If you have watched any baking and cake decorating shows on television or checked into any online tutorials or videos, you will see professional bakers using a range of specialized tools and equipment to create their amazing designs.
While it is possible to approximate those tools and equipment through those available at local kitchen stores, using professional grade equipment is much easier and will produce better results. A top company for the home baker to use is N.Y Cake, offering a range of wholesale professional baking and decorating supplies to the general public.
The Essential Turntable
One of the most important pieces of equipment in creating a uniform surface and design on any type of cake are professional turntables. These devices look like a pedestal stand, but they rotate to allow easy movement of the cake while holding the spatula, bench scraper or piping bag and tip steady.
There are also professional turntables that tilt, which allows easier and more direct access to the lower base of the cake for decorative edges and design elements. This allows the decorator to see the cake from eye level and without looking down on specific design components. The result is a more even and balanced application of the icing or decorative elements that are harder to achieve with a standard turntable.
Applying the Frosting
Applying a thin layer of frosting to the outsides of the cake using professional turntables is a simple way to prevent crumbs from being an issue in the visible layer of frosting.
Once this coating is applied, the frosting can be added in a thicker layer using a bench scraper steady and rotating the turntable with an even speed. The rotation will be counterclockwise if you are right-handed and clockwise if you are left-handed.
By using this method, the exterior of the sides of the cake can be uniformly smooth as well as uniform in thickness of frosting, which is the ideal base for further decorations and design elements.
