Essential cake decorating tools

Cake decorating is a trade as much as an art. You may be able to bake scrumptious cakes and whip up a batch of icing fit for a princess, but without the necessary tools and equipment, your artistic vision of that perfect cake will never make it to the table. Learn the basic tools needed in cake decorating.

Basic tools

Stand mixer Purchasing a good quality stand mixer is necessary for mixing batter and icing. There are many attachments available to complement your mixer in order to make the decorating of the cake more fun and easy. Some useful attachments are a dough hook, a wire whip and a flat beater. Spatulas Spatulas can be found: - In general department stores - Specialty kitchen supply stores - Local cake decorating - In bakery suppliers - On the Internet. They are made from a variety of materials, as well as in different shapes and sizes. Silicone and metal spatulas are popular in cake decorating. Most cake decorators have at least a few spatulas in their collection including large, small and angled spreaders. Cake pans Cake molds are used to bake shaped cakes as well as basic sheet cakes. Cake pan is an essential baking equipment that is used often. Purchase the best quality pan, if you intend to be a serious cake decorator. Good quality pans are metal ones with straight sides. They are durable and distribute heat evenly. Cake mixes Cake mixes are not necessary, but many cake bakers prefer using them to produce consistent results. Using a mix will take less time in making the cake and more time in decorating it. Icing and food colours Icing can be bought in large tubs. Gel icing for writing can be purchased in tubes. Food colours are available in liquid and paste form, but cake decorators tend to prefer the paste one. Pastry bags Pastry bags are used when icing cakes. There are re-usable and disposable types which are available. Many people prefer these bags because the colour of the cream can be easily identified and they are easy to clean. Tips and couplers Tips and couplers can be bought as part of the cake kits. Buy cake kits from cake decorating suppliers and you'll have a nice selection of tips and couplers to ice your cakes with. Turn table Turn tables are useful in cake decorating, but they are optional. Cake boards Cake boards are sold in packs or individually. Cardboard cut to size will also work.

Where to find suppliers

Blueribbons.co.uk and Sugarshack.co.uk are examples of suppliers found on the Internet. A simple search online will bring many suppliers to choose from.