How to Put a Border on a Cake

A simple way to make a cake look nicely finished is to add a simple border to the edges of your cake. Piping a border is one of the cake decorating basics, and very easy once you get a rhythm for it. I will explain how to do two types of borders as well as a few easy ways to jazz up that outer edge of your cake. As always, practice on parchment or wax paper before working on your cake.

Basic Shell Border

A border tip looks like a star on the top and when icing comes out it has ridges around the edge. The shell border looks like a bunch of sea shells lined up in a row.

With a comfortable grip on your icing bag, pipe in a straight line while alternating squeezes with releases. You can also adjust the speed in which you move your piping hand across. I usually pull while I am releasing and hold when I am squeezing. You can start each shell at the tail end of the previous shell so it looks like a continuous line. You will soon find a flowing rhythm and you’ll be able to put a border on a cake more efficiently.

Swirl Border

Honestly, I’m not sure if this is a “standard” border that one would learn in cake decorating school, but I certainly like the look of it.

Use the same border tip as the shell border. Instead of drawing the icing bag in a straight line with varied pressure, a swirl border is in a squiggly line with constant pressure. Practice different swirl patterns on paper by tracing a swirl pattern with a pen, then tracing it with frosting. Try to keep the width of the border no larger than an inch thick, because you want to maximize your decorating space on the middle of the cake.

Both of these borders can be done on the bottom edge of the cake, on the top edge of the cake, or both.

Jazz Up Your Border

• Use different color frosting for the borders.

• Add sprinkles or candy confetti just around the edge of the cake.

• Make streamers the drape over the border by using a very small writing tip size 1 or 2 and squeeze out colored frosting so it looks like thin string drizzled over the edge.

• Before piping a border on the top or bottom of the cake, use a rose or flat edge tip to create a draped ribbon around the outer edge for a classy look.

Most importantly, have fun experimenting with the different ways you can give your cake border a more finished look. Make it your own by adding your personal creativity.

~Mia

Cake Decorating For Beginners: How To Decorate Your First Cake

How to Decorate Your First Cake

Are you a beginner to cake decorating? We all are a beginner at one point, and decorating your first cake is easier than you think. This article will overview basic cake decorating techniques, and can be useful to even the most experienced decorators. Easy cake decorating requires a few basic tools, some patience, and a dash of creativity.

Basic Cake Decorating tools:

• Platter or plate (you could invest in a rotating cake decorating stand if you wish)
• Spatula with a flat edge
• Pastry or frosting bags
• Set of frosting tips (border, writing, roses, leaves)

Get Started:
Bake your favorite cake and once cooled, remove from the pan and freeze overnight. A frozen cake is much easier to work with. A cake right out of the oven will fall apart when you try to ice it.

Base Ice:
Base ice your cake. This means you spread frosting all over the top and sides. Try to spread about a quarter-inch thickness of frosting all around. Don’t worry about getting your cake to look completely smooth. Have an idea of where you want to put flowers, leaves and any writing.

Borders:
Fill your frosting bag with frosting and put the border tip on. Go along the bottom of the cake giving a little squeeze with each pull of the bag. This takes practice! Experiment with how this feels and try to get a rhythm going. Try a different pattern around the top. For an easy alternative, just drop dots of frosting around the top of the cake.

Flowers:
Try making rose buds with the rose tip. The end of the rose tip usually looks like a tear drop. Hold the bag so the tip of the tear drop is pointing up, and then squeeze the bag while making a motion in the shape of a heart. Imagine that you’re holding a crayon like a 3-year-old and draw small hearts on paper. See what kinds of shapes you like.

Leaves:
The tip used for making leaves is shaped like a pointed beak. Practice a couple of leaves by filling a clean frosting bag with green frosting and securing the leaf tip. Hold the bag so the pointed beak is right side up and squeeze a drop of frosting out and slightly pull the tip away while you release your squeeze. After a few practice leaves, you should begin to see some leaf shapes and play with different sizes and shapes.

Write your message:
This may be one of the more difficult steps in finishing your cake. If you left room for a message try to imagine what message length will fit in that space. Practice writing your message on a piece of parchment or wax paper first. Prepare your frosting bag with a writing tip. The tip looks like a small circle, and I suggest using a size large enough that you can fit a toothpick through. Try choking up on the bag so that you get more control of the tip. Practice your message a few times, and give it a go on the cake. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it takes time to develop your cake decorating handwriting.

Now that you’ve finished your cake, you should feel excited to present it to your friends and family. Be sure to display your work before you devour your delicious dessert!

~Mia

About Make Mia Cake

Welcome to MakeMiaCake

If you are looking for cake decorating ideas, tips, or are simply interested in learning more about cake decorating in general, you’ve come to the right place.

My name is Mia, and I’d like to share my own ideas, experiences, and enthusiasm for cake decorating. Hopefully this site will inspire you to explore your own skills in the world of decorating cakes. I’m a recent college graduate from Minnesota, getting my feet wet in a full time job, but keeping cake decorating as a favorite hobby.

If you’re like me, you’re anxious to learn new cake decorating techniques, design ideas, and what products to use to get started. My advice to you is to go ahead and try it! This site can be a resource for you in all your endeavors. I encourage you to share your experiences with me so we can build a community of cake decorating enthusiasts.

Read on, cake lover!

~Mia