How to Decorate a Cake
Decorating cakes and pastries is a true mark of a baker’s skills. Part of the fun and joy of baking is to decorate a cake in the most creative and visually-appealing way possible. If you want to make your cake look as good as it tastes, here are some ways to help.
Layering Cakes
For cake lovers, one layer of cake isn’t enough to satisfy that sweet craving. If you’re working on a layer cake, here are some tips to keep in mind:
Put heavy layers on the bottom. Think of the bottom layer of the cake as the foundation for the rest of the layers; without a strong layer, your cake will sag or crumble over time. The lighter layers should then be able to hold the heavy icing.
Try alternating cake layers. Decorating a cake does not end with just covering the outside with icing. Once you cut the cake, you should be able to see the different layers of icing and cake. Make sure that the cake and icing layers are well-defined.
Give your cake some shape. A big block of cake may taste good, but you can make the cake even more visually appealing by adding some shape and dimension to it. Experiment with various sizes and shapes on layers of cake.
The Proof Is In The Icing
A good cake tastes good even without icing, but a good cake is made even better with it. When you prepare a cake for icing, keep these things in mind:
cake decor
Make your own icing. Store-bought icing may be convenient, but nothing is better for your cake and for your taste buds than icing you make on your own. Try the many different recipes for icing that you can read from cookbooks.
Cut the fat, but maintain the gloss. The gloss on icing is not made by butter or fat, but by sugar. For low-fat icing, use natural food coloring to add to the glossy look and texture.
Piped icing. One way to make your cake look very tasty is to use a piping bag instead of a spatula. While you still need to use a spatula to keep the base icing even, you can use a piping bag to add many different patterns and shapes to the cake. Think of your cake as a painter’s canvas; try to be as creative as possible with your decorating ideas.
Other Decorations
Layering and icing are just a few of the many ways that you can decorate cake:
Candy. Hard candies, chocolate, and gummy treats are some of the many
candies that you can add to your cake decorations. Sugar flowers and candy ribbons are also available from bakeshops.
Confectioner’s sugar and desiccated coconut are the best friends of a baker who likes to work with chocolate. You can dust the whole cake, or slices of the cake, with sugar or coconut.
Plating. When serving a whole cake, make sure you’re serving it on an appealing tray. Take the time to decorate the tray or table; for dessert parties, the cake should be the center of attention.
Baking is more than just putting batter or dough into an oven; it is also about mastering the skills needed to make baked goods look more appealing and delicious. With these tips, you’ll turn ordinary-looking cakes into masterful works of art good enough - or too good - to eat.