12 easy and impressive cake decorating ideas

Whether you’re a brilliant baker or new to the kitchen, turn your simple baking recipes into sparkling centrepieces with these irresistible cake decorating ideas. From a gravity-defying showstopper to a decadent drizzle cake, these top tips will inspire you next time you’re mixing up your favourite cake recipes.

Try the anti-gravity cake

Make the ultimate statement with a glorious gravity-defying cake. This showstopper features delicious sweets pouring over the top and cascading down the sides. Learn how to recreate this impressive anti-gravity cake decoration using our easy step-by-step guide.

No-fuss chocolate cake decoration

Make an easy chocolate sponge cake look super fancy with pre-prepared chocolate cake decorations. Use malted chocolate bites after icing, adding the sweet treats in layers, making sure there are no gaps. Ta-dah!

Design your own drip cake

No-one will be able to resist a cake with sticky-sweet caramel dripping down the sides, and as this kind of presentation is naturally quite messy, it's an easy decorating technique to try. Buy a ready-made caramel sauce for your first drip cake, like on this popcorn cake, then try making your own as on this chocolate salted caramel bundt cake. For a flavour twist, this classic coffee and walnut cake has a bitter-sweet coffee caramel drizzle, or you can even go vegan with these pretty dairy-free caramel cupcakes.

Meringues make an easy and impressive topping

Another option where you can opt for shop-bought or homemade, is to decorate your cakes with mini meringues. Not only do they look gorgeous, but they add height and texture with a crisp shell to balance mounds of rich and creamy frosting. We love them as part the classic flavour combinations in this Eton mess cake and these cute lemon meringue cupcakes. For more American inspiration, try piping your own to top this chocolatey s'mores cake.

Try a naked cake

If you’re wondering how to decorate a naked cake, we’ve got you covered. Show off the beautiful layers of your cake by leaving the sides 'naked' for an effortlessly elegant finish. This is particularly effective with colourful fillings such as in this raspberry and rose cake, or the layers of this hazelnut and chocolate cake. A thin layer of icing such as on this carrot cake gives a lovely crumb effect, too.

Craft candied fruit decorations

When candied or crystalised, zingy slices of lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit become sticky and sweet, meaning the whole fruit can be eaten and they will last a lot longer than when fresh.

Make your own candied fruit decorations, like the sugar-crusted lime slices on this classic gin and tonic cake or with sticky, caramelised oranges on this stunning Negroni stripe cake or orange and almond cake.

Curl your own chocolate shavings

A classic for a reason, using chocolate shavings as cake decoration brings a touch of sophistication to the simplest of bakes. Run a large knife over the flat side of a chocolate bar to create long shards or use a vegetable peeler to peel off short curls down the edge. They look gorgeous decorating these mini chiffon cakes or as an all-over topping for this raspberry marble cake.

Decorate...on the inside!

Decorations don't have to just be on the outside of your next cake creation. Using colourful designs on the inside will wow guests when the cake is cut into, for example the plain white icing of this rainbow cake hides the vibrant, multi-coloured layers of sponge underneath. Kids will love the hidden 'carrots' within this chocolate carrot cake or the pile of sweets that tumble out of the cake filling in this colourful Piñata cake.

Pile up the pancakes

If you don’t have the time to bake a cake and want to do something spectacular, try faking it by generously icing a stack of pancakes. This easy pancake layer cake is a delicious and impressive option, try a birthday cake pancake stack with rainbow sprinkles for a super special occasion or even a lemon drizzle pancake stack for the lemon and sugar-lovers at the party.

Give it a mirror glaze

Give the mirror glaze trend a go with this easy mirror-glazed cheesecake recipe. Try with a readymade cheesecake to start, then once you've mastered the glossy icing, you can try on homemade cakes and bakes as well.

Decorate with fresh fruit

Let fruity cakes sing with a bountiful display of fresh produce. Although these won't keep as well as some other decorations, they are great for occasion cakes to feed a crowd. In summer, try this Pimm's layer cake which is topped and filled with juicy strawberries, refreshing cucumber and fragrant mint, while the tropical flavours of this vegan celebration cake are highlighted with a topping of beautiful mango slices and shaved coconut.

Perfect your piping technique

Piping cakes is easier than you think, once you’ve learned the basic piping techniques you’ll be a dab hand at decorating. Piping buttercream or frosting onto your cakes instantly gives them a professional finish, so get practicing with your piping bag for the perfect swirl. A wide star-shaped nozzle will give a gorgeous, ridged effect, as on these vegan salted caramel cupcakes, while a plain nozzle will give a more delicate swirl, like on these cute bee cupcakes.