Basic Cake Decorating Tools and Equipment

If you want to get into the world of cake decorating you will need the basic cake decorating equipment. There are some tools you should invest in:

 

1. Cake pans

This is the key to make a beautiful cake. A professional cake pan has straight sides so will keep your cake straight when it is stacked and you do not need to carve down any edges.

 

2. Parchment paper

You will need parchment paper to place in the bottom of the cake pan so that your cake will release perfectly. As you flip over a cake have a piece of parchment paper to set it on as you topped off the cake and torte it. It also makes for easy cleanup.

When you are covering your cake with fondant the paper helps to keep it from sticking to the surface. You can move your cake around with this parchment paper.

Please note that parchment paper is not the same as wax paper.

 

3. A sharp knife or X-Acto blade

You will always need a knife to release your cake from his pans. Clean sharp knives are good when you work with fondant. They also can cut shapes and add detail.

4. Cake boards and drums

Each cake will need its own cake board as it gives stability and strength to a cake and holds it all together. If you have a large cake using cake drum as these are three cake boards that have been glued or pressed together and then you cover them in foil.

5. A spatula or bench scraper

To achieve that final coat these tools are helpful. You spread your buttercream icing with both of these tools and smooth it.

 

6. A Lazy Susan or turntable

These are used to decorate a cake. It's almost impossible to do it without one of these.

7. Shortening

You do not want to let your fondant exposed to air as it makes it dry so shortening is what you will need to use. When you add shortening it makes it workable again.

 

8. Powdered sugar or cornstarch

When using fondant you need to use powdered sugar or cornstarch to keep it from sticking.

9. Large or small fondant rollers

A good rolling pin can roll out fondant also. Just make sure if it has handles it may be too strong so choose one that is fairly long.

They also come in plastic or silicone and small or large. The small rollers are used for decorations and a large to cover an entire cake.

 

10. Fondant smoothers

These are helpful when you're covering the entire cake as they release air bubbles from under the fondant. Two of these are extra beneficial.

 

11. Paintbrushes

Make sure you include these when you want to add water or sugar glue for your decorations. To create sugar glow you just need to add a small piece of fondant with water and doable and let it sit for 10 minutes.