Cake Decorating Tips for Beginnners

It’s incredibly hard to take the decoration ideas that you have in your head and turn them into reality on the cake. No matter how easy it may look on Food Network, amazing cake decorating is no simple task. If you – like us - are having trouble perfecting your cake decorating skills, here are some simple tips and tricks that are bound to make you look like a pro in no time.

Cool Your Cake

If you’re anything like us, you can’t stand waiting for your cake to cool. It’s almost as if you want to start decorating right when it comes out of the oven. However, cooling is a necessary part in the decorating process and there’s a reason why all professionals do it. When your cake is not cooled all the way, trying to frost it will most likely lead to it falling apart or melting your frosting.

Although enough layers will eventually cover it up, it’s always easiest just to wait for it to completely cool down. If you’re feeling extra antsy about wanting to decorate your cake right away or you’re under a time crunch, stick the cake pan in the refrigerator for faster cooling. No matter how excited you are, having a broken cake and melted frosting is never worth it.

Find the Frosting Consistency Sweetspot

When frosting a cake or anything for that matter, the type of frosting that you use can make or break your decoration. Whether it’s too thick or too thin, some frostings are simply not the best for icing or decorating a cake. Most cakes are decorated using a buttercream frosting because of its thick consistency. When icing a cake, you want the consistency of your frosting to be fairly thick in order to create a nice smooth layer.

The easiest way to check if your frosting is too thick or too thin is by simply using your finger to test it. Usually a frosting that is too thick will fall off your finger without any residue and have a hard time sticking. A buttercream frosting that is too thin will seem a little too sticky or runny.

Start with good ingredients and really zero in on the right consistency.

Creating a Crumb Coat

Even with a completely cooled cake, you’ll still get a few pesky crumbs that are determined to stick to your frosting. These crumbs can easily make your frosting look dirty and provide unwanted texture to your smooth base. The best way to get rid of this is to cover your cake with a thin layer of frosting often called the “crumb coat.” This crumb coat is going to catch all of the unwanted crumbs into a hidden layer of your cake.

Even though this layer will be hidden, it’s important to make sure that you smooth it out just as you would the top layer. Simply slapping on some frosting will make it hard to create a smooth top layer. (Remember, a smooth base is always important!) After creating a nice, smooth crumb coat, stick it into the fridge for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to let it settle. We know, more waiting can be a nuisance but the best things take the most time!

After your crumb coat has sufficiently cooled, you’re all set to create the top layer of your cake!

Create a Smooth Base

When it comes to cake decorating, one of the biggest mistakes happen when bakers try to start with a messy base in hopes of covering it up later. Although this may occasionally work, it’s still a pretty big risk.

Starting off with a smooth, even base will not only give the cake an overall cleaner look, but it will also make it easier to decorate later on.

One of the best ways to get that smooth texture that you see on TV is to use a stainless steel spatula. Unlike a typical butter knife, this rounded spatula provides just enough even surface area to create a smooth texture to your cake.

Another tool to take into consideration is a rotating cake tray. Although this may seem like a mere display, this rotating tray is actually a huge help when it comes to frosting your cake. By simply turning the cake rather than having to run around your table to get all the edges, you’ll be able to have a steady hand to create a more consistent look.

Add Some Texture

Once you have your smooth base, it’s all up to you have you’d like to decorate your own cake. Although some may stop at the smooth cake, adding a little bit of texture can add some complexity to your cake decoration if done correctly.

One way to add texture to your cake is by using various cake decorating tips to add dimension to your cake. These are the easiest way to make professional decorations without being an actual “professional.” Whether you’re looking to add flowers to your cake or woven designs, there’s pretty much a cake decorating tip for anything.

If you want to keep your cake as simple as possible, another technique to try would be to use your spatula to create lines or ridges in your cake. Even lightly dragging your spatula across the sides of your cake can create some artistic texture to your masterpiece.

At the end of the day, the perfect cake is hard to find. No amount of practice can prevent all the accidental slip-ups that may happen when baking and decorating a cake. But following some of the helpful tips above, you can focus less on avoiding disaster and more on your cake deocrations.