Whether you're singing "Happy Birthday" or marking an anniversary, nothing makes a celebration feel more special than a beautiful cake. Cake decorating may seem intimidating as a beginner, but with these cake baking tips and tricks, it will feel like ... well, a piece of cake!
Tools of the Trade
When it comes to cake decorating for beginners, there are a few simple and inexpensive tools that can truly make a difference. Here are a few of our favorites:
Offset Spatula
If you're going to buy one tool for cake decorating, it should be an offset spatula. Offset spatulas do an amazing job helping you spread frosting (or anything!) evenly and with control. The best part is that they're multipurpose, and you'll wind up using yours in tons of different recipes beyond cakes.
Rotating Cake Turntable
This tool isn't strictly necessary, but it will be a huge help. Being able to easily rotate and access every side of your cake will come in handy, especially for leveling and frosting. You can DIY your own turntable with a lazy Susan—just set your cake (or a cake stand) on top, and voilà! A rotating cake turntable.
Pastry Bag with Tips
If you want to add beautiful, bakery-worthy designs to your cakes, you’ll need a pastry bag and tips. Definitely invest in the real deal if you want seriously extravagant designs, but you can also DIY your own pastry bag with a big freezer bag, duct tape, and scissors. Fill up the bag with homemade icing or Duncan Hines® Frosting, choose your piping tip shape, and let the artistry flow. Take it slow for the best results.
All About Building Layer Cakes
BAKE: Your first step, of course, is to make your cake! Try one of our from-scratch cake recipes or use Duncan Hines Cake Mix to take a little stress out of the project.
LEVEL: Leveling is the key to making sure your cake doesn't look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Once your cakes are cooled, use a large, serrated knife and your rotating turntable to evenly saw off the dome at the top of each layer. Save that extra cake and make cake balls!
Pro tip: Start by putting a tiny dollop of frosting in the middle of your cake stand. This will help your bottom layer stay in place. Then, cut strips of parchment paper and place them around the dollop. Once you're done decorating, you can slide these out from underneath your cake, and, like magic, you'll have a nice, clean stand for presentation.
STACK YOUR LAYERS: Frosting isn’t the only thing than can go between layers—try using lemon curd, a chocolate ganache, jelly, or even some fluffy Reddi-wip® Original. This is also a great opportunity to add in nuts, sprinkles, fruit, or anything else sweet for an extra pop of flavor or texture. Our Two Layer Naked Confetti Cake uses Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake Mix cake crumbs in between each layer for a little extra crunch and festive look. Or grab a bundle full of Duncan Hines EPIC Kits so you have everything you need for a picture-perfect creation at a moment’s notice.
How to Frost Like a Pro
A few simple cake decorating techniques for beginners can solve the most common frosting problems and empower your cake to look full and gorgeous.
LET IT COOL: Make sure you're letting your cake cool completely before you even think about putting on frosting. Seriously, be patient. Put on a timer or sit down and watch a movie until your cakes are ready. If your cake has any residual heat, that's how the frosting gets melty and thin.
ADD A CRUMB COAT: A crumb coat is just a starter layer of frosting that protects the outer layer from having little pieces of cake on it. Use your offset spatula to apply frosting wherever desired and allow 15 to 30 minutes for it to set before adding the final coat of frosting.
By the way, here's a friendly reminder that not every amazing cake is a layer cake. Cakes come in all kinds of delectable shapes and sizes! Take, for instance, our divine Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake, sparkling with bright, fruity flavor thanks Duncan Hines Signature Lemon Supreme Cake Mix, fresh blueberries, and an elegant lemon glaze (remember: Don’t add it until your cake’s cooled!). Or test out your piping skills on our delightful Carrot Cake Bites, made with Duncan Hines Signature Carrot Cake Mix and cream cheese icing. They’re the perfect little grab-and-go confection for party guests or a little sweet enjoyment any day of the week—because there’s never a wrong night for dessert!
Topping It All Off
Once you have your cake constructed and frosted, it's time to add the final touches. Your cake decor can be as simple or as elaborate as you'd like and still be magnificent. It's time to let your creativity shine!
Minimalism can actually be quite stunning on a cake, especially with one or two unique touches. Perhaps you want to do a classic chocolate-on-chocolate using Duncan Hines Classic Devil's Food Cake Mix and Duncan Hines Chocolate Creamy Home Style Frosting. Just adding one element can create a complete look, whether that's piping on icing or adding some chocolate sprinkles, fruit, or crumbled-up brownie pieces around the edge.
But we're also here to tell you that bold cakes are not out of reach for beginners. Even cakes like our adorable Unicorn Cake are totally achievable. Take it one step at a time—you got this! Try playing around with colors (like with our Rainbow Layer Cake) or drizzle on an elegant sauce, as seen in our Coconut Macaroon Cake. Combine multiple elements and see what effects you can create.
The sky is the limit when it comes to decorating your cake. Once you've aced these cake decorating tips for beginners, you'll have everything you need to explore tons of different ideas and visions. Be confident, tap into your imagination, and most importantly, have fun.
Suddenly in the baking mood? We thought so! For even more ideas, check out our collection of easy cake recipes and get cookin’ on stunning, picture-perfect creations the whole family will love.
