Murfitt - All-in-one guide to cake decorating: over 100 step-by-step cake decorating techniques and recipes

All-in-One Guide to Cake Decorating

CompanionHouse Books is an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.

Project Team

Editorial Director: Christopher Reggio

Editor: Amy Deputato

Technical Editor: Dolores York

Copy Editor: Laura Taylor

Design: Mary Ann Kahn

Index: Elizabeth Walker

Copyright 2017 by IMM Lifestyle Books

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Fox Chapel Publishers, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Murfitt, Janice, author.

Title: All-in-one guide to cake decorating : over 100 step-by-step cake decorating techniques and recipes / Janice Murfitt.

Description: Mount Joy, PA : Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd., 2017. | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017027305 | ISBN 9781620082409 (softcover) | ISBN 9781620082416 (eISBN)

Subjects: LCSH: Cake decorating. | LCGFT: Cookbooks.

Classification: LCC TX771.2 .M868 2017 | DDC 641.86/539--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017027305

This book has been published with the intent to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter within. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher expressly disclaim any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein.

www.facebook.com/companionhousebooks

Printed and bound in China

20 19 18 17 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1

The first steps in cake decorating are always the most important. Once youve perfected the basics, they will give you not only a good foundation of skills but also the confidence and experience to master the more advanced techniques of this craft.

With clear techniques to follow, this book teaches cake making, icing, and decorating so its fun to do and learn. The fully illustrated chapters take you through the basic techniques step by step and include choosing the right equipment, planning cake designs, and making templates.

Creating cakes that are worthy of decoration is as important as the icing and decorating. A chapter is devoted to the simple steps for shaping and cutting, filling, and layering, which gives you a wide variety of cakes to choose from. This leads to a chapter on more complex special occasion cakes that details how to cover cakes with marzipan, fondant, and royal icing for a professional finish. Methods for round, square, and unusually shaped cakes with various finishes are also presented.

Youll learn how to choose and use different kinds of food coloring with a variety of icing types. By carefully selecting the right ingredients, you can create amazing effects.

No cake-decorating book would be complete without a chapter on chocolate! Who can resist the smooth, velvety finish of a cake covered with chocolate curls, chocolate leaves, or chocolate-dipped fruit?

Other sections of the book cover more advanced work, such as using fondant for frills, cutouts, and extension pieces as well as modeling decorative objects and figures. Well discuss the many different ways that you can decorate cakes with piped designs, including delicate line work, runouts, embroidery, flowers, and motifs. Gum paste is a wonderful icing medium for making all types of simple flowers, molded flowers, cutouts, and wired flower sprays. With care and practice, youll be able to use these methods to reproduce flowers with stunning and realistic results.

The recipes at the end of the book have been tested and are proven to give consistently good results. Youll also find helpful cake-making and icing tips throughout the book.

I hope this book gives you much enjoyment and inspires you with many ideas for creative and delicious cakes. By following the steps presented herein, you will perfect the techniques and achieve the attractive and professional-looking results that every cake decorator desires.

With any craft, cake decorating included, there are basic principles that will help ensure successful results every time. First, using good-quality equipment and materials is a must, and here you will find sound advice for choosing and buying the essentials. In addition, a beautiful cake doesnt just materialize; for the best results, you will need to plan your cake designs in detail from the cake base to the most subtle of decorative touches. This chapter will serve as a useful starting point to help you plan a cake that will perfectly suit the person or occasion for which you are making it.

Cake-Icing Equipment

For the very best results when icing cakes, you must have the right tools. Although a vast selection of equipment is available from various outlets, it is best to purchase from specialty cake-decorating retailers. You may pay more for the professional equipment sold by such stores, but the higher quality will help you produce the results you desire. The best equipment, carefully used and stored, will last for a very long time and may never need to be replaced, thus paying for itself several times over in its lifetime.

Although there are many companies that sell cake-decorating equipment online, beginners should look at tools in person before actually buying them. Start with the following essentials: