Having trouble getting your cakes to look like a box of Crayolas, hamburger or race car?
Duff Goldman, the extreme cake maker who's put visions of confectionery glory into many a home baker's head, has a fondant for that. In nine colors.
He also has fondant cutters. Texture tiles. "Cake graffiti" color spray. Cake "tattoos." Non-stick pans. Cake mixes, spatulas and other tools.
The Food Network's "Ace of Cakes" star and owner of Baltimore's Charm City Cakes has a new line of baking products. They're available at Michaels stores across the U.S. and Canada.
The products should appeal to home bakers who've seen Goldman's elaborate cakes on TV, said Geof Manthorne, executive sous chef at Charm City Cakes.
"I think people are getting much more ambitious," he said, recalling how some have called the bakery, seeking advice.
"We get a lot of people, and they want tips because they're trying to make a replica of their car," he said with a laugh. "What am I gonna tell you?"
Now he can tell them to buy The Duff Goldman Collection, which includes the ready-made, Play-Doh-like fondant icing used for elaborate decorations. Manthorne said Duff-brand fondant has been made to stay pliable for a long time, so it doesn't dry out before the baker gets the shape just right.
"It's easier to work with than a lot of store-bought fondants," he said. "It's a different form, doesn't dry out as quickly."
What's in there to make the stuff so workable? You probably don't want to know.
"Sort of a protein that kind of helps thing be elastic," Manthorne said. "It's not vegan."
Sun photo by Lloyd Fox