How To Design A Cake

Designing a cake – Creativity in motion

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes to create a visually stunning cake?

In the art of cake design  – we draw from inspiration, utilizing creativity in conjunction with the know-how to perfectly execute techniques stemmed from hours upon hours of practice, creating such unique designs that evokes a feeling of delight from our clients, and from ourselves (because we’ve poured our heart and soul into our designs – many of you can attest to that).

Are you struggling with finding your own style and creativity?  Struggling with where to start?  You probably already know and have heard that cake designers see every thing through the eyes of cake. Have you noticed that when you see something that strikes your fancy you say to yourself, “I bet I can make a cake out of that!”  Well, my friend, if you’ve said that, you’ve been bitten by the cake design bug, and you’ll be pleased to know that its now in your blood. 😉

You’ve mastered your recipes, and you are practicing, practicing, practicing your techniques… If only you could find your style!

Here’s a hot topic: if you want to find your style, stop looking at cakes!  We love to oooh and ahhh at other’s cakes and that’s fine… we show our support as well as welcome support from them.  But, if you want to draw inspiration to reflect your “own” style, you’ve got to test the waters! Moreover, take the plunge.  Try to find inspiration from things other than cakes. For me, I’ve been drawn to the art of sugar flowers, creating lifelike flowers.  When I watch television, my eyes are immediately drawn to the floral arrangements on the screen, as well as the architecture, and of course, if the actor is wearing something fashionable, well, all I see is cake! You’ll hear me say, “That design will make a great cake!”

With that in mind, here is a synopsis of cake designing that can be used as a guide to help you find and define your style.

Inspiration

Seeing things through the eyes of cake, but don’t over think it. “A relaxed mind is a creative mind” Yogi Tea.

Find inspiration from nature, be it architecture, flowers, or imprints on invitation cards, fabrics, a picture frame, etc.

 

Wouldn’t this molding make for a beautiful applique on a cake? You can pipe this in royal icing, or you can purchase molds, or even make them yourself to replicate this design on a cake, but we’ll get into that a little later.

 

 

 

 

So, are you going to paint birds on a cake or flowers? Can you see it…that you can paint this floral design on a cake? It’s a simple design but using the right color palette can be transformed into a work of art (not that it isn’t already).

Perhaps you’d prefer to fashion an architectural design from the picture above? You can draw inspiration from different eras such as Baroque, Rococo or Victorian to create a stunning design.

 

 

Hmmm, you could possibly create a fabric look?

Did you know that Joshua John Russell has an awesome tutorial on techniques for creating fashionable cake designs like this on Craftsy?

 

Are you into ruffles?  Can you see that you can translate this into cake? (Yes, I know.. the picture is upside down on purpose for better illustration.)

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a cake I translated for a bridal shower party

 

 

 

 

 

NB: decide how many tiers you are going to need (your tiers will determine your number of servings)
~ high concept and designs create dramatic appearances.

Holding the principle less is more, create a clean design (a design that is precise, consistent and beautiful).

Cake Design

Visualize your design. You can sketch your design, but you should be flexible because sometimes you may have to adjust your design in reality for reasons such as:

• in reality, it does not work in application
• you might be moved to do something a little different once your creative juices start
  flowing.

Designing a cake is much like writing a paper. Create an outline: e.g. (1) sugar flowers (2) lace applique
(3) hand rolled pearls or royal icing pearl drops, etc.

It is important to hold that vision and enthusiasm in front of you while you are constructing your design.

Details

Decide what you’ll need and how long it will take to build each piece for your design. e.g. Do you need to source a mold or construct your own, and how long will your pieces need to dry (molds are an integral part of cake design).

You can purchase molds, but I would suggest purchasing molds that are interchangeable in cake design so you don’t use it once and set it aside. Also, you can learn to make your own molds using store bought products such as mold putty. With this on hand, you can visit antique shops, garage sales, or even those teenage jewelry stores and purchase little jewelry trinkets that can be fashioned into molds.
Additionally, if your design incorporates sugar flowers, how many and long will it take you to make them.

 

 

Use color palettes such as Pantone along with your color color wheel to help with your design
color choice. You can purchase a color wheel at your local arts and craft store. Your local hardware store holds an abundance of Pantones found in the paint section.

Need to dye fondant and gumpaste? After dying, give it 24 hours for the color to truly set.
Shades get darker after 24 hours. You may need to lighten or darken your color.

 

 

 

When designing your sugar flowers, you will want to speak with your client regarding matching their venue and what flowers the florist provides.

 

 

 

 

Design Preparation

Start preparing your designed pieces: molded pieces, sugar flowers etc. Always make more than you think you’ll need, so you don’t come up short. It really is ok if you have extra pieces, because during application or transport, pieces tend to break.

NB: Allow yourself no less than 2 days (48 hours) to construct your cake with its designed pieces.
Understand that the cake will be going in and out of the refrigerator during this process. Have ruffles in mind?
Ruffles takes hours per tier to apply. Are you doing Bas relief? Bas relief takes hours as well… However much time you’ve access you’ll need, allow for more.

Design in Process

You’ve baked your cakes, torted, filled, frosted and stacked, and allowed it to settle.
Now it’s time to build your design… This is when fun, fun, fun truly begins!
You’ve zoned out everything else, the music is pumping and your creative juices begin to flow!
Your masterpiece awaits! Your wow factor! I can’t stress how important it is to allow yourself to be flexible during this design process so that your creativity can flow.

Your result, you’ve created a cake that is unique, your work of art!  You are now experiencing a feeling of bliss and self-satisfaction, along with accomplishment because you’ve wowed not only yourself, but also your very special client.

Have you found your style, what drives you, what not only excites you but pours out of you naturally? If you have, congratulations! If you haven’t as of yet, don’t sweat it, you will. 😉

Find inspiration from the things around you and what you are drawn to will eventually be your style.

Hope you enjoyed this behind the scenes trade secret tutorial. Remember to please be sociable and share this post. You’re awesome!

~Sweetly, Julie.