Expert Techniques for Decorating Cakes and Cupcakes

Take your cake and cupcake designs to the next level with creative touches like marzipan, buttercream, chocolate curls, or chocolate-crafted leaves.

Working with Marzipan and Fondant

Marzipan is incredibly versatile, easily shaped into animals, fruits, vegetables, flowers, or any whimsical creation. It's a favorite for coloring and shaping, especially for fun designs like carrot decorations on carrot cakes. Add a touch of dry food coloring or luster dust to create shading and add a beautiful sheen to your creations.

Rolled fondant is great for cutting into flower shapes or molding, though it's not as pliable as marzipan or plastic chocolate. Plastic chocolate, both white and dark, makes stunning roses and leaves but is difficult to color. For a soft hint of color, brush with luster dust. Other professional cake decorators often use gum paste and pastillage for intricate designs—while edible, these delicate sugar doughs are more for admiration than consumption.

To prevent decorative doughs from cracking and drying out, always keep them securely wrapped in plastic.

Mastering the Art of Piping and Frosting Cupcakes

Piping frosting takes practice, so don't be discouraged! If you're just starting, grab an affordable decorating kit from your local craft store or supermarket, along with a smooth can of icing. Use a flat plate or a cookie sheet to practice your piping skills by writing simple messages like 'Happy Birthday.' Beginners may find script easier to master than block lettering. Experiment with star tips to create rosettes and decorative borders, or use plain tips to pipe messages or pearls. Once you're comfortable, try tackling more advanced designs like roses and daisies. The possibilities are endless!

Working with Chocolate

Working with chocolate might seem tricky, but creating ruffles and curls is surprisingly simple—no need to temper. Chocolate curls, ruffles, and leaves make for luxurious and eye-catching decorations. To make chocolate curls, use a vegetable peeler to shave pieces off a large block of chocolate. Slightly warm the surface of the chocolate by rubbing your palm over it a few times. (For best results, choose a thick block of baker’s chocolate rather than a thin candy bar.)

For larger curls and ruffles, spread melted chocolate in a thin layer over a marble slab or the back of a clean baking sheet. Allow it to cool until it’s set but not fully hardened, then use a knife, spoon, or spatula (a 4-inch putty knife from a hardware store works great) to scrape and shape it into your desired curl or ruffle. Have fun experimenting!

Chocolate leaves can be arranged in a towering pile, scattered artistically, or carefully positioned on a cake. Here’s how to make them:

• Carefully brush melted chocolate onto a non-toxic leaf such as a rose leaf.
• Cool until chocolate has fully hardened, and gently peel off the natural leaf from the chocolate one.
• For advanced bakers, tempering the chocolate before painting the leaves will make them firmer and more stable.
• Arrange chocolate leaves around chocolate roses: see Plastic Chocolate above.