How to Practice Cake Decoration Without Baking

What started as the cookbook in your grandmother’s kitchen has become hundreds of magazines, reality shows, and entire networks on television. Cooking – and baking in particular – is big business and more popular than ever. With the ability to have control over what actually goes into your food, as well as the creativity it allows, it’s easy to see why.

While everyone loves a cookie, and pies will always be classic, cakes are the star of the show as of late, being treated more like culinary architecture than something sweet at the end of a meal. And as cakes get taller and more elaborate, so too do the decorations that adorn them.

But like anything else, “practice makes perfect” when it comes to decorating cake. So while your friends and family likely won’t be too upset “disposing” of the remains of test-cakes, constantly baking cake can become time consuming, expensive, and wasteful.

There’s a solution to this issue though, great for people who want to try out a new frosting method, test a new idea, or even showcase a design while serving the real thing. Foam cake dummies, made from closed-cell polystyrene foam, are the perfect substitute for baked batter, giving you a reusable template that lets you practice and test frosting and decoration styles, able to be washed right off within minutes. No baking required!

These non-absorbent forms can be cut into any shape or size, making them popular at weddings where the dummy can be showcased without being cut into while the good stuff is served to guests. Whether you’re a professional or a hobbyist, cake dummies are a great way to take a delicious next step in the world of baking.

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