Tips and Cake Decorating

When it comes to icing and cake decorating you need to arm yourself with some invaluable tools. Nails, levelers, couplers, and sealing spray. It starts to sound like a shopping list for Home Depot. Which can be overwhelming. How do you choose which tool to use? Below is a list of tools for beginners to get you started.

The Icing Spatula: Whipping and Mixing

This comes in a variety of sizes. Ranging from 4" to 14". Typically with an offset so your fingers didn't end up in the icing. Their main purpose is to spread a substance onto a flat surface. Sometimes referred to as a "palette knife" and may also have a serrated edge.

When it comes to frosting a cupcake a 4" offset spatula works best. It gives you the detail ability you need for small items. It also allows you to control the amount of icing being applied. If you want to decorate a cupcake without a bag and tip use this tool.

There are even cake specific spatulas. The larger 14" offset spatula. You can glide over the top of a 9" round cake with ease. Then run it along the side of the cake for a smooth and even look. It is a wonderful tool for icing, transferring, and even cutting.

The Pastry Bag: Shaping and Decorating

There are many ways to make a pastry bag. You can purchase the plastic, disposable bags. You can use a plastic lunch baggie and cut a smaller corner in the bottom off for the icing. You can make a small cone out of parchment as a temporary bag. Or you can use washable cloth bags. They are wonderful for the non stop icing decorator. You just throw them in the wash and voilà, good as new.

It's primary function? To form a substance into a particular shape. You want to shape meringue, use a pastry bag. You want to shape funnel cakes, use a pastry bag. You want to pipe beautiful, edible flowers, use a pastry bag. You want to fill a donut with jelly, use a pastry bag. Ok, I think you get the point. The pastry bag can be helpful in many ways.

The Tips: Decorating with Icing

Once your goodies are baked you are ready to decorate! To achieve this sweet task you will want a icing tip or two. They come in a multitude of shapes and each tip can give different looks depending on the technique used.

There are two primary tips for basic cupcake decorating: star tip and round tip. Most bakers have a preference and may depend on the look you are going for. The main difference? How the icing flows out and onto the cupcake. The star tip gives pretty groves throughout the icing. There are many different variations to the star tip. This includes the open star tip, the closed star tip and the French star tip.

The round tip gives a smooth, seamless appearance. This tip is a good choice if you are adding any fondant designs. This icing technique provides a clean slate back drop to make the designs pop.

If you are feeling really creative put a coupler (see above picture) in the pastry bag before the icing. This allows you to use the same bag of icing while experimenting with different tip designs. Easily changing out tips with a few twists and turns. Each of these items plays an important part to the cake decorating process. Have fun swirling, twirling, and curling your icing tips.

Explore and learn more with Just Tips. Come back tomorrow to see what is in store for anther sweet treat.