Ask Nancy Archives
Do you have a baking, decorating or celebrating question for Nancy? Now is your chance to have it answered.
Check here each month, Nancy will select ten questions submitted by viewers and posting her answers here.
All Questions
What size pan can be used for a packaged, two-layer cake mix?
Denise - from Woodridge, IL
How can I achieve a true red icing?
Gale - from Fayetteville, NY
Do I need to ice my cake before I put on fondant?
Jennifer - from New York, NY
My cookie dough sticks to the cutters. How can I prevent this?
Landon - from Plainfield, IL
Why does the icing on my cake crack as it dries?
Joey - from Rockland, IL
What type of icing can I use to ice cookies with?
Noelle - from Lynwood, IL
My piped leaves have points. What am I doing wrong?
Alena - from Woodridge, IL
When writing with icing on a cake, after a while the icing cracks? What am I doing wrong?
Jeff - from Medina, OH
My cake domes in the middle while baking. How can I prevent this?
Jeff - from Medina, OH
What does a 2-layer cake mean?
Laura - from Chicago, IL
My buttercream icing often cracks after it has sat for a few days; is there anything I can do to prevent this?
Karen - from Springboro, OH
After icing a cake, must I place the cake in the refrigerator or can I leave it out over night?
Theresa - from Cuyahoga Falls, OH
When I make cake, I often have some batter left over after filling my cake pans; can I save this batter and use it on another day?
Rosalie - from Charlotte, NC
What is the difference between fondant and buttercream icing?
Angela - from Lansing, MI
Why do my cakes shrink down after I take them out of the oven?
Judy - from Florence, SC
Where and how should I store Candy Melt™ candies? How long will the candies last?
Carmen Santos - from Cayey, Puerto Rico
How can I get a nice smooth icing finish on my cakes before decorating them?
Cordieann - from Bossier City, LA
When making fondant bows, the loops on my bows tend to break easily, how can I prevent this?
Diane - from Tyrone, PA
Why does my buttercream icing seem gritty at times?
Malissa - from Checotah, OK
Why am I getting white spots in my icing?
Syndy - from Bloomington, IN
When using fresh strawberries as a filling instead of preserves, how do you keep them from bleeding?
Shirley - from Chicago, IL
What consistency should the icing be for icing a cake?
Lisa - from Austin, TX
I have trouble getting the fondant onto a cake that is more than 10 inches wide. I try wrapping it around the rolling pin, but it always has stretched spots and breaks.
Laurie - from Winnipeg, ME
What is the best way to thaw a cake that has been frozen so that condensation does not form on the icing? How do you calculate the amount of time needed to thaw a cake?
Cheryl - from Downingtown, SC
When I make chocolate-covered spoons, using melted chocolate chips or baking chocolate, it dries with a whitish layer on top. What can I do to prevent this?
meme - from saskatoon, sk
What kind of fillings are safe to use for cakes that will be on display for several hours?
Melody - from Moorpark, CA
What is the best consistency of icing to use for roses?
Joe - from Portland, MI
When I use the leaf tip, my leaves tend to have a "forked tongue" shape at the end. Is there a trick to making a pointed end?
Dawn - from Baton Rouge, LA
If I use cream cheese icing to ice my cake, can I use buttercream icing to make the decorations?
Michelle - from Mishawaka, IN
If you use butter instead of vegetable shortening to make buttercream icing, does the cake need to be refrigerated after decorating? Karen.
Karen - from Davenport, FL
When icing a two layer cake, I always end up with a bulge around the middle and never seem to get smooth sides. What am I doing wrong?
Virginia - from Fort Smith, AR
How do I place a shaped cake on top of a round cake to ensure it does not fall off?
Kim - from Chesapeake, VA
I need to make a number of small tiered cakes for personal cakes at a wedding. How do I frost them smoothly?
Ty - from Chicago, IL
My Cornelli Lace looks very bad. Is there a trick to improving my technique?
Beverly - from Griswold, CT
When decorating a cake baked in a character pan, should you ice the cake with a smooth base layer first, or pipe your decoration directly onto the cake?
Angela - from Ann Arbor, MI
I saw a recipe for fondant adhesive. What is it used for and how?
Diana - from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
What is it to "spatula stripe" an icing bag?
Sheila - from Bronx, NY
There are so many ways to grease pans today. Is it okay to use pan sprays?
anonymous - from fayetteville, AR
Hi Nancy, When a recipe calls for sifted powdered sugar..as in buttercream frosting, do you sift first then measure or visa versa?
Aurora - from Sitka, AK
When making buttercream icing, can you use butter flavored solid vegetable shortening?
Donna - from Greenfield, IN
I have been trying to make the spritz cookies and have a lot of trouble getting them to stay on the cookie sheet surface. What am I doing wrong?
Wendy - from Alexandria, IN
I would love to know how a professional decorator connects the first and last part of icing borders. i.e. first and last shells, etc.?
Jeannie - from South Bend, IN
When baking a cake from the box is it better to use water or milk? When a recipe or mix calls for water what is the best temperature to use – cold or warm?
Eliza - from Laredo, TX
When you get ready to decorate a shaped cake, for example the bear, do you ice the whole cake before you start decorating?
Arsenia - from Hemingway, SC
I make 18"x24" cakes for church and have trouble getting the iced surface flat and even. Is there a way to do this?
Linda - from Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada
How do you stack a top cake without the bottom layer crushing?
Angel - from Newport News, VA
I want to make a simple vanilla cake recipe. What is better to use: all-purpose flour or cake flour? What is the difference between the two?
Jessica - from Ottawa, Ontario
How do you color spritz cookie dough? I'm most familiar with kneading the icing color into roll-out cookie dough, but won't kneading into the spritz dough make it too tough or too soft?
Melinda - from San Antonio, TX
Is there an easy way to make a gingerbread house?
Gerry - from Fort Wayne, IN
Why is it important to use shortening when greasing a cake pan? Why shouldn't you use butter?
Iffa - from State College, PA
Can you substitute brown sugar for granulated white sugar? Do you substitute equal amounts or is there a certain ratio that is recommended?
Judy - from Branson, MO
Can butter flavored shortening be used instead of regular shortening for buttercream icing?
Stacy - from Katy, TX
You featured the square Violet Cascade Cake is decorated with purple flowers on one of your shows. What tips do you have to create that lovely effect of cascading flowers?
Lynn - from Liverpool, NY
What can I do to prevent my cake mix from overflowing?
Niley - from Houston, TX
When making a cream cheese fruit tart, or any baked crust tart, how do you get the baked crust out of the tart pan without breaking it up?
Bonnie - from Russell, KY
What do you mean by sifted cake flour? Is that regular white flour or another kind of flour?
Jassie - from Houston, TX
Can you use chocolate chips instead of candy melts for making candy shells?
Charlynn - from Auburn, CA
I can't locate buttermilk. Is there something I can substitute?
Alejandra - from San Juan, Puerto Rico
I am allergic to corn. There are times I encounter a recipe calling for corn syrup. Do you have any suggestions for an alternative?
Porsha - from Langley, British Columbia
In your recipes, you list confectioners' sugar as 4 cups, about 1 pound, but 1 pound is only 2 cups (1 cup is 8 ounces). Why are you listing this incorrectly?
Marie - from Bloomfield, NJ
How can I make the chocolate leaves you used to decorate your cake?
Jean - from Williamston, SC
Is it better to put your freshly baked cake in the freezer right after it cools, before you put your first layer of icing on? Will this make it easier to ice your cake?
Brooke - from Madison, MS
What is the best way to do cut out mini cakes or petit fours? Is it necessary to freeze the cake before frosting? I tried to make them and there were lots or crumbs and the edges were not as sharp as I would have liked? What can you do with leftover cake scraps?
Kelley - from Sherwood, AR
When making a fondant-covered cake, can I use pound cake and another cake mix together to get a cake that will hold up to the weight of the fondant and taste good?
Lisa - from Shallotte , NC
When making a stacked cake without pillars, do you put a cardboard base under each cake? How do you take apart and cut the cake to serve without the frosting sticking to the other cake?
Terry - from Moreno Valley, CA
How do I keep colored buttercream from darkening or lightening while the finished cake is on display?
Babette - from South Lake Tahoe, CA
What is fondant? Can I make it myself?
Louise - from Machipongo, VA
What is the tool called that you cut the dowel rods with?
Ann - from St. Louis, MO
Why does my cake crack when I'm trying to move it?
Cheryl - from Richardson, TX
How is flooding done when icing cookies?
Caron - from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
When I bake sheet cakes, the center is always very high and the sides low and when I turn it out of the pan top side down, of course it cracks. What can I do?
Dianna - from Milton, WV
Can you freeze a cake that has already been covered with fondant?
Cari - from McPherson, KS
Why do some of the cake recipes say "no pudding in the mix" on your show? What difference does the pudding make?
Jane - from Richmond, IN
What is the best way to get air pockets out of your cake mix?
Natalie - from Moss Point, MS
On your show, you mentioned changing the baking temperature depending on the kind of baking pan used - glass, metal, dark metal. Will you please give those instructions again?
Darryl - from Cotati, CA
What do I mix with food color to make a brush on color for fondant that dries to the touch?
Delilah - from Kerrville, TX
Hi Nancy, LOVE LOVE LOVE the show!! It is everything I wanted to refresh my skills from classes I took. I am having problems getting a real smooth look on my cakes when I ice them. Whether I work it to the end or to the middle I am still left with lines and marks on the cake. I have done some awesome cakes but I still see lines.
Trini - from Lake Ronkonkoma, NY
What kind of bag are you using for your icing? Just a plain plastic bag or a special bag?
Louise - from Orem, UT
How do you stack the cake when making layer cake? Bottom side up and the second layer bottom side up also?
Margarita - from South Amboy, NJ
When serving cupcakes, should you take the paper off or leave it on?
Darlene - from Maple Ridge, BC
When I took my decorating class we used a recipe that only had shortening in it. I have lost the recipe and am trying to locate it again.
Margie - from Shreveport, LA
I have been having a problem with my buttercream icing (the recipe with only shortening - no butter) breaking when I try to do my roses. I have tried thinning and it still breaks. What could be the problem? Would adding corn syrup instead of water help?
Amy - from Calhoun, GA
Many recipes call for heavy cream and no one really explains what heavy cream is. Is it half and half, coffee cream or whipping cream?
Marilyn - from Royal Oak, MI
What is the best way to do cut out mini cakes or petit fours?
Barbara - from Carrollton, VA
I am making a cake for my mother's upcoming 50th birthday party and I need to make black fondant. I know with icing to use chocolate and then dye that black but what do you do with fondant to make it black? Please help.
Sandra - from Parlin, NJ
How do I put dowels in a cake, and how do I stack the second cake on top of the first cake by using dowels?
Ali - from Port Coquitlam, WA
What do you put into Rolled Fondant to make it stiff enough to hold the shape of a bow? Also, can fondant ribbon roses or other decorations be added to cakes frosted with buttercream icing?
Julie - from El Mirage, AZ
When a cake recipe calls for "milk," what type of milk should you use?
Pat - from Wilmington, DE
When baking layer cakes, how do you keep a cake from rising higher in the middle? It never fails.
Daisy - from Cleveland, OH
What is the best way to transport a stacked construction wedding cake with 4 or more levels?
Renee - from New Wilmington , RI
Your buttercream icing includes milk. I keep a kosher diet that does not allow mixing meat and milk. Can the milk be omitted or replaced with a different ingredient?
Rina - from Brooklyn, NY
I would like to know whether I can use stiff buttercream icing, maybe with meringue powder added, in place of royal icing to make roses?
Pani Thuly - from Atlantic City, NJ
What is crumb coating? What pointers can you give us regarding successfully applying a crumb coating?
Kim - from Mayport, PA
Nancy, what is glucose and glycerin, and what are they used them for?
Charlotte - from Saskatoon, Canada
I'm going to be making my first wedding cake in June. The bride wants a tiered cake with 3-4 square tiers, however, she doesn't need all that cake. How do I do this?
Sharon - from Kansas City, MO
How can you tint classic buttercream icing ivory? My best friend wants her wedding cake to be cream colored – how can I get a true cream color?
Joanne - from N. Ridgeville, OH
How much do I fill the cups when making cupcakes?
Adriana - from San Antonio, TX
How long can I keep cakes iced with cream cheese icing at room temperature?
Sofia - from Guatemala, Guatemala
Hi, I've been watching your show for the past several months and I LOVE IT. I'm only in Grade 10, but I really enjoy decorating cakes. When making royal icing, is there any substitute for Meringue Powder, because I am not able to buy it where I live.
Melissa - from La Scie, Canada
The banana cake recipe you demonstrated calls for sour cream. I don't like sour cream, can I omit it? Can I substitute yogurt for the sour cream?
Lucy - from Acampo, CA
Do you have any suggestions with what to do with the cake you remove after leveling cake layers? I don't want to waste it!
Gayle - from Dallas, TX
My niece would like to have cheesecake for her wedding cake. Do you have any suggestions and/or recipes for making and decorating a cheesecake for a wedding?
Bronda - from Marshall, TX
How do you get whipped cream icing to stay stiff to spread on cake?
Leatha - from Ballwin, MO
What is the appropriate thickness fondant should be rolled to when covering cakes?
Jenn - from Charlotte, NC
I have been asked to make my uncle's 3-tier wedding cake. What type of cake would be the best to help support the top layers without the layers sinking into each other?
Ruby - from Yorkton, Canada
When removing the cake from the pan to cool, should you place the top of the cake down or up on the wire rack?
Minnie - from Cypress, TX
Is there some conversion for baking time and oven temperature when you change pan sizes? I want to use a 13 x 9 in. pan instead of the two 9-in. rounds called for in my recipe.
Eileen - from Chalfont, PA
What is a good icing to use for ice cream cake?
Toy - from Brooklyn, NY
Why does the cake crack in the center while it is baking?
Rose - from Castro Valley, CA
When you prepare your cake with buttercream icing before covering with fondant, how thick should the icing be?
Cynthia - from Durham, NC
I regularly bake cheesecakes for gifts; any suggestions on how to remove the complete cake from the springform pan bottom before giving them away?
Gina - from Green Brook, NJ
Is there a way to ensure even baking if you are making a full sheet cake?
Randi - from Millbury, OH
How do you make apricot glaze? And, how can I keep the fruit looking fresh on the top of my cake?
Kim - from Sugarland, TX
My son wants a Spider-Man™ cake, but the red icing color has such a bitter taste (even the "No Taste" red). Do you have a suggestion on how to get rid of the bitterness? Also, when I put red icing color in white icing, it comes out pink. What can I do?
Cindy - from Joliet, IL
Hi, Nancy, I love your show and I have just started cake decorating. I was wondering how long can I keep rolled fondant that has been tinted with different colors?
Bridget - from Marystown, MN
I want to make a cake, but have no cake flour, just all-purpose flour. Would that be alright to use?
Victoria - from San Jose, CA
Can I ice my cake with whipped cream before covering with fondant?
Sanaz - from Tehran, Iran
How do I keep my cheesecake from cracking?
Jamie - from Sparkman, AR
What is the best to use for a shaped pan – a cake mix or a mix from scratch?
Karen - from Brenham, TX
How do I smooth out the fondant – no seams – on my fondant-covered cakes?
Lisa - from East Brunswick, NJ
What is the best way to thin buttercream icing for icing a cake?
Aurora - from Sitka, AK
How can I make the strawberry mousse recipe into chocolate mousse?
Linda - from Bloomsburg, PA
Can all-purpose, cake and bread flour be used interchangeably?
Maria - from Indianapolis, IN
What is the best way to fill a decorator bag?
Mark - from Honolulu, HI
As a beginner, what tips do you suggest I start with?
Hannah - from Conroe, TX
I do a lot of wedding cakes, and I have noticed the cake mixes do not seem to make as much batter lately. Is there any way to increase the amount of batter I get from a cake mix?
Cheryl - from Lincoln, NE
How do I get my cakes to rise higher?
Kathy - from St. John's, Canada
What tools should you use to get icing on the top of a cake the smoothest?
Carly - from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
When I cover a cake with fondant, I have excess fondant, like a ruffle, as I get near the base of the cake. How do I get rid of the excess and create smooth, seamless sides?
Kathy - from Wichita, KS
How do you color a cake mix?
Stacie - from Redfield, AR
Is there anything I can do to make buttercream icing hold its shape better in warmer weather and for outdoor weddings?
Linda - from Keokuk, IA
What is a heating core, and how is it used in baking?
Joanne - from N. Ridgeville, OH
Hi Nancy, love your show! I also like to watch cake decorating contest shows. Could you please tell me what they use to add color to their flowers? I see them brushing on a powder. Thanks and keep up the great job!
Maria - from Covert, MI
I haven't been successful at getting my support dowels exactly the same size when assembling a stacked cake. Any suggestions?
Holly - from Port Hope, MI
My friends and I tried to frost our cupcakes with buttercream icing, but the icing melted too quickly. What can we do to prevent this?
Ainaa - from Singapore, Singapore
How far in advance can cupcakes be made, decorated and stored before a baby shower?
Deborah - from Newark, DE
Can you suggest a cake filling other than buttercream icing?
Kim - from Kylertown, PA
Is it ok to eat fondant icing?
Whitney - from Crookston, MN
After tinting fondant black, it fell apart when I tried to put it on a Styrofoam cake dummy. Please tell me what I am doing wrong.
Shirley - from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Can I add food coloring to fondant?
Janeen - from Houston, TX
When doubling a recipe that calls for baking powder and baking soda, do you do exactly that or can you use less?
Lorena - from West Sacramento, CA
What would be a less sweet icing that I can use for my cakes?
Juanita - from Houston, TX
Hi Nancy! How much batter should you use in an oval baking pan? I used two pans, and the cake rose really high but it took so long to bake through. Help!
Donna - from Houston, TX
Why do some cakes use baking soda and others baking powder?
Karina - from Gainesville, TX
Hi! I live in the UK. Is baking soda the same product as bicarbonate of soda or the same as baking powder?
Mandy - from England, UK
Can clear vanilla extract and pure vanilla extract be used interchangeably?
Debbie - from Oakland, CO
When I bake a pound cake in a tube pan, my cake always cracks, but if I bake it in a plain baking pan, it does not. Can you tell me why?
Sarika - from Chennai, India
How do I stick fondant cutouts to fondant covered cakes?
Maria - from Doral, FL
What is the best way to marble a cake chocolate and vanilla?
Crystal - from Paragould, AR
I tried making flowers with royal icing like I saw you make on your show. I made them on a cookie sheet, but once they were dried, I couldn't get them to lift off without crumbling. I also tried making the flowers on a piece of foil, but the foil kept lifting when I lifted the decorating tip. What did I do wrong?
Sonja - from Youngstown, OH
I'd like to add fondant stars to a cake to make it look like they're shooting off the cake. Any safe ways you can think of to add these stars to a fondant-covered cake?
Karen - from S.F., NY
Nancy, can I use buttercream icing on a cake, then add a fondant bow without covering the cake in fondant?
Cathey - from Camden, AR
Is there a difference between fondant and gum paste? If so, can gum paste be worked with the same as fondant?
Jen - from Norfolk, VA
What is the difference between confectioners' sugar and powdered sugar?
Dawn - from Prophetstown, IL
Hi, Nancy. Do you have any tips for filling cupcake liners so they come out even?
Lana - from Fishers, IN
Hi, Nancy. I am a new baker and I am having trouble with baking cookies and breads. My cookies get burned at the bottom and my breads are not cooked thoroughly in the middle but burned on top. What am I doing wrong?
Charlise - from Milwaukee, WI
Nancy, is it possible to add color to Candy Melts®?
Randi - from Millbury, OH
Can you share a recipe for a delicious frosting for cookies that won't smear if stacking the cookies?
Linda - from Rochester , NY
How long does royal icing last, and can you freeze it?
Kim - from Suwanee, GA
I'm a new baker. In looking at your website, I notice in a number of recipes you call for the butter to be softened and "creamed." What exactly does it mean to "cream" the butter?
Nancy Marie - from Houston, TX
What is the best way to bake in an extra large cake pan, for example the large oval (16-1/2 x 12-3/8 x 2")? I don't want an uncooked mess in the middle.
Penny - from Belton, TX
Hi, Nancy. How can I soften fondant?
Tracy - from Newport News, VA
I have two weddings coming up. I am trying to save money by making mints ahead of time. Do you have an easy recipe for mints that I can put into molds, with different colors, flavors and shapes thanks!
Sarah - from Nortonville, KS
How do I get my cupcakes to dome on top?
Tara - from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
I’d like to see cupcake sizes added to the “Baking and Serving Guide.” What is the correct amount of batter to use in different sizes of cupcake liners?
Tara - from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Can I flavor fondant? What would I use?
Jeannie - from Carlisle, IA
How do you get icing color off your fingers?
Peggy - from Ravenna, OH
What tip do I use to make a rose?
Cathy - from Limestone, TN
I only make cakes from scratch occasionally. What is the best flour to keep on hand?
Chris - from Virginia Beach, VA
How do I get cheesecake off the bottom of a springform pan?
Alicia - from Houston, TX
Hi Nancy. I was wondering if there is a product that could be used in home made fondant that would have the same effect as gum tex in store bought fondant. I always find that my fondant is too soft for cut outs and will not dry the same as store bought.
Bridget - from Marystown, Newfoundland/Labrador
When I bake cakes, the center is always high and the sides low, causing the layers to crack when removed from the pan. What can I do?
Dianna - from Columbus, OH
Do I have to refrigerate cookies I have frosted with icing made from butter, light corn syrup and confectioners' sugar?
Lucy - from Tucson, AZ
You said that freezing royal icing is not recommended. Why? What happens if you freeze it?
Ricki - from Redding, CA
Can vanilla rum replace vanilla extract?
Christine - from Wyoming, OH
I love the show! It has gotten me more into baking and decorating. I make a semi-homemade Red Velvet Cake. My problem is, the more red food coloring I use, sometimes 2 ounces, the more the cake looks bright pink. What can I use for a true red color?
Audrey - from Milwaukee, WI
All my cakes are too moist to frost easily. How do I make a denser cake?
Jenny - from Royal Oak, MI
How do I keep sheet cakes from cracking? I especially have problems with the very big (12x18 in.) cakes.
Linda - from Gatesville, NC
Can you thin melted Candy Melts? Some of the candies I make are so detailed, I just need small amounts that are hard to get when the candy is thick.
Lee Ann - from Allegany, NY
I am just learning how to use the Wilton decorating tips. I would like to practice more. What is an inexpensive way to practice? I'll be making a lot of buttercream or royal icing?
Kim - from Waco, TX
Hi Nancy, I love watching your show! The project I'm fascinated with is the teddy bear cake. I don't understand about the baking core in the center, do I need to leave it in and ice the cake or what? I'm really looking forward to making this for my daughter's first birthday cake in February.
Bukkie - from Houston, TX
Is it possible to use cardboard cake boards to make tiered cakes? Or, must I use only the plastic stacking plates with the feet?
Billie - from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Could you please tell me what is wrong with my M&M and chocolate chip cookies? I've made them for years, and now they spread and are so paper thin you can see through them. Please help!
Pat - from Wadsworth, OH
How do you put your tips on your decorating bag?
Chloe - from Pearland, TX
Nancy, I'm new to cake decorating, but I love it! What is the difference between buttercream and royal icing, and when do you use each one?
Amanda - from Shelbyville, KY
Which is better to bake in – a gas convection or an electric convection oven?
Linda - from Lafontaine, Ontario
Can vanilla or orange extract be added to cake mix?
Alicia - from Harlingen, TX
How do I keep my powdered sugar from lumping up in my frosting and clogging my decorating tip? I always beat my frosting thoroughly, but this still happens. I also sift my powdered sugar thoroughly.
Kiere - from Pearland, TX
When using boiled icing, how do you apply it to the cake? What kind of consistency comes from this particular recipe?
Athena - from London, CA
I want to bake train cookies for my son's 5th birthday. What would be the simplest method to decorate for someone with no experience at this?
Tracy - from Redding, CA
How long does orange and lemon zest last after you "zest" it? And, what is the best tool to use to zest?
Connie - from New Albany, IN
Can I bake a cake from a boxed mix in a springform pan?
Sonia - from Louisville, KY
Can you please tell me how do I know when to use baking cocoa vs. unsweetened cocoa in a recipe when the recipe does not specify?
Christine - from North Bethesda, MD
Is there a chocolate buttercream recipe that doesn't crust?
Wendy - from beverly, MA
When I make cakes from scratch, I have a problem with the cake coming out too dense and heavy. I love decorating cakes, yet making the cake is difficult. What am I doing wrong?
Meredtih - from Avon Lake, OH
Can Pearl Dust be used on candy?
Joanne - from Miller Place, NY
I recently took some baking classes, and the teacher said to use unbleached flour for cakes. Is this true of all cakes? What's the difference between unbleached all-purpose flour and regular all-purpose flour?
Norma - from Sparks, OK
Do you have any suggestions on what to do with the cake crowns once the cake is leveled?
Gayle - from Dallas, TX
What do you mean sticks of butter?
Mahnaz - from iran-tehran, NY
Why is shortening used in "buttercream" icing? I would expect it be made only with butter.
Beverley - from Ottawa, Ontario canada
I love making cookies, however not the hard crunchy ones. How can I make soft baked chocolate chip cookies?
Shandi - from Grand Bahama, Bahamas
My niece will be getting married this July. She wants “personal” cakes at each table at the reception – that will be 35-40 cakes plus the small wedding cake. Plus, I have to haul everything a distance. I plan to start baking the cakes soon and freezing them, but when should I start? What size cake 8 or 6-inch should I use? I plan to ice with buttercream icing, and use some fondant decorations. I’ve never done this many cakes before at one time!
Marcia - from Johnstown, PA
When a recipe calls for pure vanilla extract, can I use imitation vanilla? Will it change the taste of the recipe?
Ang - from Torrance, CA
How do you convert cup measurements to grams? For example, what is the gram equivalent of 1 cup of flour or 1 stick or butter?
Gloria - from London, United Kingdom
How can I achieve black fondant? When I color it, it turns grey.
Liz - from Soledad, CA
For a stacked wedding cake (6, 8 and 10-in.) what sizes do the separator plates need to be?
Angie - from Toronto, Ontario
Because butter is very expensive, can I substitute margarine for butter?
Tina - from Jakarta, Indonesia
How do you attach marshmallow popcorn balls to a stick?
Erica - from New York, NY
What does it mean to torte a cake and how do you do it?
Andrea - from Colbert, WA
I understand that buttercream seems to be the most popular base for fondant covered cakes. However, can I use whipped chocolate ganache? What alternatives are there?
Anita - from Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
I was looking into making the caterpillar cupcakes, but wasn’t sure how to get the different color icings. Can I make the colors, or do I have to buy cupcakes in different colors?
Jessica - from Houston, TX
Every time I make a 9 x 13 sheet cake with a box of cake mix, the texture and taste are fine, but it doesn't rise high enough. What's wrong?
Robyn - from Houston, TX
I have heard that fondant will keep for 2 weeks, 2 months or even 6 months. Exactly how long can you keep it? How long can royal icing be kept? Buttercream?
Sandy - from Trussville, AL
You never say what size pan or type of pan a recipe on your website makes. Why?
John - from Spring, TX
I tried to freeze my leftover buttercream icing and after I defrosted it to use it, it had a funny taste. What is the best way to freeze buttercream icing?
Elizabeth - from Paris, KY
Can you use white Candy Melts instead of white baking chips for White Chocolate Buttercream?
Diana - from Moca, Puerto Rico
I want to cut a recipe in half, and it calls for 3 large eggs. How do I do this?
Tom - from Brookfield, WI
Is "non-toxic artists' chalk" the same as "non-toxic chalk? Is it edible?
Elny - from Carlton, NSW
Hi Nancy! I was wondering what consistencies of icing I should use? I want to make my daughter's birthday cake, and I want to put buttercream flowers on it.
Pam - from Homewood, IL
On one of your shows, you made flower shaped cookies, then placed them in what looked like a white chocolate flower pot/vase? Can you tell me where I can find instructions for making this?
Flora - from Rochester, NY
When baking a cake from a box or from scratch, can applesauce be added instead of oil?
Alicia - from Harlingen, TX
I can make beautiful roses out of buttercream icing. However, when I make them from royal icing, they go flat. What am I doing wrong?
Marlene - from Logansport, IN
How do I get the fondant on a cake perfectly flat? Wouldn't it cause creases if you keep pushing it down?
Jael - from Seattle , WA
How can you make your icing shiny? Also, what would you use to make black colored icing?
Jocelyn - from Topeka, KS
What can you do to a cake that is so moist that it is difficult to ice? Can you let it sit out and air dry for awhile? Will anything help?
Betty - from Fulton , IL
How many recipes of buttercream icing would I need to ice and decorate a two-layer 9-inch round cake such as the World of Swirls cake?
Elizabeth - from Houston, TX
After covering a cake with fondant, can I put it in the refrigerator? I have a cake covered with fondant and the filling is strawberry and whipped cream. What should I do?
Cassia - from Torrance, CA
I need to bake four cheesecakes for my mom's birthday. I want to bake 2 days before the party. Can I freeze the cheesecakes, and if I can, are there guidelines for freezing?
Dawn - from Prophetstown, IL
Can I decorate cookies with Color Flow or is regular royal icing better?
Yael - from Herzylia, Israel
When I make cakes, they are always very moist and hard to frost. How do I make a denser cake?
Jenny - from Royal Oak, MI
I am trying to make icing a maroon color. Any suggestions?
Heather - from Abbeville, LA
How do I keep my cake from cracking as it bakes?
Rose - from Castro Valley, CA
Should you put homemade icing or store bought icing on a cake, or does it matter?
Kayla - from Granger, TX
Does the type of spatula you use affect the result of your cake?
Cindy - from Houston, TX
I love your show! It has gotten my 11-year-old daughter interested in baking and cake decorating. Our question: Is it necessary to sift powdered sugar when making buttercream icing? What difference does sifting make in the icing?
Kate - from Tomball, TX
Is it okay to not add an ingredient and use another ingredient?
Janadhi - from Houston, TX
What is the normal height of a cake?
Joy - from St. Thomas , Virgin Island
How do you melt chocolate and Candy Melts?
Abigail - from Houston, TX
I need to make a cake for a Saturday morning party. I will be making a pineapple butter cake, with a buttercream icing crumb coating, then covering the cake with fondant on Friday night. Should I keep it in the refrigerator over night?
Ashwini - from Middletown, CT
How many minutes do you bake the "Diva" cake?
Daniel - from Houston, TX
I bake and sell homemade cookies as fundraisers, but sometimes the cookie requests keep me in the kitchen baking! I want to know if you can freeze cookie dough, and how? Or, do you bake the cookies and freeze them?
Kay - from Houston, TX