Most cakes are decorated with a coating such as icing, whipped cream, buttercream or fondant, and the coating is often topped off with decorations like sprinkles, marzipan, chocolate or fruit. Which combination suits best depends on the occasion and how much time you have.
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Cake decoration is the finishing touch that turns a homemade cake into something special. It might be the classic Danish layer cake with whipped cream and paper flags for a children's birthday, or it might be a multi-tiered wedding cake with marzipan and figures. What they all have in common is that the decoration must both taste good and stay neat until the cake is cut for the guests.
In this guide you'll get an overview of the materials, the most commonly used techniques, and how to choose decorations that suit your particular occasion.
How to choose your cake decoration
Cake decoration is basically built up of two layers: a coating that covers the whole cake, and a decoration on top or around the edge. The coating can be soft and creamy, like whipped cream or buttercream, or firm and smooth, like icing or fondant. The decoration on top can be anything from a sprinkle of sugar strands to shaped figures in marzipan or modelling chocolate.
The choice often depends on how much time you have and which occasion the cake is celebrating. A quick everyday cake can make do with a dusting of icing sugar, while a wedding cake typically requires several layers of work and a stable structure so it can hold up through several tiers throughout the whole party.
The classic Danish layer cake
The traditional Danish birthday layer cake has an icing of icing sugar and water on top and whipped cream around the edge. It's often decorated with small layer cake candles and the Danish flag in the form of small paper flags, so the cake both looks festive and signals that there's something to celebrate.
For a children's birthday, a candle is usually placed for each year the birthday child is turning, and the child has to try to blow out all the candles in one breath. It's a little tradition that often matters more for the mood than the decoration itself.
The whipped cream that fills the edge is whipped from whipping cream, and in Denmark whipping cream is available with a fat content of 38 per cent. When the cream is whipped, the volume roughly doubles, so it's a good idea to allow a bit of extra space in the bowl when you whip it.
Tip: Whip the cream just before serving if the cake is to have whipped cream around the edge. The whipped cream stays at its best and prettiest when it doesn't sit around for too long before the guests arrive.
Materials for cake decoration
There are many different materials to decorate with, and each has its own strengths. Here's an overview of the most common ones.
| Decoration | What it is | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Whipped cream | Stiff foam whipped from cream with a high fat content | Edging on a classic layer cake and light filling |
| Icing | Sugar coating made of icing sugar and water, can be flavoured with, for example, orange juice or cocoa | Top of the layer cake and a simple, quick finish |
| Royal icing | White icing made from egg white or meringue powder and icing sugar, dries hard | Sharp edges, piped lettering and lace patterns |
| Sprinkles | Coloured sugar pieces, also as chopped chocolate | A quick sprinkle on top of icing or buttercream |
| Marzipan | Ground almonds and sugar, easy to shape and colour | Shaped fruits and flowers for decoration |
| Fondant | Sugar paste, rolled out into a smooth, matte covering | Smooth finish and shaped figures, stays soft |
| Buttercream | Soft butter whipped with icing sugar | Filling between layers as well as roses and figures, once it's cooled |
| Ganache | Melted chocolate mixed with cream | A glossy coating and filling with a chocolate flavour |
| Modelling chocolate | Melted chocolate mixed with syrup | Shaped figures for the top of the cake |
Please note that marzipan contains almonds, so there may be a risk of allergies for some guests.
Techniques for decorating the cake
There are several ways to achieve a beautiful cake, and you don't need to master them all to get a great result.
- Cover the whole cake and decorate afterwards with sugar, sweets, chocolate or icing decorations.
- Sprinkle a thin layer of icing sugar or cocoa over the cake for a simple, quick finish.
- Pour a glossy icing over the top, letting it run down the sides in an even layer.
- Use piping nozzles in different shapes and sizes for flowers, borders and lettering.
- Work on a turntable so you can more easily smooth the sides or pipe an even border.
- Press a pattern into the icing with an embossing mat if you want a textured look.
Airbrushing, where colour is applied in an even layer, also exists, but it's mostly used professionally and typically requires more equipment than most people have at home.
Naked cake and fresh fruit
A naked cake has filling between the layers, but the outside has no frosting or only a very thin layer, so the cake itself can be seen through the thin coating. The style became popular, especially around 2020, and it's still a great choice when you want a relaxed and natural look.
Naked cakes are often decorated with icing sugar dusted on top and fresh fruit, which is sometimes also tucked into the layers along with the filling. It's a handy idea when time is short, as you avoid having to smooth a perfect surface and can instead focus on stacking the layers and arranging the fruit neatly at the end.
Large cakes and multiple tiers
The bigger and taller the cake, the more important it becomes for the structure to be stable. Fondant is heavy, so a cake with a lot of fondant needs a stable base and often support rods to hold the weight.
Large cakes with several layers can be secured against slipping with wooden skewers or straws pushed down through the layers to hold them in place. This is especially important when the cake needs to be on display for a while or moved before it's cut for the guests.
A wedding cake is typically built up in several tiers, and the decoration can include marzipan, sugar glaze, whipped cream, chocolate and figures to suit the occasion. Here, it's the stability that allows the cake to carry both its own weight and the beautiful decoration.
Ideas for cake decoration by occasion
The cake decoration can be tailored to suit the occasion you're celebrating.
- For birthdays: layer cake candles, paper flags and a sprinkle of sprinkles give the classic, festive look that most people know and love.
- For weddings: several tiers, marzipan and figures to match the couple give the cake a lift that matches the rest of the celebration.
Once the cake is decorated and ready, the final touch is all about the presentation. A cake arranged on a cake stand that suits the style of the party really comes into its own. You can find cake stands in the shop that can create a lovely setting for the finished cake.
Find a cake stand that gives the finished cake a lovely setting.
See cake standsFrequently asked questions
What can you use to decorate a cake?
You can use whipped cream, icing, buttercream or fondant as a coating, and then decorate with sprinkles, marzipan, chocolate or fresh fruit on top.
How do you decorate a layer cake?
The classic Danish layer cake is decorated with an icing made of icing sugar and water on top and whipped cream around the edge, often finished off with layer cake candles and small paper flags.
What's the difference between icing and royal icing?
Ordinary icing is made from icing sugar and water and can be flavoured with, for example, orange juice or cocoa, while royal icing has egg white or meringue powder added and dries very hard, which makes it good for sharp edges and piped lettering.
What is fondant?
Fondant is a sugar paste that's rolled out and laid as a smooth, matte coating on the cake, and it stays soft after shaping, unlike other types of icing.
How do you make a naked cake?
You add filling between the layers as usual, but leave the outside almost bare or with a very thin layer, and finish off by decorating with icing sugar and fresh fruit.
How do you decorate a cake without a piping bag?
You can simply dust icing sugar or cocoa over the cake, pour a glossy glaze over the top, or use a texture mat to create a pattern on the surface.
Summary
Cake decoration is about choosing the right coating, whipped cream, icing, buttercream or fondant, and finishing with decorations such as sprinkles, marzipan or fresh fruit. The classic Danish layer cake sticks to icing, whipped cream, candles and paper flags, while naked cakes and large tiered cakes call for other techniques such as a stable structure and support rods. Choose your technique and decoration to suit the occasion, and finish with a cake stand that fits the celebration.
Read also
- Birthday decorations: ideas for table and party
- Table setting: How to set a beautiful table
- Trays and dishes: Function and decoration in one
- Christening decorations: table decor and styling that works
- Fastelavnsris: sådan pynter du det og sætter det i en vase
- Hvornår er det fastelavn i 2027? Dato, historie og skikke
Give the cake the right setting
When the cake decorations are all sorted, the last step is the serving. Take a look at the shop's range of dishes that can turn the finished cake into a centrepiece on the table.
Explore cake dishes