Make Something Special with Cake Decorating

Is a holiday or birthday coming up soon and you would like to spice it up but don't know how? Well, in addition to having festive decorations and participating in unique activities, why not try baking a few cakes and designing them? It might sound like an overwhelming task that should be left up to the experts, but there are tons of home kits available that will allow you to add flare to just about anything your heart desires. So if the idea of creating a special surprise through cake decorating sounds nice, you might want to give it a try - it's easier than you think!

The Tools You'll Need

The first things you'll need are some tools to get started. Of course you'll have to buy some cake mix (or ingredients to make one from scratch) and the appropriate baking pans; those can be found at any grocery store, or even dollar store. Then you'll need to think about what type of design you would like for your cake. Most designs can be handled with an icing bag and tools, but if you want to get really fancy with it, then you'll have to probably visit a craft store. The good news is, the recipe you're working from will tell you exactly what you need and will often give you advice on where to find it.

Learning the Basics

There are tons of ways that you can dazzle your friends and family with your cake decorating skills - even if you have no prior experience. To get your feet wet, you can always start simple by baking a single round cake, icing it, then playing with your icing bag and tips (the small bag attachments that create the shape of the icing coming out of the bag) to write words and make borders neatly. Once you feel comfortable with some simple ideas, you can branch into more complex concepts. Here are a few:

Learn to Cut a Cake Layer in Half - This is one of the cake decorating tricks many professionals use to give the sweet treat added flare, and sometimes, added sweets to the middle. The process is simple and can be done with toothpicks (to create a perfect line) and dental floss (to slice it in half).

Learn to Make Fondant - Most of the incredible designs you see on a cake are due to fondant. It is a thick sweet layer serving as the icing that sits atop the cake and can be easily molded into any design you wish. It can be made from marshmallows, which is tastier than traditional fondant, but most importantly, your design capabilities will be increased ten-fold by learning this fun skill.

Let the Fun Begin - Sites That Can Help

If you're looking for great ideas on cake decorating, here are a few sites to consider that start with the basics, then go to more complex design ideas.

Pastrywiz.com - This site has great design ideas from the simple look, to the three-tier masterpiece with all the trimmings. They give very detailed instructions from start to finish and clear pictures of what the design should look like every step of the way.

Expert Village - This site is not specifically geared toward sweets, however they have a section on cakes where experts have offered advice in the form of videos to help illustrate their skills. It's great for those who are visual learners.

What If I Don't Know How to Bake?

If the last time you baked a cake someone mistook it for a flapjack then cake decorating is probably one of the last items you'll need to write down on a to-do list. But that's okay! There is a professional available to handle all of our shortcomings, so all you have to do is save up a little money and find a decorator in your area. And if you really want to go all out, you can find an online decorator who will ship one to your home. Either way, you can find exactly what you're looking for if you are willing to do the searching.

Cake decorating can be invigorating, exciting, and just plain fun if you're willing to make a mess and possibly a few mistakes here and there. Just remember, unless you're in business, you don't have to take yourself too seriously. So just have fun, get creative, and make something special for your family with your new cake decorating skills.