Chocolate Cake Decorations

Chocolate is the life of the party when it comes to cake decorating. To become a master of the chocolate arts, you must first learn the basics of adorning with sweets from the coco bean.

This guide offers an introduction to working with chocolate for your cake design needs.

Melting Chocolate
The first step to working with chocolate is properly melting it. This is the step that many beginners falter with because they try to melt the chocolate too quickly.

To successfully melt chocolate you must first break the chocolate down. Whether you cut it or shave it, the finer pieces you produce, the greater the surface area the heat has to work on, and the quicker the chocolate will melt. Put the pieces into a small container such as a juice cup or measuring cup and place it in a pot that has warm to hot water in it. Do not use boiling water.

Let the chocolate sit for a moment and begin to stir. Continue to stir until the chocolate is melted and lump free.

Chocolate Curls And Cutouts
Once you have the soft, velvety chocolate that we all love, spread it onto a flat surface, such as a metal cookie pan, making sure to carefully spread it into a thin layer. Let it cool on its own at room temperature. Once cooled you can make either curls or cutouts. To make curls, use a metal spatula and begin to slowly scrape the chocolate. Hopefully it will begin to form into curls, which you can then place onto a parchment to further cool and set. Cutouts are just as easy. Use a sharp knife or some other precision tool to cut your favorite design or shape.

Sifted Coco Powder
A simple yet stunningly effect way to decorate with chocolate is to use sifted coco powder. Find or make a design out of thin stencil type paper and place onto your cake. Begin to sift the powder over your cake and the design will take shape with a beautiful powdered accent.