Easy Technique to Decorate with Royal Icing

You may not be familiar with using Royal Icing to decorate the entire cake, but here in Trinidad & Tobago we use Royal Icing to decorate the cake and not only for the details, in fact the Buttercream frosting is not that popular. And I will tell you why... in this weather, the buttercream frosting will melt almost in not time. I am telling yo from experience, while the Royal Icing will last on the cake perfect.

In my last assignment in the Cake Decoration Class was to decorate a 8", 2 tier cake with filling. I was looking in my mind for an easy way to decorate the cake, but good looking and fresh. We usually cover the cake with the icing, then do borders, and put some flowers on top or that kind of things, I was looking for something more edgy.

I created this design using a tip No. 2D, 3 cups of royal icing medium consistency. I used a dark pink color for the icing, (you will appreciate more in the slice cake below), of course a pastry bag. This tip does not require to use a coupler.

Technique: 

1.COVER ONLY THE TOP of the cake with icing (use a lot) to avoid problems with the crumbs. The trick to kipping crumbs out of your icing is gliding your spatula on the icing , and do not allow  to touch the surface of the cake. Put the icing on the center of the cake and spread across the top, pushing towar the edges. Then smooth sides by holding the spatula upright with the edge against to the sides, slowly spining the turntable without lifting the spatula from the cake surface. Return excess icing to the bowl. - Decorating Cakes, Wilton

2. PREPARE THE BAG: Use the pastry bag without a coupler, cut 3/4 inch off the end of the bag, then drop the tip (2D) in, narrow end first. Note: the icing will hold the tip in place. Load the bag with icing.

3. DOING THE SIDES: Using the bag at 6:00 pm. With the tip on the top border of the cake. Apply pression to the bag (medium) and pipe down moving your hand in a zig-zag motion while you are descending . Stop applying pressure when you reach the base of the cake.

You can make this design with Buttercream too!!