The Lace Hack For Easy, Yet Impressive, Cake Decorations

Ever find yourself stressing over pulling together the perfect dessert to enjoy with company or a quiet cup of tea? We have all been there. Decorating a cake for any occasion can be super intimidating, but it does not have to be. In fact, there are several hacks to help basic bakers create elegant cake designs without any formal training — like this simple one that only requires a spoon and bag and will leave your cake with a beautifully textured design. But maybe you want something that has an intricate design but does not require manipulating frosting. No problem; there is an easy tip that only needs a piece of lace and powdered sugar.

Now, lace is not one of the more typical baking essentials, such as a mixing bowl or a rolling pin, but it is easy to find in the average household. You can use a clean piece of lace from a clothing item or a decorative doily, or even a piece of thick, lace ribbon for this trick. Ready to bring your homemade cake to the next level? In just a few minutes and with no strenuous technique, you can transform any ordinary cake into a stylish masterpiece with this lace hack. 

Once you have your cake, lace, and powdered sugar, you are ready to start decorating. The hack works best on an unfrosted, dry cake, but it can also be used on a cake that has been lightly frosted.

First, gently place the lace on the portion of the cake you want to decorate. It can be on the top or the sides of the cake. Then, lightly cover the lace portion with powdered sugar using a sieve or by carefully pouring it out of a bowl or spoon. Once the lace is fully covered, lift it gently off the cake using two hands. The most challenging part of the cake design is removing the lace as the powdered sugar can be easily moved during the process. When removing the lace, make sure to place each hand on opposite sides of the lace and lift in a single movement.

Once complete, you will be left with a cake that has been imprinted with the delicate and intricate design of the lace. When choosing the lace, you want to pick one that has several holes and designs as that will indicate how detailed the final result will be.

Once you have perfected the lace decorating hack on your cakes, how do you upgrade it? The simplest way to get new results is to alternate between lace patterns. This will make each cake look different. You can also experiment with different-sized cakes, laces, lace placement, and even a variety of baked goods. Try the hack on a cupcake, a batch of brownies, or a sweet quick bread.

But to completely transform the look, use food coloring to dye your powdered sugar and make the designs colorful. With this hack, you can use multiple colors on a single cake or stick with one primary color. Dying powdered sugar may be intimidating since adding too much water can transform the powdery texture into liquid icing, but it is truly a simple process.

By using a food processor or bowl, combine food coloring and powdered sugar until mixed evenly. Start by only adding a drop or two of the food coloring to the powdered sugar to avoid altering the texture. If you add too much food coloring, you can always add more sugar. If the powdered sugar becomes damp, you can get it back dry it by baking it in the oven at low heat — about 200 degrees Fahrenheit — for a few minutes. Once the colored powdered sugar is made, it can be used as in the same way as the regular powdered sugar to transform a plain cake into a gorgeous art piece.