Choose Your Base Fondant Carefully
One of the best ways to achieve the design and colour hues you want is to cover your cakes in white fondant icing before you begin airbrushing. This acts as a blank canvas and will help you to create vivid colour contrasts and subtle shading that might be harder to see on a darker background. You can play around with this idea, however. If you’re creating an airbrushed galaxy cake, then black fondant would be the perfect base for decorating with brighter colours such as blue, purple, yellow or white.
Do a Practice Run First
Mixing colours to get the ideal shade is one of the most difficult parts of airbrushing. So with this in mind, always spray a white sheet of paper first to see if you’ve made the colour you wanted. Remember, it’s easier to start lighter and go darker than to go too dark to start with. Once you have the right colour for your cake, you can then start or continue the decorating process.
Spray at the Correct Angle
Buy an airbrush machine and start practising to see exactly how it works. There’s an art to getting the effects you want. To cover the whole cake, for instance, spray at a 45-degree angle as this will help to create a soft, even covering of colour. To create sharper lines and more precise details, spray at a 90-degree angle.
Spray at the Right Distance
It’s important to spray at a consistent distance otherwise your cake will be blotchy. This is because the closer you get, the darker the colour will appear as more pressure will be applied to the cake as you spray. The perfect distance to airbrush cake is about 6-8 inches away. It’s also a good idea to use a turntable as this will make it easier to spray the whole cake.
Check the Pressure Settings
Always check the pressure settings of your airbrush pen and compressor before beginning. For a nice, even spray, the trigger on your airbrush pen should probably be pulled back about half way but this depends on what you want to achieve so use the white paper again to check. If the pressure is too low, you’ll get a speckled effect which isn’t ideal.
If you’re airbrushing buttercream instead of fondant, always start with a low pressure setting to avoid disfiguring the buttercream and build up if needed. Another top tip is to leave the iced cake in the fridge for a few hours before beginning the airbrushing process as this will ensure it’s nice and firm. Don’t try to airbrush soft, warm butter icing.
Buy your airbrush pen today and unleash your creative, artistic side.
]]>1. Chocolate Cake
An all-time favourite with kids and adults alike, you can’t really go wrong with a gooey chocolate cake. Whether you decide to mix melted chocolate into the cake batter, stick with cocoa powder or throw in some chocolate chips, you’re onto a winner. Just make sure the cake is moist and team it with a beautiful chocolate butter icing or chocolate ganache.
2. Lemon Cake
There’s something fresh and delicious about a tangy lemon cake. A lemon drizzle dessert with a beautifully crunchy sugar topping is the ultimate tea party treat. Grate some fresh lemon rind into the mixture for an even more citrusy taste.
3. Red Velvet Cake
Known for its bright red colour, red velvet cake has a very distinct flavour. Slightly tart with a scrummy cream cheese frosting, this sweet treat is popular across the globe. Serve with cream or ice cream for a truly mouth-watering pudding. Red velvet is also a great option for a Valentine’s surprise thanks to its romantic red hue.
4. Coffee Cake
Calling all coffee lovers! Coffee cake is the perfect accompaniment to a hot drink and is utterly delicious thanks to its moist sponge and coffee flavoured icing. Many coffee cakes include a small amount of cooled instant coffee, but you can add more to get a stronger taste. You could even buy mini cake boxes and create individual coffee cakes topped with a walnut.
5. Victoria Sponge
A traditional bake loaded with raspberry jam and vanilla buttercream, people go mad for a Victoria Sponge. It’s created using a mix of sugar, butter, eggs and flour, sometimes with the addition of baking powder to get the perfect rise.
6. Carrot Cake
Mix grated carrot, spices and walnut pieces into your batter and you have the makings of a truly delightful cake. Layer and top with a sweet cream cheese frosting for ultimate perfection. Carrot cake can be a real show stopper, so if you’re making it for a special occasion, invest in a 12-inch cake box to transport it safely.
7. Black Forest Cake
If you fancy being a little creative, then a black forest cake is ideal. This cake consists of several layers of chocolate sponge sandwiched with whipped cream and cherries. It’s rich, indulgent and sure to satisfy those with a sweet tooth. 8. Cheesecake
A no-bake cheesecake is the perfect option if you don’t want to put the oven on. It’s made by placing cream cheese, whipped heavy cream, sugar, sour cream, vanilla extract and lemon juice on a biscuit base. If you like ginger biscuits, these add to the taste.
9. Ice Cream Cake
Ice cream cake consists of a thin baked cake layered between thicker layers of ice cream. The real challenge here would be to make your own ice cream in the flavour of your choice. Vanilla ice cream tends to work well with the chocolate sponge.
10. Fruit Cake
Fruit cakes can include any or all of the following: candied fruit, dried fruit, fruit rind, nuts, spices and some sort of liquor, with brandy being a popular option. If you’re serving this to kids you can leave the alcohol out. There should be more fruit than batter.
Expand your cake making skills today with the right equipment and try out some of these delicious flavours.
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Whether you’re new to baking or simply want a quick and easy filling that tastes delicious, American buttercream is ideal. This is one of the world’s most well-known cake frostings and consists of butter whipped together with icing sugar until it’s smooth. American buttercream is perfect for icing entire cakes before using coloured sugar paste to create beautiful designs, shapes and patterns. You can use fondant tools with various purposes to shape the sugar paste. When popped in the fridge, buttercream will harden slightly. You can also smooth American buttercream between cake layers to keep it moist.
Italian Meringue Buttercream
Fancy a challenge? Then Italian meringue buttercream will push your baking skills that little bit further. This filling is made by pouring boiling sugar syrup into egg whites while whisking to create a cooked meringue. You’ll need to keep the bowl still and have access to a thermometer to make sure the sugar syrup reaches the required temperature. The butter is added afterwards and the resulting mixture is light and fluffy. This cake filling isn’t overly sweet and won’t form a crust like American buttercream.
French Buttercream
French buttercream is similar to Italian buttercream except it uses egg yolks instead of egg whites. This makes the cake filling richer and creamier yet still light and delicious. It has a rich, slightly yellow, custard-like appearance but because of the butter it holds together nicely and can be used to fill cakes. It’s also a top choice for decorating cupcakes as it pipes with a sharp definition.
Cream Cheese Icing
If you’ve ever had a carrot cake or a red velvet cake you’ll know just how delicious cream cheese icing is. It’s smooth, slightly tangy and offers a deliciously sweet flavour. This filling can be placed on top of cakes or in between layers and is made by mixing butter, full fat cream cheese (this has less water than low-fat options) and icing sugar together. Vanilla bean paste and lemon juice gives the icing that well-known tang.
If you’re looking to complement coloured fondants or beautiful icing with extra decorations, then a balloon set is perfect for a special occasion. From elaborate balloon cake toppers to mini foil balloons that self-inflate, there are many options to choose from.
]]>1. Comic style cartoon cakes
Cartoon cakes are the new baking trend sweeping social media sites like Instagram and TikTok. The trick is to use one or two bright colours and to outline all shapes in thin black icing so that it looks like black ink. The result is fun, whimsical and eye-catching. With a similar vibe to pop art, comic-inspired cakes require precision. Ideally you want to line every border - the top, sides, layers, icing drips, candles, filling lines and so on. To make your cake look like a sketch on paper, think about using white buttercream and white fondant to contrast with the black lines.
2. Real or fake
If you’ve seen the show ‘Is It Cake?’ on Netflix, you’ll know that the real or fake trend is big right now. Making cakes that look like other food items, such as a sandwich or vegetable is a great talent that requires much concentration and skill. But if you want to give it a go, buying a selection of cake moulds is a great idea. Cake moulds come in all different shapes and sizes and help to make your creation look like another object. These baking accessories can be used for all sorts of projects and can help you put together a themed cake for a loved one.
3. Buttercream carving
This is an unusual trend but one that can have some beautiful results. With buttercream carving you simply cover your entire cake in a coloured buttercream and leave it to harden in the fridge. You then cover the same cake in a different coloured buttercream. Once the top layer has hardened, you can use a wide range of fondant tools to carve your creation and reveal the colour underneath. Experiment with different patterns and shapes for a visually impressive bake,
4. Vintage cakes
Vintage cakes with over the top icing have made a comeback for 2023. For this, you’ll need a piping bag and lots of different piping tips to create the look you want. From beautifully piped swirls to piped roses with edible glitter, vintage cakes are made to be seen. If you’re baking for a baby shower, pastel colours are perfect for cupcakes. Experiment with pastel pinks, blues and greens, ensuring your piping is elaborate and creative.
5. Mini cakes
If you’re new to baking and want to play around with ideas without wasting too many ingredients, you’re in luck. Mini cakes are trendy this year and are perfect for smaller parties or to share with friends. Mini cakes are also easier to decorate and require fewer ingredients making them affordable to whip up. They also cook quicker.
Cake making is all about having fun. So let your creative side out and have a go at some of the trendiest cakes of the year. Don’t forget to order any equipment you need in advance as organisation is one of the most important parts of baking.
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1. Find out how many people it will serve
When making a show-stopping cake for an event, you must find out how many people it needs to serve as this will help you decide what size tins to use and how many tiers to prepare. If you’re catering for a big wedding party, for instance, you might decide to use round twelve-inch, ten-inch, eight-inch and six-inch tins for a four-tiered masterpiece that’ll serve well over 100 people - more if you serve finger portions instead of dessert portions. An 8-inch base might be enough for smaller parties with 6-inch and four-inch tins used for the tiers.
Knowing numbers will also make it easier to order the right sized cake storage box, with clear cake boxes making it easier to keep an eye on your creation at all times.
2. Find out if there are any allergies or food intolerances
Another thing to think about when baking a cake is whether there are any food intolerances. If the bride-to-be or birthday boy is gluten or dairy intolerant then you may need to change up your recipe and source alternative ingredients. Similarly if there are any severe nut allergies in the group you’re cooking for, then all products will need to be nut free. If there are only a small number of people with food intolerances then you might be able to make your main cake as planned before whipping up a smaller cake or some individual cupcakes for those with special dietary requirements. A nice idea would be to provide ingredient lists for each of your creations.
3. Think about the making and assembly process
If you’re planning on baking multiple tiers and going to town with fondant decorations and fillings then you’ll need plenty of time to put everything together. Think about the making and assembly process carefully. Believe it or not, you can make the sponge layers in advance and freeze them until they’re ready to use. You can also make fillings such as jam and lemon curd in advance as these will keep in the fridge. Make the buttercream last so it’s fresh. With all the preparation done, you can then put the cake together and spend time decorating it. Store it in a cake box or on a cake stand with a lid and pop in the refrigerator if you’re not serving it straight away.
Making a cake for an event is hard work. There’s a lot to think about and many people will view your masterpiece, but it can be highly rewarding when done right. Don’t forget to order the tools and products you need, including a cake box for transportation and storage.
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With this in mind, here’s a rundown of 10 must-have cake tools and equipment for beginners.
Cookie cutters
If you’re looking to try something relatively easy but undeniably delicious, cookies are ideal. With cookie cutters available in a great selection of designs including bats, bikes and unicorns, you can create something really special and visually impressive with little effort.
2. Silicone baking moulds for decorations
Mould the perfect decoration for your cake or cupcakes with our extensive range of silicone icing moulds. From small embellishments to large cake border designs, from impression and embossing mats to cupcake topper moulds, there is a great range of different styles to suit different needs.
3. Cake pan set
Cake sets often include three pans of varying sizes - 6"x3", 8"x3" & 10"x3". This makes it easy to create a multi-tier cake for any occasion.
4. Cake dowels
Cake dowels are a must-have item for supporting tiered cakes. As a food safe item, dowels are typically made from plastic or wood and help to keep the weight of the cake balanced while preventing any of the tiers from shifting around.
5. Icing bag
The simplest of cakes can be turned into stunning pieces of art with the right piping. Have a go at simple cupcake swirls using a rose swirl piping tip or take things up a notch with buttercream flowers. Add a few drops of food colouring to achieve the colour you want.
6. Number cake stencils
If you want to make a cake into the shape of a specific number to celebrate a birthday or occasion, then cake stencils are ideal. Simply place the stencil on the cake and cut around it with a knife.
7. Sugar paste icing
Also known as fondant icing, sugar paste is a soft, malleable icing that gives cakes and bakes a smooth, colourful finish. If you’re baking dinosaur biscuits, for instance, you can play around with green icing and add some facial expressions using black fondant.
8. Fondant tools
Craft all kinds of fondant icing designs with the help of special fondant tools. These make it easy to sculpt and cut your fondant into the required shape and are available to buy in sets.
9. Sugar paste decorations
Another great way to decorate a cake is to get hold of some pre-made sugar paste decorations. These come in many different shapes, sizes and designs and can give your bake a professional finish that might otherwise have been hard to achieve.
10. Cake toppers
As well as decorating cakes with fondant, you can also get hold of cake baking accessories such as self-inflating mini foil balloons or gold sparkling candles. These give cakes the ‘wow’ factor.
Start your baking journey as you mean to go on with all the right equipment.
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