wilton cakes

How to Make Wilton Cake Decorations

Wilton, a recognized leader in the manufacture of cake-decorating supplies, offers an extensive line of decorating tools and directions that allow a cake decorator to reproduce creative icing techniques at home. Both professional cake decorators and home bakers can make Wilton cake decorations in a wide array of designs and mediums. Beginning with basic instructions and proceeding to intricate designs, you can learn the techniques to beautify your cakes.

Begin with a smooth foundation for your cake designs. Wilton sells cake turntables that allow the decorator to rotate the entire cake, making the application of icing a snap. By using a long spatula, the decorator can smooth the sides and the top of the cake.
Pipe buttercream borders, flowers and leaves with a combination of metal piping tips in various sizes and shapes fitted into pastry bags to hold and control the icing. Buttercream icing is a common cake covering and it is soft enough to pipe when writing names on cakes, adding shell borders or creating soft flowers. Wilton offers a wide assortment of tips that also create a basket weave effect or enhance your cake with swirls and dots of all sizes.
Work with fondant or gumpaste to create delicate flowers and other three-dimensional items that hold their shape when dry. Wilton instructional manuals and local classes teach the cake decorator how to knead the clay-like fondant or gumpaste and mold it into intricate items. Because these substances can make very thin petals, the results can be stunning. Tools for using fondant and gumpaste include silicone mats to work on and nonstick rolling pins, cutters and molding tools.
Locate a Wilton cake decorating class if you enjoy hands-on instructional courses, where you bring your own icing to class, and professional cake decorators teach you the many Wilton techniques. Wilton classes include three levels of techniques, each one serving as a basis for the next, more advanced level .