There are many ready-made decorations for cakes, from sugar sprinkles and fruit to small marzipan sculptures. But how to make the classic flowers, ribbons and convoluted designs? With some basic tools for cake design you are able to imitate or improve the complex artistic works of pastry chefs in no time.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: with the Icing
Step 1. Make the icing
The butter one is perfect for classic decorations, including lettering and floral elements. Royal icing hardens creating lasting works, but must be applied immediately after preparation. If you have a favorite recipe, you can give it a try, but be aware that some icings are too runny for cake design.
You can thicken the butter or royal icing by adding sugar or make it more liquid with a couple of drops of water. Slightly soft compounds are best for the first smooth layer, while thicker ones are used for subsequent decorations
Step 2. Add the colors
Mix food coloring into the frosting, one drop at a time, until you get the shade you want. Remember that the dye becomes more intense over the course of a couple of hours after incorporating it into the butter glaze, lightening into the royal glaze, or when the mixture is exposed to bright light.
- Divide the icing into several batches and use various colors to get more options;
- Alternatively, you can apply sugar icing or natural royal icing to the cake and then paint refined decorations using a brush freshly dipped in the dye.
Step 3. Add a smooth layer of compound
It is used to even out the surface and "block" the crumbs. Afterwards, you can spread a large amount of frosting on the top and sides of the cake using a flat spatula; be careful not to scrape the cake. To get as smooth and compact as possible, follow one of these two methods:
- If you're using white frosting, use a pastry tarot or other wide, flat-edged tool to scrape off excess frosting and level the surface. Scrape the edge of the tool on the icing bowl after each stroke and then pat it dry with kitchen paper.
- The colored icing may appear mottled after this, so you should use a slightly less amount to avoid having to remove a lot of it with the tarot. To smooth it out, wait until it is dry to the touch, place the kitchen paper over the cake and rub it for 30 seconds; repeat the procedure along the sides. Remember that most kitchen papers have a textured or textured surface that adds a nice decoration to the cake.
Step 4. Gather the material for the piping bag
The classic quirks and flowers you see on pastry desserts are made by squeezing the icing from a pastry bag - which you can make at home - equipped with a metal tip. Decorating tips come in many different designs and sizes, but there are three types you can use to try your hand at classic techniques:
- The round tip for writing and points;
- The star point to create rosettes with a quick squeeze of the bag or to trace the classic doodles by moving the pastry bag. The closed star tip generates more pronounced crests;
- The petal tip is used to create ribbons, flowers, ruffles and scallops.
Step 5. Make the decorations with the pastry bag
Once the appropriate tip is in place, transfer some icing to the bag and push it down. Twist the top end to close it and manipulate the piping bag to separate the contents into two portions, making sure the bottom is the size of a fist. Use one hand to squeeze a handful of icing through the opening and the other to guide the tool while holding the tip. Remember these tips and consider practicing on a plate first:
- In most cases you have to keep the tip at 90 ° to the surface you are decorating and at a distance of about 2-3 cm.
- Try to squeeze the bag as evenly as possible and move the tip at a constant speed, otherwise the decoration becomes uneven.
- When you have drawn a line, a curl or other decoration, stop applying pressure to the pocket and lift the tip upwards to avoid imperfections.
Step 6. Make some flowers
These icing decorations are more complex than most others, but with a little practice you can make some beautiful ones. You need a petal tip to graft onto the pastry bag:
- Hold it at a 45 ° angle above the surface of the cake with the thin part of the slit facing up;
- Squeeze the bag briefly describing a small circle with the tip to make a cylinder;
- Press the piping bag again as you move the tip quickly, drawing a drop or "U" shape along the edge of the cylinder. Move the tip up when you reach the rounded portion of the "U" and then back down when you reach the cylinder; in this way, you get a single petal.
- Repeat the process along the entire circumference of the cylinder adding more layers until the flower is complete.
Method 2 of 2: with the Sugar Paste
Step 1. Make or purchase sugar paste.
It is a soft and easy to shape compound that is used to cover the entire cake or to create decorations on the surface. You can prepare it at home or buy the commercial one to avoid a bit of effort.
- The sugar paste of some brands tears more easily than others; you will therefore have to do some experimentation and experimentation before finding the product that best suits your abilities.
- This material dries quickly, so keep the portions you are not using in the cling film or original container.
Step 2. Start by spreading a smooth layer of butter frosting
Try to make it as smooth and even as possible to prevent the sugar paste from tearing or wrinkling when deposited on top of it. To do this, follow the advice described in the previous section of the article.
Alternatively, you can use a ganache; it is more difficult to smooth but provides a more stable base
Step 3. Work the sugar paste
Sprinkle cornstarch or food fat on a clean surface to prevent the mixture from sticking; then knead it for a couple of minutes or until it becomes malleable. Push the paste with the palm and base of both hands to avoid trapping air bubbles in the material.
If you bought some ready-made sugar paste, skip this step
Step 4. Unfold it
Use a rolling pin to reduce the mixture into a 5mm thick sheet; rotate it from time to time by putting your hands under it all the way to the center to prevent it from sticking to the table.
If you plan to cover a circular cake with sugar paste, you need to obtain a disc whose diameter is equal to that of the cake itself plus twice its height
Step 5. Cover the cake (optional)
Once the sugar paste has been rolled out, roll it over a rolling pin and then lay it on the cake by unrolling it. Use a flat tool - or your hands if necessary - to smooth the surface and get rid of air bubbles. Afterward, smooth the circle around the top and edges of the cake to make sure the sugar paste is firmly attached. Proceed to rub it gradually by moving around the cake until it is completely coated; cut off excess material with a small knife or pizza wheel.
If you are covering a cake with a strange shape, put the sugar paste in the same mold you used for the cake, wait for it to harden a little and then lay it on the surface. Large cakes must be coated piece by piece and then leveled as described below
Step 6. Make some decorations with the sugar paste
You can easily create two-dimensional ornaments by cutting out shapes with the help of scissors or a small knife. Use different colored paste to define faces, animals or the shapes you prefer; you can also cut strips and arrange them like ribbons or spiral flowers. Three-dimensional images can be sculpted just as you would with plasticine, although sugar paste is best suited for small decorations as it hardens quickly.
Step 7. Repair it
The sugar paste can tear, crack or form lumps very easily, especially when used to cover an entire cake. Here are some tips to fix these imperfections:
- Put some new sugar paste in a bowl and add 1ml (or a tip of a teaspoon) of water at a time until you get a toothpaste-like mixture. Use a putty knife to spread this "putty" over the cracks and dents until it becomes smooth and wait for it to dry.
- If the material cracks before you have had a chance to start decorating, knead it again with glycerin or edible fat;
- Small fractures can sometimes be smoothed out with the fingertips or made less noticeable with a brush of grease;
- Bumps are usually caused by air bubbles, prick them with a pin and smooth out the sugar paste.
Step 8. Finished
Advice
- The first application of icing is easier if you use a turntable.
- Put some icing on the plate or base on which you will serve the cake; by doing so, the cake adheres as you decorate and transport it.
