If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to decorate a cake properly, it would be best to stick with the experts. No Pinterest fails or kitchen explosions in this cake course, folks. We sidled up to the counter in Master Baker Steve Rossen’s personal kitchen and recorded this amazing free cake decorating series just for you guys. We start off at the beginning, which is usually a good place to start, and walk you through all the fundamental tools you need when it comes to cake decorating. Then Steve teaches all about basic ingredients, the different types of cake bases he normally works with, and explores both the science and the art of his trade.
Adequately sugared up, we move headfirst (with mixing blades at the ready) into several cake and cupcake projects, all while Steve drops icing-filled pearls of wisdom along the way. Towards the end of this cake decorating class we also pinned our baker down — which wasn’t easy, he’s a big dude — and had him discuss the business-side of baking, and also how you too can get started selling your own baked goods on the path to creating the next great dessert empire!
Normally you’d have to buy a cake decorating course like this. But here at HR, we believe in giving our readers amazing free content so that they too can learn how to make desserts like the pros. So what are you waiting for? Head on down cake decorating ideas and tutorials from the master himself! Watch the course straight through or in any stages you like. And if you get a sweet tooth while you’re watching and learning, you can always pop over to Steve’s company site, Mardy’s Munchies, and buy a few delectable treats from Steve himself.
Lesson 1: How To Decorate A Cake | Intro and Tools
In the first video of this cake decorating course, Steve talks a little about how he got started as a professional baker. Then he gives you a quick look at THE ESSENTIAL tools every baker needs to have at his/her disposal. It is far fewer than you might think! But like they say, it isn’t what you got, it’s how you use it!
In this video:
Steve’s background
Easy starter decorating tips
Basic baking tool essentials (bowls, knives, bags and more!)
Why a hand juicer is a MUST!
Lesson 2: How To Decorate A Cake | Basic Ingredients
In the second video of this cake decorating class, Steve moves into a discussion of basic ingredients. Sure, every cake will call for something special or unique, but most of them all rely on a few core building blocks that you just have in order to create the best-tasking dessert possible. Don’t leave your core building blocks to chance, people! Listen to Steve!
In this video:
The best vanilla extract.
The only website you need for buying supplies.
The best flour to buy (and get delivered!).
The best sugar (including vegan-approved sugars that don’t suck).
Sneaky little sugar tricks.
The perfect way to handle and mix eggs.
Butter butter butter!
Ingredients you definitely should NOT use!
And more!
Lesson 3: How To Decorate A Cake | The Three Basic Cakes; A Foundation for Caking
Yellow cake, chocolate cake, and carrot cake, oh my! Steve discusses the most important processes behind making these three cakes, which collectively will give you the foundation for making almost any other cake. Don’t believe us? We don’t care, we are full of cake.
In this video:
Yellow cake fundamentals.
Chocolate cake fundamentals.
Carrot cake fundamentals.
The best way to separate and mix your cake foundation.
Non-stick and lining tips.
Measuring guidelines.
Lesson 4: How To Decorate A Cake | Icing & Filling
From here we move on to a discussion of icing and filling in cake decorating. Steve talks about several different types of filling and cake decorating options, recognizing that you can pretty much “fill a cake with anything” (especially if you don’t care what it tastes like…like LEGOs….or sawdust). We also learn how to properly use filling so it doesn’t extrude from the cake, some awesome homemade recipes, and several different icing techniques that only use the best natural ingredients!
In this video:
Types of filling.
Types of icing.
How to make sure filling doesn’t spill out of your cake.
Special blending techniques for the best filling.
Special blending techniques for the best icing.
Important mixing techniques.
Summer vs Winter icing secrets.
Adding flavors
And more!
Lesson 5: How To Decorate A Cake | Science & Art
Baking is a science. It calls for intense dedication to measurements an ingredients is followed to the letter…to a point. In this short segment, Steve explores where science and art collide in cake decorating. Some people are naturals with the science, others are naturals with the art. Which one are you?
In this video:
Finding your art.
The joy of watching people eat your desserts.
When do you need to follow instructions carefully and when do you have more freedom to play?
Lesson 6: How To Decorate A Cake | Decorating Tips
Truthfully, this whole cake decorating course is full of decorating tips. But in this section, Steve teaches you how to make flowers and pearls, how to use tips and the various tip sizes and types available, and also teaches basket weaving techniques with icing. He’ll also show you how to practice beforehand so you don’t screw up your finished cake.
In this video:
How to use flower tips.
How to use leaf tips.
How to use star tips.
How to make flowers.
How to make pearls.
How to write with icing.
How to make feathers.
Basket weaving.
Special texhniques for fixing decorating mistakes.
And more!
Lesson 7: How To Decorate A Cake | How To Use a Piping Bag
There are many different sizes of piping bags available. Which one do you need and how do you use them? If you ever asked yourself those questions, you are in the right place. If you’ve never asked yourself those questions, why are you watching a video about piping bags, yah weirdo?
In this video:
How to use piping bags.
Which piping bags you need.
The best way to control the icing from the bag.
Attaching your tips.
What you should NEVER do with a piping bag.
And more!
Lesson 8: How To Decorate A Cake | Making Pearls, Letters, and Shapes
Following up his decorating tips overview, Steve takes you deeper into creating various shapes with icing. He will also teach you how to use a couple, which is a special adapter that fits over the end of your icing bag.
In this video:
What are couplers?
How to make drops.
How to “cheat” an outline so your writing and shapes looks amazing.
How to avoid peaks and why.
Easy freehand techniques.
And more!
Lesson 9: How To Decorate A Cake | Building The Cake
Ok, we’ve talked about icing and filling and decorating galore, now let’s get to the meat! Steve shows you how to cut and layer your cake to prep it for decorating. This simple short lesson isn’t complicated, but it’s an absolute must for those of you who are new to cake decorating.
In this video:
Using a pedestal.
How to cut the cake for layered presentation.
How to “glue” the cake together.
And more!
Lesson 10: How To Decorate A Cake | Butter Cream Icing
Everything is better with butter! Learn how to make the best butter cream icing from a guy whose middle name is actually butter!
(not really)
In this video:
The best butter to use in butter cream icing.
How to blend your sugar perfectly.
Getting the perfect mix.
Avoiding lumps in your icing.
And more!
Lesson 11: How To Decorate A Cake | Different Ways To Frost
Time to get frosty. Learn from Steve how to make your cake frosting look so good, people will think it came from the mythical land of Frostlandia.
In this video:
Easy frosting methods.
How to smooth the icing to perfection.
What to ALWAYS ABOID when frosting.
The frill technique.
The basket weave technique.
Using “spacers.”
And more!
Lesson 12: How To Decorate A Cake | Adding Imagery
There are a ton of different ways to add imagery to a cake, but Steve will show you an incredibly simple way to make beautiful images without EVER having to worry about ruining your cake. This simple trick will give you beautiful images, and you can make all of them BEFORE you put them on your cake!
In this video:
The secret, easy, and BEST way to make beautiful images for your cake, NO ARTISTIC SKILLS REQUIRES!
What…you need more than THAT???
Sheesh!
I mean, seriously!
Lesson 13: How To Decorate A Cake | Strawberry & Crumbs
In this short segment, Steve shows you how to add beautiful decorative touches to your cake using strawberries and crumbs. Mmm…crumbs.
In this video:
How to easily cut strawberry fans.
How to place the strawberries for beautiful effect.
How to make crumble.
How to add crumble as a fantastic but SUPER EASY decorative effect.
And more!
Lesson 14: How To Decorate A Cake | How To Make A Fondant Rose
Steve has a love/hate relationship with fondant. As he says, “I love to look at it…but I hate to eat it.” Nonetheless, we know a lot of you would like to learn how to work with it, and Steve has pushed his hatred down enough to show you how to use fondant perfectly and easily.
In this video:
How to pitch and roll fondant.
How to shape fondant easily.
How to build the base of your fondant rose.
How to decide what type/s of rose/s to make.
And more!
Lesson 15: How To Decorate A Cake | How To Make Margarita Cupcakes
We’ve spent a good bit of time on cakes, but Steve’s “specialty” is actually cupcakes…and they are amazing. In this big project video of our cake decorating course, Steve gives you the secret sauce behind his ultra-amazing MARGARITA CUPCAKES! You will pretty much win the dessert table with these….and maybe send Uncle Harold back to AA.
In this video:
The margarita cupcake!
How to give your sugar the perfect essence of lime.
How to give your cupcakes a perfect shade of green.
The full ingredients list and how to blend each perfectly.
Also…cupcake…margarita! MARGARITAAAAAAHHH!!!!
And more!
Lesson 16: How To Decorate A Cake | How To Fill Cupcakes
Continuing in our cupcake foray, this quick video of our cake decorating class features Steve showing you how to easily inject cupcakes with the filling of your choice.
In this video:
How to inject a cupcake.
Using injector tips.
Which specific injector tips to buy.
How to seal the cupcake back up with icing.
How to plate you cupcakes so they look pretty pretty!
And more!
Lesson 17: How To Decorate A Cake | Starting Your Baking Business
Running a baking business successfully is not easy. It takes careful planning and preparation. In this edition of our cake decorating series, Steve talks about what he’s learned running a baking business. These simple tips cover just about everything you should be thinking about if you want to venture into the business of baking.
In this video:
The step-by-step towards getting a storefront.
Do you even NEED a storefront?
Where to find your clientele.
Tips on running your business from home (The Cottage Food Act).
Permit and health code considerations.
The ultimate best location to find if you do go that route.
And more!
Lesson 18: How To Decorate A Cake | Reaching Your Customers
Steve touched on this a bit in Lesson 17, but in this lesson, he focuses entirely on how you can reach your customers if you decide to venture into the baking business.
In this video:
Farmers markets and other face-to-face techniques.
Using your passion as your marketing tool.
Teaching your customers about quality vs. mass-market.
Website suggestions and tips.
Social media strategies.
And more!
Lesson 19: How To Decorate A Cake | Top Cake Business Challenges
What were the main challenges Steve faced when starting his cake-making business? These are all very important things to consider if you are interesting in running your own baking empire, no matter how big or small.
In this video:
What a DBA is and how to get one.
Business accounts at your bank.
Health department considerations.
Permits permits permits.
Downsides of owning a business and how to manage them effectively.
And more!
Lesson 20: How To Decorate A Cake | How To Make Bundt Cake & Perfect Ganache
Ok, enough about business, we’re hungry. And we can say without exaggeration that Steve has an amazing bundt (it’s so round and moist and….wait). In this final lesson project, Steve walks through the steps of how to make the best bundt cake this side of Jupiter, and also shows you how to make perfect ganache to go on those little bundty bad boys.
In this video:
The simple and easy perfect way to make ganache.
Using double boilers.
Ingredients to use.
When and how to add your vanilla (very important!).
Tips to make the mix beautiful.
And more!
We hope you enjoyed this cake decorating course!
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The post How To Decorate A Cake | Cake Decorating Class appeared first on Homemade Recipes.