subject: Simple Step By Step Cake Decorating [print this page] Simple Step By Step Cake Decorating Simple Step By Step Cake Decorating
It is interesting to note just how many people are a bit intimidated by the art of cake decorating. This is unfortunate because it is actually fairly simple to learn how to make a cake just as beautifully as any professional baker can. It just takes some time spent in learning the basics about step by step cake decorating.There are a few really powerful "insider" tips that can make it remarkably easy to get the most impressive results possible. These include:1. Freezing the cake layers - one of the best ways to create a flawless base for the many different decoration techniques is to ensure that it is entirely free of crumbs, and the best way to do this is to freeze each of the layers first. Be sure, however, to protect the integrity of the cakes and to prevent them from becoming too dry by simply wrapping them tightly and allowing them to remain in the freezer for only a few days altogether;2. Level and trim the cake layers - while the cakes are still frozen, you must be absolutely sure to level the tops and bottoms, and to master the art of "torting" as well. This is the splitting of a layer into two or more segments, and this actually requires some practice and skill to get right;3. Understanding the appropriate textures for the frosting - if you are going to assemble a cake properly, you need to understand the different icings, fillings, and frostings that are used in the assembly process. You cannot hope to achieve top-notch results if the textures of the materials are not under your complete control;4. Smoothing the surface - it may seem like the most basic of steps, but you should learn which tools and techniques work the best for you where the smoothing of the base layer of frosting is concerned. This where all of the decoration is done, and it isn't as easy as it seems to create a perfectly smooth and flat surface, so it is important to work hard to get this right.You may have noticed that most of these techniques will require practice in order to master them, and this is a "step" that a lot of people skip. This is a true recipe for disaster because it puts too much pressure on the person making the cake to successfully accomplish the best job possible without having first mastered the basic steps. This, finally, is the last and most important part of the process for learning exactly how to decorate cakes perfectly. It may sound like a classic clich, but you must believe that "practice makes perfect" is really true where cake decorating techniques are concerned. Once you become familiar with the way to handle the basic materials, you will begin to find that even your preliminary efforts at cake decorating are nearly always perfect and attractive. Even when they are not all that you hoped they would be, you get the valuable experience and the tastiest "mistakes" to enjoy!
