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In cake decorating, you will need special tools that you can use as well as certain techniques such as learning how to make fondants, icings, and even using stencil cutouts for themed cakes.
Cake icing
One of the most important elements in cake designing is the icing. Icing the cake is an art in itself. You must focus intently so that the end result will be smooth and not lumpy. The secret to smooth cake icing is to ensure that the cake has completely cooled down. If you put the icing on when the cake is still warm, it will result to tiny bubbles, the color may change and it will run everywhere. If, for example, you want a pearly white cake for a wedding, if you spread icing over the freshly baked cake, the color will turn to off white or beige.
To ensure smooth cake icing, you can use a spatula or wide blade to spread the icing all over the cake.
A tip to remember: spread the icing in one direction only, if you have started to spread it horizontally, continue doing so in the same direction while rotating the cake. It is also a good idea to keep a bowl or large mug of hot water handy. If the icing starts to stick dip the blade or spatula in the water and continue spreading.
Make fondants
Another cake decorating idea is to use fondant icing. What is fondant? This is like a sheet of solid icing that you can use to cover your cake. Many bakers in fact create figurines out of fondant such as butterflies, flowers, even people.
Fondants are made of milk, sugar, and chocolate. You can even create fondants that are entirely made of chocolate, from bittersweet to dark chocolate.
Cake tiers
Another way to design your cake is to have it tiered. Layered cakes look fantastic and elegant. To create tiers you will need cake boards in several sizes so that you can stack them with the largest at the bottom. You can stack them directly on top of each other or use special columns to give the cake even more height.
Edible accessories
Try visiting the local baking shop near you and head to their display cabinets where you will see edible accessories such as candies that look like pearls, stringed candies, sprinkles, chocolate chips, chocolate bits, and even colored candies. You can use these items to decorate your cakes and even cupcakes.
The secret in cake decorating is using your natural eye for beauty. If you feel that the cake lacks in color, use sprinkles or additional iced decoration to liven the cake up. On the other hand, if you feel that the cake has too much color, use edible white pearl candies or some other subtle decoration. Learn how to balance the elements of your cake.
