How to Decorate a Confirmation & Baptism Cake

A cross-shaped cake is ideal for a baptismal celebration.

A baptism is a religious rite of passage and ritual for some who believe a child or adult's life should be honored and purified. Many celebrate a confirmation with friends and family in a large party or small gathering. Often, a cake that incorporates crosses and other religious themes is present at the occasion. You can make a cake in the shape of a cross with a realistic wood-grain effect for adults or a white-frosted cake symbolic of an infant or small child.

Things You'll Need

• Cross-shaped cake pan
• Chocolate or white frosting
• 2 boxes of cake batter (any flavor)
• Angled or straight-blade spatula
• Decorating bag and coupler
• Fork
• Piping tip no. 20 and 2

Instructions

1. Purchase a cross-shaped cake pan at a cake-decorating supply store, a craft store or online retailer. Bake two cake mixes in the cross-shaped pan. Allow the cake to cool on a flat surface.

2. Ice a crumb coat. This is a thin layer of frosting that evens out the surface of the cake and catches any loose crumbs.

3. Frost the cake with white or chocolate-flavored icing using a spatula. The chocolate icing resembles wood-grain.

4. Use a fork to create lines on the side of the cake, if you use the chocolate frosting. Pull the fork gently, creating slightly wavy lines in the frosting that give the appearance of wood-grain. Continue until you cover the entire cake in the wood-grain pattern.

5. Fill an icing bag with colored frosting. Choose white, brown, blue, yellow or another complementary color. Place a number 2 writing tip into the coupler.

6. Write a message across the cross-shaped cake, such as "We Love You," "God Bless," or a Bible verse. Include the name of the person being baptized on the cake as well.

7. Replace the writing tip with a number 20 border tip. Pipe an edge around the top and bottom of the cross cake. Place keepsakes on the cake, including figurines of a baby, an angle or small cross. Place real or silk flowers around the cake.

Tips & Warnings

• Have your local bakery create an edible sugar image from a photo of the baptism celebrant if you would like to incorporate a picture on your cross cake.

• Practice writing with your icing bag before decorating the cake. Make sure you spell the person's name correctly.

References

• Wilton: Blessings Bestowed Cake
• Slice-Heaven: Instructions for Baking and Decorating Cross Cakes (PDF)
• Cakes You Can Bake: Christening Cake

Resources

• Wilton: Get Ideas For Delicious Baptism Cakes