How to Decorate a Cake

Use these easy tips and instructions to learn how to decorate a cake like a pro! Find helpful hints for
frosting a cake, filling a pastry bag and more cake decorating tips.

Tips for How to Decorate a Cake

Decorating a cake with a flat top is best. When the oven temperature is too high, cakes
develop rounded tops. Use an oven thermometer to check the temperature of your oven.
To flatten a cake with a small crown, put a plate on top of it immediately after you take it from
the oven. Push the plate down gently.
Line your pan with parchment paper to ensure that the cake will come out of the pan easily.
To apply nuts or coconut to the sides of a cake, hold the cake over a pan and gently pat the
nuts, etc. onto the sides with your hand.
To keep the cake stand clean while frosting, line the edge with 3-inch strips of waxed paper.
Center the first cake layer over the strips. When finished frosting, carefully remove the strips
one piece at a time.
Before writing on a cake with icing, gently outline the words with a toothpick.

Frosting a Cake
Peaks

Press the flat side of a tablespoon or teaspoon into the frosting and pull straight up, forming a peak.
Repeat over top and sides of cake.

Zigzags

Run the tines of a table fork through the frosting in a wavy motion.
Waves

Use the back of a tablespoon or teaspoon to make a small twisting motion in one direction. Then
move the spoon over a little and make another twist in the opposite direction. Repeat until entire
cake is covered.
Stripes

Starting on the edges, run the side of a table knife to the center of the cake. Repeat until the whole
top is covered. Using the same knife, make vertical stripes around the sides of the cake.

How to Fill a Pastry Bag

1. Secure the frosting tip and coupler on the pastry bag. Place the tip of the pastry bag in an empty
tall glass. Fold the wide opening of the bag halfway over the glass.

2. Use a spoon to transfer frosting to the pastry bag. When its three-fourths full, pull the sides of the
pastry bag up over the frosting. Remove the bag from the glass, twist the open end to close it and
apply pressure to the bag to pipe the frosting on.
OW TO FROST A SMOOTH CAKE WITH
BUTTERCREAM
posted by Lindsay

154 COMMENTS

3121.4K

Todays tutorial is all about how to frost a smooth cake. Getting that nice, smooth finish when icing a
cake can take some practice, but I have been asked so many times about how I get my icing so
smooth, Ive finally put together some instructions that I hope will be helpful. Just remember you
have to be patient. My first cake did not look like my current cakes. It took practice and the right
tools.

Update 8/5/16: Theres now a video showing the technique towards the end of this post.
image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/finishedCake2.jpg
So to start, lets talk about the tools youll need:

Icing tips (this one Wilton #789 for icing the sides and this one Ateco 844 for piping the
border)
Icing bags
Turntable (I use this one)
Icing smoother (I 100% recommend this one over any other)
9 inch offset spatula (I use this one)
Fondant smoother (I use this one)
Viva paper towels (Viva brand specifically)
SHOP THE TOOLS I USE

[show_shopthepost_widget id=2701293]

Lets talk about that icing smoother for a second. I linked to it above, but its an Ateco smoother that
costs less than $5. It is the best money I have ever spent on a tool. I used to use another one, but it
was big and clunky and I had no idea how much it hindered my ability to get a nice, smooth cake
until I tried this one. Its lightweight, small and easy to use.
In addition to those tools, youll obviously need a cake and some icing. I used regular American
Buttercream (recipe here). For my cakes that are about this size, I go through about 2 1/2 recipes
worth.

For this tutorial, I started with a cake that was already crumb coated and had a layer of icing on the
top of the cake. Its important to already have the top layer on the cake and get it as smooth as you
can with your offset spatula. Itll get further smoothed later, but its best to have it smooth now too.

The crumb coat isnt entirely necessary for every cake. Typically chocolate cakes are more likely to
need them, since they tend to have more crumbs. But because of the way I add my icing, its not
always necessary. I use an icing tip and bag, which reduces crumbs mixing into the icing.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step1_crumb-coat.jpg
So to get started from here, youll want your icing bag fitted with the Wilton #789 icing tip and filled
with icing. Starting from the bottom of the cake, pipe icing around the edge, trying to keep even
pressure on the bag so that the layer of icing is even.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step2_piping_side_icing.jpg
Youll have multiple layers of piped icing, depending on the height of your cake. The top layer needs
to stick above the top edge of the cake. This will be important later for smoothing the top
edges/corners of the cake.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/07/step3_piping_side_icing_top.jpg
image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/07/step_3_piping_side_icing_top2.jpg
When you are done applying the icing to the sides of the cake, its time to smooth it. This is where
the icing smoother comes in. Place it against the side of the cake. You want to hold it straight up and
down, as straight as possible. Hold your icing smoother in the same place and use your other hand
to turn the turntable. Continue to turn the turntable, scraping the icing off of the smoother
occasionally so that there isnt too much buildup. I clean off my smoother regularly and when I
scrape the excess icing off of it, I usually also wipe it with a paper towel, so that there isnt anything
left on there that will mess up the icing once I place it back on the side of the cake.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step4_smoothing.jpg
Here is an image showing the angle at which I hold the smoother. I really believe the angle makes a
big difference in the way the icing smooths. Do not hold it at 90 degrees. The tighter the angle (like
shown), the better the excess icing pulls around the cake and fills in gaps.

MY OTHER RECIPES

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/07/step4c_smoothing_overhead1.jpg
After doing a few turns of the turntable, youll notice some gaps that are deeper and should probably
be filled in. I usually notice it at the seems where the three layers of icing were piped on. At this
point, use your offset spatula to add some icing to the gaps. Youll want to have a little excess icing,
rather than too little.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step4b_smoothing.jpg
image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step5_gaps.jpg
Begin smoothing the sides again, pulling the excess icing around the cake to fill in gaps, then wiping
off the icing smoother as needed.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step5b_gap_smoothing.jpg
image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/smoothing.gif
Continue working around the outside of the cake, pulling the icing, then scraping it off of the icing
smoother. You can fill in more gaps if needed, just keep working the sides until you are happy with it.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step6b_more_smoothing.jpg
You should end up with a cake that looks like this. The sides are mostly smooth and the excess icing
from the top is still sticking up above the cake. In some places you may have tiny little holes from the
air in the icing. The angle that you hold the icing smoother can make a difference in how many of
those you end up with. Again, tighter angle is better. Also, some of those will fill in as we smooth the
sides again later with a paper towel.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step7_smooth_sides.jpg
Next is always the scariest part! The top edges/corners. It was even harder to do these while taking
photos.

image: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2.3/svg/1f642.svg

The whole icing process took longer than normal, so my icing started to crust a bit and so its a
little drier in the photos than yours should be at this point. You want to work as quickly as you can. If the
icing starts to crust, its harder to work with.
To do the edges, you can use the icing smoother or the offset spatula. I use either, depending on my
mood, though often I do feel like the offset spatula gives me more control. Pull the icing in towards
the middle of the cake, making the corner level with the top of the cake. The spatula should be at
about a 45 degree angle. The excess icing should help fill in any uneven-ness on those top corners
as you pull it in.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step8_edges.jpg

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/edges.gif
Go all the way around the cake, until it looks like the one below. Again, my icing is a bit drier than
yours should be. Hopefully, your cake top is a bit smoother.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step8b_rough_edges.jpg
Use your offset spatula to continue to work the icing on the top of the cake and smooth the top
edges. Do not mess with the sides or side part of the corners yet. Just try to get the top as smooth
as you can, the sides should already be smooth.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step9_smooth_top.jpg
Next, we use the paper towel to finish smoothing any imperfections that are left from the offset
spatula. Like I said above, I ONLY use Viva paper towels for this. They are the only paper towel I
know of that doesnt have raised patterns on it. Youll notice that one side is smoother than the other
thats the side you want against the cake.

I usually start with the top of the cake, since it tends to be rougher and need more work. Along with
your paper towel, youll need the fondant smoother. Place the paper towel on the cake, smoothest
side down, and rub in small circular motions with the fondant smoother to smooth out the icing.
Press firmly and evenly, but not hard.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step10_papertowl_top.jpg
Do the same with the sides of the cake, evening out any bumps or air holes.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step11_papertowl_sides.jpg
To help make sharper corners, place the paper towel on the top of cake, letting it hang over the edge
and down the side. Placing your fingers against the side of the cake to keep the icing in place, use
the fondant smoother to gently push the icing out towards to edge to help make that corner sharp.
Do that anywhere you think the edges could use it.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/07/step12_papertowel_corner.jpg
Keep working that paper towel and fondant smoother until you are happy with your cake.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step12b_smooth_cake.jpg
Next, I like to take my offset spatula and remove excess icing at the bottom of the cake and give it a
clean edge. The spatula is placed at an angle so that nothing is actually touching the side of the
cake, but just the bottom of the spatula side is grabbing the excess icing. Then pull the excess
towards you and away from the cake.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step13_bottom_edges.jpg
Use your other icing tip to pipe on your border. I used Ateco tip 844, but you could also use Wilton
1M, which is similar, or any other tip you prefer.

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/piping.gif
Sprinkle with some spraaaankles!

image: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/step15_sprinkles.jpg
And youre done! Put your cake on your favorite cake stand, add a few more sprinkles and dig in!!
Its time to eat all that hard work.

image: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2.3/svg/1f609.svg

Read more at https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2015/07/30/how-to-frost-a-smooth-cake-with-

buttercream/#IPxL070kp52qocWJ.99
SIMPLE AND STUNNING CAKE
DECORATING TECHNIQUES
JANUARY 5, 2016 BY GIRLINSPIRED 7 COMMENTS
Happy New Year! My kids are back in school, the holiday decorations are packed
away, and my house is in complete disarray as we have turned our attention back to
finishing the floor installation project. Remodeling gets exhausting, I tell ya! But we
just keep going back for more! Anyhow, I have a few projects and posts that I didnt
want to get buried in the holiday jumble, so Im looking forward to finally sharing
these with you. If this is your year to develop your cake-decorating skills, I have a
few simple tips to get you started! Grab a cake and some basic supplies and learn
these four simple cake decorating techniques! Surprise someone this Valentines Day
with your awesome new skills!
Technique #1: The Rose Cake

Supplies:
6-inch cake pan
Wilton Decorator Icing (3-4 Cups)
18 decorating bags, large coupler set, and piping Tip #1M
Wilton Rose Petal icing color
cake mix/ingredients

Bake cake in 6-inch pans and level the top off of each layer. One batch of batter will
make two 3-inch layers. Tint several cups of icing to desired shade of color. Slice
the tops of the cake layers off with a bread knife and stack them, filling between each
layer with an even coat of icing. Spread a thin layer of icing, typically called a crumb
coating, over the entire cake and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before
continuing. This will allow the icing to firm up so that the crumbs do not get dragged
into the icing when you continue to decorate your cake.

Fit a large piping bag with a large coupler set and Tip #1M. Fill with remaining tinted
icing. (You can coat your cake with another thin layer of icing before piping the roses
if youd like. Since my cake was light in color, I did not.) Cover the cake by piping
swirled roses over the entire thing. These are simple to make. Hold the piping bag
and position the tip where you would like the center of the first rose. Squeeze the
icing while swirling the tip in a counter-clockwise direction until you have formed
approximately a 2 or 3-inch rose. You can make these any size, really, they should
just be uniform across the cake.

Continue piping roses over the entire cake. Fill in any gaps with small swirls theyll
blend right in. You can find more detailed information and tips for making a Swirled
Rose Cake, here.
Technique #2: The Pulled Dot Cake

Supplies:
Wilton Easy Layers Cake Pan Set (or 6-inch cake pans)
1 recipe of Swiss Meringue Buttercream (or other icing suitable for cake decorating)
18 decorating bags, large coupler set, and piping Tip #1A
cake mix/ingredients
Bake, level, stack, and fill your cakes as described above for The Rose Cake.
This cake takes a little time, but its also quite simple. Starting at the base of the
cake, pipe a nickel sized dot using Tip #1A. Use a small icing spatula to drag the dot
to the right. Pipe a second dot over the tail of the dragged dot. Drag the spatula
again over this dot. Continue to pipe and drag subsequent dots in horizontal lines
over the entire cake. Work in circles around the top of the cake.
Technique #3: Cupcakes with a Decorative Shell Border

Supplies:
cupcakes
Wilton Decorator Icing (3-4 Cups)
Wilton Rose Petal icing color
18 decorating bags, large coupler set, and piping Tip #4B
Fit your piping bag with the large coupler set and Tip #4B. Squeeze a small amount
of icing onto the top of the cupcake and spread evenly. Working around the top
edge/side of the cupcake, pipe a shell border. You will want to work on the side of
the cupcake versus the top of the cupcake for the best result. Lightly squeeze the
icing to form a bead, then drag your piping bag to the right while releasing pressure
on the bag to form a tail. Overlap your next bead on the tail of the previous
one. Continue around the border of the cupcake.

Technique #4: Cupcakes with Piped Peaks

Supplies:
cupcakes
Wilton Decorator Icing (3-4 Cups)
Wilton Rose Petal icing color
18 decorating bags, large coupler set, and piping Tip #4B
This technique is especially easy and lots of fun. It gives a unique look to your
goodies. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top of the cupcake. Then, use
piping tip #4B to cover the treat with piped peaks. Hold the piping bag perpendicular
to the cake. Squeeze a small amount of frosting, then release and lift straight up to
create a peak. Continue to cover the cupcake.
 APPLE TOFFEE CRUNCH CAKE
September 23, 2016 by Tessa Huff
PinterestFacebookTwitterYummlyFlipboardMore30.2K

Apple Toffee Crunch Cake fresh apple cake with crunchy pecans, cinnamon
buttercream and a toffee sauce drip. A new layer cake recipe by our contributor, Tessa
Huff.
Ive resisted all-things apple, pumpkin, and spice for too long, but now it is definitely
time to dive into fall baking head on! Im kicking off my favorite season with this Apple
Toffee Crunch Cake, and I cant wait to share it with you all. So bundle up in your
boots, scarves, and favorite flannels, and lets get to it!
This cake is everything you could ever want from an autumn apple cake. It is moist
and flavorful with a bit of crunch and touch of spice. It plays off our favorite fall flavors,
a variety of textures, and even showcases a spectacular toffee drip! Trust me, your
apple-picking haul is destined for this recipe.
The cake itself is packed full of apples each piece melting into the crumb to keep it
extra moist. I like to use a variety of baking apples, some sweet and some tart, to keep
the flavor balanced. All the apple bits and pecan pieces make this cake slightly denser
than your typical sponge cake, but the butter keeps it rich and tender. The cake tends
to get bit crumbly when sliced, but trust me, its worth it (I considered revising the
recipe a bit, but the flavors were just so much stronger in this version that I decided to
stick with it!).
The subtle spice in the frosting is heavenly. A little bit of cinnamon can go a long way,
but feel free to adjust to your personal taste. The silkiness of the buttercream pairs
beautifully with the pecan crunch. As opposed to caramel sauce that starts with
cooked sugar before being mixed with cream and a touch of butter, this toffee sauce
uses brown sugar and much more butter to keep it sweet, smooth, and all-around
amazing. Mix a bit of extra sauce with any remaining buttercream and dress it up with
frilly piped details. Be sure to serve at room temperature for maximum flavor and
superior texture since everything seems to firm up a bit once chilled.
Print
APPLE TOFFEE CRUNCH CAKE

Apple Toffee Crunch Cake fresh apple cake with crunchy pecans, cinnamon buttercream and a toffee
sauce drip.

Author: Tessa Huff

Yield: One 8" Round Cake (4 layers)
Skill Level:

INGREDIENTS
For the Apple Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
3 cups apples (peeled and diced into inch cubes or smaller)
cup chopped pecans
For the Pecan Crunch:
cup quick cooking oats
cup chopped pecans
cup brown sugar
cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
pinch salt
For the Cinnamon Buttercream:
6 large egg whites
 2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste
For the Toffee Sauce:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon dark corn syrup (light corn syrup will work)
cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons scotch or bourbon (optional)
large pinch salt
For the Assembly:
Chopped pecans or leftover pecan crunch
Toffee buttercream (recipe to follow)

INSTRUCTIONS
Make the Apple Cake:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottoms of two 8-inch pans. Line the bottoms
with parchment, then grease and flour the parchment and sides of the pans. Set aside.
2. Remove 1/3 cup flour and set aside.
3. Sift together the remaining flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar. With the mixer on
medium speed, cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla
extract.
5. With the mixer on medium-low, mix in the eggs, one at a time. Stop the mixer and scrape
down the sides of the bowl.
6. Working in alternating batches, mix in half of the dry ingredients followed by the milk. Add
in the second half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
7. Toss the diced apples with the reserved flour. Fold in the apples and pecans until evenly
distributed.
8. Divided the batter between the two pans. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes until golden on top
and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack
for 15 to 20 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans.
Make the Pecan Crunch:
1. Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment
or silicone baking mat and set aside.
2. Combine all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Stir together with a wooden
spoon.
3. Spread the mixture out on the prepared pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway,
until the crumbles are golden brown. Let cool and break into small pieces before use.
Make the Cinnamon Buttercream:
1. Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk briefly by hand until
combined.
2. Fill a saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Place
the mixer bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double-boiler.
3. Whisking constantly, heat the egg mixture until it registers 160 degrees on a candy
thermometer. Once hot, carefully return the mixer bowl to the stand mixer.
4. Using the whisk attachment, whip the egg white mixture on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes
until the bowl is no longer warm to the touch and the meringue is fluffy, glossy and holds a
stiff peak.
5. Stop the mixer and swap out the whisk attachment for the paddle.
6. With the mixer on low, add in the vanilla, cinnamon, and butter, a couple tablespoons at a
time.
7. Once all of the butter has been added, turn the mixer up to medium-high and mix until
silky smooth. NOTE: If the mixture looks curdled, just keep mixing until it is smooth (this
could take up to about 5 minutes). If it appears soupy, place the mixer bowl in the fridge
for 10 to 15 minutes, then mix until smooth.
Make the Toffee Sauce:
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the brown sugar and
corn syrup. Turn the heat up to high. While stirring with a wooden spoon, bring the
mixture up a boil and cook for about 5 minutes or until the sugar dissolves.
2. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the cream. Reduce the heat to low. Place the
sauce pan back on the stove and whisk, slowly but constantly. Simmer for about 8
minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and add in the remaining ingredients. Place in a heat -safe
container and allow to cool and thicken.
Assemble the Cake:
1. After the cakes have completely cooled, carefully slice them in half horizontally with a
long serrated knife. Place one of the bottom layers on a cake board or cake pedestal.
Spread on about 1 cup of the buttercream then sprinkle with cup of the crumble. Top
with the next layer of cake and repeat. Frost the stacked cake with the cinnamon
buttercream and set in the refrigerator to chill for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. After the toffee has cooled but still liquidy, carefully drip the sauce around the edges of
the chilled cake. Pour into the center and use an offset spatula to smooth out. The toffee
sauce is a bit thicker than regular caramel, so be careful not to pull and mix with the
buttercream when spreading across the top.
3. With any remaining buttercream, mix in a couple tablespoons of the leftover toffee sauce,
or to taste, to create a toffee buttercream. Pipe on top of the cake using an open star
tip and sprinkle with chopped pecans or leftover crunch.

NOTES
You may re-heat the toffee sauce as needed gently in the microwave to make it easier to
pour if it has already set.
Be sure to break the pecan crumbles into small pieces or the cake will be difficult to cut.
Store in refrigerator. Best served at room temperature.
Once assembled and chilled, the toffee sauce will lose its sheen.
If you prefer, keep the cake as a two-layer cake. Alternatively, bake the batter in three 8-
inch pans. Adjust bake time accordingly.
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