Icing & Decorate

Chocolate cake preparation.

Crumb Coating a Cake: Step by Step

Those fabulous occasion cakes you see in cake shop windows and on our facebook page, always look so smooth and professional! The secret to a really smooth finish on a fondant topped cake is partly down to a buttercream crumb coat. Our step by step guide explains all.

Rose cupcake

Making Fondant Roses

Moulded fondant roses look spectacular but the technique is simple to learn.

Delicious Vanilla cupcake with strawberry frosting

Sugar Free Toppings for Cakes and Cupcakes

Sugar free icings can be a challenge but these recipes make it easy to decorate cakes without using sugar-based toppings.

Two-tiered Cake Against Pink Background

Anyone Can Ice a Wedding Cake

Icing a wedding cake sounds like a huge challenge but a simply-decorated cake made with love is easy to make and more effective than an elaborate shop-bought cake. We show you how with a real life example.

ANYONECANICEABIRTHDAYCAKE

Anyone Can Ice a Birthday Cake

Anyone with a little time and patience can ice a birthday cake. Everything you need is available ready-made; all you have to do is put it together. We show you how with a real-life example.

Spun Sugar

Spun Sugar Techniques for Cakes

Spun Sugar is a fairy-like confection which can easily be mastered when you understand the process.

Wedding cake details

Special Effects: Pastillage Cake Toppers

Pastillage work looks spectacular but the only real skill needed is speed – impress your family and friends with pastillage cake toppers using our tips and hints.

CHOCMOUSSECAKE

Chocolate Icing and Filling

You can fill and ice almost any cake with chocolate – and why not? From a glossy glaze to a spreadable buttercream, every type of icing can be adapted to include chocolate. Chocoholics will love our icing and filling recipes…

Fruit tartlet

Using Confectioner’s Varnish On Cake

Confectioner’s varnish is a secret ingredient used by many professional sugar artists, but it’s possible to learn the skills for your own decorated cakes too.

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Cake Decorating With Edible Gold Leaf

Gold leaf is the epitome of food extravagance and mastering the technique adds a whole new dimension to luxury cakes.

rolled fondant

Special Effects: Wood or Marble Effect Fondant Icing

Stunning special effects can be achieved using fondant icing – here’s how to make ‘marble’ and ‘wood’ cake effects.

Flavoured Icings and Fillings

Flavoured Icings and Fillings

From rhubarb to lavender, from mocha to Baileys, there are a hundred and one icings to spread proudly on your cakes. Here are some of our favourite icing flavours – including some unusual ideas that should inspire you to invent your own!

Gourmet Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Icing Alternatives

Terrified of the piping tube? There are plenty of ways to make your cake look gorgeous – without mixing, moulding or piping. Today, anyone who can spread glue can build a pretty cake. It’s true – and here’s our guide to avoiding icing!

EDIBLEDECS

Sourcing Your Cake Decorations

Want to find out where Nigella buys her tiny cupcake roses, or where to order festive marzipan models? Here’s how to make your cake a modern masterpiece, and where to find the very best decorations to pile on it!

PipingBag

Working With Your Icing

Sugarpaste, piping, plaques, fondant and trellis: when did icing become so complicated? It’s time someone demystified the most unpopular icing techniques. Read our guide, and have a go.

Mother's Day cupcakes

Imaginative Cake Decorating

A delicious cake deserves beautiful decoration. If you’ve got a special occasion or a party coming up, why not turn your favourite cake into a jaw-dropping centrepiece?