How to Decorate a Cake

Piping:

Decorating your cakes is a fun way to add flair and style. Although it takes some practice here are a few tips to help you when you decorate your next cake. Remember to relax and take your time!

Take your cake out of the fridge, place on your final cake plate or serving dish. I had covered the bottom third of my cake with chocolate sprinkles, this is an optional step. You will need a pastry bag cut at the bottom to fit your pastry tip into it. I used an Ateco 827 tip, which is quite large. Fill the pastry bag with buttercream (I used Italian Meringue Buttercream), and press down to expel some through the tip. You can practice a couple of times on a plate before putting onto your cake.

I placed shells onto the top of the cake. You will use a lot of buttercream for the first part of the shell, then decrease pressure with your hand and pull the piping bag away from the cake in a swift motion. Repeat in an overlapping fashion. Then I used another piping bag for the bottom border, same type of tip but smaller. I continued to pipe the shells covering the cardboard and cake stand intersection. I piped the decoration at a 90 degree angle to the cake. (See photo above)

I used to spend time just practicing piping with all of the tips I had. You will be surprised how quickly you pick up the skill. It is frustrating at first, but with a little practice and patience, you will have a beautifully decorated cake!

Espresso Layer Cake