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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I never thought about practicing cake decorating on a washable foam dummy. This is a great idea and would allow me to better master my cake decorating skills.
My grandmother was an expert cake decorator with lovely sugar molds I remember. The foam dummies would be good for me since I can’t have the gluten with real cake anyway.
(How to Practice Cake Decoration Without Baking) Wow! this sure looks like it would be a lot of fun. I would like to learn all about cake decorating.
What a great idea! It would be truly cool to be able to decorate a cake like they do in the bakeries!
This is such a great idea. I have always loved looking at the beautiful work some people put into decorating a cake. I think it is so artistic and creative. I have always wanted to learn how they do it and now I know a way that I can practice thanks for sharing and have a great weekend.
I usually practice on a plastic cutting board and then rinse it off when I am done. Great ideas!!
I never thought of this! Cake decorating is an art. Many books and classes are devoted to it. They have elaborate scenes and designs or even props for cakes now. This makes sense since I know that people often use foam wedding cakes for looks but have sheet cakes in the back for eating (cheaper and just as tasty) but I hadn’t thought about using those foam cakes to practice the decorating on. Great idea!
Practice sure does make perfect…but not always. I never have been able to master cake decorating. Way back in the day I worked for a bakery and one of the perks was getting to make whatever my heart desired. In the bakery they used just an upside down cake pan to practice on. Genius, but I like the foam idea better.