Decorating Cakes

2.  There is hardly anyone in this world, who
doesn't likes cakes! Cake lovers do not get
tired of eating cakes, even if they are given
cakes everyday! When we say that we liked a
specific cake, we are generally referring to
the cake recipe. But we often forget that
the decoration on the cake also has a share
in its 'tastiness'. In fact it is the decoration
on the cake that catches our attention first.
Even the best cake recipe will not be much
appreciated, if it does not have a layer of
icing on it. So let's learn how to decorate a
cake like a professional, so that your cake
looks good along with tasting good.

3.  Icing plays an important part in decorating a
cake. Decorating a cake is actually quite
simple. Here is how you do it. The first step is
to let the cake cool completely before
decorating it. Keep the cake on turntable. See
to it that the icing is thin, so that it spreads
easily. Place a chunk of thin consistent icing on
the center of the cake. To keep the crumbs out
of the icing is to just glide the spatula on the
icing, without letting it touch the surface of the
cake. Next spread the icing, with a light hand
on the top, towards the edge with a spatula.

4.  Once you have spread it, sweep the edge of the
spatula from the outer part of the cake to its
center, to remove the excess icing. When you
are done with the center, cover the center of
the cake with icing, smooth it with the help of
the spatula, by just slowly spin the turntable,
do not lift the spatula. Do it until the sides are
smooth. Now move the cake a bit, rotate it and
repeat the same procedure, but this time from
a new side. Once you are done with the entire
cake, allow it to crust for about 15 minutes. A
simple decorating idea is to decorate it with
dark and light shades of frosting. Just take it in
a bowl and spread the icing over the cake.

5. First fix the cake on a plate with a
spoonful of frosting, so that it does not
move. Now spread buttercream icing
over it. This is for the purpose of hiding
the uneven surfaces on the cake. The
buttercream needs to harden, so
refrigerate it for sometime. While the
cake surfacing is hardening, you start
kneading the fondant. After kneading it,
roll it with the rolling pin, until it is ¼
inch thick.

6. The fondant should be little bigger
than the cake. You can do the rolling
on a countertop also. See if the cake is
slightly chilled. If yes, flip the fondant
and apply it to the cake. Start
smoothing the fondant, from the
center of the cake towards the edge
and then to the sides. If there is any
excess fondant, cut it off from the
bottom of the cake. For decorating it,
you can use stencils or fondant paint or
even ribbons.

7.  Decorating a cake with fresh flowers is quite
simple. First choose the flowers with which you
wish to decorate the cake. When I say choose, I
literally mean it. Most of the time flowers are
sprayed with pesticides, so it is better to pick
them from a garden or from a florist. Wash and
dry the flowers before using them. You can
either decorate each tier with flowers, i.e.
make the cake tier out of flowers or you can
place a flower bouquet on each tier and
cascading flowers on the top. If you like to keep
it simple, just sprinkle the entire cake with
petals.

8.  If you want the flower decoration to stand out,
it is better to choose a white cake, as anything
suits on it. It will be better to choose edible
flowers like lilac, chrysanthemums, gardenias,
violet, etc. as people tend to consume them.
 Start experimenting with these ideas right away,
by making such a beautiful cake that people will
think twice before dismantling the beautiful
cake decoration.

9. “Ability is what you're capable of doing.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it.”
by Lou Holtz