scrapbooking mat

Cricut Cake Reviews: Candid Advice From Cricut Cake Users   by Fiona Summers

A survey of reviews posted online by real people who bought and tried out the Cricut Cake Personal Electronic Cutter shows a pretty consistent set of reactions to the experience of using the machine for cake decorating. Learn what users think of the Cricut Cake and how to get over the learning curve so you can create professional-looking decorations for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, candies, and more.

What’s it really like to cut cake decorations with an electronic cutting machine? Here’s a summary of what users are saying:

“A Fabulous Machine…” but “Not as Easy as It Looks”

The consensus is that Cricut Cake is a powerful, flexible cutting machine that really does help a home baker create one-of-a-kind decorated cakes, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, candies, and other edibles that like they came from a professional bakery. The machine received four stars (out of a possible five) from reviewers on Amazon.com. But it’s definitely not for everyone.

The consensus among reviewers is that the machine makes sense for someone who has a serious, ongoing commitment to cake decorating. It’s not such a good choice for a person who only wants to decorate a couple of birthday cakes or a few cupcakes for the school bake sale every year. There are several reasons for this:

  • Cost. The machine itself is quite a large investment. Add in the cost of buying design cartridges, accessories, and materials like frosting sheets, and you’re talking about a significant expense.
  • Learning curve. For most people, learning to use the Cricut Cake took a fair amount of time and experimentation. Some of the bad reviews for the machine came from frustrated cake decorators who couldn’t master the tricks that make it work smoothly. Once the learning period was over, the machine’s flexibility, speed, and precision made it really rewarding to use. But most users agreed that it’s not realistic to just set it on the counter top and expect to produce fabulous cakes without practice.
  • Power and flexibility. The cutting machine is a powerful design tool and a real time-saver for someone who wants to produce professional-quality edibles. “As a cake decorator, I love the new choices I have with this,” said one Amazon reviewer. “There are so many shapes, letters, etc. that you can get from this machine,” says another.
  • Mastering the Learning Curve

    Almost all the people who have posted reviews online agree that you’ll be very lucky if your Cricut Cake works perfectly for you right out of the box. Everyone agreed that it’s very helpful to read the user manual and view the demonstration videos provided by Provo Crafts before you start cutting.

    Nearly everyone had to experiment with different materials and techniques before getting the Cricut Cake to cut perfectly. Here are some of the experiments they tried:

  • Cutting different materials (fondant vs. gum paste, for example)
  • Rolling fondant or gum paste onto the cutting at different thicknesses (in general, the thinner, the better).
  • Freezing fondant or letting it sit out for several hours to keep the cutting blade from tearing or stretching the fondant.
  • Using white shortening or dampening the cutting mat to adhere the edible material onto the mat so it doesn’t shift during cutting, but can still be removed after cutting is finished.
  • Adjusting the machine’s speed and cut pressure settings. Cricut recommends using the medium speed and medium pressure settings, but that may not work for you.
  • Reviewers who had the patience to work through the trial-and-error period were highly satisfied with the machine. A minority of users could never get the machine to cut properly and stopped using it.

    Using the Cricut Cake to Cut Paper

    Some reviewers do use the Cricut Cake to cut scrapbooking designs on paper. Jennifer Atwood of Cutting Edge Cake Art.com tried cutting an intricate paper cupcake wrapper on the Cricut Cake and produced perfect results. Those who do use the machine for paper cutting recommend using the Deep Cut blade housing for paper.

    The manufacturer doesn’t recommend that you use other Cricut cutters to cut edible materials. The blades, lubricating oils, and materials inside the Cricut Expression or other machines made for paper cutting are not food safe. It’s also possible that food particles could get caught in the machine. Only the Cricut Cake is certified as food safe.

    About the Author

    Fiona Summers is a writer who loves to bake for family, friends, and her community. Visit her latest website at Cricut Cake, where she provides unbiased advice and tips for home bakers who want to create professional-looking cakes, cupcakes, cookies, candies, and other treats in their own kitchens. See an overview of the cutting machine, Cricut Cake reviews, videos of beautiful Cricut cakes, and more.
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