Techniques Used to Decorate Cakes

Techniques Used to Decorate Cakes

Introduction

Baking is traditional as well as a hobby to many. With baking being so widely practiced many people put their different twist on it. There are many different dishes and also dishes that originated in other places. When you get a cake is it just a plain cake? No. Its decorated in some way, shape or fashion. Each country, as well as, baker, decorates their cakes different than the next. Some people fail to see that baking is a science. You have to follow recipes exactly and experimenting is limited. If not, a disaster is likely to happen and your cake will not be what you expect. All in all, baking is sweet, baking is history, baking is today.

History

1. The history of cake goes back to ancient times.

2. The first cakes were very different from what we eat today.

3. They were more bread-like and sweetened with honey.

4. Nuts and dried fruits were frequently added.

5. According to the food historians, the ancient Egyptians were the first culture to show proof of highly developed baking skills.

Interesting Facts

1. Cupcakes are over 200 years old

2. December 15 is National Cupcake Day

3. Cakes served as a part in ancient rituals.

4. A chicken egg (big chicken cell) is 1000 times bigger than the average human cell

5.

The Tools of The Trade

Its All About Technique

Play Dough for Cakes??

The sugary dough, comprised mostly of sugar, water and corn syrup. The use of shortening might be necessary to ensure the stretch and flexibility of the fondant. Fondant is a very versatile object. It can be used to simply cover cakes, but it doesn’t stop there. It also is used to be made into shapes and letters and many other things to go onto your cake. Many cake decorators have people who work for them who are sculptors and they can make many realistic things we see in day to day life.

Stencils… Yes, On A Cake

Many decorators also use the technique of stenciling their cakes. They’re typically made of slim plastic or metal and have a cut out design on them. The designs can be everything from a simple smiley face to an intricate snowflake scene.

On a cake covered in simply icing the decorator

would carefully lay the stencil on the cake and fill it

in with any finely ground powder of their liking.

However, on a cake covered with fondant they would then lay the stencil on the cake and fill in the stencil with icing and remove the stencil before the the icing completely hardens.

The Pied Piper

If you crumb coat a cake properly there are still many ways to create a neat, and just as beautiful cake compared to one with fondant.

Piping bags (coned shaped bags made of plastic, cloth, or paper) are used to decorate your cakes by you pushing icing through their tips.

Companies like Wilton and Ateco are known for their decorating kits, in which there are a variety of different tips to create different shapes, objects and patterns.

It all comes down to technique, practice and creativity.

What I Learned...

I have learned some things I didn't know about baking like...

1. How Angel Food Cake and Devil's Food got their names

2. A little history

3. Different techniques for decorating

I have also learned that a decorator does a lot more than they appear to do.

Perfect Match?.. Or nah?

Yes,

this is definitely for ME.

I still feel as though I have chosen the perfect career for me. I love baking and I want to start practicing to decorate even more because I've seen the beauty that comes from all that effort.

Any Questions???