Cake Decorating Basics. Rachel Brown

(5) Use to separate tiers of a cake; often made of plastic and can be round, square and octagonal.

      Piping (decorating) bags (3) Use with piping tubes (nozzles) to pipe royal icing; usually made of greaseproof (waxed) paper.

      Piping tubes (nozzles) (1) Come in a range of sizes and shapes, including plain writing tubes and star and shell tubes (see page 66 for the most useful sizes); the metal ones last the longest.

      Pizza wheel (18) Use to cut marzipan, sugarpaste and Mexican paste when crisp, clean edges are required.

      Plastic bags (4) Can be wrapped round fruit cakes while they mature, and sugarpaste before use, to prevent them from drying out.

      Rolling pins (14) Invaluable for rolling out marzipan, sugarpaste and Mexican paste.

      Scissors (13) Use to cut linings for tins (pans) and to make piping (decorating) bags and templates.

      Scriber (scalpel) (11) Essential for marking outlines on marzipan, sugarpaste and Mexican paste.

      Separators (6) Use to separate tiers of a cake; available in a range of shapes and sizes.

      Sharp knives (10) Use to shape and slice cakes, and to trim marzipan and sugarpaste.

      Side smoother (15) Smoothes marzipan and sugarpaste round the sides of cakes.

      Sieve (strainer) (9) Use to sieve (sift) flour and icing (confectioners’) sugar, and to create sugarpaste special effects.

      Smoother (16) Invaluable for smoothing out the lumps and bumps on marzipan and sugarpaste cake coverings.

      Stands (see page 102) Useful for displaying two- to five-tier cakes; usually made of metal or Perspex.

      Sugar shaker (22) Use to dust work surfaces with icing (confectioners’) sugar to prevent marzipan, sugarpaste and Mexican paste from sticking and tearing.

      Tape measure Measures the height and circumference of cakes; a washable variety is the best.

      Tins (pans) (see page 14) An assortment of shapes and sizes comes in handy.

      Turntable (2) Lifts, turns and in some cases tilts cakes, enabling you to decorate the sides with ease.

      Veiner (17) Creates realistic vein effects on sugarpaste and marzipan flowers and foliage.

      Wooden spoons (8) Use to stir cake mixtures.

Types of Tins (Pans)

      Tins (pans) can be broken down into three categories: tins (1), frames (see page 16) and novelty tins (2). The cake you are making will determine the kind of tin you need – but don’t forget that you can always hire them, thereby reducing your outlay costs.

      Tins

      There are all sorts of tins available for making cakes, ranging from round and square ones to petal- and oval-shaped varieties. Always go for a good, sturdy make. You will not only get a better-quality cake from it but, if you look after it, it will last for a lifetime.

      If possible, avoid square tins with rounded corners. Cakes made in these tins never look good when they are covered and decorated, because their edges are not crisp enough. Tins with loose bottoms are also a poor investment as their bases warp with time, resulting in leaks. Finally, non-stick tins may seem like time savers, but their nonstick surfaces gradually wear off – requiring you to line them anyway.

      Staff at most sugarcraft and cook shops will be able to help you find a suitable tin. If you make a lot of cakes, it is a good idea to buy a selection. That way, you will always have the right one to hand regardless of the occasion. Sizes range from 10cm (4in) up to 40.5cm (16 in).

      Tools of the Trade

      If you make a lot of cakes, you can buy reusable cake liners at any sugarcraft or cook shop. They come in all sizes and last for years. Large sheets, which can be cut into the shapes you require, are particularly useful. Just wash them after use, and they will be as good as new.

      Frames

      Frames, also known as number tins, have sides just like tins but no bases. This makes it easier for you to push out cakes once they have been baked. Frames often have strengthening bars if they have cut-out middle sections (e.g. zero and nine). Make sure these bars run across the tops of frames when you are lining them; otherwise you will make your job unnecessarily difficult.

      Since frames are mainly used to make children’s cakes – and most children dislike fruit cake – you will rarely make number fruit cakes. If you do find yourself in this position, however, use the ingredient amounts for a 20-cm (8-in) square fruit cake (see page 111) for all frames.

      Novelty Tins

There is a huge selection of novelty tins, which increases yearly with each new hobby and children’s television programme. Most novelty tins are American and come with instructions for decorating cakes with buttercream. Do not be put off by this. Chapter Four, Simple Decorating Techniques (see page 46) explains how to decorate novelty cakes without resorting to piping tubes (nozzles) – though if you would like to give piping a try, it is explained in detail starting on page 66.

      Like frames, most novelty tins are used to make children’s cakes – and since most children dislike fruit cake, you will probably not make many novelty fruit cakes. This is a good thing, because most novelty tins are too weak to hold a fruit-cake mixture. But should you receive a special request for a novelty fruit cake, use the ingredient amounts for a 23-cm (9-in) square fruit cake (see page 111) for all novelty tins.

Lining Tins (Pans)

      Lining tins (pans) may seem boring, but it keeps the cake mixture from sticking to the bottoms and sides of tins, and ensures your cakes turn out perfectly. When lining tins and frames, you will need plenty of good- quality greaseproof (waxed) paper, plus butter or margarine. Novelty tins, however, will require you to use cling film (plastic wrap) or flour with the butter or margarine.

      1.Place the tin on a piece of greaseproof paper of approximately the same size and draw round its base. Cut out the shape and slip it into the bottom of the tin (Fig. 1). There is no need to grease the bottom of the tin first.

      Troubleshooting

      Never leave tins to dry naturally. Wash them in warm, soapy water and dry them in a warm oven. This prevents them from rusting and prolongs their lives.

      2.Lightly grease the sides of the tin with butter or margarine, then use a tape measure to measure the tin’s height. Either use greaseproof paper on a roll that is 2.5cm