Cake decorating is a fun activity for all ages. In fact, a cake is a universally liked and preferred dessert item. Every house wife makes it a point to learn to bake a cake. As it is said that the food item should not only taste good but it also look good then we feel like eating it. Cake is not an exception to this saying. No matter how light the cake is if there is no icing on it the cake may not get a second glance! Cake decorating is the key factor in the presentation of the cake.
Once you are done with the baking part of the cake you have to think about the cake decorating. The cake decorating depends upon the occasion or the end consumer of the cake.
If the cake is made for a party for adults, or for a wedding or for the kids, the look, the color and the design of the cake decoration will be different. The aim of cake decorating is to enhance the appearance of the cake.
Cake decorating is an art. It involves lots of things. Often the cake is covered with icing made out of sugar. Sometimes fondant icing is used for cake decoration. Sometimes decorative candies, colored sugar or a glossy blanket of glaze is used to decorate the cake.
Yet another way to cake decoration is to use frosting. It uses a powdered sugar and some flavorings. Vanilla extract or essence is the most preferred flavoring. Next in line is cocoa powder.
If time is a precious commodity then instead of making intricate design, sugar particles colored with edible food coloring can be sprinkled on the cake. Cake decorating done by just sprinkling also looks good.
Cake decorating is made easy these days as there are cake decorating kits easily available in the market. The tools are in the form of syringes or as piping bags. The tips of the contraption differ so that different shapes can be made. Some of the cake decorating kits show different methods that can be used to transfer an image or a picture can be printed on the cake.
Some basic tips or molds are easy to make open or a close star. Round drop flower, leaf or a basket weave. Decorative borders can be made from the icing sugar or flowers made from marzipan are also used for cake decoration.
Over the years many have developed their own styles and methods of cake decorating. One of the known methods is the Lambeth Method. This method uses a fondant covered cake and it uses intricate dimensional of borders.
On the other hand the European style cake decorating involves covering the cake with a smooth layer of icing. Then it uses royal icing to pipe flowers on the cake.
The Australian method also uses royal icing but a delicate lacework and detailed curtain work and extension is added. The Wilton uses butter cream icing to cover the cake and it is also used to pipe decorative borders and flowers.
Muna wa Wanjiru
Original source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pasta-dishes-articles/how-to-make-cake-decorating-a-fun-activity-332255.html
