Professional looking cakes are the ideal dessert for any birthday, holiday or anniversary party, but they don't have to be from an expensive bakery or grocery store. Make your own celebration cake at home using a few simple ingredients. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
Decorating a Cake With Piping Gels
1. Prepare cake as usual. Once cake is cool, prepare frosting by combining 6 cups of powdered sugar, 2 sticks of softened butter, 2 tbsp. milk and 2 tsp. vanilla or flavored extract. Food dye may also be used to tint the frosting. Frost cake with a base layer before adding piping. To frost, place a dollop of frosting in center of cake and, using a long-handled spatula, slowly sweep frosting outwards. Be sure not to touch the cake with the spatula so the cake doesn't begin to crumb. Once cake top is frosted, add second layer, if possible, and frost with same movements. Frost sides of the cake by sweeping vertically, turning the cake as you progress.
2. Decorate cake with store bought or homemade gels. To make gel, combine 1/2 cup of caster sugar and 1 tbsp. corn flour in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 1/4 c. lemon juice and 1/4 c. water. Stir over high heat until mixture boils and thickens. Tint with food coloring and allow to cool.
To decorate cake, place gel in pastry bag with decorating tip or in a small plastic bag with corner snipped off. Hold bag close to surface of the frosted cake and apply pressure. Slowly move hand to create desired letters, symbols or words. For fancier text, squeeze gels firmly to create dots at the end of each letter (for example, for an 'A,' squeeze firmly at the two bottom lines of the letter). Dots can also be used to decorate the rim of the cake. Squeeze colored gels firmly to release gel, making a dot. Continue to line cake edge with dots until the perimeter is decorated.
3. Piping gels can also be used to create more complex designs on a cake. To create snowflakes, ideal for winter holiday cakes, create a star pattern with blue gel by making six straight lines intersect. Using a toothpick, draw perpendicularly through the star to create an intricate pattern.
For a stained glass look, draw an image on a piece of wax paper with an indelible marker. Flip the wax paper so that the design is on the back. Spray with a light coating of vegetable oil and trace the pattern with piping gels. Carefully place side with gel design down on top of cake and press lightly before removing wax paper. Gel design should be thick enough to transfer twice. Use black piping gel to outline the shape, if desired.
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