Birthday Cake Decorating Instructions

by: IsisK.Nouvelle
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Word Count: 520

The first cakes baked in the US were simply small loves of sweet bread, so imagine how far cake making has progressed. Today, we have a huge collection of cakes using almost every ingredient available under the sun-indeed what a far cry from the early days of cake making. This should make any homemaker delighted, as they are now able to choose from a wide variety of cakes to bake. The person who dreams of baking gorgeous cakes needs to be aware that it takes knowledge and tremendous patience to be able to create the effects you want. The right set of tools is very important to help you achieved the results you want.

Every cake worth merit starts with a smooth icing; cakes need to cool completely before they are iced and decorated. You can prevent crumbs from damaging your dicing layer by starting with a thin base of frosting. Leave them to cool off in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before you do anything else. The icing will be set and all crumbs will not surface to the crucial layers where your decorations will be. Without having to worry about crumbs, you can start having a great time decorating your cake.

Now get your icing spatula and apply a nice coat of icing layer. Place a nice amount of icing on the cake and stat smoothing it by running the spatula along the perimeters of the cake. There is one well-kept secret you can use, dip the spatula in cold water before you start smoothing, it makes the job a whole lot easier. Dip it again in cold water as you hold the spatula horizontally over the top, and start smoothing the surface of the cake. Use both hands and drag the spatula towards you, starting at the furthest point.

Avoiding the Complicated

Some cake decorators claim that smoothing icing is the hardest part. Always practice to perfect the skills you have. Rejoice if you can do it right, it is the hardest part.

Instead of icing, cake tops can be dusted with powdered sugar. You can use pure dusted sugar powder for an elegant look or use stencils for a more complicated effect. One good addition is to see edible cake decorations. To really make your cake stand out from the crowd, use colorful candies, nuts and other fun stuff where applicable.

Use cardboard combs to create a textured feel, if you want. You can make a piping by using a pastry bag and a metal tip held together with a coupler. This is real fun and you can get to tap into your talent and rate some new designs-flowers, leaves, at the top or sides of your cake. Do not fill the bag more than one cup of icing and start making those tiny designs by applying steady pressure. To guide the tip use your other hand. There are plenty of techniques you can use when piping.

If you wish, fondant is another great way to decorate your cake. Fondants are used to cover cakes, kneaded and rolled to create a beautiful classic look. Used to created 3-D design, they are exceptionally elegant.

About the Author

The author has been cake decorating since she was a teenager. Nowadays, she spends her free time writing informative articles on such subjects as sending flowers as cool birthday gifts  

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