Technique: Cake Decorating

Cake Decorating is the art of using icing or frosting and other edible decorative foods to improve the keeping qualities of cake, contribute flavor and richness, and most importantly add visual appeal.

The most popular types of icing used in cake decorating are fondant, buttercreams, foam-type icing, fudge-type icing, flat-type icing and royal or decorator's icing. Glazes and fillings are also used in cake decoration.

Depending on the type of icing used, cake decoration can be simple or complex. Both cake and icing need to be at the right temperature and consistency for the icing to be applied correctly. Icing can also be made into flowers and different decorative shapes on the cake.

In general heavy frosting like fudge are used with heavy cakes, and light icings such as fondant are used with light cakes like angel food cake.

In addition, cakes can also be molded into various shapes, or made into tiers adding to their overall appeal. Wedding cakes are a good example of this technique.