How to Decorate Chocolate Cakes

These are chocolate curls.

A chocolate cake can serve as delightful treat at the end of a meal or a pleasant afternoon interlude when you want something sweet. Make any chocolate cake even more special with fanciful and whimsical garnishes. Choose foods that are both delicious and look pretty when paired against a dark chocolate background.

Things You'll Need

• Chocolate
• Butter
• Metal baking pan
• Spatula
• 1 cup almonds
• Fondant
• Ribbon
• 1 lb. fruit
• 1 cup wine
• 2 tsp. sugar
• Powdered sugar
• Paper lace doily

Instructions

1. Make chocolate curls. Chocolate curls are bits of folded up chocolate that resemble hair curls. Chop a bar of chocolate into small pieces, and put the pieces in a glass bowl. Add 1 tsp. butter for every 2 oz. chocolate. Place the glass bowl in a pan filled with an inch of water. Heat the water over an open flame. Gently stir the chocolate until it is entirely melted. Let cool for about 30 seconds. Pour the chocolate over a metal baking pan until it forms a thin layer. Let stand until it is cool. Use a metal spatula to push underneath the chocolate at a 45-degree angle. This will create a chocolate curl you can use to garnish a cake.

2. Toast a cup of almonds in an oven for 2 or 3 minutes to bring out the best flavor. Chop into small slivers. Ice the cake with chocolate frosting. Top the icing with the chopped almond pieces.

3. Create a fondant topping. Fondant is rolled icing that can be turned into any shape you like. Roll out a layer of fondant on top of the cake until it is entirely covered. Place a decorative ribbon around the bottom of the cake to complete the look.

4. Top the cake with fruit marinated in alcohol. Cut up a pound of ripe peaches, strawberries or pitted cherries into large chunks. Place the fruit chunks in a mixture of 1 cup wine and 2 tsp. sugar. Let sit for at least an hour. Chop up the fruit into smaller pieces. Spread across the cake with a spatula.

5. Use powdered sugar to make a lacy pattern. Powdered sugar can create a dramatic look when used against a dark background. Place a paper doily on top of the cake. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Gently lift up the doily to reveal a pattern underneath. Gently blow on the top of the cake to push away sugar that has accumulated excessively in one spot.

References

• Wilton: Covering Cakes With Rolled Fondant

Resources

• Read this Article in Portuguese