Edna of DesignMeACake has posted a great 4 part tutorial on creating gumpaste calla lillies.

 
More Videos:
Part II:   Gumpaste Calla Lillies
Part III:  Gumpaste Calla Lillies
Part IV:  Gumpaste Calla Lillies

Two of the easiest and most useful techniques a beginner can learn are shells and stars.  These are the most common techniques used on kids birthday cakes.  The shells are typically used for borders.  Stars are great for stenciling letters or even characters on a cake.  For the doll cake to the right, the doll bodice and part of the cake are decorated using the star technique.  For the base, I used a ruffle technique but a shell would have been just as nice.  To create the shell, use Tip 21 or 32 and for the star, use Tip 16 or 18.   The Wilton website has detailed instructions and video for the Shell and Star technique.

I’m back.  Its been a while.  Well, I made a castle cake last weekend.  One of the things I always have trouble with is getting the cake out of the larger pans without it tearing apart.  Sure, I’ve used the old butter (or shortening) and flour method.  I’ve used the commercially available “Pan-free’ products also.  But I find that the larger the cake, the more likely you are to have trouble getting it to release without tearing.  After watching an episode of PBS’s America Test Kitchen, I’ve learned to line the bottom and sides of the pans with parchment paper.  I very lightly grease the bottom and sides of the pan with shortening first.  Just enough to make the paper stick.  When I say lightly, I mean lightly.  You don’t want to use so much that the shortening affects the batter.  I’m sure many have used this method for years but beginners don’t hear much about this.  Let me tell you, the cake comes out perfect.  And best of all, it reduces the amount of crumbs on the cake.  And when you’re doing your crumb coat, that means a lot.