Decorative Touches That Will Make Your Cake Stand Out

If you’ve just spent hours in the kitchen baking a truly delicious cake, the chances are that you’ll want to make it stand out so that everyone appreciates how much effort you’ve made. Of course, they’ll appreciate your cake as soon as they bite into it, but it can make a huge difference to focus on the small decorative details that will make it look like something really special.

Edible flowers

If you’re baking a cake for a celebration in the spring or summer, then adding some edible flowers can really create the right mood. If you’ve made cupcakes, then adding a single edible flower on top of your buttercream icing will go a long way. Keep your buttercream a plain color, and let the tone of the flower really stand out.

For larger cakes, the same idea applies: keep the color of the buttercream or fondant nice and plain, and let the flowers stand out against the background. Larger cakes will need a few more flowers, but it’s important not to go overboard otherwise it can end up looking a mess.

Some edible flowers that go well on cakes are:

• Cornflowers
• Dahlia
• Hibiscus
• Honeysuckle
• Magnolia
• Nasturtium
• Pansy
• Rose

If you’re going to be using edible flowers, it’s best to use them as fresh as possible so that they don’t wilt. Ideally, pick them from the garden and place them on your cake just before serving. If this isn’t possible then store your flowers in the fridge as soon as they have been picked, and place them on the cake just before serving.

Dried fruit

Dried fruit is a great decorative touch for autumn and winter celebrations. In the autumn, it’s good to use harvest fruits like dried oranges, and in the winter, berries and raisins are really effective. As with the flowers, less is more when it comes to dried fruit. You don’t want to overload the cake, and you also don’t want to overpower the flavors.

Buttercream stencil detail

Using cake stencils to create a pattern in buttercream around the edge of your cake will show your attention to detail, and is a great way to personalize your creation so that people know that you made it.

If you’re using a cake stencil you simply hold it against the side of the cake (being sure your stencil is flexible enough to bend around the curve of the cake) and use a small spatula to spread your buttercream across the stencil. When you remove it, a gorgeous pattern will remain.

Fondant bow

A fondant bow is a perfect decoration for things like christening cakes, wedding cakes and cakes for baby showers. It adds a touch of class and elegance, while still remaining understated and simple.

To make it you roll out a piece of fondant icing and cut a ribbon out of it. This ribbon is then laid across the cake and shaped using a piece of dowel or a straw. Once the icing has set you can remove the dowel or straw, and you will be left with a perfect bow.