Cake Decorating Fanatic--How fun is THIS?!?

Question

I'm so into cake decorating. Anybody have any tips and tricks on getting the icing nice and smooth on the cake? (And nevermind the hot spatula trick--don't much care for the way it makes the icing shiny). Cakedeco tips of any kind are welcome too. Thanks for sharing!

Answer 1

There are different icings .
Here are two recipes and tips: is




Snow white butter cream recipe

This is used to decorate wedding cakes.

Ingredient for seven cups of icing, but the recipe can safely be doubled or trebled.

2/3 cup water
4 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
12 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (about 3 lbs.)
1-1/4 cups shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon No Color Almond Extract
3/4 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon No Color Butter Flavor

Combine water and meringue powder and whip with an electric beater at high speed until peaks form. Add 4 cups of sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition on a low speed. Alternately add shortening and remainder of sugar. Add salt and flavorings; beat at low speed until smooth.



Buttercream rolled Recipe


This looks like a fondant icing but it is actually glossier. It is a matter of preference but some people prefer it because it does of course taste like a butter cream. The recipe will cover a nine inch cake
1 cup shortening
1 cup clear corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon fine grained salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon oil
1/4 teaspoon orange oil
or 1/2 teaspoon of a combination of any fruit oil
2 lbs powdered sugar
Paste food coloring, if color is desired

Method

Place all the ingredients in a mixer bowl including the color if you are using. Mix in the color to be a darker shade than the one that you will require. Once the mixture has reached the crumb stage then take out a half a cup and store very, very tightly wrapped in a plastic bag. This is used later to adjust the consistency and to soften it if necessary.
Take out of the bowl and knead by hand until well combined. If it sticks use a very soft dusting of powdered sugar. Continue kneading until it no longer sticks to your hand and it is glossy and shiny. Place in double thickness plastic bags in the refrigerator for At least three days, though it can be stored for three weeks. Before you use it bring it to a room temperature.
To prepare the cake give it a light coating of a normal buttercream recipe see above for the recipe. Make sure that this is smooth because any lumps will definitely show through the finished cake. Knead the icing for at least five minutes. Now it needs to be rolled out to between ¼ and 3/8 of an inch thick. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter top, mix equal amounts of cornstarch and powdered sugar (this cornstarch stops it sticking) and sprinkle this powder over the plastic and add another piece of plastic over the top.
Pick up the rolled icing and turn on the plastic. Do not cheat and pick up the plastic and turn you need the cornstarch to prevent sticking. Also you do not want the indentations of the plastic in the icing. Keep dusting the rolling pin whenever necessary so that the icing does not stick. Once you have rolled it out to the desired thickness then remove the top and bottom plastic. Place the icing over the cake. If it is too full at the edges either cut the edges or smooth with your fingertips. If it tears, just and another piece and smooth out with your fingertips, on no account at any point add any water to facilitate the smoothing out.

Answer 2

I like to ice the cake and then let it rest for 20 minutes. Then go back and place a piece of parchment paper on the cake and use a spatula to smooth it out. You can reuse the same piece of parchment and keep moving it to complete the entire cake. This gets a super smooth finish to the cake. I have to agree...cake decorating is FUN!

Answer 3

Have you tried your hand a fondant? A little tricky,but gives a smooth cover over a cake. If you want inspiration check out the food channel's King of Cakes. This man seems to have the same spirit as you do about cakes,they are FUN!. Check your local listing.

Answer 4

Do a crumb layer first. I also freeze mine first then trim and then you can brush it off pretty well. Then do a layer of icing that is thinner that what you decorate with.That will stick the crumbs down. Let that layer set for a few minutes then go ahead and decorate as usual. Also to help it be level when it comes out of the oven pull some batter to the side leaving a slight indentation in the middle. This will help with having that "bubble top"

Answer 5

Try a bit of water on a knife or spatula. It doesn't have to be hot water. With a light touch, you should be able to leave it smooth. A turntable helps, too.

Answer 6

Use Meringue powder in your icing. Then you can use parchment paper or a viva paper towel to smooth. Also a spackeling knife. If you want some great tips & ideas, visit http://www.cakecentral.com. You'll get hooked.

Answer 7

ya its an amazing job,it gives cool effect to ur eyes like ur in heaven!although a chocolate cake is decorated,its gives the same effect as a white creamy cake,,,makes ur mouth watery.but i feels bad when some1 eats in 1 min as u'd taken such time to decorate this!

Answer 8

you decide,i just want to get a piece of it..is it sweet as you?