How To Decorate Homemade Birthday Cake

In today’s unpredictable and sometimes scary financial climate finding money for necessary luxuries, such as birthday and Christmas presents, can be difficult. One present that will always go down well is a personalized homemade cake. Not only are they cheap to make, but the recipient will always appreciate the amount of time, effort and thought that has gone into the creation of their gift. This article aims to provide some style tips on how to decorate a birthday cake.

Firstly, there is the simple icing only option. Assuming that you know (or have found out) what their favorite kind of cake is, you should be aiming for a simple geometrical shape (such as a circle or square), as these will be the easiest to ice. For extra flair, use food colorings to turn a traditional white icing into multi-color mayhem. When you stir the food coloring in, be careful not to mix them up too much, so that you are leaving a swirling or marbling effect throughout the icing. This will give the illusion of movement and grace to your cake. Lastly, when using icing alone, remember to use a spatula to smooth it flat, as this gives it a professional look.

For those wanting to go a little bit further, solid icing fondant is your next stop. The solid nature of the icing allows you to create edible shapes, and turns the top of your cake into a 3D stage. For tall objects such as trees and people, use cocktail sticks to support them. The sticks can then stick into the cake, keeping your models upright. If you’re particularly fond of certain objects, you can save fondant in the fridge for months (and your recipients might not appreciate the massive sugar rush gained from eating a tree made from icing). These kinds of cakes require careful planning, and no-one will think you’re strange for drawing and measuring your design.

The key factor in either decoration is to use your personal knowledge of the birthday boy or girl. If they’re keen on soccer, think about how to decorate a birthday cake with balls, boots, or even a re-creation of a soccer pitch. For ballerinas, think about trying to make person, or various bits of ballet equipment. Whatever theme that you use, it is permissible to place inedible items on to complete the scenery, but obviously remember to tell the eaters what to avoid before the cutting begins!