History of Cake Decorating

The history of cake decorating is fairly new compared to that of baking a cake, which has been around since the times of ancient Egyptians. Cake decorating, while only around a couple of centuries, has a detailed history and its evolution is quite interesting.

The Beginning of Cake Decorating

The history of cake decorating, along with the appearance of cake pans, began in the Northeastern part of Europe around the 1650’s. Almost immediately the idea and art of cake decorating spread and became very popular among the wealthy European aristocrats who used the fancy arrangements more as a display at feasts and dances than as food for their guests.

Symbolism and Importance

Although cake itself was created as a food and used by everyone for celebrating, it did not have any symbolic meaning until the concept of cake decorating came about, which also gave cake such an important status that it was then offered as its own, separate course, today known as dessert.

The history of cake decorating first became symbolic through the shaping of cakes into real objects, such as grain and birds, which stood for freedom and fertility. Wedding cakes were iced in white to represent the purity of the man but more so the woman, while tiered cakes signified prosperity. In other aspects of life, the tiers symbolized not only prosperity but the hierarchy of the English kingdom.

In France, cake decorating became such an important part of the culinary world that cakes were now given their own course as a dessert served after the meal. This pronounced popularity made them a staple at every banquet and celebration held by the Europeans, rich or poor.

Advancements in Cake Decorating

During the 1840s, there was advancement in the history of cake decorating due to the invention of the temperature controlled oven. The oven brought convenience to cake baking and allowed chefs to create even more culinary masterpieces. These additional cakes called for elaborate decor such as rolled fondant with detailed borders that were designed using the English method of piping.

Wilton Cake Decorating

Very early in the 20th century, Wilton Enterprises, which is still a big name in the culinary world, decided to offer classes to caterers, chefs, and others interested in baking on how to decorate cakes. The class taught students how to:

• Make icing
• Use different design tips
• Create pompom flowers and leaves
• Write on a cake
• Apply dimensional decorating
• Use piping gel
• Form a ribbon rose

Students were also privy to the guidelines for basic cake design and methods for decorating their cake, both of which are still used today.

A huge success, the cake decorating classes led to the Wilton Method as a culinary staple and to the production of a line of decorating tools.

Lambeth Cake Decorating

Joseph Lambeth, a competitor of Wilton’s, waited several years after the cake decorating school was founded to publish his book on cake décor. The book entitled The Lambeth Method of Cake Decoration and Practical Pastries quickly became popular with culinary artists, sugar crafters, and food lovers. It presented step-by-step instructions, photos, and intricate drawings to inform cake decorators about how the Lambeth Method was designed.

The International Cake Exploration Society

In the last 300 years the history of cake decorating has grown so important and widespread that in 1976, an organization was created in Michigan to honor and celebrate this appetizing art. The International Cake Exploration Society, otherwise known as ICES, currently has over 4000 members worldwide that teach or create over-the-top cake décor. A hall of fame even exists to honor cake decorators who have made a significant contribution in this particular area of the culinary arts.