My cake decorating tools have been vital to creating cakes like a pro.

Having the proper tools can not only make the experience fun but can save you time.

The tools I have listed are ones I use and still have since the beginning of my cake journey.

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Suggestion: If you are more into making cupcakes rather than a whole cake, I recommend number six on the list. It’s a game-changer if you’re looking to enhance your cake decorating skills but unsure where to start. 

Some of the items on this list you may already have in your kitchen.

1. Cake Leveler and Serrated Knife

The cake leveler is used to level the tops of your cake layers so they are flat and even.  This will set the foundation of your finished cake. I prefer the leveler because it has a handle that helps keep my hand straight. 

A serrated knife or bread knife is similar to the leveler. The difference is that the serrated knife is suitable for carving cakes, unlike the cake leveler.

Cake Leveler

2. Turntable and Non-slip Mat

A turntable will give you the best range of motion when icing and decorating a cake.

The non-slip mat goes on top of the turntable and will ensure your cake will not slide while icing.
Find a turntable that is smooth when it spins.

I’m looking to upgrade mine soon because it makes a noise when it spins.

This Wilton turntable I use is linked below along with two other alternatives, all of which would be excellent for a beginning or someone looking to upgrade.

Wilton Plastic Turntable

Ateco Cast Iron Turntable

Ateco Aluminum Turntable

3. Cake Board and Cake Drum

A cake board is what the cake will sit on while you ice, decorate, and display it. They come in different colors, shapes and sizes.

A cake drum is a thicker, more decorative cake board that can complement the finished look of your cake. A cake drum is also used for heavier cakes like two-tier cakes or tall cakes and makes handling a heavy cake easier since it has a sturdy base. If you don’t use the correct board, your cake can shift during transport and, even worse, fall over.   

Tip: You can make your own cake drum by hot gluing 2-3 pieces of cake boards together, then covering them with decorative foil, or wrapping paper.

8 inch cake boards and other sizes

Cake drums

4. Offset Spatula

An offset spatula is used so you do not run your fingers into the cake while icing. It comes in small and large. I use both depending on the size of the cake. This is one of my favorite cake decorating tools.

Small

Large

5. Bench Scraper and Icing Smoother

A metal bench scraper is another one of my favorite tools. This multi-use tool is what will help smooth icing on the sides of your cake. I also like the bench scraper because I can pick up and move cakes with it.

There are different ways to smooth icing on a cake with different icing smoothers. These come in metal and plastic and offer various heights, designs and styles.     

Bench Scraper

Tall Icing Smoother

6. Piping Bags and Piping Tips

Using piping bags and tips changes everything when it comes to cake decorating. The piping tips come in different styles and shapes. The large tips are nice for piping rosettes, swirls, and many other designs.

If you don’t want to go through the process of making and decorating a whole cake, you have the option of making cupcakes which is quicker and you can practice piping techniques. I provide my American buttercream tutorial to help you get started and I’ll link my most used piping tips below.

Piping Bags

Piping Tips:

1M – star tip

8B – open star

1A – round tip

7. Small bowl

A small bowl helps catch unwanted frosting, reusable frosting, or cake bits while icing a cake. This is important because if you’re crumb coating a cake, you don’t want crumbs to go into your freshly made batch of frosting. Having a small bowl next to you while icing a cake will help prevent that.  

8. Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer

A stand mixer makes the process easier, and you can multi-task. I use a KitchenAid stand mixer to mix my ingredients when baking a cake and making frostings. A held mixer works too. The only thing is that it can take a little longer, and you must hold the mixer. 

KitchenAid Stand Mixer

KitchenAid Hand Mixer

9. Cake Pans

Find cake pans that are straight and at least two inches deep. I commonly use 6-inch or 8-inch cake pans and cupcake pans. Also, having multiple pans of the same size allows you to bake them together, which is excellent for layer cakes.

6 inch Pan

8 inch Pan

If you liked this post then you might like:

Cake Decorating Tutorials for Beginners

How to Make American Buttercream

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Tag me @heavenmycake or use the #heavenmycake so I can see you ‘Heaven’ your cake too!