When I started cake decorating I did not realize just how much I did not know. I would see simple designs and thought I can do that. But, how do I master it or what tools should I use. Sometimes you need some help decorating a cake. A few bag of tricks doesn’t hurt either. Here are 10 cake decorating tips and tricks that I use all the time.

10 Cake Decorating Tips and Tricks

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Cake Decorating tip: Vegetable shortening

Vegetable shortening is one of my number one secret ingredients. It is mostly used for frosting i.e. to create a crusting buttercream. I use shortening to make fondant, roll out fondant and my number one secret to adding light fondant decorations. Adding decorations with water or piping gel is so permanent and you cannot move things around, shortening gives you the freedom to do just that. Need to add ruffles to a cake? Or add fondant to the cake base. Shortening is a great solution.

Another trick is to use shortening to add dry luster dust to fondant. Want to create vertical or horizontal lines with fondant? Try adding the luster dust to fondant after adding shortening. Shortening gives it a nice shine and it becomes more like a paint. It is the best trick and I use it all the time.

No piping bag use a Ziploc bag

Sometimes you run out of piping bags and you do not have time to go to the store. The solution: a Ziploc bag. Add your piping tip or coupler in the corner of the bag and pipe like you normally do with a piping bag.

Save Icing bags

Another great trick I use is to save my piping bag. First I add buttercream to a piece of plastic and place it in a piping bag, cut the ends and start piping. You can reuse your bag over and over for the project.

Steps:

• Take a piece of plastic wrap and place it on a flat surface.
• Add the buttercream to the center of the plastic wrap. For a two-toned buttercream add the colors side by side.
• Roll the plastic wrap and twist both ends
• Place in the piping bag and pull the ends.
• Cut the end with a scissor and start piping.
• Do the same for the two-toned buttercream. No extra tools needed.

Make your own Parchment circles

Making your own parchment circles is very easy. When I started cake decorating, I marked a circle from the cake pan on a piece of parchment paper and cut the circle. Now, I make my parchment circles by making a triangle and cut it. This is so easy to do. Remember how to make paper planes? Yes, the same one that boys used to throw at the girls in school. That’s the same method for making parchment circles.

• Take a piece of parchment paper
• Fold in half, then fold again in half
• Make a triangle and continue making triangles. You can make it as small as you want.
• Then, measure against the bottom of the cake pan. Mark the area at the edge and cut with a scissor.
• Open up the parchment paper and place in the cake pan. If it is too big fold it up again and remeasure and cut again.
• A cool trick I learned to place into a well-greased cake pan and flip over to grease each side.

How to prevent bulging cake and prevent the filling for soaking into the cake

Arrrh.. I hate when a cake bulges.  I cannot forget once after I had done a great job of getting a smooth frosting on the cake and when I took the cake out I noticed this huge bulge on the side.  Oh noooo… The first thing panic sets in, then I figured out how to fix it.  I was saved that day because I didn’t have time to start over as I had to make fondant ruffles.  But, that’s a story for another day.

The main reason is because as the cake settles gravity pulls down it and pushes the air out of the cake from the weight. Another reason is not allowing the cake rest long enough. When the cake is filled give it time to settle. To prevent bulging all together, add a dam to the cake, then add the filling inside.  Then, use a wooden dowel and pierce the center of the cake.  This gives the air someplace to go.

To prevent the filling from soaking into the cake, just add a light layer of buttercream to the cake before adding the filling.

Viva paper towel

Viva paper towel is a good trick when using a crusting buttercream. You can use this with a fondant smoother to create a smooth icing that looks like fondant.

Warm spatula

An easy way to get a smooth buttercream or ganache is using a warm spatula. Just dip a spatula in warm water, remove the excess water and use on buttercream or ganache to smooth it out.

How to make Edible sand

Making a beach cake or a cake with terrains that has sand in the design. I use gram cracker crumbs and/or brown sugar to make edible sand.

Using sprinkles for decorations

Sprinkles are an easy way to decorate a cake especially if you are not great at frosting a cake (see how to frost a cake here and how to ganache a cake here). Use a cookie cutter or parchment paper to add sprinkle designs. If you still can’t get a smooth buttercream, use sprinkles to cover the top and the sides of the cake.

Make your own Cake Drum/Base

Yes you can buy cake drums, but making your own is very easy. The easiest way to make a cake drum is to trace a cake board that is the desired size onto the foam core board. For example, if you need a 10-inch cake drum, use a 10-inch cake board to trace it. Then cut with an Xacto knife each time getting deeper to prevent a jagged edge. The cut is the most important part.

Another option is using a compass. A regular compass from the school supply is not large enough to mark a larger cake drum. My secret: a tool to cut drywall (drywall circle cutter) from the local hardware store.

This tool marks up to 16-inch and actually cuts the foam core board. This is the best tool ever and everyone should have one if you plan to make your own cake drum.

What is your favorite cake decorating trick?