet's Shop YouTube Channel from Joyce Marcellus, and no I am not talking about a chocolate chip cookie recipe. Joyce teaches you how to create a realistic cookie out of fondant.

This incredible edible glass of "OJ" is much simpler than you'd think to create and I mean how impressive?! Your clients will be blown away.

And there it is, the proof that this tray is in fact cake and not aged old wood. Plays tricks on your mind doesn't it?

This cake is absolutely fabulous and there are so many techniques in this tutorial you do not want to miss believe me. This bad boy is reserved for Premium and Elite Members of the Sugar Geek Show. Sign up today if you aren't a member already! We have 6 month and yearly packages available now that will save you money!

Many of the techniques found in this tutorial were featured on the brand new Food Network Show Ridiculous Cakes! Check out the Food Network site or check your local listings to catch Liz on TV showing off her incredible realistic food cake skills.

Huge thanks to the sponsors of this cake, Renshaw Fondant, Simi Cakes Isomalt and Icing Images Decogel. These amazing effects would not be possible without your incredible products!

Today we will show you how to easily make your own delivery box for your cakes. "Wait, I need to do that?" Yes, yes you do.

There are several reasons you should transport your cake/cake tiers in a box. It keeps the cake more safe and stable, much less likely to tip over and slide around. It keeps your cake cold. It keeps your cake clean. It's easier to carry cakes in a box. It looks more professional.

Actual cake delivery boxes you can buy from cake supply stores can be pretty spendy. Then you turn into that irritating penny pincher and you feel like you have to frantically get your cake box back after every delivery. Making your own is much more practical, and while they are reusable, if you don't get one back it's no biggie because it should've only cost a couple dollars at the most depending on the size of the box.

Start with an unfolded box that matches the size of the cake board your cake/tier is sitting on. You can buy these at shipping stores or even online at Amazon in bulk which is what I do.

Next, fold one end of the flaps in and tape them securely with packaging tape. Don't try scotchin' that business. You may even want to tape the side seams for extra security.

Using an exacto blade, cut the the two front seams of your box so that the flap can fall open.

Tape that inner seam down so it isn't loose.

Slide your cake into the box. Once again make sure to use a box that's width matches the size board your cake is sitting on so that it is nice and secure. You of course will also want to make sure the box is tall enough for your cake.

Tape down the top three flaps.

Then you can just easily tuck the front flap in to close your box. That's it! You've made your own cake delivery box.

A few tips from me to you...

-If I am traveling a long distance with my cake I tape the front of the box up good sealing in the cold air for longer.

-I found white boxes on Amazon that look a bit nicer and I print my own business logo sticker and put it on the box for an extra professional look.

-If you can't find the width of box you need, you can use a box whose end dimensions are the correct size and just tip it on it's side. Then you would be taping the back and front of the cake box with no need to cut with an exacto knife. I ordered a bunch of boxes on Amazon like this. Using the box this way makes them them tall and skinny so I can box two and even three tier cakes. Here's a link to a 12x12x18 box that you would tip on it's end. Then it fits a 12" cake board with a cake up to 18" tall. I use that size and this 10x10x14 box for nearly every delivery. The cost is a couple dollars each for these boxes but you have to buy 25 at a time. I love having them on hand all the time and they last me a long time with reuse.

-If your cake board is smaller than your box, roll some packaging tape into a bubble and tape your cake board down so it can't slide around.

You never knew there was a whole course you needed to take on boxes did you? I hope you find all of this information helpful and it furthers you on your professional cake decorating journey!

Going over the basics? Check out these!

Cake Decorating Basics: Must Have Tool Review

Cake Decorating Basics: Airless Space Buttercream

Cake Decorating Basics: Leveling and Torting

Cake Decorating Basics: Filling and Crumb Coating

Cake Decorating Basics: Avoiding Cake Blowouts

Cake Decorating Basics: Smooth Final Coat of Buttercream

Cake Decorating Basics: The Upside Down Method

Cake Decorating Basics: The Secret to Small Cakes

Cake Decorating Basics: Covering a Cake in Fondant

Cake Decorating Basics: Easy Double Barrel

Cake Decorating Basics: How to Panel

Cake Decorating Basics: Stacking Cakes