AY Honors/Cake Decorating/Answer Key

1. List equipment necessary for cake decorating.

Decorating bags

Small triangular shaped bags made from cloth, plastic or parchment paper which are fitted with decorating tips and filled with icing and used to pipe decorative items such as icing flowers, borders, scrollwork and lacework designs.

Decorating tips and collars

Sometimes called nozzles. These tips are used to create decorative items such as icing roses, shell borders, basketweave patterns and more. These come in various shapes and are used with an icing or pastry bag so that when the bag is squeezed the icing or cream is piped out in the shape of the tip, which may or may not be the final shape desired. For example, drop flowers are created with a single squeeze, while rose petals are created with skilled maneuvering. The collars are optional equipment that allow the tip to be changed without removing frosting from the bag.

Frosting spatula

Similar to a butter knife, but with smooth edges on the unsharpened blade. This is used to apply a smooth layer of frosting to a cake.

Flower nail

Shaped like a nail with an oversized head, this is used for piping royal icing and buttercream flowers onto before transferring to the cake.

Cake platter

A platter on which the cake sits as it is decorated and served. It can be as simple as a piece of corrugated cardboard covered with aluminum foil.

2. Learn from memory the two cake icings-butter cream and royal-and their proper uses. Name one other icing used for frosting.

Butter Cream Icing
Ingredients	Procedure
125 ml Butter, softened 125 ml Shortening 1000 ml Confectioner's sugar 5 ml Vanilla extract 30 ml Milk or cream Food coloring (Put mouse over calculator to get English measurements)	Soften the butter by leaving it out of the refrigerator for a few hours before you need it. Place the butter and shortening in a mixing bowl and cream it with a mixer. Add the sugar, one cup at a time, beating it in as you go. Add the vanilla extract and milk and continue mixing. For a white frosting, substitute more shortening for the butter (that is, use 250 ml shortening, and no butter). For a tastier icing, substitute butter for shortening. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to use, or seal in an airtight container and refrigerate (it will keep for up to two weeks). Add food coloring as desired and mix it in thoroughly.

Royal Icing

Royal Icing
Ingredients	Procedure
1000 ml Confectioner's sugar 45 ml Meringue powder 2.5 ml Vanilla extract 1000 ml Confectioner's sugar 125-180 ml Warm water Food coloring (Put mouse over calculator to get English measurements)	Combine the confectioner's sugar and the meringue powder in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer. Add the water, vanilla extract, and food coloring and beat on medium to high speed until the icing forms stiff peaks (5-7 minutes). Adjust the consistency by adding either more confectioner's sugar or more water. Use immediately, or cover in an airtight container and refrigerate. Royal icing hardens when exposed to air.