Edible cake decorations make that pre-birthday or special do kitchen a much happier place. They’re cheap, readily available and set even the most ordinarily-iced cake off as a special finish to a special meal.
Edible cake decorations aren’t just for swanky baked goods, though. The humble dragee (they’re those edible cake decorations that look like tiny shiny marbles) is just as good for a fairy cake or cookie as it is on the delicate ribbons you iced on the wedding cake, or nestling against the bell on the Christmas gateau. And in a 21st century where everything you feed to a child has to be vetted against an alphabet of no-nos, you’ll be glad to hear that edible cake decorations have made the leap into the future by being largely additive-free. Most stores will stock clearly labelled additive-free edible cake decorations – so baking with the youngsters is as fun as it ever was, and possible with a clear conscience.
You can get edible cake decorations in as many shapes and sizes as you can imagine used for them: astonishingly ornate edible cake decorations shaped like flowers, lilies, horses, trees and houses; dazzlingly shiny edible cake decorations that make constellations on your cakes and biscuits; and delicate, wire-supported edible cake decorations that seem to float above the surface of the cake like tiny birds. Not sure what the point of edible cake decorations on inedible wires is, but there you go. They look good, and you can always snip off the edible bits if you get peckish.
Traditionally, some edible cake decorations aren’t supposed to be eaten at all. The bride and groom on top of a wedding cake, for instance. Dare one think what ill omen is summoned by eating edible cake decorations that are supposed to represent a long and fruitful life together? All I know is: my mum’s still got hers, now 25 years old. And I’ve always wondered whether you could still eat them.
