A cake maker IS only as good as their tools. The tools below have made my cakes better and my life easier.
How many do you already have?

Cake Scraper* - I use this large metal one the most. If you get one large one, then you can deal with tall cakes. I do also have some of these* smaller ones from before tall cakes were the 'in' thing.

Angled Spatula/Palette Knife* - I have two sets of these (because I hate washing up 😄). I use the angled ones the most (the pointed one for filling small holes or getting into awkward corners with carved cakes). I also have a large angled one* for the 10"+ tiers

Cake Turntable* - You will be hard pushed to get a really smooth finish without a turntable! Cakes are surprisingly heavy and are hard to rotate one just a worksurface. The one linked is not the one I'm currently using (which is a very old plastic red one, again inherited from my mum), but this metal one will be my next purchase. Metal ones turn much more smoothly and are more robust.


Pyrex bowls with lids* - these were such an 'on a whim' purchase, but they are SOOO useful for making ganache in. Because they're pyrex they can withstand heat and go in the freezer! So, I make my ganache in them, if it splits it's already in a heatproof bowl so I can just stick it on a saucepan and fix it (check out the tutorial if you haven't seen how!) and if I have any leftover - I can just pop the lid on and stick it straight in the fridge or freezer (depending on when I'll need it next). One bowl, no endless dispensing - yay!

Saucepan Jug* - This is not the exact one I have (I found mine in a Tkmaxx). But I love it for heating my cream for ganache. You can just use a saucepan, I just love that it's a jug as well!

favourite tools

For smooth Buttercream and ganache

Rolling Pin* - (This looks like the one I have, but I Inherited mine from my mum so can't attest to this company/brand). I just recommend a non-wooden one. They do stainless steel ones too to reduce your plastic purchasing (which is hard to avoid in the cake decorating world 😣)

Sharp Knife* - I LOVE these knives (the small paring one linked is the one I use most) and they are specifically used for my cakes only. My husband can easily identify which ones aren't to be used by him, because of the fun colours! They have their own sheath (which is great for my cake-first-aid-kit I take on deliveries and I have not yet had to sharpen them!!)


Fondant smoother* - I only really use one (as I prefer to use the flexi smoothers below), but one solid hard one is good for using on the top of the cake and minimise risk of leaving an impression with the edge of the smaller flexismoothers.


Flexismoothers* - Could not make the cakes I do without these bad boys! I use them to smooth ganache on carved cakes, I use these to get super sharp edges, I use them to blend seams of fondant or creases and to get rid of the dents I inevitably seem to make with my fingernails 🤦‍♀️ They are one of my MOST used tools in the cake biz!


Thickness guides* - I don't use these often as my fondant usually ends up being to large, but they're good for rolling things like plaques, ribbons and other smaller adornments where you want an even thickness. Just check the width of your rolling pin first!!


Icing Sugar Sifter - Really useful to dispense your cornflour onto the work surface and avoid clumps (can't remember where I bought the one I have - but I recommend one with a lid)

Spray Bottle - Wets your ganache evenly and quickly and avoids you accidentally jabbing a hole with a brush.

Clothes Steamer* - The only way to truly rid your fondant of all the cornflour dust it will pick up. Great for bold or dark coloured fondant cakes where it's really obvious. You can also brush some of it off with a dry brush (but it won't truly disappear without steam).

For flawless Fondant

*Links to Amazon.co.uk will give a small commision for any purchase made.