Baking and Decorating

• Top 10 Must-Have Baking Tools

  In the midst of learning and doing a lot of trial and error we all can end up with tons of tools and equipment we don’t even use. So first I wanted to help you out by narrowing down my top 10 “must-have” baking tools. If you're going to get busy in the kitchen, it's important to have the right tools and equipment. Here I’m highlighting everything from simple utensils to more “investment” tools that will make your baking experience a much easier and enjoyable one.

• Top 10 Must-Have Cake Decorating Tools

  It’s easy to get carried away with the wide variety of cake decorating tools and gadgets available out there. But it can also get expensive. So I went ahead and thought outside the box while putting together my list. Believe me when I tell you I found some in the oddest places, but they all work perfectly. Now bakers, let’s get creative!

• Finding Your “Go-To” Recipe: Research, Try it, Love it!

  Finding your "go-to" recipe involves lots of exploring. Dust off your family recipes, old school recipe books, surf the internet, and then get in the kitchen. Don’t be afraid. Try them all. Pick the one you like, add your twist to it until you get that recipe that creates that cake you just can’t eat enough. But don’t get discouraged in the process. Use the many resources available to you to understand the science of it. Trust me, it can be the difference between a hit and a miss. Once you find it, it will provide you with so many options.

• The Science of Baking

  Don’t think that by having your “go-to” recipe you’ve won the game. Everything from how you grease your pan, to what kind of pan you use, to the temperature and amount of time you give to it, plays important roles. Don’t worry we all know Rome wasn’t build in a day. Remember before you can be a master you have to be a student.

• How to Make Buttercream and Ganache

  Even though there are many choices of frostings, I believe every cake artist needs to know these two. They work fantastically for covering and decorating, create a very sleek look to leave as is or also a terrific base to cover with fondant. They require basic skills to use but nothing that practice can’t make perfect.

• Easy Way to Make Fondant

  This popular sugar-based edible play dough, like I like to call it, is commonly used to cover cakes and make decorations. I use it a lot, and I love it! It's versatile, and possibilities while creating with it are endless. You can find many brands out there, but what's better than making it yourself with ingredients you can easily find in your pantry?

• How to Cover a Perfect Cake

  A perfect base makes a perfect cake. Let's look at it as a domino effect. It all starts by baking a well-sculptured cake that can hold your coverage and ends with strong technique and attention to detail while applying the coverage. In the end, we all want an even as possible surface to work on but going through all the steps will be what helps you achieve it or not.

• How to Cover a Cake in Fondant

  Similar to the last process, but this time with more specific instructions!

• Easy Fondant Decorations

  There are many different ways to achieve easy and great looking fondant decorations. Some require skills, but for the most part, you can create beautiful decor details by utilizing molds and templates.

• A Closer Look at Easy Fondant Decorations

  More ideas, more instructions!

• Easy Frosting Decorations

  It's magical what a simple frosting tip can do. From borders to textures and flowers, this tool can turn a basic cake into a festive one in minutes.

• How to Make Simple Frosting Decorations

  Tips on how to make the practice simple!

• How to Create Different Shape Cakes

  We all know the traditional cake shapes: round, square and rectangular, but there are other simple styles we can create by mixing different mold shapes or using basic carving techniques. Remember, your cake is your canvas, and you can turn it into anything you want.

• How to Make a Minion Shape Cake

  Here's one shape you can try out!

• Fool Them with Cake

  Cake decorating is an art, and one of the most fun and exciting parts of it is the process of turning real-life items into sugar creations. Use all the inspiration around you. It can look like breakfast or even a drink that would make them say: "Wow is that a cake?"

• Surprise! Different Kinds of Cakes

  They'll never see it coming!

• Easy Tips For Creating Tier Cakes

  Once you mastered baking, covering and decorating a cake, challenge yourself. What about creating a 2, 3 or even a 4 tier cake? I know it can be intimidating. From falling to crooked cakes, I’ve experienced them all. But let me tell you with a few easy steps and structure tools we can take our cakes to new heights.

• How to Make Cupcake Decorations

  You can use the same batter to make a cake or a cupcake, but can you do the same decoration from a cake in a cupcake? YES! Just adjust the size and simplify the elements and you can create the same wow effect.

• How to Make Easy Cupcake Decorations

  Find some creative ideas here!

• How to Create Beautiful and Fun Cake Pops

  The trick to making a good cake pop lies in temperature and consistency. Mixing the right amount of frosting to your cake crumbs and dipping them into not too hot candy melts are just a few key steps while building a solid foundation for this fun and festive bite.

• Creative Ideas for the Non-Baker in You

  It's amazing what a little creativity can do, and it doesn’t always involve the use of the stove or the oven. These great projects are perfect for families and may even involve some of your favorite sweet treats. By thinking outside the box, combining them, covering or sometimes even painting them, you can turn your everyday treats into festive and fun creations.

• How to Make Non-Bake Treats

  Now that you have the ideas, turn them into reality!