Cakes, we absolutely love them! We believe that a slice of cake should never be missing at a birthday or other celebration such as a wedding, baby shower, gender reveal party or anniversary. Of course it is important that the cake tastes delicious, but it is even nicer when it also looks beautiful. There are many different types of cakes, each of which can be decorated in its own way. In this article, we explain how to decorate some of the most common cakes. So be sure to read on!

What is the best way to decorate a cake?

The best way to decorate a cake depends on the type of cake. A quark cake is decorated differently than an apple pie. This is because the cakes look different, so something different suits each cake. The type of cake also determines which decorations work best. For example, fresh strawberries taste better on a quark cake than on an apple pie. How you decorate a cake also depends on the occasion. A wedding cake is decorated differently than a birthday cake for a child. In this article, we have taken all these factors into account so that we can give you helpful decorating advice for each type of cake.

What is the best way to decorate a sponge cake?

When decorating a sponge cake, there are no rules and you can really let your creativity run free. A sponge cake is the perfect base for a cake, which means you can fill and decorate it however you like and create a cake for almost any occasion. You can also design the cake in any theme you want, such as: wedding, jungle, Frozen, Valentine’s Day, King’s Day and more. For example, you can cover the cake with fondant or coat it with buttercream or crème chantilly. The cream you use to coat the cake can be coloured to match the decorations you plan to use.

Which decorations can you use for a sponge cake?

Sponge cakes can be decorated with almost anything. Some examples of cake decorations include:

These are just a few examples of the many decorations you can use. A cake topper and cake candles can also make a big difference. You can also give a sponge cake a drip to make it look even more impressive. Most edible decorations, cake candles and cake toppers can easily be found at Baktotaal.com.

How can you decorate a cake with fondant?

A sponge cake can easily be decorated with fondant. One of the great things about fondant is that you can colour it in any shade you like. Fondant can be used in several ways to decorate a cake. For example, you can cover the cake with fondant and then decorate the fondant cake in many different ways. Do keep in mind that if you cover a cake with fondant, you should not decorate it with whipped cream or other creams afterwards, as these may melt. However, you can decorate a fondant cake with fondant figures, sugar decorations, fresh flowers and chocolate figures.

How do you cover a cake with fondant?

If you want to cover a cake with fondant, you can follow these steps:

  1. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top and sides of the cake.
  2. Smooth the buttercream with a palette knife. Place the cake in the fridge until further use.
  3. For a cake with a diameter of 20 cm, knead 450 grams of fondant until it becomes smooth and pliable.
  4. If desired, knead colouring into the fondant.
  5. Roll out the fondant evenly on a rolling mat until it is at least 28 cm wide.
  6. Take the cake out of the fridge and place the sheet of fondant with the mat over the cake.
  7. Remove the mat.
  8. Gently roll over the top of the cake with a rolling pin.
  9. Use your hands to press the fondant around the cake edge by edge until it fits tightly.
  10. Trim away the excess fondant.

Create a marble effect

You can create a marble effect with fondant by kneading different colours of fondant together without fully mixing them and then rolling them out into a large sheet. This creates a beautiful effect. You can also use moulds to add a pattern to fondant, making it look even more decorative or match a specific theme.

How can you decorate a cake with buttercream?

Decorating a cake with buttercream is not difficult. You can also use different types of buttercream depending on your preference. We like to make buttercream with the BrandNewCake Buttercream mix because it makes it very easy to create a delicious cream. Below we show different ways to decorate a cake with buttercream.

Piping swirls onto the cake

The first way to decorate a cake with buttercream is to place the cream in a piping bag fitted with a nozzle of your choice. You can then pipe swirls onto the cake. Sponge cakes and chocolate cakes are examples of cakes that can be decorated this way. You can alternate between different colours of cream and different piping tips to create a beautifully decorated cake. You can pipe swirls not only on the top of the cake but also along the sides. The swirls can be piped directly onto the cake, so no extra preparation is required. Afterwards, you can decorate the cake further with anything you like such as edible sprinkles, flowers and more.

Coating a cake with buttercream

You can also coat a cake with buttercream. Prepare the cream in a colour of your choice. You can also add flavouring if desired to enhance the taste. Once the cream is ready, you can start coating the cake. 

How do you coat a cake with buttercream?

Make sure the cake has cooled and place it on a rotating cake turntable. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over and around the cake. Place the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes. Then apply a slightly thicker layer of buttercream over and around the cake. Smooth it with a palette knife. Place the cake back in the fridge for another 30 minutes. After that, you can decorate the cake as desired.

What is the best way to decorate a chocolate cake?

A chocolate cake can be decorated with many different ingredients. Chocolate cakes are often decorated with whipped cream, ganache, fresh fruit and nuts. If you love chocolate, you can also decorate a chocolate cake with chocolate itself. At Baktotaal.com you will find various chocolate figures and chocolate sprinkles for this purpose. Chocolate sprinkles, chocolate curls and chocolate bars are also great for decorating a chocolate cake.

What is the best way to decorate a quark cake?

A quark cake can be beautifully decorated with whipped cream swirls, fruit compote and fresh fruit. Cake candles and cake toppers also make a quark cake look festive. You can sprinkle edible sugar decorations such as sugar pearls, confetti discs and confetti hearts onto the whipped cream swirls.

How can you decorate a birthday cake?

Coloured swirls of cream or whipped cream, edible sprinkles, cake candles and a “Happy Birthday” cake topper can already make a birthday cake look very festive. These decorations are perfect for decorating a birthday cake. Some birthday cakes follow a specific theme, and it is fun to match the decorations to that theme. Ready-made edible decorations are available for many themes. If you cannot find what you are looking for, you can also make royal icing biscuits or fondant figures that match the theme and use those to decorate the birthday cake.

What is the best way to decorate a drip cake?

A drip cake can be made in several ways. You can add a beautiful drip to a chocolate cake, but sponge cakes are often turned into drip cakes. You can choose to let the drip run from the top edge down the sides or cover the entire top of the cake as well. Afterwards, you can decorate the drip cake with anything you like: swirls of cream or whipped cream in any colour, edible sprinkles, fresh fruit, cake candles or a cake topper. Let your creativity run free!

A good base is essential

If you want to decorate a drip cake for a birthday or another occasion, you need a good base. Without a good sponge, you cannot make a delicious cake. After baking a good sponge, it is time to fill and coat it. In our articles about filling a cake and coating a cake, we explain exactly how to do this.

Which cream is best for a drip cake?

In most cases, a drip cake is coated with buttercream or crème chantilly. But which cream works best for decorating? Buttercream is a great option because it is slightly firmer than crème chantilly, making it easier to pipe swirls and decorations. If you prefer a lighter cream, crème chantilly is a great choice. It is airy and similar to whipped cream, but slightly firmer. The cream is bright white, which makes it easy to colour as desired. It is perfect for piping swirls on a drip cake.

Colour and flavour your cream

Whichever cream you choose, it is always nice to give it a beautiful colour and flavour. Some people already love the taste of the cream itself, but you may want to flavour it with a flavouring. Our range includes many flavourings, so there is sure to be one you like. If your cake follows a specific theme, you may also want to colour the cream. The best way to do this is with gel colouring. From red and green to blue and orange, you will find many colours in our webshop.

Decorate your cake with a drip

Of course, a drip cake is not complete without the drip. You can create a drip by melting chocolate and letting it drip down the sides of the cake, but nowadays ready-made drip is also available. This drip comes in a convenient bottle and only needs to be heated. Afterwards, you can drip it along the sides of the cake. In our webshop you will find various colours, from gold and pink to black and red.

How do you pipe swirls onto your drip cake?

Once your cake has a beautiful drip, it is time to decorate it with swirls of cream. Before you begin, place the cream in a piping bag fitted with a nozzle. The nozzle you choose depends on the type of swirl you want to create. You can pipe swirls across the entire top of the cake or just a few along the edge.

What is the best way to decorate a whipped cream cake?

A whipped cream cake often consists of several layers of sponge cake filled with jam and/or whipped cream. This type of cake can be beautifully decorated with whipped cream. If you would like to add a layer of nougatine around the cake, first spread a thin layer of whipped cream around the sides. Then gently press the nougatine against the sides of the cake.

Further decorating a whipped cream cake

You can decorate a whipped cream cake further by piping whipped cream swirls onto the top of the cake. You can cover the entire top with swirls or only decorate the edge. You can place chocolate decorations or fresh fruit in the swirls. Fresh fruit also looks great in the centre of the cake. Of course, you can decorate the whipped cream cake with anything you like, such as cake candles, chopped nuts or sugar figures.

What is the best way to decorate an apple pie?

It is not very common to decorate an apple pie, as it already looks delicious on its own. However, it is certainly possible. For example, you can decorate an apple pie with swirls of whipped cream. It is best to add these just before serving, otherwise the pie may become soggy. You can place chocolate decorations or sugar decorations in the whipped cream swirls and sprinkle chopped nuts on top. Warm vanilla sauce also tastes delicious with apple pie and can be drizzled over the pie just before serving.

How can you decorate a wedding cake?

There are many decoration options for a wedding cake. Popular choices include fresh flowers, eucalyptus, sugar flowers, sugar decorations and macarons. Edible sprinkles such as sugar pearls and sugar hearts can also give a wedding cake a romantic and elegant look.

Can you decorate a cake with fruit?

Absolutely! In fact, decorating a cake with fruit is a great idea, especially fresh fruit, which tastes the best. Fresh fruit pairs well with many cakes and often makes a cake look even more beautiful. You can decorate chocolate cakes, whipped cream cakes and sponge cakes with fruit. Almost any fruit can be used depending on your preference. Examples include strawberries, orange slices, blueberries, bananas, raspberries, lemon slices, kiwis and blackberries. You can also combine different types of fruit.

Can you decorate a cake with chocolate?

Chocolate is perfect for decorating cakes, although it does not suit every type of cake. For example, apple pies and pear pies are usually not decorated with chocolate. Cakes that work very well with chocolate decorations include chocolate cakes, whipped cream cakes and sponge cakes.

How can you decorate a cake with sweets?

Sweets make a cake look even more delicious and colourful. Using different types of sweets creates a cheerful and festive appearance. Lollipops can be inserted into the cake like cake toppers. If you want to use other sweets and make sure they stick well, you can attach them with edible glue.

How can you decorate a cake with macarons?

Macarons look beautiful and are perfect for decorating cakes. If you want to decorate a cake with macarons, it is best to first add the other decorations you want to use. Then place the macarons between the decorations and swirls of cream. Ideally, add the macarons just before serving so they remain crisp and do not become soft. If you want to make sure they stay in place, pipe a small dot of cream where the macaron should go and place the macaron on top.