Cake Decorating Tips & Ideas for BeginnersDoes the idea of cake decorating leave you helpless and hapless? Do you always wonder how pastry chefs create those beautifully-decorated, fine-looking cakes that are simply too exquisite to be eaten? Do you not dare to even dream of making such elaborate cakes yourself? Well, help is finally here. You need not feel too intimidated with cake decorating any more. With adequate knowledge, the right baking tools and enough practice you could well be on your way to making that dream come true. Even professional bakers go through the same process before they achieve such finesse in their pastry skills. In fact, the early cakes made were no more than simple loaves of sweetened bread. With the tools, equipment and know-how today, our generation of cakes have certainly evolved to become a blissful blend of art and science.. While it is not possible for me to provide the tools, equipments and practice required within the boundaries of this article, I can certainly provide you with the necessary tips and ideas for decorating cakes like a professional.
Any cake worth its weight in dough begins with a smooth layer of icing. However, before applying icing and later decorating your cake, you must take care to cool your cake completely. Start with a thin base frosting coat that is decidedly softer than the actual icing layer. This will keep any crumbs at bay so that the icing layer, when done, will look perfectly smooth and silky as it should be. After the first coat is applied, refrigerate your cake for about 20 minutes after which the base coat would be set in place and any crumb residues confined to this first coat. This paves the way for a worry-free application of the actual icing. Now, apply the icing coat. To do this, you will need a metal icing spatula. Dipping spatula beforehand in cold water will aid the smoothing process. Smooth the sides of cake using a spatula, guiding it along the cake's perimeter. To smooth cake surface, hold the spatula over top of cake with both hands for added stability and start with the point farthest away from you. Next, you will need to skim the icing surface and this can be done by directing the spatula inwards towards you as straight as you possibly can. Smoothing the icing will take a bit of practice but once you can do this reasonably well you are well on your way. For even a simple cake with a clear and smooth icing top, minus the elaborate decorations, can still look pretty elegant (pretty and elegant) and can tempt the most distinguished of guests. To make things more interesting, you may want to add texture to your cake's icing. You can do this by simply running a small cardboard comb over the surface of the icing. Cardboard combs are available in most bakery supply stores or you can order one from Amazon. If you want to spice things up a little, you can also dress your cake up by adding edible decorations like candies, nuts, sprinkles, flakes, coconut and others. Simply press these edible decorations onto and slightly into the icing before it sets. This may sound simple but the end result can be an outstanding piece of cake. Now that we know how crucial this technique is, lets jump in and get to know some of the basics. If you do not already have this tool you need to get one immediately - pastry bag complete with coupler, various tip heads and screw-on ring. This should also be available at Amazon.
To begin, fill the pastry bag with 1 cup icing maximum or up to half a bagful. Twist the top end of the pastry bag to lock in the pressure on the icing flow. Ensure a steady flow of pressure when as you pipe the design by controlling the pressure of your grasp (writing hand recommended) on the pastry bag. This is crucial as it will affect the quality of every artistic stroke you make and hence the quality of your decorations. Use other hand to manouvre and guide the tip as you work your creative magic. Always create your writing first before adding fancy decorations so that you will not have to squeeze your message when the surface of cake is filled with decorations. However, before you start, it makes good sense to research as much as possible about piping. Alternatively, you can always choose to dust your cake tops with powdered sugar, which will provide a clean look or use stencils or press sets to achieve a more decorated presentation. Lastly applying the above cake decorating ideas and tips are not limited to just cake recipes but can be applied in other baking recipes as well. |
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