I’ve learned a lot from other bakers since I started making cakes. We are like a cake family from all around the world and I am so grateful we are willing to help each other grow in this business! If you are not part of a cake group on Facebook, I highly recommend joining one! Or starting one in your own area if there isn’t one already. Seriously, it has improved my cakes more than culinary school. And that’s the truth!

I have decided to put together a series of posts sharing tips and tricks I have learned since I started my business 5 years ago. This is post one in that series.

One of my favorite tricks I’ve learned to improve my cakes is to steam it. Yup, STEAM it! You don’t want to steam it so much it starts melting, but just enough to bring some shine to the cake. I only recommend steaming fondant cakes or fondant decorations, not buttercream. It doesn’t really make a difference for buttercream cakes.

So, why steam?

When I work with fondant, I usually use cornstarch to prevent the fondant from sticking to the tabletop. However, the cornstarch usually leaves behind some white residue, especially on black cakes. Applying steam will erase all the cornstarch powder from the fondant and cleans everything up nicely. If you use petal dusts, steaming will set the color so it doesn’t rub off or smudge. I used petal dust for the flames on the topper and around the bottom tier of this cake. Steaming will also bring out the richness in dark colors of fondant and adds a beautiful shine.

Paying attention to details like this is what takes my cakes to the next level. I often get compliments on how neat and clean my work is. This is one of the reasons why!

How to steam a cake:

1. You’ll need to plug in the steamer and wait about 3 minutes for it to get hot. This is the one I use. Once the steam is blowing, it’s ready to use!
2. Set your finished cake on a turntable and slowly turn it as you apply steam. You’ll want to hold the steamer about 4-5 inches away from the cake. Make sure you don’t hold the steamer in one place for more than 5 seconds to avoid softening the fondant too much.
3. I usually make 2-3 passes, repeatedly touching the same areas with steam until everything is cleaned up and looking perfect.
4. Don’t touch the cake right away! The steam will make the cake moist and tacky. Touching it directly after steaming will leave fingerprints on the fondant. Just let the cake sit out for 20 minutes or so to dry. I usually photograph it at this point, so waiting for it to dry is not a problem.

Here is a side-by-side of a cake I did recently pre and post steaming.

I think it’s just enough to make the cake pop and adds a real “wow!” factor. It is so much more noticeable in person than in a photo. So, invest in a steamer, you’ll thank me later!

 

Here are a few more cakes and characters that received the steaming treatment before they went out the door.

 

Happy Caking!

 

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