Category Archives: Decoration

Learn Cake Decorating Designs To Make Masterpieces Of Your Own

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There are now so many cake decorating designs out there that the days when all you needed was to put icing on a cake are gone forever. There has been quite an evolution in cake decorating designs in recent years. You can even find shows dealing with this issue on TV, and this has sparked an interest for many people do decorate cakes in their own kitchens.

If you can’t quite figure out the kind of design that you would like to try, get yourself a cake decorating book and study the pictures in it to see what kind of design you really like. There are lots of complex designs out there, but all it takes is some baby steps, if you will, to go for them.

There are lots of online sources for great designs as well. Should you be interested, you may even use a premade design. Chances are no one will know that you didn’t make it from scratch. Then there are some easy ways to give your cakes a special look that will make them stand out from the rest of the crowd.

At this point there is an interest in making cakes for children’s birthdays. It is not difficult to design a cake for such an occasion provided that you stay with your current skill level. Read up on all the points you can find in your book and follow the advice to create that special cake for a child’s birthday party.

If you are not sure that you have the skill level to undertake certain cake decorating tasks, see if any of your friends or family members have more skill than you have, and ask them to help you. Even if you can decorate a cake on your own, there may come a time when outside help could get you going with a more complex design that you have tackled before. If and when you get the proper assistance, you are bound to make a cake that shows a more complex and intricate design than you would have been able to give it without help.

The important thing is to realize that before you start on this venture, there are quite a few basics that you will help to learn to begin with. Just keeping yourself at a skill level you feel comfortable with can be a great help in your advancement with this hobby and art form.

3 Common Cake Decorating Mistakes – And Their Easy Solutions

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How To Manage Crumbs When Cake Decorating

Have you ever been decorating a cake and everything was going smoothly, then all of a sudden you notice crumbs in your beautiful icing mixture? When this happens you can ruin the whole effect of your cake. There is a way to combat the dreaded crumb problem when decorating your cake; the method is called a ‘crumb coat.’
A crumb coat is a thinner mixture of the exact same icing that you use on your cake. You can thin the mixture down with whatever liquid you have used to make your icing, for example water or milk. The icing has to be thinned down just enough to cover the surface of the cake with a thin layer.

Once you have applied a crumb coat to the surface of your cake you will then need to let it set awhile. Place your cake in the refrigerator and let it set overnight, or for at least an hour or two. Don’t be overly concerned if crumbs get into your crumb coat, as the crumbs will become “glued” into the surface of the cake. Once set the surface will be ready to decorate.
By following these instructions you will win the war on crumbs!

Beating Bulging Cakes

Often people who decorate cakes are faced with the problem of their fillings bulging out of the sides of their cake. Luckily there is a remedy for this little cake decorating disaster. Below are some helpful tips to stop the dreaded cake bulge.

o By baking your cake in advance, for example the day before, you will firm the cake up, and give it time to settle down. Freshly baked cakes tend to be unstable and won’t hold fillings as well as settled cakes.

o Another procedure that can be used to stop fillings from overflowing or bulging is to use piped icing to create a dam. This will act as a barrier and keep your fillings from bulging out the sides of the cake.

o After you have created your icing dam, you can then cover the whole cake with a crumb coating; a thinned down version of the icing that you intend to use to decorate your cake with.

o Once you have done a crumb coating of the cake you will find that refrigerating the cake overnight, or for at least 2-3 hours will help the icing to firm up. This will reduce the likelihood of bulging also.

o Once the cake has had time to firm up in the fridge, the dams that you put in place and the crumb coat will stop the cake from bulging.

Follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to having beautiful bulge-free cakes!

Freezing Cakes To Save Time

Finding the free time to prepare a specialty cake can be a frustrating task. Thankfully, the practice of freezing cakes has become an invaluable tool for the novice and professional alike. Just think, you can have a cake baked and ready for decoration weeks before the special occasion.

Some cake makers shy away from freezing cakes due to the fear that their creation might dry out. If the proper method is not utilized, that fear will be justified. The key lies in how you wrap the cake. It’s also important to postpone the decorating process until the cake has fully defrosted. Icing tends to “sweat” and become gooey when a cake is left out to defrost.
Air and moisture will eventually ruin a cake. To keep the air out, wrap three layers of sturdy cling wrap around the cake. Then just prior to freezing, wrap one layer of aluminum foil over the cling wrap. This storage method helps keep the moisture and flavor from escaping.

Allow the cake to slowly defrost at room temperature for 1-2 days before the event. Do not decorate the cake until it has completely thawed. By following this method cake decorating should be easier and quicker, especially if you are put on the spot to make and decorate a cake at the last minute.