Step Up Your Cake Decorating Game With These Must-Haves, According To A Pro Baker

It's hard to make a cake that tastes bad, as long as you use the right ingredients and follow the instructions. Even if you're using a boxed mix. After all, when you combine eggs, flour, and sugar, magic things happen. But when it comes to how a cake looks, "homemade" is often code for "hot mess," and hilarious Pinterest fails abound. From icing colors that merge together into a muddy brown mess to toppings that sink underneath the frosting rather than staying afloat, we probably all have a story about a time when we should have just opted for a store-bought cake, rather than trying to be the next Nigella Lawson.

But you don't have to be a pro to decorate beautiful cakes – although sure, some cake decorating classes aren't a terrible idea, if you're so inclined. An easier way to make an immediate improvement, though, is to upgrade the items you have in your cake-baking arsenal. In an interview with Mashed, Sarah Wais, assistant culinary specialist at Wilton, explained how the right equipment can make all the difference.

The easiest way to instantly improve your cake is to brighten things up, Wais said. "If you're getting into decorating your baked goods and want to take it to the next level, change up the colors! A small set of food coloring can create tons of different colors," she explained. "We recommend gel icing colors since they're more concentrated and will not affect the consistency of your icing the way liquid colors will." Pair these with a basic set of decorating tips. "A versatile set of tips can be used for so many designs such as writing, detail work, dots, cupcake swirls, shell borders, and flower," she explained. "A little piping can go a long way to step up your baking game." 

And don't forget to grab yourself some disposable piping bags, Wais added, which are "great for icing, meringues, pastry, and piping," she noted. "Use the 12-inch bag for general piping and border work and the 16-inch bag for icing a cake or piping airy meringues. The best part is, you can throw them away when you're done for easy clean-up!" Finally, make sure you're giving yourself enough room to move, Wais said. "A turntable is nice to have on hand if you're thinking of getting into cake decorating," she said. "This handy tool will help elevate your cake and makes it easier to decorate every inch with ease."