Ever been pressed for time or are in charge of the dessert table for the next book club meeting or Mom’s Meet Up? No need to stress yourself with attempting to hire a baker or picking up one of those “uncoordinated” store-bought cakes. I have listed a few EASY tips on how to revamp your store bought plain cake. Takes only a few minutes but leaves a lasting impression.
GOLD LEAF & FLOWERS
You can purchase edible gold leaf through your local bakery supply store or gold flakes in the bakery section of the grocery store. It can be kind of pricey but I only used 1 1/1/2″ x 1 1/2″ sheet to decorate.
Using a stiff brush (toothbrush or paint brush). I selected certain areas around the cake I wanted to make a little more interesting. Perhaps there are “dents” on the cake you need to cover up…gold leaf it. Be careful as this item can take flight EASILY with a heavy breath. Work your way around the top of the cake until you think it works.
Lastly, add clean picked flowers around the base of the cake. Be sure you already have the buds trimmed. Be careful to not consume non edible flowers but use these as only decoration. Voila! This cake is perfect for a bridal brunch, milestone birthday, or Kentucky derby party.
Fresh Fruit and Whipped Cream
There isn’t a specific fruit you have to pick, long as it contrasts well with the store-bought angel food cake. Using the whipped cream as “glue” place your fresh cut fruit (I used strawberries and blueberries) on top of the cake and around the base. Create a pattern if you like or just throw it all on there.
Be warned, this is for the very last minute as your whipped cream will start to melt if it’s too warm. This type of cake is great during the fall/winter holidays. What fruits will you top with?
Cotton Candy
Anyone that knows me, knows that cotton candy is a staple around here. Always using Twirl Cotton Candy for most of my sweet needs is perfection. I love how the different colors and flavors of the cotton candy add dimension and texture to the cake.
As a fun (but messy) trick – Adding rum or vodka (a few drops to not disintegrate the cotton candy) and setting on fire gives a little element of surprises and this type of cake would be perfect for a birthday…no candles needed.
FAUX FONDANT
Another easy cake tip is using store-bought icing (in the tub container). You will need to microwave the icing (approximately 20- 30 seconds) – so that it is warm NOT hot. You should be able to easily stir a spoon around the container for a very smooth consistency. Allow it to set for one minute to firm up a little, you don’t want it to be too runny on your cake. You can then begin to pour the icing over the cake. Either covering the entire cake or giving it a dripping off the sides effect, either can be done. If you want to change the icing colors, you can also pick up some food coloring (gel if they have it) and drop one or two drops into the icing after warming it up.
Hope you were able to grab a few ideas and create your very own cake hack. Be sure to save this pin for later when it’s time to create your own cake. For more recipes be sure you are following my pinterest HERE.
