Been wanting to cake decorate like a pro but not sure what you need? Well here is a list of all the cake decorating tools you’ll need to be a pro. I frequently use all of these items when I am baking and decorating cakes.
Below you will find all the products I use in my cake making and decorating.
The following items are links to Amazon products. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
1. Mixing
Kitchenaid Mixer– First off is the big one, the mixer. This is an investment that keeps on giving for a baker. I think most bakers remember getting their first mixer, I know I do. This mixer is a classic that you can’t go wrong with. It of course has many other uses than just baking.
Stainless steel paddle attachment- Once the KitchenAid mixer is good and worn in you may want to upgrade your paddle attachment to one of these. The coating on the included paddle sometimes starts to chip and we do not want that in our baked goods.
Firm silicone spatulas- Another necessity in the mixing stage is lots of spatulas. They’re always incredibly useful. I much prefer a firm spatula. Some are flimsy on the ends and that’s very unhelpful.
Sifter– Many recipes require sifting, mainly buttercreams, so a sifter is a cake making essential. A sifter with a comfortable handle and lip to be able to rest over a bowl is a must.
Kitchen scale– I resisted purchasing one for a long time but for an avid baker it’s an absolute must. Many recipes call for them because it is a much more accurate way to measure ingredients.
Stainless steel measuring spoons and cups– Along with a kitchen scale you’ll of course want measuring devices. In my early baking experience I always had inexpensive plastic measuring devices but the problem with those is the measuring units always wash off. A nice set of will last forever.
Nesting stainless steel bowls with lids– Occasionally extra bowls are needed for measuring and setting aside.
2. Baking
You can’t bake cakes without pans. Many bakers have a slew of different sizes and shapes. I’ll include pans I own and use below. Im going to put them in order based on how frequently I used them.
6 inch cake pans – these are the pans used for almost all the cakes you see on my social media. They make a taller skinnier cake.
8 inch cake pans– I use these occasionally when I want a cake to be larger or more homey. These cakes are more reminiscent of the cakes our moms made when we were younger. Many bakers use this size if they are stacking a tiered cake, think wedding style.
4 inch cake pans– These are used sometimes for stacking a tier cake but I love to make bento cakes with these. They make a fun single serving cake.
Square cake pan– I use this pan as a small, one layer cake pan. It’s a great option for days when you want to throw together a cake that isn’t too involved to make a day extra special. For example this Valentines day cake.
Rectangle 9 x 13 cake pan– I’ve used these as a way to have a large cake with lots of servings that are easy to cut. For example a kids birthday party.
6 inch heart shaped cake pans– Im new to these heart cake pans but they are seriously so fun. They are one of my favorites now.
Cooling racks– Are a must to set your cakes on after they’ve baked.
Oven mitts– These oven mitts have proved to be nice and durable.
Oven thermometer– This may seem redundant because doesn’t your oven do that for you? Many ovens are super off on their temperatures. Mine is often off by 20 degrees. Oven thermometers are for serious bakers.
3. Decorating
Decorating is definitely the most fun part of making cakes if you ask me. I’m often asked which tools I use so I’ll do my best to link what I use below.
Cake Turntable– I’ve had this cake turntable since 2020 and it has been wonderful. You don’t have to have a sleek stainless steel one, they’re nice to have but a plastic one works just as well, especially for beginners. This package of items is the one I started out with.
Offset Spatula– is important for spreading buttercream during the decorating process.
Bench scraper– the one I use is not sold anymore but any bench scraper that has squared edges works well.
Gel color kit– a gel color kit is a great place to start if the goal is to make fun and brightly colored cakes. This is the first kit I ever got for myself and as I ran out of colors I purchased larger bottles of color. These kits are great because you can mix them and create other colors.
Piping tips– this is a multipack of some of the most commonly used tips. This includes the tips most decorators like to use to make borders on the tops and bottoms of cakes, as well as make other details with.
Piping bags– You’ll frequently use these with your piping tips to decorate.
Flower piping tips– These are the flower piping tips I use most and am frequently asked about.
Cake boards– are an important part of cake decorating. It’s what you secure the cake to to be able to move it in and out of the refrigerator while working on it. I prefer to use a cake board that is 1 size bigger than my cake.
Acrylic cake boards– I also use this acrylic cake board set for my content cakes or for cakes that we will be serving at home sometimes.
4. Packaging
After you’ve made your cakes it’s nice to be able to package them up nicely and take them with you. Im not a professional that sells cakes but I so frequently like to gift my cakes to others. Here are items I’ve used for those purposes.
Wilton cake boxes– I’ve used these boxes for my 8 inch cakes as well as my 6 inch cakes. Sometimes the cake is taller than the lid if the lid is resting all the way down, that’s ok you can put the lid on, hold it to the height you need and tape it. Ive never had a problem doing it this way.
Bento box– these are technically called burger boxes but they’re the perfect sized box for 4 inch bento cakes. You line them with cute food safe parchment before putting the cake in.
Wax paper liners– I use these liners for bento cakes and in other cookie boxes as well. It keeps the baked good off the cardboard and looks nice as well.
I do hope this list is helpful for those looking to get started making and decorating cakes. It took me a long time before I invested in the tools needed to make cakes like this. Once I made my first cake with the correct tools I was hooked and have been making cakes ever since.
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