If baking is your forte, you know how important it is to create the perfect birthday cake for someone special. Someone only has a birthday once per year, so you want it to be special. If baking is NOT something that comes naturally to you, we have provided some tips and tricks recommended by professional decorators that you can try at home. We have also included a birthday cake recipe so you can try your skills at cake decorating and baking right away.
TIPS IN BAKING AT HOME (FOR CAKE DECORATION)
STEP ONE:
Find a good cake recipe that will produce the results you want. Think about how big you want the cake to be and think about how long the recipe will take and what tools you will need to create it. The level of difficulty should also be considered, especially if you are not an expert at cake decorating.
Find a good cake recipe that will produce the results you want. Think about how big you want the cake to be and think about how long the recipe will take and what tools you will need to create it. The level of difficulty should also be considered, especially if you are not an expert at cake decorating.
STEP TWO:
Locate everything you will need to bake your cake before you start. You don't want to be in the middle of your decorating job only to find you don't have all of the ingredients and have to run back to the store, leaving the batter sitting in a bowl. You need to also locate all of the tools you'll need for baking a cake, such as a large mixing bowl, large spoons for mixing and stirring, egg beaters, measuring cups, and other utensils.
STEP THREE:
If you are new to baking, you will want to resist the temptation to deviate from the recipe. If you are like me, you probably don't like to follow rules. (Ultra creatives will have trouble with this!) But if you deviate too much, you will be able to taste the results, and you may ruin your birthday cake. Leave the "little pinch of this and that" techniques to the expert cooks and still to the directions until you get the hang of it.
STEP FOUR:
Mix the ingredients of your recipe together as the directions instruct you to, and measure liquids exactly to avoid too much (or not enough) of the ingredients. Bake for the time the directions recommend, depending upon the type of cake tin you are using. Check the cake frequently for firmness and test with a toothpick.
STEP FIVE:
Decorating the cake is where the real artistry comes in. Don't go too fast. Choose a design that is fairly easy for your first cake and consider themes that the person would appreciate, based on their unique personality and tastes. Practice on a small version of the cake first, if you have time to bake a small spare cake. This will save you trouble once you have the real one ready to design.
Finally, don't get in a hurry!
Following the recipe and the decorating tips above should help you have success with the first birthday cake you make.
TIPS FOR DECORATING A BIRTHDAY CAKE
1. Start simple. Don't try to make your first cake too elaborate.2. Use tools you are comfortable with.3. Have everything ready beforehand.4. Watch video tutorials to learn how to apply birthday cake decorating techniques.5. Start at the bottom and work up, with slow, consistent motions.
BIRTHDAY CAKE RECIPE
If you don't know where to start to create your own special birthday cake, try this link to creating a Party Cake. This recipe will fit any occasion and it's relatively easy to create and then decorate as desired.
The key to creating the perfect birthday cake for a special person in your life is to capture their personality and try to create something that they can relate to. The link below give you an idea of some of the special cakes that you, too, can create if you get over your baking fear and aspire to
create that perfect cake.
Do you have a "go-to" birthday cake recipe or decorating method that you can share with us? We would love to hear all about the birthday cake you have made!
