Improving your cake decorating isn’t about one magic trick, it’s about evolving your approach. Looking back at my own cakes from 2019 to now, the difference is clear: smoother frosting, cleaner stencils, and blended ombrés that actually graduate. Progress comes with intention. Here are ten focused ways to make your cakes better this year.
1. Practice with Purpose
Every cake you make is a chance to improve. Don’t just bake, choose a skill to focus on. Whether it’s smoothing frosting, piping cleaner stripes, or mastering a new stencil, use every gathering or occasion as your canvas. With each attempt, you’ll see those distinct bands of color soften and your technique tighten.
2. Experiment with Your Methods
Repeating the same process will give you the same results. Change one variable and see what happens. Instead of multiple piping bags for an ombré, layer colors in one bag. Pipe flowers onto parchment paper first, freeze them, then place only the best onto your cake. Try carving buttercream with a tool dipped in warm water for cleaner edges. Small tweaks create entirely new designs.
3. Prioritize Smooth Frosting
This is the foundation of nearly every great cake. It’s worth your full attention until you’re truly happy with the finish. Two hacks can help: first, microwave a third of your buttercream for 10 seconds, stir it back in for a silky, bubble-free consistency. Second, warm a metal cake comb with hot water or a hairdryer (not too hot) and glide it around the cake to fill indents and create a flawless surface.
4. Master Buttercream Consistency
The right texture changes everything. Use room-temperature butter to see the true consistency. When peaks hold stiffly, it’s perfect for piping. Add a little milk until peaks droop softly, that’s your frosting consistency. Temperature dictates behavior, so start with butter that’s neither cold nor melted.
5. Expand Your Piping Tip Collection
That 1M tip is a great start, but it’s only the beginning. Try a 2D for wavy ruffles, or a 4B for tighter, detailed borders. Even the same technique with a different tip, like switching from a #199 to a #32 star tip, can transform the effect. Size matters, too: a smaller tip adds subtle detail, a larger one makes a bold statement.
6. Upgrade Your Presentation
How you present a cake shapes how it’s perceived. Invest in simple cake boxes. They’re inexpensive bought in bulk and instantly make your work look professional. Use the same size cake board for all your cakes so they fit snugly inside. For tall or tiered cakes, make diagonal slits on opposite sides of the box lid to raise it neatly without compromising the look.
7. Space Patterns Precisely
For evenly spaced designs, trace your cake pan onto paper and cut out the circle. Fold it into halves or thirds, using the outer edge to gauge your sections. Once your frosting is set, place the paper guide on top and use the creases or toothpicks inserted beneath them as perfect guidelines for piping lines, dots, or waves.
8. Achieve Whiter Whites
Buttercream often carries a yellow tint. To make it truly white, beat your butter for several minutes before adding sugar to lighten it. Then, introduce the smallest amount of violet gel color, dip a toothpick into the bottle rather than squeezing. This cancels out the yellow without risking purple buttercream. The difference is striking.
Improving your cake decorating isn’t about one magic trick, it’s about evolving your approach. Looking back at my own cakes from 2019 to now, the difference is clear: smoother frosting, cleaner stencils, and blended ombrés that actually graduate. Progress comes with intention. Here are ten focused ways to make your cakes better this year.
9. Document Your Progress
As your cakes improve, your photos should, too. The simplest upgrade is to control your focus. Use portrait mode on your phone and tap to adjust the background blur, or on a camera, play with the f-stop. A sharp cake against a soft background draws the eye straight to your work.
10. Invest in Focused Learning
Finally, give yourself structured space to grow. Whether through dedicated tutorials on specific skills or exploring a broader membership with courses on baking, frosting, piping, photography, or social media deepen your knowledge where it matters most to you.
Your journey in cake decorating is a series of small, intentional choices. Here’s to a year of delicious, beautiful progress.