SugarVeil: magic or marketing?

Dear Reader,

One morning, in a pre-coffee stupor and a burst of 'YOLO' I finally broke down and ordered the SugarVeil system.  

Traditional English Lambeth method of cake decorating

I've long admired the delicate string work technique known as the Lambeth method of cake decorating and I've often swore that if I happen to find myself with an abundance of spare time (perhaps when I'm dead?) I would learn how to produce such magical looking cakes. 

A fun fact about Lambeth: it is the reason British cakes are traditionally fruitcake. A more perishable cake cannot stand either the weight of the icing or sitting at room temperature for as long as it takes to produce such intricate designs. 

Fruitcakes do not appeal to the American palate, though the Lambeth aesthetic does. When I saw a wedding cake design submitted to the Royal Palace with a BRIDAL VEIL MADE OF SUGAR (can you imagine?!) I nearly lost my mind with the awesomeness of it all. 

After doing some research, I discovered the product responsible for such gorgeousness (SugarVeil), and nearly lost my mind again at the price.  Could it really be that different from traditional royal icing? Is the recipe really some kind of magic?  Ultimately, the thought of covering things in sugary spider webs proved irresistible; resistance was futile. 

Spiderwebs & lace made from SugarVeil

There are many pricing options available for purchase, and my particular configuration amounted to approximately $500.00, including shipping. This price range would be considered mid-priced for the SugarVeil system, though I think it is certainly a significant investment for most people. 

What I purchased:

AirPen Piping Dispenser/ Accessory Pack
Vacuum pick-up tool (for extremely small decorations)
Confectioners Spreader/Comb
Pail of Vanilla/Chocolate Icing mixes
Assorted design mats

The Pros:
The system is nothing short of magical and I would recommend it to anyone who decorates cakes.  The shipping was fast and the product arrived well packed and undamaged. 

Unlike traditional royal icing, their unique frosting is flexible and can be swirled into the lightest, most airy confections possible.  I am looking forward to wrapping my cakes in sugar bows, adding lace to my lollipops and draping edible spiderwebs on everything this coming Halloween. 

Lollipop with SugarVeil lace

The piping dispenser (air compressor) lessens fatigue on your hands when decorating a lot of intricate designs.  It also completely replaces the need for old-fashioned paper cones and is less messy.  The air pens can be rewashed and reused, lessening waste. 

I didn't even know I needed a vacuum tool! I had previously used a pair of tweezers for delicate work and decorations would fly everywhere, I accepted this as a necessary evil. It is not, and my problem is solved.

Increased productivity equals increased sales and profits.  Sugarveil will easily pay for itself. 

I love the ability to offer my wedding parties unique products such as the lace lollipops or lacy hot chocolate inclusions.  Unique items set me apart from my competition. 

Hot chocolate with sugar lace.
A perfect detail for Winter weddings

The Cons:
I felt that a few of the products were either completely unnecessary or wildly overpriced. 

The spreaders and combs are not different from any other cake decorating comb, at approximately triple the price. 

The impression mats are wildly overpriced at approximately $50.00 each or $100.00 for a bundle of three.  I purchased some because I wanted to thoroughly test their products. In comparison, I also purchased a lace place mat at a dollar store and it worked just as well as the pricier mats for the sugar impressions. 

The system must be used with SugarVeil icing, which is only available for purchase from the company.  

This is inconvenient for two reasons:

 i) it is a specialty item that must be kept in stock 

 ii) if the product is backordered or goes out of business, is my system useless?  

There are various recipes online claiming to have "broken the SugarVeil recipe" though I have yet to test them.

In Conclusion:

SugarVeil is easy to work with, performs as described and makes creating gorgeous masterpieces of sugar art relatively easy. I think it is a wonderful addition to my bakery and any serious cake decorator would enjoy working with it.  

The main drawback I found was the cost.  I understand that view is subjective and I believe with a bit of creativity could easily be mitigated. 

Stay sweet!

Lisa