Pushing the art of cake decoration

If you haven’t decorated a cake before, chances are you would never have thought of it as an art form.

Cake designing is the process of taking a sponge cake and elevating it into a memorable piece of art. Commonly known as cake decorating, it uses the cake as a canvas and elevates it to the next level, using various pastry techniques and intricate handmade artwork.

Ashwini Sarabhai, founder of Hyderabad-based The Dream Cakes, says, “Usually there is a theme, around which you create a design. After that, you have to pay attention to every single detail, be it the texture of the cake, creating edible flowers or even the colours of the cake.”

Cake designing is the process of creating edible art, says Anna Mathew Vadayatt, Cake Canvas – happiness in a box, Kochi. “A cake design doesn’t always have to be extravagant. A cake designer can craft a simple set of cupcakes for a birthday party to an enchanting cake for a wedding,” she adds.

Creating edible art
Today, extravagant cakes have become a must at celebrations — be it a wedding or a birthday party.

“Creating a design for a cake involves various aspects such as the occasion, theme, colour scheme and quantity of cake required. The preliminary sketches are done either digitally or on paper. Once the design is finalised, the actual process of baking and decorating starts,” explains Anna.

Depending on the size of the cake, it can take anywhere between one to four days (for a centerpiece cake). “The cake will only be baked and layered a day before or on the day of the event. However, the preparation of other elements like sugar flowers or figurines will start a few days before the date of delivery,” says Bengaluru-based pastry artist Joonie Tan, Lavonne Academy of Baking Science and Pastry Arts.

Cake designing is heavily influenced by different schools of thoughts. For example, the Wilton method which predominantly uses butter cream. The Australian method uses royal icing to create intricate lace work and other designs. While a cake can be decorated with a simple flavoured glaze or a dusting of icing sugar, most cakes for celebrations are tall and adorned with complex figurines and cake toppers.

Cake design often follows trends showcased across social media. However, it is important to strike a balance between technique and trend, points out Anna. “There is a fine line between a classy design and a badly executed one,” she says.

“One needs a good eye for colour schemes and developing designs. To make a great wedding cake design, you don’t always need a bunch of flowers. Just a single flower strategically placed on the cake could create an elegant art piece,” Anna adds.

Joonie, who has been designing cakes since 2012, agrees. “My mantra is always ‘less is more’. A simple design can have a big impact on overall design if it’s planned well,” she adds.

Challenges involved
To ensure the cake stays in one piece and doesn’t lose its shape, a dowelling system is put into place. “A cake card/board is incorporated between each tier and dowels are placed across the cake to ensure the cake maintains its structure,” explains Joonie. In addition to dowels, the icing used also plays an important role in keeping the cake intact.

“My latest cake was challenging as it was a topsy-turvy cake, meaning it was not sitting straight on each tiers. There was also a gap between two tiers which meant a very precise measurement and additional structural work was needed to create the support,” she adds.

When it comes to creating a larger cake, butter or pound cakes are used as they are more sturdy, says Ashwini. Temperature and humidity are usually a cake decorator’s biggest nemesis. To work easily with cake and sugar paste, the room temperature should be approximately 20 C, says Ashwini. “Very often, bakers use thick buttercream or ganache to ensure that the cake does not slip and slide. Fondant is commonly used, especially during summer, as it gives a sharp finish and maintains the shape,” she explains. While creating a cake topper or figurine from sugarpaste, extra attention needs to be paid to get the proportions right. “Types of sugar pastes used are crucial in determining how sturdy a creation can be,” adds Joonie.

Final challenge: To ensure that the customer’s vision is brought to life. “It is always best to keep the clients involved throughout the process,” adds Ashwini.

Wallet factor

An artsy cake weighing 2 kg is usually priced between Rs 3,000 and
Rs 6,000.

Tools involved

Tools differ according to the cake design. Some commonly-used tools that are must-haves are:

Rolling pin: To roll out sugar paste evenly.

Fondant smoother: To smooth out sugarpaste.

Modelling tools: Used to shape sugar flowers and figurines.

Non-stick mat: Used to roll out the sugar paste/fondant.

Precision knife: To cut shapes in fondant, sugar paste,
modeling chocolate, wafer paper and more.

History

Cake decorating can be traced back to the 17th century, when it gained popularity in northern Europe.

Trending designs

Floral cakes with sugarpaste flowers

Drip cakes

Ruffle cakes

Topsy-turvy cakes

Sphere cakes