Intro to Cake Decorating

With just a few tools, you can get started on your cake decorating journey. In fact, you may already have a few of these items lying around the kitchen.

 

A cake turntable is a raised stand that rotates 360-degrees. This will let you spin the cake so the right side is always facing you. If you don’t have one, a Lazy Susan can also work in a pinch. But the extra height from the turntable lets you stand up straighter, which can make decorating easier on your back.​

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You’ll need a serrated knife to “level” your cake. Most cakes come out of the oven with a slight dome at the top, so you need to cut that extra height off for a nice flat surface. You’ll also want an offset spatula. This will let you keep your fingers back from the frosting, so you won’t accidentally ruin the finish.

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For specialty tools, a cake scraper is handy for creating a smooth finish with your frosting. This simple tool is just a flat piece of metal that you can hold against your cake while rotating it on the turntable. They usually have one straight side and one patterned side for textured designs.

 

Finally, every new cake decorator will need pastry bags and tips. There is a wide variety of tips that let you pipe your icing into words, flowers, dots, basket weave patterns, and more.

 

Freeze The Cake.

 

After you have cooked your cake, a short freeze will make the layers easier to level and frost. Frozen cakes are less crumbly, meaning it’s easier to get them flat and to keep your frosting lump-free.

 

To level your cake, place it on the turntable. Hold your serrated knife straight out in front of you, with your elbow tucked into your side. Place the knife against the edge of your cake and rotate the turntable slowly while holding the knife still. Just score the edge of the cake with the knife as you rotate it.

 

Once you have your shallow mark around the whole cake, repeat the process. This time, press the knife gently into the cake while you rotate it, letting the turntable do the work. When you’re done, you’ll have a perfectly flat cake for layering or decorating.

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!!!! Use Homemade Frosting!!!!

If you want a smooth texture on your cake, you need to DIY the frosting. Canned frostings are thinner and don’t adhere to the cake as well. They can look lumpy and even slide off your cake!

 

Make your own buttercream instead. It’s simple, delicious, and you can add food coloring for custom colors.

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A great deal of cake decorations come out of the pastry bag. With a little practice, this simple tool will let you create a wide variety of shapes and designs.

 

To get started, fold down the edges of the piping bag to keep them clean. Cut just the pointed tip off of the bag and insert your metal piping tip. Push it down so the metal tip just extends out of the small hole you cut.

 

Now it’s time to fill the bag. You can either hold the bag in one hand and fill it with the other or set the bag into an empty water glass to hold it upright while you fill it. Use a rubber spatula to add frosting to the bag. Then flip the folded edges back up and twist them together to create an airtight seal.

 

Ready to pipe!

 

If you’re planning to pipe a message, write it out on wax paper and trace it to get a feel for the motion. You can also practice dots, swags, and flowers on wax paper before moving to your cake.

 

For a simple — but impressive — rosette, use a star tip. Just squeeze the bag and lift straight up to make the star. Then make a circle around the star, squeezing gently the whole time.

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And FINALLY, Practice Makes Perfect. Don’t be discouraged if your first few attempts don’t turn out perfectly. They’ll still taste delicious!

 

Be warned — once you start to make beautiful cakes, all your friends and family will want one for their birthdays and parties!