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Cake decorating can be simple and easy or a complicated art form requiring air brush equipment and blow torches. If you're interested in the latter, I suggest you enroll in a cake baking course at your local community college or cooking school. However, if you're like me and just want to make a cake a little prettier without power tools, here are some ideas.

Start with a layer or sheet cake iced with simple white icing and try some of the following:

Dip a toothpick in food coloring and make little lines that crisscross cross for a subtle design.

Crush peppermint or other hard candies (I do this in my food processor, but you can also do it with a hammer and a piece of cloth). Sprinkle the candy bits over the cake.

In summer decorate with fresh mint leaves, or flowers: Daisies, Nasturtiums, Violets, Rose petals, Chamomile blossoms, Pansies,
Hollyhock, Hibiscus or even Dandelions. There are many more edible flowers listed online. I grow lemon mint in my garden and use it to garnish lemon cake in the spring and summer. Pick the newest leaves at the end of the stem. Wait until the last minute to place the leaves or flowers on the cake. Rose buds are beautiful on a cake and actually quite tasty!

Use a paper lace doily as a stencil. Lay on top of the cake and sift cocoa powder on a white cake, or confectioner's sugar on a dark frosting.

You can make other stencils by tracing a design on wax paper or parchment.

Color part of the frosting and swirl it with the white frosting to make a pretty design.

Color your frosting with food color to match your garnishes or contrast with them.

Use berries (strawberries cut in half are beautiful on a pink or white cake), or fresh raspberries or even blueberries.

Quarter a lemon, lime or orange and make thin slices and place them on the frosting in a pleasing design or around the edge so each piece has a slice of fruit on it.

Maraschino cherries are always fast and easy and pretty too.

My Mom always decorated her chocolate cakes with chocolate frosting and a pinwheel design of pecan halves. You can also use slivered almonds or walnuts. Grind nuts in a food processor and sprinkle on the top of the cake and between the layers of a layer cake.

Dip a toothpick into food coloring and mix it into sugar for colored sugar sprinkles.

All of these are quick and easy and perfect for that last minute cake for the bake sale or unexpected company.

Learn more about this author, Pat Merewether.
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