Frugal Cake Decorating Ideas

Reuse Cake Mix Bag For Decorating

When I make cupcakes from a cake mix, I always save the bag. I rinse the bag out, dry it, clip a corner and insert a decorating tip inside. It makes a perfect disposable frosting bag and these bags are super strong.

By norulesart from Sunny Florida

Making Roses for Decorated Cakes

I have decorated cakes for 30+ years and recently developed a way to make beautiful roses for wedding and specialty cakes by hand, using regular icing instead of fondant.

Make icing using a bag of powdered sugar, 1/2 cup Crisco (do not substitute!) and a very small amount of water (3-5 tablespoons). You want your icing to be thick--yet smooth, similar to modeling clay.

To form a rose, start with a ball of icing about the size of a dime in the palm of your hand. Flatten it thin, and roll lengthwise, jelly roll style. When finished lay on a flat surface, in an upright position to begin forming your rose.

For petals, use about the same amount, flatten this thin but not as thin as for the middle of the flower, in an oval shape. Pick up your middle and attach the petal to the middle section. This is like working with modeling clay and you simply mold the flower petals on, one by one.

After you have formed the flower to your liking, using your fingertips, roll the tops of the petals to make your flower realistic looking. If you aren't satisfied with the look, take apart and try again. The more you experiment, the easier it gets.

After these are made and placed on waxed paper, they can be air dried for several days or used straight on the iced cake. Since they have no flavoring in them they will not go bad before using them. I used this method on weddIng cakes recently with great results. Handmade roses for wedding cakes can cost up to $15.00 and you can form your own for less than $2.00 per batch.

Sharon from Ravenna, KY

Preserving the Tops of Frosted Cakes

Do you hate it when you have a lovely frosted cake and you don't know how to cover it without the frosting sticking to the foil or other covering? The little plastic "tripods" that come with your pizza are ideal when lightly placed atop the cake for gently lifting the foil or other covering from your frosted cake.

By Sandy G. from Stoughton, WI

Cake Decorations from Candy Molds

I recently used the Wilton Roses and and Buds candy mold to make decorations for cupcakes and a cake. Use candy melts in whatever color you want, or make your own color, form the small rosebuds and chill. These can be made ahead and placed on the iced cakes later.

On this particular mold there are 5 small buds that are ideal, about 1-1/2". This same principal can be used for other seasons too. There are four larger rose lolly pop molds on this mold also.

At times, after a holiday season stores will put the colored candy melts on clearance sale. I have purchased bags for 50 cents. They keep well in the fridge. I made cheap pumpkin lolly pops for a Halloween party.

Tip: The smaller decorations work better since you can slice through them when cutting a cake.

By Syd Barr

Thrifty Cake Decoration

Cut the front off of a birthday, Christmas, anniversary, etc. card place it on a frosted cake, and outline it with a pretty color tube of decorating gel.

B.