Creating beautiful and mouth-watering cakes is not as scary as it might seem. A variety of resources are available to guide you through your cake creating experience-books, websites, online videos and classes are just a few ways that you can learn how to decorate cakes.
This guide covers the basics of making and decorating tasty and beautiful cakes with buttercream icing and details. We explain the basics of icing, tools needed for decorating, how to design your cake, and how to transport and assemble the cake. In addition to buttercream, we touch briefly on fondant and royal icing, which can be used to make accent details for the cake; however, you can make a beautiful and edible creation using only buttercream. Get ready to decorate!
Icing 101
There are hundreds of different icing recipes and options for cake decorating. As an amateur or a pro just looking for inspiration, fundamentals are always at the core of any success project.
What is Buttercream Icing?
Traditional buttercream icing is made mostly of eggs, butter and sugar. Versions best suited for home-decorating of cakes do not contain eggs. Buttercream is the tastiest of standard cake decorating icings and is quite flexible. Various consistencies allow decorating of the entire cake, and creation of larger details such as flowers and small, intricate details such as scrollwork.