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How to decorate a cake

How to decorate a cake

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Discover how to make your cakes look as good as they taste using icing decorations. We've got four easy designs for round, sandwich and loaf cakes.

Four ways to decorate a cake

1. How to make a sugar heart

Pink sprinkles arranged in heart shape on cake

Mark out your design in the cake frosting using a skewer.
Fill a piping bag with coloured sugar and snip off the tip at an angle.
Carefully pour out the sugar following your guide.

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Alice Shields

Alice is the Acting Food Editor at Good Food and a London-based food writer, editor and recipe developer. After training as a pastry chef and working in professional kitchens, she developed recipes and food content for leading publications including Jamie magazine and Good Housekeeping. She is particularly passionate about baking bread, is a strong pasta enthusiast and lover of chocolate fondant. See more of Alice's recipes

Front facing headshot of Alice Shields, Good Food's acting food editor

2. How to make an icing sugar pattern

Square cake with ornate icing sugar dusting pattern

Cut a template out of paper.
Lay the template on the cake, making sure it’s flat.
Dust generously with icing sugar, then carefully lift off the template to reveal the design.

3. How to make a drizzled chocolate pattern

Chocolate loaf cake with white and milk chocolate drizzle

Melt one or more types of chocolate.
Use a spoon to zigzag each chocolate across the cake.

4. How to crystallise rose petals

Dipping rose petal in sugar with tweezer

Lightly whisk an egg white in a small bowl.
Paint a petal all over with egg white, cover evenly with caster sugar, then shake off the excess. Repeat with each petal.
Dry the petals on baking parchment for at least 3 hours. Arrange them on your cake.

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Assortment of crystallised rose petals

Get more cake decorating advice...

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TIPS

DECORATING CAKES WITH ICING SUGAR

Use a doily to create a pretty design on top of your cake. Simply lay it flat over the top and then dust generously with icing sugar. Remove the doily to reveal the pattern.

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