It can be hard not to be dazzled every time that you walk into a nice bakery. A beautifully decorated cake is one of the great joys of the culinary arts.
What a lot of people do not realise is cake decoration and cake design can be fun as a hobby as well as being one of the high edible arts.
Would you like to create the perfect cake for the perfect cake decorating experience? well before you start cake decorating, you should also have a grasp of baking. For the perfect cake decorating experience here are some guidelines to follow.
Tip #1 – Cake mixes can be used if you are new to baking
Having an evenly baked and golden brown cake to work with gives you a good foundation for creating your new masterpiece.
Ideally, your cake will be level on both top and bottom. This will make it easier for you to apply your icing and decorative flourishes. Very few crumbs in you cake foundation also help in achieving better results.
Starting of with a box cake mix and following the directions, is one of the easiest ways to make sure that you get a good solid cake to work. This is particulary true if this is your very first foray into cake decoration or you have never baked a cake before.
Tip #2 – The Process Of Cake Decorating Should Not Be Hurried
If there is one cake decorating tip that you should take note of it should be never rush the cake decorating process. Ninety per cent of all cake decorating mistakes or problems are always caused by the cake decorator trying to rush through the process.
Never take your cake straight from the oven and try to decorate it. What happens is becuase the cake is not cool enough the icing will run off your base.
Some bakers even like to freeze their cakes before they begin the process of icing and decoration. Always let your cake cool off at least an hour. Ideally, you should let the cake sit and set overnight.
Tip #3 – Make it Easy on Yourself and Keep Your Cake Level
One of the easiest ways to make sure that you have a cake that you can work with is to level and trim your baked cake. As always, wait until the cake has cooled completely before you get cutting and pruning. Take a serrated knife and trim off the crust and dry edges.
You can also torte the cake if you want to decorate it.Torting simply involves the process of slicing varying layers into your cake. This will hopefully establish a nice, smooth surface that makes it easy to ice the cake. You can also level off the crown of the cake center if it is lumpy or otherwise not smooth.
Tip #4 – How to create the Perfect First Layer of Icing
In order to get the most consistency, make sure to apply a layer of icing to the cake before you begin the real work of cake decorating. Make this first layer your crumb catcher.
That is, use the icing in order to make the crumbs stick to the cake. After you have applied this first layer of icing, let the cake set for at least a few hours.
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