Simple cake decoration is the basis for more complicated cakes. As you learn the basic tools and techniques, you will be able to advance. In many restaurants, creating beautiful, simple cakes for buffets and celebrations is all that is needed.

Cake Decorating

One of the most important things you need to begin the decorating of a cake is the design of the cake. Nothing can really be done without this. The planning of how it is assembled, frosting, fillings and garnishes are all done based on the initial plan. Proper planning of the cake lends to easy assembly and beautifully finished product.

The Cake Layers

Once your layers are baked, de-panned, and cooled they need to be prepped for assembly.

1. All excess crumbs are removed with a dry pastry brush.
2. If tops are slightly mounded, they can be made even with the addition of buttercream. If there is a high rounded top, it needs to be leveled by cutting the top even.
3. Proper cake board is added under the layer.
4. Cake layers and be cut in half. This increases the amount of filling and frosting adding additional height to your finished cake as well as increasing the cake to filling/frosting ratio.
5. Cake layers are brushed with cake syrup excluding the top layer.
6. If there is a filling other than buttercream, a dam is created to lock the filling it. This is a circle of frosting piped around the perimeter of the layer.
7. The bottom of the cake is the straightest piece. It should always be used as the last layer added to the cake. This gives a straight and level surface to the finished cake.
8. Once the layers are assembled, the crumb coat is added. This is a very thin layer of frosting. Its purpose to lock in any extra crumbs that are on the cake. Once this is done, it is place in the refrigerator to set.
9. Once the crumb coat is set, the finishing frosting is added. This addition is the final buttercream coating unless a rolled coating will be used. Once finished this should not contain any crumbs. The cake is now ready for decorating.

Selection of Icing

Icings, or frostings, are sweet coatings for cakes and other baked goods.

The three main functions of icings or frostings:

• Contribute to both flavor and richness.
• Improve the cakes appearance.
• Improve keeping qualities by forming protective coatings so the cake won’t dry out as quickly.

American buttercream icings are light, smooth mixtures of fat and sugar.

• Easily flavored and colored for many purposes.

Use heavy frostings with heavy cakes and light frostings with light cakes.

Use the best quality flavorings but use them sparingly.

Use color sparingly.  Pastel shades are more appetizing than loud colors.

Use paste or liquid colors.

• To avoid over coloring, mix a little color with a small portion of the icing, then use this icing to color the rest. Using a toothpick to add color is recommended.

Cupcakes:  Dip Tops or use a large star or round tip

 Tools-

• Turntables- pedestal with a rotating top to decorate cakes on. Some are able to tilt to better access the sides of the cake.
• Sugar Dredger-a shaker for evenly covering a cake with powdered sugar or cocoa powder
• Piping Bags-bakers choose between parchment bags, disposable plastic bags or reusable plastic or nylon bags
• Pastry Tips-there are hundreds of tips to choose from but for simple cake decor the main required tips are the star tip, a rose tip, a leaf tip, flower tip and a round tip.
• Bench Scraper-used to smooth sides of cake or clean frosting off bakers bench
• Offset Spatula and Palette Knives-a spatula used to smooth frosting with a long blade. Offset spatulas have a blade with a  bend in it.
• Pastry Brush-used to remove crumbs
• Serrated Knife-use to cut cake layers in half or slicing cakes
• Parchment Paper to make cones
  

Fruits, Nuts, Chocolate Curls and Other Items can be used to mark each piece of cake or on a cupcake

Techniques to try:

• Icing Combs- Large metal or plastic comb used to decorate the sides of cakes with the pattern on the comb. It will leave grooves on the side of the cake
• Masking the Sides-Covering the side of a cake with something like small chocolate chips, sprinkles, ground nuts or cookie crumbs to decorate the cake.
• Piping Jelly transparent jelly you can purchase to decorate cakes. Usually used as an accent color; you can buy colored or clear and color your self.
• Stenciling-Make a design on a cake by covering the cake with a cutout and sprinkling with powdered sugar or cocoa powder. When pulling up the cutout it will leave a design on the cake.
• Marbling-  typically used with fondant, coulis or thin icing. Ice the cake and then draw lines with a different color icing. Pull a toothpick, skewer or knife through the lines to create a pattern.
• Crumb Coat-Apply a thin layer of frosting to a cake to trap in crumbs before icing the cake. Chill for at least 10-20 minutes to let this crumb layer set.
• Bowl Knife Patterns

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