A decorated cake makes an appealing centrepiece from any type of an event, from an evening party to a wedding. Professional and home cake decorators alike need a variety of supplies to create designs and patterns on cakes. Having the right tools and equipment makes it easier to get the desired results when decorating.
Step One
Bags and Tips - Many of the icing decorations are made with icing squeezed out through a tip with a specific type of opening. Icing bags are usually made of plastic and can be filled with icing of any type and colour. Cake decorators should have a few bags so they can simultaneously use a few different colours. In addition to the bags, decorators should have a variety of tips that go on them. Some tips make dots and lines, others make leaves and flowers, and still others create special shapes. Lastly, flower nails allow decorators to create individual flowers on a base and dry them before adding them to the cake.
Step Two
Fondant Tools - Fondant gives cakes a smooth appearance and provides versatility with creating clean-edged shapes. Decorators need a rolling pin to roll out sheets of homemade fondant. Some speciality decorating stores also sell guides to put on the ends of the pin and help roll out fondant to a specific thickness. After rolling the fondant, decorators need cookie cutters or other shaped cutters to punch letters, symbols and shapes out of the fondant.
Step Three
Other Tools - Cake decorators need a variety of sizes of metal spatulas for applying, spreading and smoothing frosting. An icing comb also helps smooth icing or create texture on the icing. Pastry brushes are also useful for decorating cakes. Decorators who make tall cakes might need cake dowels to hold the layers firmly on top of one another. Lastly, toothpicks allow decorators to create fine details on the surface of the icing.
Step Four
Large Equipment - Serious cake decorators might want to invest in a few large pieces to help perfect their cakes. One common piece of equipment is a cake turntable, which rotates for easy access to all sides of the cake without moving around the table or having to pick up the cake. Although decorators can bake cakes in simple pans, speciality sized cake pans allow for more flexibility. Smooth plastic cake dummies allow decorators to practice on plastic shaped like the cake.