Learning to make and decorate cakes that are as beautiful as they are delicious can be a challenge, but with the expert guidance of renowned confectionery artist Autumn Carpenter in First Time Cake Decorating, your goal is within reach. Are you an absolute beginner when it comes to cake decorating? Then help is at hand. Like having your very own instructor at your side, this book guides you carefully from your first nervous buttercream icing to confident gum paste accents. After a thorough description of equipment and the baking process, learn: How to make and apply a range of icings and fillingsPiping techniques, from basic balls and stars to leaves, borders, and flowersHow to make fondant and gum paste accents using a pasta machine, a clay extruder, molds, and cookie cuttersHow to create gum paste flowers, bows, ruffles, animals, and peopleAdditional techniques for adding flair with stencils, shimmer, and air brushing Each of the projects included in this book introduces you to new c