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Easy cake decorating ideas |
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To decorate a plain unfrosted cake quickly, place a paper doily on
the cake and shake confectioners sugar or cocoa through a strainer over the
top. Carefully lift off the doily.
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Frost and decorate a cake on a serving plate, so you don't have to move it
after you've finished.
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Before icing the cake, slip strips of waxed paper underneath the
bottom layer all around the edges of the cake. Frost the cake, then remove the
waxed paper. This will keep the cake plate clean.
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To keep the cake crumbs from ruining your frosting, spread the
cake with a thin layer of frosting, let it set for a few minutes, then frost as
usual.
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For a quick design on frosted cakes, use cookie cutters to make
impression. Fill in design with crushed candies, nuts or cookies.
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Before piping a design or a message on the cake, outline the
design with a wooden toothpick to use as a guide.
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When frosting a cake, use any remaining frosting to pipe a border on the cake.
To create interesting patterns, use a spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth
in swirls or spirals.
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For creative candleholders on birthday cupcakes, use a
fruit-flavored circle candy with a hole in the middle.
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Decorate with fresh fruits such as whole raspberries, blueberries,
blackberries, strawberries, sliced kiwi fruit and orange sections. These are
good choices because they do not brown, and can be placed on the cake just
before serving.
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To garnish the sides of a cake, press sliced almonds, chopped
nuts, or crushed candy onto frosted cake sides with the palm of your hand.
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To add texture, garnish the sides of the cake with flaked, toasted
or tinted coconut.
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To create almond flowers for cupcakes, place tips of sliced
almonds in frosting to form a flower using almonds as the petals. Place a small
candy in the center of each flower.
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For a birthday present cake, cut sheets of rolled fruit leather
into 3/4 inch strips. Place strips on frosted cake to resemble a wrapped
package. For a bow, loop strips on top of cake.
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Decorate with fresh flowers by encircling the cake plate or
grouping flowers in the center of the cake in a nosegay fashion. Be sure to use
only edible flowers around food whether you plan to eat them or not. To be
edible, the flower must be a nontoxic variety and free of any chemicals. Some
favorite edible flowers include rose, pansy, violet, chamomile and nasturtium.
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To pipe decorations on your cake, if you don't have a decorating
bag, make one from a plastic bag or envelope. Put icing in a clean zipper-lock
plastic food bag (without pleats). Seal, snip off a bottom corner and squeeze
the bag.
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To decorate with gumdrops, flatten and cut into shapes. To flatten
gumdrops, sprinkle sugar on a cutting board to prevent sticking. Place one
gumdrop at a time on the sugared surface, sprinkle with more sugar and roll out
the gumdrop with a rolling pin. Then cut or shape as desired.
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Arrange garnishes on cakes so they'll be in the middle of
individual servings after the cake is cut.
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How to whip cream |
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Choose a deep narrow bowl rather than one that is wide and
shallow.
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Chill cream, bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
Cream will whip faster if everything is very cold.
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Beat cream until stiff peaks form, using an electric mixer. Check
the stiffness by lifting the beaters often once the cream starts to thicken (1
cup of heavy cream will yield 2 cups of whipped cream).
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Whisk in additional cream, about 1 tablespoon at a time, if you've overbeaten
the heavy cream and it has turned buttery. Do not whisk any more than
necessary.
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To sweeten whipped cream, use 1-2 tablespoons granulated or
confectioners sugar per cup of cream.
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How to fill a pastry bag
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Drop the decorating tip into the pastry bag and twist. With tip in
place you are ready to fill the bag.
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Fill the bag by folding the top of the bag over your hand to form
a cuff approximately 2 inches wide. Hold the bag beneath the cuff and using a
rubber spatula add the mixture by scraping it against the bag. Fill bag halfway
since any extra mixture will back up out of the bag when pressed.
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When the bag is ready, unfold the cuff and twist the top, forcing
the mixture down until filling is visible in the tip, and clearing any air
pockets.
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Hold the twisted top of the bag between your thumb and forefinger
and squeeze the bag gently to press out the mixture. Do not squeeze the bag
with your other hand, but simply use it to help guide the tube as you pipe.
Continue to twist the end of bag as you decorate.
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How to make a paper piping bag
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Cut a 10-inch square of parchment paper in half diagonally. Bring
one point of triangle to center to form cone.
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Wrap the remaining point of the triangle around to meet the other
two points.
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Pull all 3 points tightly together to create a sharp tip and fold
flap inside; crease to hold the shape. Cut tip of bag to make hole.
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Decorating with chocolate
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Dipping: To decorate cookies with chocolate, dip the cookie into
the melted mixture.
Remove the excess by pulling the cookie across the edge of the pan.
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Drizzles: Place cookies on a wire rack over waxed paper. Dip a fork into melted
chocolate and drizzle chocolate over the edges and tops of cookies. For a more
controlled drizzle or piping, place melted chocolate in a heavy plastic bag and
snip off a tiny piece of one corner to use as a pastry bag. Make the hole
larger if necessary. If the chocolate starts to stiffen as you work, heat the
bag in the microwave oven for 10 to 15 seconds.
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Small curls: Draw a vegetable peeler across the narrow side of a
chocolate bar (milk chocolate may be easier for small curls).
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Large curls: Carefully draw a vegetable peeler across the broad
surface of a bar of chocolate.
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Grated: Rub a solid piece of chocolate across the grating section,
either fine or large, of a handheld grater.
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Shaved: Using a vegetable peeler, make short quick strokes across
the surface of a solid piece of chocolate.
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