Cake Decorating Basics: Fundamentals Series

Skill level: Newb

Every great cake decorator starts out as a newb. But where do you learn all the tricks and secrets needed to become a successful cake wizard?

It can be difficult to find a comprehensive quality education on the basics, so we decided to create our own. Welcome to the Cake Decorating Basics series: Fundamentals.

This series will teach you all the basics, from making airless buttercream, to fixing blowouts, and paneling fondant on a tricky double barrel cake. After completing this series, you will have the basic skills needed to move on to more complicated projects.

2:26:25 Minutes of Instruction over 17 tutorials

  1. Cake Tool Review

    Cake Tool Review

    Skill level: Newb

    These are the tools that I use all the time for perfectly my flawless cakes. Some of these you might already know about but I can't leave anything out because these are the things I WISH someone told me to get when I was starting out!

  2. Airless Buttercream Tutorial

    Airless Space Buttercream

    Skill level: Newb

    How to get smooth, bubble free buttercream every time! Adapt this technique for any type of buttercream or ganache!

  3. Leveling and Torting a Cake

    Leveling and Torting a Cake

    Skill level: Newb

    A good cake starts with good cake preparation! This video goes over how to level your cakes, trim them and torte them so that you get nice clean and professional looking cakes that looks beautiful when sliced!

  4. Filling and Crumbcoating a Cake

    Filling and Crumbcoating a Cake

    Skill level: Newb

    The crumbcoat is one of the most important steps to getting a flawless finish on your cake. This tutorial goes over how to properly crumbcoat your cakes.

  5. Avoiding Blowouts

    Skill level: Newb

    Ever made a perfect cake only to see a few minutes later or maybe a few hours a HUGE bubble on the side! DON'T PANIC! These are called blowouts and they can be avoided! This video will show you how!

  6. Final Coat of Buttercream

    The Final Coat of Buttercream

    Skill level: Newb

    How to get that flawless coat of buttercream with smooth sides and no bubbles!

  7. Upside Down Method

    The Upside-Down Method

    Skill level: Newb

    The upside-down method is a great way to get razor-sharp edges on your buttercream cakes. Learning this method will speed up your caking process.

  8. Working with Small Cakes

    The Secret to Small Cakes

    Skill level: Newb

    Those small cakes can be slippery little devils! Here are some tips to stacking and icing with ease.

  9. Covering a Cake in Fondant

    Covering a Cake in Fondant

    Skill level: Newb

    This tutorial will show you the tips and tricks needed to get a flawless fondant finish on your cakes.

  10. Sharp Edges with Fondant

    Sharp Fondant Edges

    Skill level: Newb

    Fondant is a great way to get a clean, flawless finish on your cakes, but it's not exactly the best way to get sharp edges. This tutorial will show you some tips and tricks that will get you sharp edges with fondant.

  11. Easy Double Barrel Cake

    Easy Double Barrel Cake

    Skill level: Newb

    The double barrel or extended tier is two cakes that are the same size, stacked on top of each other and covered as one. This is a stunning look for cakes and very elegant! I show you a fool proof way of making a double barrel.

  12. Paneling a cake in fondant

    Paneling a Cake in Fondant

    Skill level: Newb

    Covering flawlessly in fondant can be tricky or maybe you're covering a very tall cake! Paneling is a great way to cover cakes to get that sharp edge. Especially useful for double barrels, tall cakes and square cakes.

  13. stacking cakes

    How to Stack Cakes

    Skill level: Newb

    Now that you've got all the skills needed to MAKE cakes, how do you STACK them? This tutorial covers all the secrets on how to properly stack your cake tiers into a beautiful, elegant wedding cake.

  14. All About Cake Boards

    All About Cake Boards

    Skill level: Newb

    Learn how to create beautiful cake boards, which boards you shouldn't use for professional cakes, and how to add feet and finish the edge for a clean look.

  15. Boxing cakes for delivery

    Boxing Cakes for Delivery

    Skill level: Newb

    Learn how to make boxes used to transport delicate cakes from the bakery to the event location.

  16. Cake Delivery Kit

    Cake Delivery Kit

    Skill level: Newb

    Okay, you're learned how to make a cake and deliver it, but what happens if something goes wrong? That's what my "Oh SHOOT" kit is for! I bring this cake delivery kit with me to every event and you should too!

  17. how to cut wedding cakes

    How to Cut a Cake

    Skill level: Newb

    Usually a cake decorator is not the one serving the cake at an event but you might have to explain how to cut a massive cake to a caterer.