How to Decorate Cakes

Copyright © 2000 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com All rights reserved.

Cake decorating can be as simple as applying a buttercream icing, glaze or dusting a stencil with powdered sugar or cocoa powder. It can be as complex as piping intricate designs with a pastry bag, topped with pulled sugar or adding chocolate flowers and more. Icing the cake to a smooth finish is one of the most important parts of cake decorating. The decorations, no matter how careful one is, always look their best against an evenly iced cake.
SARAH SAYS: Go to my chart called: Types - Fillings, Frosting and Glazes, listing the different kinds available. There are plenty of our specially created cake recipes on this site, and lots of How Tos.
Go to my Weddng Cake Charts answering How Much Frosting or Icing Do I Need to Cover my Cake With? 

Cake decorating is not an impossible art to learn, but it does take practice and patience. Neatness and precision count, and both come only through practice. A cake looks so much more beautiful with a simple design that is executed with precision, rather than with a complex one that is not. And, my advice is that if you don't like the design that you've created on your frosted cake, serve it anyway and never apologize to your family or friends; remember it's always a labor of love, no matter how it turns out. (You should have seen some of my early cake fiascoes). Of course, afterwards you'll need to properly store your decorated cake, if there's anything left!

SARAH SAYS: I have listed a sampling of some of the cake recipe tutorials which are embedded with step-by-step directions on how to decorate cakes:
Cake Decorating with Bunting Topper
Happy Birthday Cake

Cake Decorating with Cake Batter Before Baking 
Arabesque Patterned Sponge Cake Shapes​
Autumn Leaves Cake Roll
Cherry Blossom Cake Roll​​
Classic Financiers
Decorated Sponge Cake Roll​
Hearts and Strawberry Roses Charlotte​
Pumpkin and Chocolate Striped Cheesecake​
Tie-Dyed Chocolate Cake Cheesecake​

Cake Decorating with Cake Crumbs
Brooklyn Black-Out Cake
Devil’s Food White-Out Cake​

Cake Decorating with Cake Pops
Cake Balls or Cake Pops
Cake Pops 101
Cakelette Pops
Christmas Cake Ornaments​
Easter Bunny Cake Pops
Halloween iPOPs!​
Snow Cake Men
Spring Tulip Cake Pops
Topiary Cake Pops

Cake Decorating with Candy, Chocolate, Candy Melts, Edible Flowers, Herbs, Fruit, and Nuts
“I Heart Strawberries” Cupcakes​
Almond Joy Ice Cream Bombe​
Black Forest Cherry Cake
Chocolate Angel Pie or Meringue Cake
Chocolate Covered Cherry Jam Cake
Chocolate Cream Cheese Ombre Mini Cakes
Chocolate Lace Collar
Chocolate Zucchini Gluten-free Tea Cake​
Christmas Tree and Snowman Cake Topper​
Classic Financiers
Classic Two-Layer Marble Cake, Redux​​
Crafty Owl Mini-Cakes
Cranberry Orange Spice Bundt Cake
Edible Chocolate Crunch Trees​
Fresh Strawberries and Cream Cake​
​Funfetti Peeps Blossom Cake 
Gluten-Free Buche de Noel or Christmas Yule Log Cake​
Gluten-Free Everyday Chocolate Cake or Cupcakes​
Gluten-Free Fresh Strawberry Roulade or Jelly Roll Cake​​
Healthy Oven Applesauce Layer Cake
Hearts and Strawberry Roses Charlotte​
Italian Cream Cake
Italian Plum Upside-Down Cake
Key Lime Frosted Cupcakes​​
Lemon Coconut Mini-Cakes​
Lemon Raspberry Polenta Cake​
Meyer Lemon Lavender Cupcakes​
Mother’s Day Coconut Cake Tutorial​
Nutella Raspberry Bliss Cake​
Pumpkin Walnut Cake Roll​
Red Velvet Peppermint Ice Cream Chocolate Glazed Cake Roll​
Sarah’s Gluten-Free Yellow Butter Cake​
Spring Tulip Cake Pops
Strawberries and Cream Roulade or Jelly Roll Cake​​
Strawberry Cream Aquafaba Vegan Cake
Summer Garden Mini Cakes
Tiered Crown Pavlova (Meringue) Cake 
Toasted Pound Cake with Grapefruit and Vanilla Curd​
Triple Chocolate Raspberry Cake Roulade or Roll​
Ultimate Chocolate Snickers Butter Cake​
Ultimate Fresh Strawberry Butter Cake or UFSBC​
Nouveau Christmas Fruitcake​
Natural Fruit Leather Flower Decorations

Cake Decorating with Fondant Flowers
Cherry Pink Tuxedo Mini-Cake and Cupcakes​
Cream Cheese Pound Cake​
Fondant Fantasy Flower
Fondant Flower Toppers
Lemon Blueberry Cake-Muffins​
Raspberry Cloud Mini-Layer Cake​
Red Velvet Layer Cake with Traditional Cream Cheese Frosting​

Cake Decorating with Fondant, Chocolate Plastic, Marshmallow Fondant, Marzipan
Cherry Pink Chiffon Cupcake Decorating Tutorial​
Chocolate Overload Cake​
Christmas Cake Ornaments​
Christmas Tree and Snowman Cake Topper​
Crafty Owl Mini Cakes
Cranberry Orange Spice Bundt Cake
Decorated Christmas Cake Tutorial
Happy Birthday Cake
Mother’s Day Coconut Cake Tutorial​
Pokemon MMF Decorated Cupcakes
Princess Cream Cake​​
Valentine’s Day Love Stacks​
Wishing Trees Cupcakes
Witch’s Hat Treats Tutorial

Cake Decorating with Frosting, Icing and/or Fillings
“I Heart Strawberries” Cupcakes
Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes​
Cherry Pink Chiffon Cupcake Decorating Tutorial​ 
Chocolate Blueberry Frosted Cupcakes​
Chocolate Cream Cheese Ombre Mini Cakes
Chocolate Ombre Cake
Easter Chicks Filled Mini Cakes
Shabby Chic Rose Cake 
Strawberry Cream Aquafaba Vegan Cake
Tie Dye High Hat Cupcakes​
Wishing Trees Cupcakes

Cake Decorating with Glazes, Chocolate Coating, and Soaking Syrups
Almond Joy Ice Cream Bombe​
Bacon and Salted Caramel Angel Food Cake​
Cherry Pink Chiffon Cupcake Decorating Tutorial​
Cherry Pink Tuxedo Mini-Cake and Cupcakes
Christmas Tree and Snowman Cake Topper​
Cranberry Orange Spice Bundt Cake
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Gluten-Free Fresh Strawberry Roulade or Jelly Roll Cake​
Mojito Roulade or Jelly Roll Cake
Red Velvet Peppermint Ice Cream Chocolate Glazed Cake Roll​
Strawberries and Cream Roulade or Jelly Roll Cake
Triple Chocolate Raspberry Cake Roulade or Roll​
Ultimate Chocolate Butter Cake Cupcakes or UCBC​
Witch’s Hat Treats Tutorial

Cake Decorating for the Holidays
Buche de Noel or Christmas Yule Log Cake​
Christmas Cake Ornaments​
Christmas Tree and Snowman Cake Topper​
Crafty Owl Mini Cakes
Cranberry Orange Spice Bundt Cake
Decorated Christmas Cake Tutorial
Easter Bunny Cake Pops
Easter Chicks Filled Mini Cakes
Festive Caramel Mini Cake Petits Fours​
Gluten-Free Buche de Noel or Christmas Yule Log Cake​​
Halloween iPOPs!​​
Hearts and Strawberry Roses Charlotte
Snow Cake Men
Spring Blossom Petits Fours or Petit Four Squares​
Valentine’s Day Love Stacks​
Wishing Trees Cupcakes
Nouveau Christmas Fruitcake

Cake Decorating with Marbling
Classic Two-Layer Marble Cake, Redux​
Pumpkin and Chocolate Striped Cheesecake​

Cake Decorating with Meringue
Chocolate Angel Pie or Meringue Cake​
Cuatro Leches Vanilla Mantecado Cake​
Gluten-Free Buche de Noel or Christmas Yule Log Cake - meringue mushrooms
Mini-Baked Alaskas
​Raspberry Cloud Cups with New Whipped Cream​
Tiered Crown Pavlova (Meringue) Cake

Cake Decorating with Mini Cakes
Cake Balls or Cake Pops
Cake Pops 101
Cakelette Pops
Cherry Pink Tuxedo Mini-Cake and Cupcakes​
Chocolate Cream Cheese Ombre Mini Cakes
Christmas Cake Ornaments​
Classic Financiers
Crafty Owl Mini Cakes
Easter Bunny Cake Pops
Festive Caramel Mini Cake Petits Fours
Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake​
Halloween iPOPs!​
Neapolitan Cakes in Jars
Mini-Baked Alaskas
Snow Cake Men
Spring Tulip Cake Pops
Strawberry Cream Aquafaba Vegan Cake
Summer Garden Mini Cakes
Topiary Cake Pops
Ultimate Fresh Strawberry Butter Cake or UFSBC​
Valentine’s Day Love Stacks​
Wishing Trees Cupcakes​
Witch’s Hat Treats Tutorial

Cake Decorating with Natural Food Dyes
Blue “Velvet” Chiffon Layer Cake
Cherry Pink Chiffon Cupcake Decorating Tutorial​
Cherry Pink Tuxedo Mini-Cake and Cupcakes​

Cake Decorating with Petits Fours or Petit Four
Crafty Owl Mini Cakes
Festive Caramel Mini Cake Petits Fours​
Spring Blossom Petits Fours or Petit Four Squares​

Cake Decorating with Phyllo Dough
Bird’s Nest from Kataifi (Phyllo or Filo Dough)​

Cake Decorating using Piping Techniques
Cherry Pink Chiffon Cupcake Decorating Tutorial​
Chocolate Ombre Cake
Decorated Layered Mini-Cheesecake and Pound Cakes​​ - basketweave
Shabby Chic Rose Cake - buttercream roses
Wishing Trees Cupcakes

Cake Decorating with Two Cakes in One
Decorated Layered Mini-Cheesecake and Pound Cakes​

Cake Decorating with the Upside-Down Icing Technique
Raspberry Cloud Mini-Layer Cake​

WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU DECORATE YOUR CAKE
I have broken this procedure into five steps:  
STEP 1: Plan your timetable.
Make sure you leave enough time before your important event to be able to bake your cake, freeze the layers, level and trim, fill and frost and decorate. Allow enough time for re-dos because of errors, or in case of mishaps. You may need to set aside time for deliveries - both your receiving supplies and for delivering the final cake.
SARAH SAYS: From my experience, when trying a new recipe for the first time, I bake a practice cake.

I practice with my icing beforehand. If you like, you can make a simple practice icing with 1 cup of shortening and about 3 to 4 cups of powdered sugar and water to reach a smooth consistency. This icing is storable at room temperature and will not spoil since it does not contain any perishable ingredients. But its flavor is quite nasty, so use it for decorating practice only. If you use actual icing to practice with, keep it separate from the icing you will use on your cake.

Many cake decorations can be applied with a pastry bag, but there are many alternatives. A pastry bag is awkward to hold at first and you need to practice before starting a real cake.

STEP 2: Learning to bake a cake is the first step to successful decorating.
What is the perfect cake? One that is smooth has a light, golden brown surface with very few crumbs and a nice, springy crust. It should be precisely level top and bottom. Start with a buttercake or Pound cake recipe or even use a cake mix. A great way to practice your cake decorating skills is on a cake made from a boxed mix or a ready-made cake purchased from the store. 

STEP 3: Cakes actually improve with a short stay in the freezer, after cooling, to tighten their crumb and to help it retain moisture. (Professional bakers do this).
Many bakers are surprised to learn that most cakes are NOT decorated within an hour of baking and cooling. A freshly baked cake, that has not been frozen in advance,  and that has been decorated, when cut, can sometimes turn into a large pile of crumbs from slices that don't keep their shape or break in half. Freezing helps prevent this.

To freeze each cake layer, first cool each one on a wire cake rack. Wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap, optionally with an outside layer of foil and then, placed in a resealable plastic bag. Store it in the back of the freezer (the coldest part) anywhere from 4 to 24 hours before using.

STEP 4: Level and trim the cake layers. They are optionally torted.
A cake is put together in several ways. As a:  
Single layer cake; 
Multiple layer cake where each one is placed upon another with a filling in between; and, 
Multiple layer cake where one or more layers are cut into two or three thin disks, called "torting", with a filling in between each one.    
 
You will need to trim and level each layer, after freezing. This is true for all cakes, even for shaped ones, like novelty cakes. Leveling removes the crown from the cake center and gives you an even decorating surface. Trimming cuts off any dry edges. Torting means to take a layer and slice it into many layers, usually three or four. (For the beginner, stick to slicing the layer in half and learning how to keep an even cut.) The result is a cake with thin layers alternating with icing which makes a pretty sliced presentation when served.

Trim and tort cakes when they are still semi-frozen, not when solid cold, otherwise they may break or chip. Semi-thaw the layers in their cake wrappers before proceeding. To trim, level and tort, use a serrated knife. Some use a tool called a cake leveler.

STEP 5: Fill and frost the cake. Smooth the frosting. 
Use a good, consistent icing as the base. There are so many different recipes out there that it can be confusing. To help you with choices, go to my chart called: Types - Fillings, Frosting and Glazes, listing the different kinds available.  
SARAH SAYS: After you work with a certain icing or glaze for awhile you will have your own preference as far as taste and consistency. Tami's or Perfect Buttercream recipe, created after much trial and error, is a popular choice. It isn't too stiff that it glides on the cake, and is not so thin that I have to worry about it oozing off of the sides. It stays creamy for many days, which I like.

If coloring the icing, use restraint. I recommend using gel colors because they are much more subtle than the paste ones, and allow for a greater margin of error. Mix the color a few shades lighter than you want because as it dries, the color will get darker as it sits, especially overnight. Always mix more than you think you'll need of each. It is almost impossible to mix the exact color again if you need more.

Smooth the icing on the cake; icing the cake to a smooth finish is one of the most important parts of cake decorating. For many it can be the hardest part of cake decorating to achieve. The decorations, no matter how careful one is, will not look their best against an unevenly iced cake. 

Usually bottom borders are put on first, then swags or stringwork, then top borders are added, with buttercream flowers, top decorations or writing added last. Keep icing very soft for stringwork. Stiff icing breaks easier while transporting. Do take a repair kit with you when delivering the cakes.