what is used for cake decorating

What do you need to decorate a cake at home?

Part of the appeal of bakery-bought cakes is the perfect penmanship that those cake decorators have. But it’s really not too hard to replicate at home. All you’ll need is a piping bag, a fine piping tip, a toothpick and some patience.

What are the different types of cake decorations?

Cake decorations are adornments or embellishments that are placed on top or around cakes. Cake decorations can be made of edible material or food-safe plastics. Fondant, also known as sugar paste or ready roll icing, exists in many different colors, and it is usually easy to handle once prepared properly.

What is a cake decorator?

Cake decorating can go beyond the simple art of dressing up a cake. There are cake decorators who have honed their skills in creating art from cake decorating: TV channels such as TLC, Food Network and Discovery Family have featured artisan bakers. They give us a glimpse into how the cake may be molded during baking or sculpted after baking.

What do cake decorators use fondant for?

Once completely smooth and thin enough, cake decorators are able to mold fondant into many different artistic expressions. Many of these expressions are also taught in professional cake decorating classes. Fondant is primarily used to cover cakes, but it is also used to create individual show pieces for cakes.

What do you need for basic cake decorating?

1 - Stand mixer. A stand mixer is like a right arm in the kitchen! ... 2 - Baking pan. This is definitely the question that comes up the most. ... 4 - Cake decorating turntable. In my early days I learned without a turntable can you imagine 😅 ? ... 5 - Cake boards. ... 6 - Spatulas. ... 7 - Icing Smoother. ... 8 - Ganache plates. ... 9 - Pastry bags.More items...•

What icing is used to decorate cakes?

Rolled fondantRolled fondant is the most widely used when it comes to cake decorating. Made of sugar, water, gelatin, and food-grade glycerine, this dough-like texture makes it easy for a baker to mold the fondant into shapes to add some décor to your cake. Fondant can be used for decorations or to cover the entire cake.

Which cream is used for cake decoration?

Which type of cream is best for decorating cakes? Buttercream is a favorite choice for flavor and flexibility because it is softer and more spreadable than other icings. It may be used as a filling for cakes as well as a decorative covering. You can search for whipping cream online or go for whipping cream near me.

What are the 7 types of icing?

There are seven basic types of icing: buttercream, flat, foam, fondant, fudge, royal, and glazes....Other OptionsWhipped cream frosting.Meringue.Fudge frosting.

What is the decorative icing called?

Fondant icingFondant icing Fondant, also known as sugar paste or ready-roll icing, is a soft, thick paste made of sugar, water, gelatin, vegetable fat or shortening and glycerol. Fondant is typically sold in a variety of colors when bought ready-made, is easy to handle and provides a smooth, matte and nonstick cake cover.

What are the 5 types of frosting?

Butter Cream. Buttercream is softer and more spreadable than most icing and is the preferred choice for taste and flexibility. ... Whipped Cream. If lighter frosting is what you need then whipped cream is the answer. ... Royal Icing. ... Cream Cheese Frosting. ... Meringue. ... Fondant.

What is the hard icing on cakes called?

Royal icing is a hard, brittle icing used for decorating cakes and cookies. You can make it from scratch, using powdered sugar, egg whites, and liquid, but many bakers prefer using meringue powder, which is available at bakery supply stores and even some grocery stores.

What's the difference between icing and frosting?

Icing is thinner than frosting but not quite as thin as a glaze. Typically made with powdered sugar and liquid, such as water, milk, or juice, icing can be drizzled or spread. Icing has more shine and a smoother consistency than frosting.

History

Cake decorating originated in 17th century in Europe. During the 1840s, the advent of temperature-controlled ovens and the production of baking powder made baking cakes much easier. As temperature control technology improved, an increased emphasis on presentation and ornamentation developed.

Types of decorations

Cake decorations are adornments or embellishments that are placed on top or around cakes. Cake decorations can be made of edible material or food-safe plastics.

Techniques

Decorating a cake usually involves covering it with some form of icing and then using decorative sugar, candy, chocolate or icing decorations to embellish the cake.

As an art

This has become a form of unique artistry, and ranges from a single-layer cake, decorated simply, to a multi-layered 3-dimensional creation, that is decorated with edible ribbons made of sugar.

Once you learn how to decorate a cake, you'll be whipping up gorgeous celebration-worthy treats in no time. We'll show you tips for filling a piping bag, choosing the right frosting, making trendy naked cakes and more

For special occasions, there’s no better dessert than a delicious and perfectly decorated cake. While many of us enjoy visiting our favorite bakery for an elegant treat, it is absolutely possible to get stunning results right at home.

Cake Decorating Ideas

Think you need to break out your piping bag for an impressive cake? Think again! With just the back of a spoon, you can give your cake a gorgeous swirl texture.

Cake Decorating Tools

To create gorgeous cakes, there are a few decorating tools you’ll want to have in your kitchen. Don’t be daunted by this list—most items cost $15 or less so you can create pretty cakes even on a budget. According to our Test Kitchen, these tools are must-haves:

Tips for How to Decorate a Cake

Not all frostings are suitable for filling and topping cakes, but the good news is there are still a lot of delicious options. Buttercreams of all kinds ( Italian buttercream, French buttercream, German buttercream, American buttercream and flavored buttercreams) work well for decorating. You can also use cream cheese frosting and ermine frosting.

Put These Skills to Work

Lisa is an editor at Taste of Home where she gets to embrace her passion for baking. She pours this love of all things sweet (and sometimes savory) into Bakeable, Taste of Home's baking club. Lisa is also dedicated to finding and testing the best ingredients, kitchen gear and home products.

Offset Spatula

This tool will help you smooth freshly whipped buttercream over a layer cake. It's just as handy for spreading a filling between two layers of cake as it is for perfecting the final layer on the top and sides of a cake. The angled spatula means it's more comfortable to grip and flexible enough to reach any area.

Cake Lifter

Wondering how to transfer a cake from the cooling rack to a beautiful stand for presentation? This tool is the secret. It's a giant paddle that will accommodate round- and square-shaped cakes under 10 inches, meaning you never have to worry about cracks or breakage again.

Bench Scraper

You may be thinking, "Isn't that what I use to make bread and pizza dough ?" And you'd be right. But this versatile tool is also great for smoothing both the crumb coat and final layer of frosting on the top and edge of the cake, thanks to its sharp, offset blade. It creates the illusion of a smooth-as-fondant finish.

Serrated Knife

The best knife for cutting a cake in half or thirds horizontally is one with a serrated blade. It will help maintain a smooth, precise cut that's perfect for when you want to add a flavorful layer of fruit jam or fluffy buttercream to a birthday cake.

Marble Rotating Cake Stand

Although pricey, this cake stand does double duty as both a revolving turntable—which makes the job of frosting your treat a whole lot easier—and a modern presentation pedestal.

Aluminum Rotating Cake Stand

Looking for something less expensive but just as functional? This top-rated cake turntable made of aluminum is durable and easy to use.

Pastry Bag Decorating Kit

If you want to add detail such as scallops, rose petals, or a basketweave to the top and sides of your cake, then you'll need some pastry tools. This kit contains six different shaped tips and two reusable nylon bags, which are more eco-friendly than disposable plastic pastry bags because they can be used over and over again.

Cake covered in chocolate

Chocolate is a good choice if you want something simple. You can obtain a smooth surface on the cakes and smooth out the sharp corners by using this form of embellishment. The most important thing is to keep an eye on the temperature.

Fruit Decorated

Fresh fruits and berries are gracefully placed in clouds of bize and whipped cream, with no order or symmetry, and look very natural and delectable. It appears that it is simpler than such a decor, but the effect is breathtaking.

Icing – Types of Cake Decorations

The white and dark chocolate icing is also famous among cake decorations. If your cake only has one tier, icing will help to give it a look of freshness and uniqueness. White chocolate is used to make colored mirror glaze, whereas dark chocolate is used to make the chocolate brown glaze.

Cake without coating

It is Types of Cake Decorations when there is no decoration! Cake décor without coating means it is not covered in icing or cream and shows off its natural texture and layers. Vanilla sponge cake is commonly used, while chocolate sponge cake is used less frequently.

Chocolate Velour

This is a type of cake decoration that does not require the use of traditional tools. There are simply chocolate and cocoa butter in the ingredients, so it’s not overly complicated. However, the result is a dessert with a gritty texture and a covering.

Mirror Icing

Mirror icing is always stunning, and if you use a variety of colors and application techniques, you’ll be able to stare at this cake for hours.

Candy decoration

The idea of Types of Cake Decorations with candies has a wide range of possibilities. This is a simple approach to create a masterpiece with ease. Use a variety of sweets and spread them on icing or a cream cushion.

Dress up your birthday or holiday cake with these easy cake decorating ideas. Some fancy up the outside of the cake with frosting, candy or fruit, while others use simple layering tricks to make the inside shine

Dress up your birthday or holiday cake with these easy cake decorating ideas. Some fancy up the outside of the cake with frosting, candy or fruit, while others use simple layering tricks to make the inside shine.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Poke Cake

When my family is planning a get-together, I can count on three or four people asking if I’m bringing this chocolate peanut butter poke cake. If you don’t have a chocolate cake mix, use a white or yellow one and stir in 3 tablespoons of baking cocoa. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas

Confetti Birthday Drip Cake

This is a moist and fluffy vanilla drip cake with lots of sprinkles and a whipped vanilla buttercream. It’s almost impossible not to feel happy when you see the fun pop of rainbow confetti! —Courtney Rich, Highland, Utah

Layered Princess Cake

This magical princess cake will make any party feel special. Whether you’re having a birthday party, princess party or baby shower, it’s sure to please. — Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Confetti Birthday Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

This is a moist confetti cake with lots of sprinkles and a whipped chocolate buttercream. It’s perfect for birthday celebrations! —Courtney Rich, Highland, Utah

BB-8 Cake

This BB-8 cake is easy to assemble and decorate. A cake mix gives you a jump-start so you can spend more time arranging the easy cake decorations. — Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Indulge in this layer cake topped with rich buttercream—a vanilla lover’s dream. I use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. —Michelle Dorsey, Wilmington, Delaware

Some say that cake decorating is an art that can be traced all the back to the late 1700s

However, it didn’t really start to take off until the mid-1800s, when new technologies were invented that helped make the decorating easier. For example, that was around the time that temperature-controlled ovens were introduced, which helped make baking easier and thus made decorating more popular as well.

In the 17th century, icing and cakes looked a whole lot different

This is when round cake pans, ovens, and refined sugars were introduced and made more popular. The first icing that was used on cakes was different from what we’re used to today. It was made up of sugar, egg whites, and sometimes other flavorings, then poured on a cake before being placed back in the oven.

Fondant, a popular way to decorate now, has been around since the 16th century

Fondant was once made with rosewater, sugar, lemon juice, egg whites, and gum paste, and it was more popular as candy before it ever became a form of cake icing. In fact, it didn’t become popular for cakes until the 20th century.

Some say that cake decorating has been around since even earlier

According to Confectionary Chalet, cake decorating first became popular during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in England, and were once decorated with molded almond paste. This was around the same time that food became a little bit more interesting than just, well, food on a table.

Cake decorating may have originally been inspired by French pastry chefs

According to Confectionary Chalet, the chefs started decorating little almond buns with sugar and “trinkets” to make them look more appetizing and aesthetically pleasing. This eventually led to decorating a cake the same way as well, and it soon became popular throughout Europe, and eventually, the rest of the world. And thank goodness for that.

There were even books that illustrated how they decorated cakes

Marie Antoine Caréme, a very popular confectioner of that time period, had published a book called Patisserie Royal. Caréme used a form of pastillage, a thick sugar paste, to decorate cakes and other desserts, and he’s the one who compared the work of a confectioner to the work of an architect.

It was all about piping in the 1840s

Even as cake decorating became more popular, it was still different than what we see today. CakeFlix says that it was mainly about “dimensional over piping,” an old English method of covering a caked in rolled fondant and then piping borders. Piping cakes is still popular today, but back then, it was a much more difficult process.

Icing Swirls

The star tips claim to fame is defiantly the iconic cupcake swirl ! Forget spatula-icing a cupcake when you can easily pipe these tempting swirls with a star tip 1M or another large star tip. Everything tastes better with sprinkles so don’t skimp when topping off your swirls!

Stars and Pull-Out Stars

You can use any star tip to pipe pull-out stars, just pipe a star and pull it to a point. Pipe pull-out stars the same shape and size as in the Watercolor Bunny Cake that uses a 6B star tip, or mix up the size and shapes used like the piped meringues that top the Peaked in Elegance Cupcake. The basic meringue cookies are piped with a star tip 4B.

Drop Flowers

Decorate show stopping cakes with easy to pipe star drop flowers ! Hold the bag straight up and squeeze to pipe a simple star flower or, with the twist of your wrist, pipe realistic looking flower petals using the same tip.

Star Tip Borders

When you see a spiral border like this one, you would never guess it was piped with a 1M star tip! It’s so impressive and easy to do by piping continuous loops of icing. Once you try it, you’ll be piping spirals in all tips sizes on cakes and treats.

Rosettes

Icing rosettes are one of the most popular and prettiest piped decorations! It’s a simple technique that anyone new to decorating can master, and one you will go back to time and time again.

A Few More Ways to Use Star Tips

Just when you think I’ve covered it all, there’s more! Use the large tip 2D to pipe stars, vertical zigzags or loops to make a quick impressive cake design! Try piping tip 18 horizontal zigzag puffs from the bottom to the top in various shades of color. I promise, guests will wonder how you did it!

Overview

Cake decorating is the art of dressing up a cake for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, national or religious holidays, or as a promotional item. It is a form of sugar art that uses materials such as icing, frosting, fondant, and other edible decorations that can be consumed. Cake decorating can go beyond the simple art of dressing up a cake. There are cake decorators who have honed their skills in creating art from cake decorating: TV channels such as TLC, Food …

History

Types of decoration

Techniques

As an art

In popular culture

See also

External links