How to decorate a cake is a question that's on my mind. I'm always in the kitchen. Cooking, or baking is always on my mind. My friends keep asking when my next special dessert will be ready. It seems that I have this never-ending passion for baking and decorating. To show the people and get them involved in the exciting and fun process of cake decorating, I've been giving away my secrets for the past several years.

Three Favorite Tools

I'm talking about my three favorite tools; a cake turntable, a cake leveler, and a stand mixer. I love to bake and decorate cakes, so these are tools that I use everyday. I would rather use a combination of these tools than one or two of them, but I feel like these three will make it much easier for you to learn how to decorate a cake.

Basics of Cake Decorating

First off, let's go over the basics of cake decorating. Most beginners start out with a simple round cake, because it's easy and simple to learn. There are many different types of decorations you can do with a round cake. You can do flowers, fruits, candy, icing, diamonds, marzipan, bows, icings, frosting, candles, cupcakes, pies, cookies, cakes, and anything else you can think of. When learning how to decorate a cake, you need to know the cake recipes you can use to make the decorations. This includes icing, filling, and frosting.

When Making Cakes

One of the most important tools when making cakes is a spatula. A spatula will help you to not touch the icing or frosting with your fingers, as it will result in a "cakey" appearance. Start by drawing an outline of your cake on your spatula by pushing the tip of it down and sliding it away from you until you get a clean, smooth border. This is very important, as you don't want your cake to have jagged edges.

Second Tool in Your Cake Decorating Arsenal is a Good Sharp Knife

The second tool in your cake decorating arsenal is a good sharp knife. Begin by removing the sponge from its package and cutting off a long, thin slice from the top edge. Now, poke two holes in the sponge that are about the same size as your toothpick, and then use your ganache syringe to fill up both holes with your dark chocolate ganache. You want this cake to have a smooth and even surface, so make sure to fill both holes evenly.

Frost Your Cake

Next, you'll need to learn how to frost your cake. Begin by lining up the cake on your frosting container. If you're using fondant, use the side to frost, but if not, work on the flat side. Spread the frosting on your cake by sliding it across the cake from the center out. Repeat this process with the crumb coat, which will be applied at the end.

Flowers and Cake Crowns 

Finally, you can move on to the flowers and cake crowns. For those who are unfamiliar, start by lining your cake with a sheet of wax paper, and then cut a series of small square slits along the bottom side and the top edge. Once you have finished this step, wet your fingers and spread a generous amount of cooking spray onto the cake with your fingers, lining up the pieces so that they form a beautiful pattern. Now, using your hot water pipe hook, pipe a few drops of green food coloring into each hole and let the cake dry for a few hours.

Conclusion

After the cake has dried, you are ready to put the icing on. To begin, brush your cake with edible shine icing and then smooth the icing on with a spatula. Once you have finished applying the frosting, place a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake and allow it to dry.