How to Decorate a Cake for My 9-Year-Old
You only turn 9 once, but a memorable cake brings out the wow factor for a birthday party. Parents know that kids change preferences all the time, but you need a theme and flavor to get started with your cake. Picking out the theme is just one part of cake decorating. After baking the cake layers, you also need supplies and all the toppings to go with your design. The cake mix in a box helps you with making the initial cakes, but the choice for flavor, frosting, cake toppers and sugary additions is up to you and your 9-year-old. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Cake mix
- Cake pans
- Measuring cups
- Eggs
- Flour
- Icing
- Icing bag
- Icing bag tips
- Fondant
- Cake toppers
- Spatula
- Knife
- Rolling pin
- Confectioners' sugar
- Food coloring
Instructions
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Finding Cake Themes
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Write down ideas about what your son or daughter likes to pick out a theme for the cake. Inspiration comes from hobbies, television shows, favorite movies, favorite places and favorite toys. For instance, if your daughter loves princesses, a cake with a sugar tiara creates a regal look.
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Match themes by colors and flavors. Pick out a few colors from your kid's room and favorite clothes, or even ask the source for your kid's opinion on the best color. Decide what flavors your kid loves best. Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry are go-to favorites, but also think about toppings such as coconut, blueberry or cinnamon. Do a taste test at a bakery with your child to pick out favorites.
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Visit online galleries of cakes and birthday recipes to get some more ideas. Disney's Family Fun has a categorized list of birthday cakes, from animals and dinosaurs to princesses and sports. Cakes and Kids also provides recipes for homemade cakes and tips. Cakes by Sam, Inc. has a full gallery with designs of guitar and banana cakes.
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Talk to a cake decorator at the grocer or local bakery. Even if browsing their selections, talk to the baker about how to use icing bags, tips, fondant and best sprinkle brands.
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Purchase your cake mix and decorating tools. Boxed cake mix is available at the grocery store in all flavors, so remember what your child liked from the taste test. You may need an icing bag and tips, which help squeeze out icing in special designs on top of cakes. Fondant, sprinkles, food coloring and candles are other decorating tools you need to complete your cake.
Cake Decorating 101
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Start by baking your cake according to the directions on the box. Prepare to use multiple pans or a fun pan in the shape of a guitar or dinosaur, for example, if you choose a more creative theme for your 9-year-old.
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Add a layer of buttercream icing to the cakes in preparation for cake topping, if planning to decorate with rolled fondant, which is a type of sugary, edible cake icing with the consistency of clay. If not planning to use fondant, then ice with your chosen flavor.
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Prepare fondant by kneading into a soft consistency on a flat work surface. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar onto the mat and fondant, then flatten with a rolling pin. Roll out the fondant to the size of your cake. Lift the fondant with the rolling pin and position it onto your cake at the center. Press the fondant to the cake, and smooth any bubbles, beginning at the middle of the cake top, then proceeding to the edges. Cut off any excess with a knife.
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9
Hold the icing bag at 45 degrees, working slowly to create designs with icing. Typical tips come in round, writing, closed or open star and rose, but you will find many selections in craft and baking supply stores. Writing tips create thin lines, which is best to spell out phrases such as "Happy 9th Birthday!" Stars create fluffy, angled edges and dots. A flower tips helps create "drop flowers."
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Add edible sugar add-ons, like an assorted shell kit or edible cake toppers. These designs span from Barbie to animals in edible sugary shapes. Once you buy the toppers, simply place them in the center of the top cake piece or arrange as needed for the design.
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References
Resources
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