Most cake decorators feel that their talents fall much more into the category or art rather than foods. Cake decorating requires both creativity and skill. Part of making beautifully decorated, unique cakes is to think outside the box of typical cake decorating. In many cases, this includes thinking above and beyond icing.
Types of Non-Icing Decorations
Non-icing decorations add a little something extra to a cake. While using plastic decorations, and such often looks acceptable, the key to a marvelous cake is to substitute icing with other edible cake decorations. Think more in lines of ice cream cones, gummies, small candies, cookies, wafers, fruit, and licorice. Turn the edible favors in all different directions and let your imagination picture them as trees, mountains, eyes, noses, flowers, and more.
Using Non-Icing Cake Decoration
While the highlight of your cake may be centered on a house of candies, icing is still the primary foundation. Icing becomes the glue for your candies and goodies. Once your cake is cool, give it a prime layer of icing as your would before any form of decoration. Begin adding your candy embellishments while the icing is still fresh and soft. After you are satisfied with your scene, outline the cake with an icing ruffle if desired.
Ideas for Non-Icing Cake Decorations
In some cases, it is difficult to picture a cookie or candy as anything other than what it really is. Searching through images of prepared decorated cakes may help. When thinking about the creations you can make from edible embellishments, consider the following ideas:
- Sugar cones (the ones with the pointy bottoms) turned upside down make wonderful evergreen trees. Coat the cone with green icing.
- Use food coloring to tint vanilla wafer cookies and use them as perfectly round balloons.
- Raisins work well as puppy eyes.
- Red licorice makes a bright beautiful smile.
- Gum drops work perfectly as the center of flowers.
- Small round colored candies are cute as dress polka dots.
- Chocolate long wafers are good for railroad tracks.
Non-Icing Cake Decorating Tips
If you are uncertain about your creation, build your model on a baking sheet before adding it your cake. Once you have added items to the cake, they can be removed. However, you may have to complete so icing patch work and wipe icing off of your edibles. Once your have found a creation that you are satisfied with, add it to your cake. Remember to always make a picture of your finished product. Pictures will help you create even more ideas in the future or duplicate those you have already imagined!
Gain more non-icing edible cake decorating ideas from Country Living.
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