Fun with Frostings

4-H CAKE DECORATING

University of Illinois Extension
White County Office
1715 College Avenue
Carmi, IL 62821

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Requirements for this 4-H Cake Decorating Project:

Learn to do the following (at least):

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3 different border designs

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3 different flowers

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2 kinds of leaves

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Frost and decorate 6 cakes

So you are interested in learning the fine art of cake decorating! That's good, and very
commendable, because once you learn a few basic steps, you will be on your way to many
pleasant hours of cake decorating.

But, before we actually start, there are a few suggestions I would like to make. This project will
require time and effort on your part, as in all the many worthwhile 4-H projects. You will get
out of this project just what you put in it. It will be expected of you to practice the lessons at
home and try to acquire the skills that make you a skilled decorator.


EQUIPMENT

To begin you will need some basic equipment; a few metal decorating tips, some cake decorating
bags, and some type of food coloring.

The decorating tips each have a number for identification. You will need a plain tip, #3; a star
tip, #27 (a #30 would also be useful); a #104 petal tip; a drop flower tip, #2-D; and a #7 flower
nail. You can purchase a leaf tip but this is not necessary since the best leaves can be formed by
cutting a V in the tip of your decorating bag. By using this method you can make any size leaf
you desire by simply varying the size of your V cut.

You will need some type of decorating bag. There are several options. Reusable fabric bags are
available in several sizes. Disposable plastic bags are a convenient use-and-toss option.
Parchment triangles can be purchased in packages of 100 to make you own disposable decorating
bags. Any of these will work, it’s just a matter of personal preference.

Metal syringe type decorators are also available. These are not recommended since pressure
control with this type of decorator is difficult and because the syringe also has the disadvantage
of having to be cleaned frequently during the decorating of one cake.

Paste food coloring is not necessary for the beginner, but you will want to try it as you advance
and desire a wider range of colors. Many pastel shades can be mixed using the four liquid colors
available in any grocery store. Some colors can not be mixed with liquid colors. You will
probably want paste color for making black or red icing. Later you can purchase additional paste
colors for preparing icing in more vivid shades.

You will not need to purchase special cake pans for your first cakes. Later you may want to try
using some of the novelty pans available. If you want to buy round or square cake pans, do buy

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straight side pans. Most cake pans available in houseware departments are slightly smaller at the
bottom than they are at the top. This slight difference is not very noticeable when looking at the
pan, but will make it difficult to smoothly ice the sides of your cake. You can tell straight side
pans from those with a slight slope as the straight side pans will not fit together when stacking
them. These pans are available in some stores and in any decorating supply store.

Do not limit your decorating to the use of plain square or round cakes. Any metal jello mold can
also be a cake pan if properly greased and floured. Be creative…try various sizes of tin cans or
oven-proof glass bowls.

Remember, when using metal pans, cakes bake better in shiny pans, so keep your equipment in
good condition.

All cake pans must be thoroughly greased and floured to assure complete release of the cake.
Use a generous coating of vegetable shortening, then put a tablespoon of flour in the pan and
shake it to completely coat the surface. If you are using a pan 10 inches or larger it will be
helpful to line the bottom with waxed paper or baking parchment to prevent cracking when
removing the cake from the pan.

This is all the equipment necessary to begin decorating. As you learn the techniques you may
want to add a few more tips and a variety of pans, but these are optional.

If you have access to the internet, there are several sites that have lots of decorating instructions
and ideas. Some of these are

www.wilton.com

and

www.baking911.com

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PREPARING THE CAKE

The first thing we must learn about cake decorating is that we must have a cake to work on ---
but a poor quality cake makes decorating more difficult. Here are 10 rules to keep in mind when
preparing a cake:

1. Select the right size pan

6. Fill pans 1/2 to 2/3 full

2. Grease generously

7. Place in oven and set timer

3. Line bottom of pan with waxed paper

8. Don't peek

4. Preheat oven

9. Cool cake at least 10 minutes

5. Prepare batter carefully

10. Turn out on cake racks, bottom

side down, to finish cooling

TIP: My oven is rather small and 2 cake layers, baking side by side, aren't always even. So, I
bake one layer at a time in the center of the oven. It takes longer, but worth the extra time.

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THE ICING

There are dozens of different icing recipes and they all sound good. We want a good basic
frosting that will hold its shape, taste good and serve the purpose of both icing and decorating the
cake.

Basic Butter Cream
1/2 c. shortening

1/3 c. milk

1/2 t. vanilla

dash of salt

3-1/2 c. unsifted powdered sugar (or 1 lb.)
Have shortening at room temperature. Place the milk, salt, shortening, vanilla and about half of
the sugar in a medium size bowl. Mix with mixer or by hand until blended and then gradually
add remainder of sugar. TIP: Cover with a damp cloth to keep from forming a crust.

Karen’s Icing Recipe
1 1/3 c solid shortening

2/3 c warm tap water

(such as Crisco)

2 lb powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Mix ingredients well. Keep covered to keep from drying out. Tip: use crystal clear vanilla to
keep your icing white. Tip: make sure the shortening you use doesn’t have air whipped into it.
A regular size can should weigh 3 lbs. If it doesn’t it has some air whipped into it.

To prepare the cake for the icing, level off the top of the cake if necessary. Tear strips of
waxpaper to circle the edge of the cake plate. (This helps to keep the plate neat and clean).
Carefully place cake on plate, bottom side up. (It's much nicer to ice). Set aside about 1 cup
icing to use for decorating. Spread a thin coat of icing around sides of cake and then a thin coat
of icing over the top of the cake. This seals in the crumbs so that the finished cake will be
smoother. Let the first coating dry about 1/2 hour. TIP: Hold spatula straight up and down and
start icing at the bottom of the layer, pulling the icing up to the top of the cake.

Spread another coat of icing on the cake, using a heavier coating, smoothing it before it sets.
While you are waiting for the first coat of icing to dry, you could decide how you want to
decorate the cake. You might like to sketch a few ideas of your own on decorating the top and
sides of the cake.


DECORATIONS

Have an idea of what you want your cake to look like before you begin. Remember to keep the
design simple and neat. Using too many different ideas on one cake tends to take away, rather
than add to, the beauty of the finished cake.

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WRITING

The writing tip is used for the purpose of writing, but it has other decorating uses also, such as
beading, borders, dots, stems, lattice and flower centers.

TIP: When doing lines and most border work, hold tube at a 45 degree
angle. When doing stars, hold tube at a 90 degree angle and lift up.

When writing on a cake, keep the tip close to the surface. It is a good
idea to write the message lightly with a toothpick before applying icing,
as it is much easier to correct the spacing. Using a piece of wax paper
and a writing tip, try making the various things described on Practice
Sheet #1. Add pressure until frosting comes out of the tip. Lift the point
slightly and move steadily, release pressure and lift point. How did you
do? Not bad, for a beginner! Practice these exercises until you can do
them straight and even. It will take quite a lot of practice, but these are basic
designs and are most often used in decorating.

Various borders and designs can be made by using other decorating tips. For instance, the large
star (or shell), by using a variety of movements and varying the amount of pressure, will make
many beautiful designs.

TIP: To keep clean clear lines, wipe the tip frequently with a damp cloth.


WRITING PRACTICE

Writing with a decorating tip is easier than it looks, even if you have only average penmanship.
To master it does take practice and the following exercises will help. Begin with tip number 3
and a bag only half full of icing, so you can fold it down to a small size and hold it between your
thumb and forefinger in pinching fashion. Use your left forefinger to guide and steady your
practice board and use a light, even pressure as you glide along. (Real icing must be thinned
down slightly for writing to flow easily.)


EXERCISES

1. Practice curves: Rest tube lightly at a 45 degree angle on surface. Press lightly and

move along, describing a "C" with your hand as
you go. Do a string of "C's", trying to make them
all the same size.

2. Do up and down line: Try a line of jointed up-and-down

curves, again striving for a smooth unbroken line and even
spacing.

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3. Do "e" motion: By now you should be getting the feel

of it. Do some joined "e's" over and over (break off at
end of long tail before starting new "e", but keep close
together for joined look.)

NOW TRY SOME WORDS

Start with the word "Mother", drawing tube along surface without digging in. After you begin to
master the curves and swings of the letters, lift the tube up very slightly as you write, letting the
icing "draw out" slightly over the surface and you'll find it gives you more control.

Next, try the word "Happy" and “Birthday” and go on to “Best
Wishes” "Congratulations" and "Merry Christmas". Then add
some flair with "decorative build-up". Just pause slightly as
you do a downstroke, but continue the same pressure and
icing will build up for a fancier look. Scrape board, do it
again---and again.


BORDERS

You will start with simple borders, doing most with the star tip. And, for your very first attempt,
you will do what even a child can do---press out a star. Then, with the same star tip, you will go
on to do lines, zigzags, rosettes and many others. Before you know it, you will be doing borders
worthy of a real cake. Fit a decorating bag with a number 16 star tip (or the closest you have to
it), set up your practice board and begin! "Real" icing should be medium consistency.

1. The simple star. Hold decorating bag straight up, slightly above the surface. With a quick,

heavy squeeze, press out a star, stop pressure
and pull tip away Increase or decrease
pressure to change size of star. Do them
close together for a versatile border.

2. The shell. Hold bag at 45 degree angle with tip slightly above surface. Squeeze with heavy

pressure and slightly lift tip as icing builds and fans out into a full base. Relax pressure as

you pull bag down to the right as you make the tail. Stop
pressure, pull tip away. When you make shells always work
to the right; starting each new shell slightly behind the tail of
the previous shell.

3. The zigzag. Hold bag at 45 degree angle to surface, so

that end of bag points out tot he right and fingers on the
bag are facing you. Allow the tip to touch the surface
lightly. Steadily squeeze and move hand in tight side-to-
side motion. To end, stop pressure and pull tip away. Elongated zig zags by keeping an even
pressure as you move hand back and forth in desired length.

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4. The reverse shell. Hold bag at 45degree angle with tip slightly above surface. Squeeze to

let icing fan out as if you were making a typical shell, then swing tip around to the left in

semi-circular motion as you relax pressure to form tail of
a shell. Stop pressure, pull tip away. Repeat procedure,
only this time swing tip around to the right to form tail of
shell. Continue alternating directions for a series of

reverse shells.

5. The rope. Hold bag at 45 degree angle to surface with end of bag pointing over right

shoulder. Touch tip to surface and squeezing bag, move tip
down, up and around to the right forming a slight “s” surve.
Stop pressure, pull tip away. Tuck tip under bottom arch of
first “s” and repeat procedure. Continue joining “s” curves to
form rope.

FLOWERS

Flowers! At last! You might be thinking, now I'm really going to learn something! Easy? No,
flowers are perhaps the most difficult to learn of the decorations. But, they are really fun once
you master the skill.

Start by learning to make a single petal and practice that until you can make an
apple blossom. Using the rose or flower tip, hold the tube at a 45 degree angle,
with the narrow end of the tip up. Touching surface, move tube up, around and
down. Make a row or two of these, until you can do them easily.

Completing the apple blossom: Make one petal, turn another, overlapping the first. Continue
until you have made petals to complete the flower.


USING THE FLOWER NAIL

To use the flower nail, put a small amount of icing (just a dot) in the center,
and press a square of waxpaper on it. Hold the flower nail in the left hand,
between the thumb and forefinger and practice rolling the nail back and forth
between the fingers.

TIP: To make a flower nail, you can cut a circle of cardboard and push a
nail through the center.

Shall we make an apple blossom on the flower nail now? Start at the center of the nail and work
to the outside edge, then toward center again. Turn a little, make another petal, overlapping it,
turn again and continue until all 5 petals are made. Slide paper off nail and practice making
some more flowers. (See illustration above).

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SWEET PEA

A sweet pea is quite easy to make and can be made either on the nail, a flat surface or directly on
the cake top. First, make a single round petal, (almost the same
as the simple petal) moving up about 1/4 inch, then back to the
center of the petal again.

Make another petal in the middle of the first petal, only standing
it perpendicular (90 degrees) to the first. Add a similar petal on
either side of the center one, completing the petals. Finish the
sweet pea with the writing tip and green icing for the base and stem.


CHRYSANTHEMUM: (Use the flower nail)

To make the Chrysanthemum, the star tip will be used. Begin by building up a cone of icing
about 3/4 inch around and 1/2 inc h high. This is done by
holding the tube at 90 degrees and using pressure. Build up the
cone to desired size, lifting to about 1/2 inch and relaxing the
pressure.

Make the first row of petals by touching the base of the cone with the star tip and draw the icing
to a point, relaxing the pressure. (Curve the petals slightly). Continue evenly around the cone.
Make the next row of petals as the first, except these should curve in the opposite direction and
be lifted slightly at the points. The third row is made in the same manner, only they will be
shorter and lifted up more. Finish by setting several short petals on top of cone.


ROSEBUD:

The rosebud is another flower that can be made on a flat surface, or directly on the cake. It is

very easy to do. Using the flower tip again, make a small petal
by holding the large end of the tip next to the surface and move
in slightly to the right forming a cup-like petal. Make the other
petal by starting inside the first petal and overlapping to the
outside of the first petal. Finish the rosebud with writing tip in
green as you did the sweet pea.

JONQUIL:

The same technique used in making the Jonquil was used in making the apple blossom. Make
the 5 petals, then pinch the tip of each petal to make it pointed.
Next, change tip to the writing tip and build-up a bell shaped cone,
as for the center of "mum". Finish top of Jonquil by making a fine
zig- zag around top of the center cone.

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ROSE:

The Rose is made on the flower nail and the flower tip. Start by building a
cone of icing on the nail about 1/2 inch high. With wide point of tip
touching the nail, squeeze and turn nail, until cone has been completed.

Repeat, moving higher up on the cone.

Make one petal, laying it on the cone. Start at center and lift slightly,
making a curve or small semi-circle. Make 2 more petals, overlapping each.


To make the outside petals, hold the large end of flower tip close to the
base of the inside petals and the small end slightly away from the first
row. At the top, turn, lifting, then move back to the base of the cone.
This movement will make a semi-circle shaped petal. Make 3 more petals
around the cone to complete, overlapping each as you turn the nail.



LEAF
The simple leaf is made by touching the surface with the tip held flat, applying pressure, and
breaking off to a point.

Another leaf is made in the same manner, except a short zig- zag
is made to give an uneven effect. The leaf tip can be used to
make the poinsettia and the Lily of the Valley. The writing tip is
used to add the finishing touches.



TOPS AND SIDES OF CAKE

We are now to the point of actually putting the decorations directly on the cake. There are many
ways of doing this. When you make designs for the side of the cake, mark it in even sections, by
lightly denting the icing. Divide it in half, then fourths, sixths, eighths or twelfths.

TIP: To make scallops even, use a biscuit cutter or measuring cups making an indentation by
touching side of cake lightly, to give a clear even mark to follow.