Cake Decoration - It's All in the Icing

Cake decoration is incomplete without some decorative icing. The first thing to keep in mind is to have the appropriate equipment such as picks, icing bag, spatulas and good piping bag. If you are just starting out, you may buy a complete decorating set for a reasonable price. But just make sure they are of good quality to avoid any decorating disasters.

Armed with the tools, you can now throw up some basic cake decorations with beautiful icing. However, do you know that there are actually as many as 5 different icings for you to choose from? Every type has its distinct quality and can be perfect for a specific style or cake. To maximize each, continue reading and discover in what ways you can use the various kinds.

1. Fondant Icing

Fondant icing, one of the most popular types of icings around, is what you commonly see on wedding and birthday cakes. It looks like a porcelain and provides silky smooth texture which gives an elegant look to your cake. Fondant icings are a great choice for creating flowers, ribbons and other generic designs that fit into the category of classy and elegant. Of course, you can use them for almost anything but white roses look exceptional on a wedding cake. Just like any kind of icing, these are made out of sugar and water, thus it is icing is very fattening.

2. Foam Icing

This is the cornerstone of cake decoration. Together with fondant icing, the foam type of icing is the most popular type of icing used in cake decoration. It has a very creamy texture to it and is soft to the touch. For those who prefer a fluffy and creamy cake top, this is the ideal icing for you.

3. Fudge Icing

As the name suggests, this is an excellent choice for those who love chocolates. And yes, there is fudge icing, which is what you typically see on big tiramisus and double chocolate cakes. Also often referred to as ganache, fudge icing is dark in nature, so it is a great complement to any cake top that is lighter in color. Fudge icing is also good in any ordinary cake if you want to add some more chocolaty taste.

4. Glazes

An entirely different sort of icing from those mentioned above, glazes are watery in texture and tend to flow down the sides of a cake. A lot of cakes use glaze to give the pastry a unique overflowing look. This works well on a chocolate cake with white top. White glaze along with passion fruit icing is also delicious.

Take the time to learn a bit about the different types of icing as they each have different properties and are suited to different styles of cakes.

Cake Decorating Tips Using Fondant Icing

Decorative cakes are highly popular today. It is mostly seen in weddings, debuts, and on birthday parties. Most of the layered cakes you usually saw in weddings are made out of fondant icing.

Fondant icing is widely used by professional bakers around the world. Fondant is a thick and creamy sugar mixture used in designing and decorating cookies and cakes. It is much easier to use for decorating custom made cakes compared to buttercream frosting.

If you are a skilled baker or an aspiring one, creating fondant based cakes is very exciting and a fun baking experience. Below are some tips for cake decorating for you to practice.

For beginners, handling fondant may get tough and messy. Don't fret. There are ready made fondant icings that are for grabs on the market. You can choose from getting a rolled fondant or poured fondant.

Rolled fondant is much easier to use for cake decorating. They can be made available in various tastes such as chocolate, custard, mocha, caramel and other exciting flavours. Since they are bought with flavours, they came in with different colours too. You can instantly cover and pattern the fondant icing over you cake in a matter of minutes. Be careful not to tear the rolled fondant whenever you cover your cake.

You can use cookie cutters with different sizes and shapes to create designs on rolled fondant. You can design or create just about anything. If you are skilled in moulding, you can create ruffles, flowers and various stuffs. You can use the rolled fondant to create those. Your creativity can play and ideas are widely open.

Poured fondant is more advanced than rolled fondant. It may require some skill and coordination when decorating your cake or cookie. The first step you will have to do is heat the icing or melt the candy. Check the box or label on pre-heating instructions. Follow the steps to achieve the desired amount and texture of the icing.

Fondant icings are quick to dry and harden. After heating the icing, you may need to set it aside in order to cool. Make sure your work station is clean and dry. When the icing is cooled, place it on a piping bag. You can now have control over the icing and make designs for your cake.

Working with fondant can be hard and fun at the same time. You can create a wide range of designs with it. You can find a large array of resources such as cookbooks and magazines to gain ideas on how to decorate cakes.