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Make, Bake and Decorate: Trending Cake Decorating Ideas & Baking Products to Try
Baking is both a technical and an artistic skill that anyone can master! With this hobby, the final product is something that looks as good as it tastes! Once you master the art of cake decorating and baking, you'll love creating baked treats for your friends and family's special events and occasions like birthdays, graduations and anniversaries!
We've put together a variety of our favourite cake decorating ideas for a whole range of baking skill levels. So, whether you're a beginner baker or an experienced chef, you'll be sure to gather some inspiration from this blog for your next baked creation. And don't forget to also check out our extensive collection of cake decorating supplies and baking essentials to get you started on your next baking endeavour.
Quick Links
- Cake Decorating For Beginner Bakers
- Beginner Cake Decorating Ideas
- Cake Decorating Ideas For Intermediate Bakers or For Beginner Bakers Looking For Their Next Challenge
- Cake Decorating For Semi-Pro/Hobbyist Bakers and Decorators
- Baking Ideas For Talented Bakers
- A Trending Cake Project: Discover How To Make A Fondant Bow Cake
Cake Decorating For Beginner Bakers
Baking is a great hobby for those looking for a new creative outlet. It allows you to get creative in cake decorating while making delicious treats for you and your friends to enjoy! There's no need to be worried about the skills and tools required - we've got everything you need to know right here.
Cake Decorating Supplies and Baking Essentials For Beginners
Before jumping into the deep end of baking, make sure you're equipped with all the tools you need. Read our helpful cake tins and baking tools buying guide and our article on the seven baking essentials to help you prepare for any baking project that comes your way.
Baking Tools Checklist
Here are a few tools to look out for to get you started:
- Baking trays and sheets
- Cake tins
- Cooking spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Spatulas
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Decorating tools
Cake Decorating Skills To Learn
Once you've got all the tools you need, you can then begin practising some cake decorating skills! Check out a few techniques to learn below:
How To Colour Fondant
Learning how to colour fondant can unlock a whole new world of cake decorating ideas. From bright pinks to rich reds, you can colour fondant to your desire. All you need is your fondant, an icing colour set, a toothpick, a mixing bowl and food safe gloves. Roll your fondant into a ball and add dots of colour. Then knead your colour into your fondant ball until the colour has evenly blended. You can then shape your fondant into your cake decorations.
Download the Colour Fondant Project
Here's some fondant you can use in your cake decorating:
Fondant Cut Outs
Want to add a few decorative details to your cakes? You can add fondant cut-outs for a colourful touch. Shop for fondant stamps and cutters in the designs you would like to add to your cake. From small hearts to large leaves, you'll be sure to find a fondant cutter that suits your cake design.
Roll out your fondant using a fondant roller with purple guide rings to help ensure your fondant is even and dust with cornstarch as you roll. Once you've got a flat fondant piece, you can then press your fondant cutters into the fondant. Pull away any excess to reveal your fondant cut out. Make sure you allow your fondant cut out to set before placing it on your baked creation.
Download the Fondant Cut Outs Project
How To Colour Icing
There's something about a colourful cake that instantly sparks joy. This is made possible when you learn how to colour icing. Simply add food or icing colouring to your bowl of icing to change the colour as you please. This helpful guide takes you through all the tips and tricks you need for colouring icing with bright or deep colours.
Download the Colour Icing Project
How To Pipe a Cupcake Swirl
Discover how to add the perfect finishing touch to your cupcakes with our project on piping a cupcake swirl. This guide will take you through how to elevate your cupcake decoration, making you feel like a professional baker once you master this skill! When you're armed with a piping bag you can create a whole range of cake decoration ideas. For more information on how to use a piping bag, check out our helpful blog article!
Download the Cupcake Swirl Project
Beginner Cake Decorating Ideas
There are many ways to decorate baked treats. Have a look through a few of our favourite beginner cake decorating ideas to help inspire you in your cake decorating.
How To Make Fondant Flowers
Fondant flowers are perfect for when you want to add a delicate charm to your cakes, cupcakes, or cookies. You can make fondant flowers in a variety of colours for a bright cake decoration or stick to the one colour palette.
Using a similar process to how you would with a regular fondant cutter, once your fondant flower is removed from the cutter, place it onto a foam square. Then, using the small end of a ball tool, press the centre of the flower to create a raised effect for the petals of your flower. You can now decorate your baked treat as you please with your adorable fondant flowers.
Mermaid Cupcakes
Creating your own cupcake toppers is an exciting way to elevate your dessert table at your next party! Great for any under the sea or fantasy themed party, these Mermaid Cupcakes will be a fan-favourite at any event. This project provides a handy template for you to follow when creating your mermaid tails using melted candy.
Koala Cake
Once you've got the hang of a piping bag and all the different designs you can create with certain nozzles, there's a wide range of cake decoration ideas you're now prepared to make, including this Koala Cake. With a round cake as the base and added cookies for ears, you can use a piping bag to pipe grey-coloured icing onto your cake. Switch between different nozzles to create a variety of shapes for a textured effect, mimicking the fur of a cuddly koala.
Download the Koala Cake Project
Cake Decorating Ideas For Intermediate Bakers or For Beginner Bakers Looking For Their Next Challenge
If you're a beginner baker looking to progress in your skills or you consider yourself an intermediate baker, try out these baking projects to advance to the next step in your baking journey!
Expand your cupcake decorating skills with the Colour Mill Floral Cake project. Learning different cake decorating skills, such as decorating with Colour Mill Food Paint Blends, is a great way for both beginner and intermediate bakers to expand their talents. Doubling as a work of art, this project takes you through everything you need to know to create this design, including how to prepare your cake for painting as well as the different painting techniques used to create the edible floral details.
Slumber Party Cake
Infuse a whimsical charm into your next sleepover with this Slumber Party Cake project. This cake project allows any intermediate baker to experiment with all kinds of cake decorations. From the fondant sleep mask to the application of sprinkles and cake toppers, this project provides incredibly detailed instructions to help you create a cheerful and colourful cake for your next celebration.
The Fondastic Soccer Cake project may seem challenging, but for bakers who have mastered the art of cutting fondant, this project is easy! With a sphere cake and the power of fondant you can create this adorable football themed cake. This project takes you through everything you need to know to create this cake, including helpful tips on how to get the best results. This project also provides handy templates for the white and black patches of the soccer ball. Ideal for any budding footballer or fan of the game, this cake is sure to be an eye-catching centrepiece on any dessert table.
Cake Decorating For Semi-Pro/Hobbyist Bakers and Decorators
There's always room for improvement when it comes to baking and cake decorating. Even the most talented bakers can expand their skills to improve their cake decorating talents. To advance in their baking techniques, experienced bakers should always be looking for ways in which they can enhance their set of tools, both in regard to baking tools and their overall skillset. Check out our helpful article on 5 Essential Skills To Make You An Icing Pro to further your icing skills, or read through our checklist below to identify ways in which you can upgrade your selection of baking tools.
Baking Tools for Experienced Bakers: A Checklist
Apart from the basic baking supplies, you can extend your collection of baking tools to prepare you for any expert baking project with the following:
- Speciality and number cake tins - Create cakes personalised to the age of the birthday guest of honour or create eye-catching shapes like heart and dolly varden cakes.
- Silicone baking moulds - Create specifically shaped sweet treats.
- Brushes, airbrushes and stencils - For more intricate decorations.
- Piping nozzles and tips - Available in a range of different designs, these allow you to pipe a variety of different types of icing styles.
Baking Ideas For Talented Bakers
Experienced bakers looking for more baking and cake decoration ideas can enjoy our range of advanced cake and confectionery projects. From rainbow layered cakes to stunning special effects like drips and geode inspired decorations, we've got a whole range of cake decoration ideas that even the most advanced bakers can enjoy!
Rainbow Layer Cake with Ombre Icing
Create cakes that resemble works of art! The Rainbow Layer Cake With Ombre Icing Project is a joyful cake project that, when cut into, reveals a colourful design on the inside. This rainbow layered effect is created from evenly dividing your cake batter into 5 different bowls, using food colouring to dye each mixture a different colour and then baking to stack in a tiered arrangement. You then decorate your layered arrangement with icing or fondant to conceal the design, hidden beneath your cake decorations.
Cartoon Cakes
A playful twist on traditional cakes, experienced bakers will enjoy recreating a Cartoon Cake. Great for kids' birthday parties or for those who feel young at heart, cartoon cakes create an illusion and will have your cakes appearing as though they are animated. It's the simple details that make all the difference in this project. Shape fondant to give the illusion of dripping icing and outline all the details of your cake with black icing, imitating the animation of a cake you would see in a cartoon.
Trendy Vintage Style Cake
Learning the art of piping icing onto cakes will have you creating the perfect centrepiece for your celebrations. A vintage style cake is adorable and elegant, great for any birthday, anniversary or even weddings! Using frosting as the base of your decorations, choose icing that contrasts with your frosting to stand out. Then use your piping bag to pipe around the base and the top of the cake. For this vintage look, pipe a garland around your cake and enjoy your work of art!
A Trending Cake Project: Discover How To Make A Fondant Bow Cake
Looking for fresh inspiration for your next cake project? There are so many different approaches you can take in your cake decorating. With a variety of colours and shapes out there, you'll be sure to find some cake decorations that complement your overall party theme. One way to bring a whimsical flair to your next event is to learn how to make a fondant bow cake. Our fondant bow cake project outlines everything you need to know about making a fondant bow cake.
Creating Fondant Tails
Once you have chosen the colour for your bow, knead the fondant with a Mondo Fondant Rolling Pin onto a Fondtastic Fondant Mat. This is where our template comes in handy. With a small knife, cut out the section to use for the bow tails. Create pleats by pinching or using fondant tools to mimic the folds of fabric. Before applying to the cake, if working with a fondant covered cake, slightly dampen the top in the middle and centre with a brush and water, and if working with a buttercream covered cake, add a small amount of softened buttercream to help secure the bow. Drape the pleated fondant to the front and top edge of your cake and gently press in the centre to secure it.
The Centre To The Bow
Next, it's time to create the centre of the bow. Using the template to guide you, cut out a thinner piece of fondant. Dampen the centre of your original fondant pieces, and for now, we will secure one end of this new, thinner piece to the cake and allow the other end to hang over the front of the cake.
The Final Pieces To Your Bow Cake
Now, you can create the two final pieces of your bow cake. Knead the fondant until about 0.5 cm thick and carefully cut out two bows, remembering to flip the template over. Place bows on greaseproof paper and roll up paper towel and place it in the centre of each bow, folding the fondant over the paper towel. Using a small amount of water, slightly dampen one side and press the two sides together into a z-shape. Leave this to set overnight. Once set, dampen the bow centre, and gently press your final bow pieces into the cake. Lift the bow centre and wrap over to hide the bow join. Secure in place at the back of the bow with a little water.
Make, Bake and Decorate With Spotlight!
Bakers of all experience levels can gather inspiration from our wide variety of free cake and confectionery projects. Want more inspiration and information? Check out our helpful Cake Decorating Tools and Cake Toppings & Decorations Buying Guides to help you in your shopping.
As for your baking essentials, shop our full Baking and Chocolate range, including bakeware, icing and cake decorations online or at a Spotlight store near you, and you'll be prepared for any baking project that comes your way!
