Cake decorating supplies are essential in creating that perfect and delicious masterpiece for your child’s birthday, a friend’s wedding, or for any special occasion which may come your way. Some supplies, however, are more useful than others are. Some will streamline your decorating time while others may open up whole new decorating avenues that you never thought were possible. Below is a list of basic and advanced cake decorating supplies that should be in every cake decorator’s kitchen:
1. Gum Paste Cutters
While it is true that basic cookie cutters can be used to cut gum paste, nothing will give your gum paste that crisp and professional cut like a gum paste cutter. Many of these cutters have a plunger release, meaning that the cutter can be pressed into the fondant, cut out the shape, and then with a press of a button the shape is released and can be then placed on the cake.
2. The Turntable
The turntable is a cake decorator’s best friend. It serves two very important purposes:
a) Decorators can turn the cake while they frost it, creating a silky finish on their cakes
b) Being able to rotate the cake means being able to continuously draw designs around the entire cake
This tool makes it possible for the decorator to move the cake around, all without having to move and shift it. This is important, as one shift too many can damage or even destroy the cake.
3. Fondant Smoothers
Fondant is not the easiest of icings to work it. In fact, for those who are not experienced with it, it can be downright frustrating. A fondant smoother will seamlessly smooth out any rough edges in your fondant and give your cake that finished look. Many professional decorators use these on their cakes after setting the fondant to ensure that any bumps and air bubbles are smoothed and removed.
4. Fondant Roller
While on the topic of fondant-related cake decorating supplies, another useful tool is the fondant roller. Unlike the basic rolling pin, these rollers are non-stick and come with guide rings which make assessing the thickness of the fondant easy. This is a must-have item for those who are new to working with fondant, or who are frustrated and fed up working with it.
5. Practice Board
Many cake decorators have an idea of how they want to design the cake, but they aren’t entirely sure how their designs will play out when actually applied to the cake. This is where a practice board can help. These clear reusable overlays provide a surface for cake decorators to draw out their plans and to see whether or not they work without even needing to touch the cake. This is a handy tool for both new and experienced bakers.
