How to Decorate a Cake with Strawberries

Source: wikiHow

1. 1 Allow the cake to cool completely if you just baked it. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes first, then take it out of the pan. Allow it to finish cooling on a wire rack. How long this takes depends on the thickness of the cake as well as the temperature in the kitchen.
   Новости СМИ2
   It can take 15 to 60 minutes.^[1]
   • If you wish to slice the cake so that you can fill it, do so after you remove it from the pan. A sliced cake will cool a lot faster!

2. 

   2 Spread frosting onto the first layer if you’re making a layered cake. Scoop your desired buttercream frosting onto the first layer, then spread it around with a cake decorating spatula. Make the frosting layer between ¹⁄₄ and ¹⁄₂ in (0.64 and 1.27 cm) thick.

   • If you bought a pre-baked sponge cake, slice it in half or into thirds first.

3. 

   3 Add your desired fillings, then set the second layer on top. Jam and sliced strawberries work especially well for this, but you can also try other fillings, such as custard, a mixture of different berries, or mousse.

   • Spread the filling as close to the edges of the cake as possible.
   • For a richer cake, apply buttercream to the underside of the second layer, then sandwich sliced strawberries between the 2 layers.
   • Press down on the second layer hard enough so that it sticks to the filling, but not so hard that the filling oozes out.

4. 

   4 Apply the frosting to the top and sides of the cake. Scoop a thick layer of frosting on top of the cake, then smooth it out with a cake decorating spatula. Next, scoop more frosting onto the sides of the cake, and smooth them out as well.^[2]

   • Run a cake decorating comb around the sides of the cake to give it more texture. The comb looks like a rectangle with teeth cut into 1 side.
5. 5 Refrigerate the cake to set the frosting. While the frosting is setting, get started on preparing the strawberries. By the time you are done washing, hulling, and slicing the strawberries, the frosting will be ready.^[3]
   • There is no specific amount of time that the frosting should set. You just want it to be firm enough so that it can hold the strawberries.

1. 

   1 Wash and hull the strawberries, then cut them into thin, vertical slices. Choose nice, cone-shaped strawberries, and rinse them with cool water. Pat them dry with a towel, then cut off the leafy green parts. Slice the strawberries vertically, from pointy tip to flat bottom with a sharp knife.^[4]

2. 

   2 Make a ring of strawberries on top of the cake with the points facing out. Set the strawberries down side-by-side on top of the cake. You can place them so that the point touch the edges of the cake, or you can place them closer to the middle of the cake.^[5]

   • If you leave space between the strawberries and the edge of the cake, you’ll be able to pipe buttercream scallops.

3. 

   3 Make another ring of strawberries inside the first one, overlapping it. How much you overlap the strawberries by depends what sort of design you want. The more you overlap the strawberries by, the more the ends will stick out. The less you overlap them by, the flatter the design will be.^[6]

   • If you overlap the strawberries by more than halfway, the points will stick up and create a rose-like design in the end.
   • Make sure that the ends of the strawberries are pointing towards the edges of the cake too.

4. 

   4 Make more overlapping strawberry rings until you reach the center. Leave enough room for a whole strawberry in the middle. For a more unique design, overlap each ring of strawberries more and more the closer you get to the center. This will make it look more like a rose.^[7]

5. 

   5 Place a final strawberry in the center of the cake. Insert the strawberry with the point sticking up for a rosebud design.^[8] Alternatively, cut the strawberry into a rose first, then set it into the middle.

6. 

   6 Heat 1 cup (325 g) of preserves, then pour it over the strawberries. Measure 1 cup (325 g) of preserves into a small saucepan, then set it on the stove. Heat them over medium heat for a few minutes until they are smooth and liquidy, then pour them over the strawberries.^[9]

   • The heated preserves will make the strawberries look glossy and help them stay fresh longer.
   • Raspberry, strawberry, or apricot preserves will all work great for this. If you have any heated preserves left, discard them or use them in another recipe.
   • If you left space between the strawberries and the edges of the cake, pipe buttercream scallops around the cake. Do this after you pour the preserves.

1. 

   1 Wash a large, cone-shaped strawberry, then cut the leaves off. Choose a large strawberry with straight sides that taper into a point; it should look like a cone when viewed from all sides. Rinse the strawberry, pat it dry, then slice the green leaves off.^[10]

   • Don’t use warped, blob-shaped strawberries. They won’t make very good roses.
   • Don’t hull the strawberry by driving a straw through it. You need the point intact.

2. 

   2 Make a cut into the side of strawberry, ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) from the base. Set the strawberry on a flat surface with the cut side facing down. Use a sharp knife to slice straight down into the side of the strawberry, stopping ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) from the base.^[11]

   • The width of the cut will vary from strawberry to strawberry. It will happen naturally based on the way it’s curving.
   • Start the cut about a third to half of the way up the side of the strawberry.
   • Make the cut horizontal and parallel to the cutting board.

3. 

   3 Cut 3 to 4 more slices around the base to…

Click here to read more

The post How to Decorate a Cake with Strawberries appeared first on FeedBox.