Baking Decorations

Bold, generous decorating looks impressive. Don’t be afraid to layer decorations, pile them up and go all in. Bigger decorations work especially well for this kind of rich look—such as whole berries and loose candies. Cookies and meringues are also a perfect match for baked treats.

Feel free to combine different elements, both large and small. When you add plenty of whole berries or candies on top of a cake, the result looks full and inviting. Smaller baking decorations like sprinkles and flakes pair nicely alongside candies, berries and cookies.

How you place decorations makes a big difference to how a baked good looks. One stand-out approach is to decorate asymmetrically—decorate only one side of the cake and leave the other side empty. The blank space highlights the decoration and makes it pop. You can also create an interesting look by decorating one side with candies and the other side with sprinkles or sugar beads.

Another useful idea is to place decorations around the edges of the cake. For example, larger decorations can form a nice “crown” around the top. Decorating the edges also ensures that every slice includes some decoration, so everyone gets to taste the candy topping.

If you’re sprinkling nonpareils or sprinkles on top of a cake, do it shortly before serving—otherwise they may melt into the surface. Pie toppings, on the other hand, are often based on powdered sugar and set firmly enough that you can add nonpareils and sprinkles right away.

When decorating cakes, roulades, pies and pastries, it’s worth using your imagination. There’s no single “right” way to decorate, so let your creativity run wild. Nature is full of elements that work as decorations, and candy and cookie aisles are treasure chests for decorators too.

Kärkkäinen’s online store has an interesting and wide selection of baking decorations, cookies and sweets. It’s worth browsing through the categories and adding the elements that catch your eye to your cart.