Ever wondered how they get all those incredible designs on fancy cakes? Often, the answer is far less magical than you’d think: they use edible cake decorations.
The bad news – edible cake decorations don’t involve a highly-skilled craftsmanslaving for hours over a hot icing pipe. They’re made by machines according to pre-programmed patterns. The good news – that means edible cake decorations are a) easy to get hold of and b) cheap. Which also means c) – you can make your own stunning-looking celebration cakes using edible cake embellishments of all shapes and sizes.
Imagine. It’s easy enough to knock up and ice a Christmas cake – but have you ever tried creating some edible cake fancies to put on top of it? Making your own edible cake decorations is unwieldy, messy, time-consuming and quite likely to end in protracted tantrums. Buying edible cake toppings shaped like Santa and a few snowmen and placing them professionally over your pristine gateau is easy – and it looks great.
You can buy edible cake decorations in all shapes and sizes and with all occasions in mind. Kids’ birthday? Why not top that sponge with some edible cake fancies themed on their favourite TV characters? Edible cake decorations don’t have to be fancy figures, either – you can buy edible cake toppers like silver balls, gold stars, flowers and of course everyday white or coloured icing.
Even piping icing is technically an edible cake decoration – you can eat it, and it goes on a cake. Don’t be put off by the idea that edible cake embellishments are overblown, or only for extremely fancy occasions: most edible cake decorations can be used equally well on everyday baked goods, from simple cakes to fairy cakes, cookies and gingerbread men. What’s a gingerbread man without eyes and a mouth, after all? You can use edible cake toppers like balls, piping icing or even raisins to make his face (if you’re using raisins to decorate a cake, they must count as edible cake toppers) – why not give him some buttons or a tie, too.
In this day and age, edible cake decorations have to be ethical cake decorations. Fortunately, most edible cake toppers are no longer manufactured with either gelatine or cochineal (crushed beetles) – and a good deal of edible cake toppers come additive-free. So you can make your special cake (or everyday gingerbread man) safe in the knowledge that its edible cake embellishments aren’t going to give anyone a hyperactive shock.
Whatever you’re looking for, you’re sure to find some edible cake toppings to suit your taste and occasion. From full-on pre-moulded sprays of sugar flowers to a simple dragee (that’s what they call those little balls), edible cake decorations are easy to find, cheap to buy and a pleasure to behold.
