Cake Decorating Blog & Reviews on Cake Decorating Books and Cake Decorating Tools

Aluminum support ring used in pastry for uniform shape

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Buy Parrish Magic Line 9 x 2 Inch Aluminum Hexagon Mold Pastry Ring at Amazon

Adorable acrobats

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Buy Wilton Tumbling Bears Set at Amazon

Review

Simple to use yet professional in results, Wilton’s Fanci-Fill cake pan set encourages adventurous bakers to double their fun by combining favorite flavors and ingredients. The two 8-3/4-inch round pans feature a recessed design so that when the cakes baked within are released from the pan, they come out contoured with a wide, empty ring. All that’s needed to finish the dessert is to top up the rings with filling and flip one cake on top of the other. Try custard, mousse,…
Buy Wilton Fanci-Fill Cake Pan Set at Amazon

Creating a birthday cake for someone special brings joy both for the cake decorator and the cake recipient. Yet, achieving great cake decorating results also requires the fine-tuning of baking skills. There are many important preparation steps prior to the actual cake decorating which directly effect how the cake looks. A few cake decorating tools and attention to the cake layers will result in a more even cake and fewer headaches. Even Cake Layers:As the cake layers bake, the outside rim of the cake pan heats the edges of the cake layer faster than the rest of the cake. Since the outside is baking faster, the middle of the cake rises higher, creating a hump. This problem can be avoided by using Magic Cake Strips around the sides of the cake pans. Once wet, the strips are wrapped around the sides of the cake pan and pinned in place. The strips cool the sides of the pan and allow the cake to bake evenly. Cake layers exceeding 10″ need a little extra TLC. Use a heating core in the center of the cake pan to conduct heat into the middle of the cake. A heating core is a doughnut-shaped metal ring that is greased and floured, placed in the center of the pan, and filled with cake batter. The mini-cake that bakes inside the heating core is placed in the center of the cake. Even distribution of heat around the cake pan also effects the baking process. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and the cake pan in the center of the rack. Air needs to circulate around the pan to heat it from all sides. Not all ovens heat accurately. If you suspect your oven gets too hot or takes long to cook, check the temperature. A cake baked too quickly in a very hot oven will be overdone on the outside and undercooked on the inside. If you still find your cake has uneven spots, a cake leveler is a handy tool that makes trimming the excess cake away simple. Assembling the Cake:Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a wire cake rack. This gives the cake time to shrink away from the sides and allows the cake to come out of the pan without breakage. Invert the cake on to a wire rack and then invert it again. I do this twice to make sure the flat part of the cake is down. If you have any kind of hump and the hump goes face down, the cake layer will surely crack. The cake should cool entirely before proceeding. When cool, any excess cake can be removed. Place the cake layer on a cake board. If you are filling the cake with anything besides buttercream frosting,I recommend you pipe a ring of buttercream frosting all along the outside of the layer being filled. This prevents the filling from leaking out. Once the cake is filled,brush away any crumbs with a pastry brush. Applying a crumb coat will keep crumbs out of the icing. If you are decorating the cake with buttercream icing,you can simply thin it with a little milk and frost the cake. Warmed apricot jam also works well. Heat the jam in the microwave and strain it. Apply the jam to the cake with a pastry brush. Now the cake should be chilled to allow the cake to settle and the crumb coat to set. If you proceed directly to cake decorating, the filling will bulge out of the sides of the cake. Making the sides look attractive is virtually impossible when this happens. Frosting the Cake:Set the cake in the center of a lazy susan. Using a metal spatula, heap the frosting in the center of the cake. Work it back and forth while turning the lazy susan, but never actually touching the surface of the cake. If you smear the spatula into the cake,you may pull up crumbs, despite all the preparation. When the top of the cake is covered with icing, hold the metal spatula horizontal to the surface of the cake and pull it straight across the top. Remove any excess icing from the edges of the cake. Dot icing all around the sides of the cake with the spatula. The best tool to use for creating evenly frosted sides is a metal scraper. It gives you the best leverage for maintaining a straight edge as you frost. Turn the lazy susan as you hold the metal scraper perpendicular to the cake. Carefully lift any excess icing from the top edges with the spatula. If your icing is not perfectly smooth, allow it to crust for 15 minutes. Come back to it with a large piece of wax paper. Lay the wax paper on top of the cake and smooth your hands along the cake, starting from the center and working out towards the edges. Repeat this process on the sides of the cake, smoothing one area at a time. Without a doubt, baking and decorating cakes is very time consuming, but minimizing the mishaps makes it more enjoyable and gives you the best results.

The baking queen or king will enjoy every piece this set has to offer. The 3 piece set includes: 12 cup non-stick standard size muffin pan, 23 count cupcake stand, and 3-in-one cake caddy that can safely transport 12 standard size cupcakes, 24 mini cupcakes, or a 9″ x 13″ cake.

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Buy Wilton Cupcakes N More 23 Count Cupcake and Dessert Stand Deluxe Set with 12 Cup Muffin Pan and 3-in-One 2 Piece Carrier at Amazon

Matfer Bourgeat 13-3/4 Buche Cake Mold – Tin-Plate Made of tin-plate, with rim Yule logs are easy to create with this mold Length: 13-3/4 Width: 2-3/8 Height: 1-3/4

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Buy Matfer Bourgeat 13-3/4″ Buche Cake Mold – Tin-Plate at Amazon

Proudly display the number of years married! Appointed in rhinestones, a sparkling pick makes a beautiful keepsake for the honored couple. Use as a cake topper and in floral arrangements, bouquets and centerpieces.

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Buy Wilton Gold 50th Anniversary Pick at Amazon

Dreams of a Cinderella wedding can come true with this enchanting cake topper of Lenox fine china. In this original sculpture, Cinderella and Prince Charming gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes. The Prince holds Cinderella’s hands tenderly in his own in this memorable moment. Crafted of hand-painted Lenox ivory fine china accented with 24-kt. gold, this cake topper stands 7 1/2″ tall. Bearing the Lenox hallmark, it comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

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Buy Lenox Cinderella Wedding Day Cake Topper at Amazon

Aluminum support ring used in pastry for uniform shape

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Buy Parrish Magic Line 3 x 2 Inch Aluminum Teardrop Mold Pastry Ring at Amazon

Use this cake dome to cover and display cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and pastries. The high-impact plastic dome can be used atop a plate or platter, as well as on most revolving cake stands. Dimensions: 12″Dia × 5″HMaterials: High-impact plastic

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Buy Ateco Cake Dome at Amazon