Autumn Carpenter - The Beginners Guide to Cake Decorating: A Step-by-Step Guide to Decorate with Frosting, Piping, Fondant, and Chocolate and More

AUTUMN CARPENTER

A Step-by-step Guide to Decorate with Frosting, Piping, Fondant, and Chocolate and More

Celebrating special events with cake is tradition. Whether the party is a simple family affair or a full-blown extravaganza, the cake is an important part of the party. There is nothing like being a part of the party by sharing your talents. If you are a beginning decorator, this book will serve as a step-by-step course in cake decorating. If you are an experienced or professional decorator, this book will quickly become your go-to guide when seeking out new techniques.

The book is organized into four sections: basic cake preparation, piping techniques, fondant and gum paste accents, and miscellaneous techniques. Within the four sections there are chapters covering dozens of decorating techniques. Each technique is explained in steps and enhanced with full-color photographs. Tricks of the trade and troubleshooting tips are provided throughout to ensure youll produce fabulously decorated cakes with ease.

The first section covers basic cake preparation. It is important to learn or review the basics before moving on to more detailed decorating. Baking basics, icing recipes, icing a cake, covering a cake with fondant, and cake charts are just a few of the basics covered in this section. The second section includes piping techniques for traditional, American-style decorating. Explore various decorating tips to create textures with icing. Rolled fondant and gum paste accents are covered in the third section. This edible claylike material provides a canvas for amazing decorating techniques. The final section covers miscellaneous techniques to further your decorating knowledge. Introductions to using advanced techniques and tools are covered.

Decorating has brought me so much joy; from fond memories of working with my mom on several projects, to the priceless joyous expressions on the guests of honor receiving the cakes. Now as co-owner of a confectionary supply store, Country Kitchen Sweet Art, I am able to share my passion by teaching classes and assisting customers.

It is likely that cake decorating will soon become your passion. With practice and patience, you can become a great cake decorator. Have fun learning and remember: There is no right or wrong way to decorate a cake. Over time, you will develop a unique style. Cake decorating is an art and the iced cake is your canvas.

It is important to start with a well-baked and smoothly iced cake before decorating. This section covers baking basics, icing recipes, and techniques. General instructions and several tips are included to ensure success for covering cakes in fondant or icing cakes with buttercream. This section also covers filling cakes, using food color, storing and transporting cakes, and additional beginning fundamentals.

Below is a list of equipment needed to get started. Not all items are necessary, but the tools listed are practical and will make the baking, icing, and decorating process more enjoyable.

Brushes Keep a variety of widths and styles of brushes on hand. These brushes should be used exclusively for cake decorating to avoid picking up odors and residue from other foods. Pastry brushes (1) may be used for greasing pans and to remove excess crumbs from a cakes surface before icing. Brushes with small, fine bristles (2) are used for painting details onto cakes and for adding edible glue to pieces when hand-molding. Flat brushes with squared edges (3) are ideal for brush embroidery and for applying color to gum paste flowers with dusting powder. Brushes with round, soft bristles (4) are used for applying dust over large surfaces. Use stencil brushes (5) for applying color on a cake with a stencil. Brushes may also be used to clean excess corn starch or powdered sugar from projects.

Cake Pans Dozens of shapes and sizes of cake pans can be found in cake and candy supply stores. Traditional shapes such as round, square, and rectangular (sheet cake) are versatile, come in several sizes, and are practical for many uses. Rectangular and square pans are available with sharp corners, which make a very attractive cake with crisp edges, or rounded corners, which make clean-up a breeze but the edges are not as professional-looking.

There are no industry standards on the size of a sheet cake pan. Traditionally, a 9" 13" (23 33 cm) pan is a quarter sheet cake pan, a 12" 18" (30.5 46 cm) pan is a half sheet cake pan and a 16" 24" (4.5 61 cm) pan is a full sheet cake pan. Measure the inside of the oven before purchasing any large pans. There should be 1" (2.5 cm) space around the pan when placed in the oven so that air can properly circulate. For example, a full sheet cake pan, 16" 24" (40.5 61 cm) will not fit in a standard oven.

Novelty pans are available in several themes and popular licensed characters. Be sure to thoroughly grease every crevice of these pans, as cake tends to stick to the details.

The typical height of cake pans is 2" (5 cm). Popular sizes of cake pans also are available in 3" (7.5 cm) height, but are more difficult to find. Aluminum cake pans are what most bakers prefer. Heavy aluminum pans will withstand rough usage and are less likely to warp than lightweight aluminum. Cake pans with a dark finish tend to brown cakes quicker. Lower the oven temperature 25F (20C) if using dark pans. Stainless steel is not a good conductor of heat and is not the best type of bakeware for cakes.

Pantastic cake pans are a type of pan made of a plastic that can withstand temperatures up to 375F (190C). Pantastic cake pans are an affordable option to bake fun-shaped cakes and can be used several times. A cookie sheet should be placed under the Pantastic cake pan during baking. It is very important to grease and flour every area thoroughly.

Cake pans that are larger than 12" (30.5 cm) in diameter may require a heating core, which is put in the center of the cake pan during baking to ensure that the cake bakes evenly. Place a greased and floured core in the center of the grease and floured cake pan. Fill the cake pan and the heating core with cake batter. After baking, remove the core and release the core piece, leaving a hole in the cake. Fill the hole in the cake with the removed baked core piece.