Do you find yourself drawn to beautifully designed cakes? Does that perfect confection in the bakery store window make you stop in your tracks every time? Do you daydream of being able to create such beautifully put-together cakes in your very own kitchen? But maybe you feel like cake decorating is too difficult. If so, then you will definitely want to read on. It is time to put away your fears and find your way to the pastry and sugar arts.

The Intimidation Factor – Why So Many Find Cake Decorating Intimidating

Why do so many people find cake decorating intimidating? Take one look at a confectionary masterpiece and it becomes clear why cake decorating can seem like one of those impossibly difficult skills. And it is true: cake decorating is no, as they say, piece of cake. But if you find yourself drawn to this impossibly beautiful sugar art, then there is no reason why you should not give it a go. In fact, remember that cake decoration is a step-by-step endeavor. As long as you take it slow and have some fun, there is no reason why you cannot put together a beautiful and stunning dessert.

The Truth – All Confectionary Efforts Do Not Go Unnoticed

Even if you think that your every attempt at cake decorating is a disaster, there is a good chance that this is quite an exaggeration. In fact, the truth is that no one will probably notice the flaws in your confectionary design expect for you. No one will notice that the cake is slightly uneven, that the borders are wobbly, or that the writing is not perfection. These are things that are almost always only detected by their creator. So next time you put together a culinary treat for friends and families, watch their faces as they delight in your creation. The only one noticing the flaw in the design will be you.

Just Remember: Cake Decorators Get to Eat Their Mistakes

What is one of the greatest things about being a novice cake decorator? Is it the joy of learning the essentials of cake design? Is it smearing on that first spoonful of icing on your first cake? No, the best part is eating your way through your mistakes. Of course, hopefully you will not encounter too many mistakes on your way to creating a beautiful dessert, but it certainly bears keeping that attitude at the forefront of your mind as you work. Always remember that you can eat your mistakes. A disaster in the kitchen is really not much of a disaster.

Getting the Proper Tools to Become a Cake Decorating Master

In order to have the best cake decorating experience, and the most fun in the kitchen, you will want to get together all the proper tools for cake decoration. The best tools to get together for cake decoration will include flat and offset spatulas, which you will be using for icing your cake. You will want a cake leveler. If you are new to cake decorating, you may not be that familiar with a cake leveler. A cake leveler is a metal frame with a thin piece of wire that is stretched between two opposite posts. The cake leveler is used to lice neatly the layers of the cake. A cake leveler is also used to slice off the dome of the rounded top of the cake. Other important cake decorating tools that you will want to keep in your arsenal include metal decorating tips, pastry bags, novelty tips and a plastic turntable to keep you cake turning for easier decorating.

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What could be more fun than decorating a wedding cake? Weddings are those big special occasions for which a fancy and pretty cake was invented. If you are an avid cake decorator, you will definitely want to make sure that you decorate a wedding cake someday. There are so many different ways to decorate a wedding cake that you can truly let your imagine roam freely as you decorate to your heart’s content.

Getting Ideas for Wedding Cake Decoration

One of the best parts of decorating a wedding cake is the gathering of ideas. There are so many different ways to go with wedding cake decoration. There are many fine books and magazines that you can consult in order to get ideas about cake decoration. Although it can be a lot of fun to look for wedding cake decoration ideas, you will find that it can sometimes be a little daunting, especially if you are on a time deadline of some kind. The best thing is to take your time with finding the perfect wedding cake decoration. That way, you can choose a design that is well suited to your tastes and that you know you can handle.

Experiment With Different Wedding Cake Design Options

Sometimes you are not sure that something will work until you try it. This is especially the cake with wedding cake decoration. What may look pretty in a professional photograph, and what may seem like a good idea in your head, may turn out completely different when you actually try it. Give yourself the time and space to make sure that you can explore and experiment with different wedding cake design options.

Stock Up On Your Wedding Cake Decorating Supplies

Decorating a wedding cake is no simple task. Before you get started with decorating the wedding cake you will be working on, make certain that you have all the decorating supplies that you need on hand. One of the biggest things that can go wrong when you are working on decorating a wedding cake is that you run out of supplies midway through, or you realize that you are missing a key tool. Although it can sound easy enough to have all of your wedding cake decorations on hand, you will find that there are a lot of smaller wedding cake decorating supplies that are very easy to misplace. So make sure that you have every single cap and pastry bag and paper cone and icing and filling and confectionary that you need to complete your proposed wedding cake design seamlessly. Always double check your wedding cake design notes and ideas to make sure that you will be able to pull off the design.

Do You Have the Right Kind of Wedding Cake Accessories?

Another important consideration that can be easy to overlook is to make sure that you have all the right kind of wedding cake accessories. You will probably want a special wedding cake table or stand. You will want to make sure that you have the right kind of table so that the wedding cake can act as a centerpiece. You will also probably need a special platter or foundation to work on the cake decoration that you can easily move onto a table. You will want to make sure that you are working on a solid, smooth surface that you can also move easily so that you can transfer the wedding cake to its table or stand without problem.

Practice is Key to Wedding Cake Decoration

The only way to make sure that you can create a stunning wedding cake decoration is to practice. There is simply no substitution for acquiring the steady hand that only comes from many hours of practice. You may want to practice with smaller cakes. And you can even practice on plastic cakes. You can order a cake decorating practice kit that lets you practice on plastic.

If you have any wedding cake decorating tips, please post them below.

If you know anything about cake decoration, you know that fondant in cake decoration is scary to a lot of folks. Why is fondant so scary? Fondant is a type of icing that can be very tricky to work with, but many amateur and professional pastry chefs brave the rough fondant waters in order to seek the beautiful rewards of their culinary bravery: fondant can result in a gorgeous, satiny finish that is hard to beat by any measure. Here are some tips for braving the fondant waters.

Why Fondant May Seem Like a Challenge

Fondant is not only difficult to work with; it can also be a little costly. If you decide to purchase pre-made fondant, you will find that the costs of this beautiful icing can add up. There are a handful of cake decoration companies that specialize in making and selling pre-made fondant. As of late, you can purchase fondant for roughly $6 per pound. Although initially this may not seem like much, it can add up, especially if you are baking a medium-sized or large cake. A pound of fondant will only realistically cover a two-layer 8-inch cake. So if you are planning on making a 3-layer cake, you will need to order more fondant. However, the worst thing about this pre-made fondant icing is not the cost, but the taste. In order to get the most out of fondant, you will want to make it fresh. The pre-made, pre-rolled fondant simply does not compare in taste and texture to the fresh stuff. In fact, most pre-made or pre-rolled fondant is simply peeled off of the cake since the texture is not always that appetizing.

Rule # 1 – Have Fun with the Fondant

If there is one thing that you should know when you are working with fondant, and when you are working on cake decoration in general, is that you should really try to relax and have fun. It can often be difficult to relax and have fun while baking and cake decorating, since sometimes these activities are linked to high-pressure events such as big birthday parties, anniversary parties and weddings. But remember that stressing out or striving for constant perfection will not necessarily result in the perfect cake. In fact, not being able to relax and enjoy the experience of baking a cake and cake decoration in general will usually only tend to impair your ability to produce a beautiful end result.

Remember that Perfection is Not Your Ultimate Goal

It may help slightly to relieve the stress of baking and decorating a cake to realize that there is no such thing as the perfect cake. True, when you look at the cakes on display at the bakery or at the glossy portfolios of bakers and wedding cake designers, it may seem like there is such a thing as a perfect end result. But as any professional cake designer and pastry chef can tell you, there really is no such thing as a perfect cake. All great bakers and chefs understand this, and that is why they correct their errors as they go.

Basic Tips and Hints for Dealing with Fondant

Here are some tips for working with fondant. Although fondant can be notoriously difficult to work with, and all fondant dough and recipes will vary slight, these tips are presented in order to give you an overall sense of what you should expect from working with fondant. You will want to make sure that your hands and fingers are pliable and greased when you work with many fondant dough. You will need to knead the dough as you would regular bread dough, even though this may not seem natural at first.

If you have any fondant tips, pleas leave them in the comments.

Are you new to the world of cake decorating and you are afraid of making mistakes? Cake decorating is one of those things that many people are afraid to try for fear that they will make a mistake. The truth is that cake decorating can be a lot more fun if you are expecting to make mistakes, and if you are prepared to resolve any mistakes that may come your way. Here are some easy ways to cover your tracks in case something does go awry in the kitchen or on the decorating table.

Crumb Control – How to Keep Crumbs From Ruining Your Cake Decoration

Let us say that you have all of your special decorating tools out and you are getting ready to put the decorative touches on your cake. Everything is going fine until it comes time to decorate and you realize that you have a lot of crumbs on your hand. What happens when those pesky crumbs begin to get mixed up with your icing? This can literally ruin the way that your cake looks. Fortunately, there are few tips and techniques that you can use in order to solve the crumb control problem.

Use the Crumb Coat to Keep Things Under Control

One easy way to keep crumbs under control is to begin your cake decoration by applying a single crumb coat. What is a crumb coat? A crumb coat is an easy way to combat the problem of crumbs. The crumb coat is exactly what it sounds like—a thinner layer of icing that you apply to the cake. You can thin down your regular icing in order to create a specific crumb coat. You can use many liquids that are already at your disposal in order to create a crumb coat. For instance, you can use water or milk to thin down the cake icing. You have to thin down your icing just enough so that it remains stiff enough to be applied, but you don’t want it to be too thick.

Let the Crumb Coat Set Before Proceeding

It is very important that you let the crumb coat set before you move on to further wedding cake decoration. An easy way to set the crumb coat is to put the cake in the refrigerator and let it set there. You can let it set for at least an hour, but it is best to let it set overnight. The longer you let the crumb coat set, the best chance you have that the crumbs will essentially become glued to the cake. Once the crumb coat has been fully set, you are ready to proceed with the rest of the cake decoration.

How to Deal With Ugly Cake Bulges

Yes, cakes can take on their own set of ugly bulges. It is often the case that novice cake decorators fill the cake layers, but then find that the filling is bulging at the side of the cake. Fortunately, there are many different ways to take care of this minor decorating problem. One easy way to take care of cake bulges is to avoid them altogether. You can avoid cake bulges by baking the cake well in advance of decorating it. This will give the cake time to settle. Cakes that have been freshly baked are considerably unstable and simply won’t hold in their filling as well as previously baked cakes.

Use the Dam Technique to Avoid Cake Bulges

Another easy way to take care of the cake bulge problem is to create a dam using your icing. It is a common problem for layered cakes to bulge from an overflowing of filling. Use piped icing to create a kind of dam. This will keep your filling from bulging.

If you have discovered away to prevent or solve a cake decorating mistake, please add them to the comments.

Are you thinking of dabbling in cake developing but you are not sure how to get started? Do you dream of putting together dream cakes for friends and families—beautiful cakes and pastries that you can show off with pride? If this sounds like something you might be interested in, you will find that there are many fine cake decorating resources that are now available. There are books and magazines currently flooding the market that are aimed at novice and advanced cake decorators alike. But if you are just getting started in cake decorating, you will want to make sure that you have stocked your kitchen with the right cake decorating tools.

Spatulas- when it comes to cake decorating, you will not want to be in short supply spatulas. At the very least, you will want to make sure that you have both a flat and an offset spatula.

Cake Leveler – A cake leveler is a funny-looking device that is fun to use once you realize what it is for. A cake leveler is used to lop off any uneven parts of your cake. You can use the cake leveler to cut off the dome of a rounded cake, for instance. A cake leveler, so you can spot it at the kitchen supply store, is an instrument with a metal frame with an attached thin wire stretched between two opposite posts.

Metal Decorating Tips – Here is where the fun starts. There are so many metal decorating tips, there are probably too many to count. Make it easy on yourself and buy one of those beginner metal decorating tips that come with all the basic tips, including round tips numbers 3 and 12, rose 104 tip, the leaf 352 tip, and the two basic star tips (16 and 21).

Various decorating bags – These are the cornerstone tools of any good cake decorator. You can choose from the featherweight reusable plastic decorating bags. You can choose from paper triangle bags that are made from parchment paper. You can create your own paper cone bags, or you can choose a plastic piping bag. Keep a few in your collection that you can experiment with.

Flower Nails – One of the pleasures of cake decorating tools is that you get to use fun and original tools with names like flower “nails.” These are special picks that can be used to carve out flowers, especially roses, out of icing.

A Plastic Turntable – What is a cake decorator to do without a plastic turntable? A plastic turntable makes it easier to decorate a round cake. You can turn your cake easily while you work.

Cake insulators – This refers to insulated strips of cloth that are used to wrap around the cake pan. They are used to bake the cake and to prevent the browning of the cake’s sides.

Different paste colors – Paste colors are used to change the color of your icing. It can be a lot of fun to work with paste colors. These usually come in pots of thick dye. These are preferable over any kind of food dye because they won’t dilute the consistency of the icing that you are working with.

Glassine or paper dollies. These can be used successfully for being placed on top of the cake round. They give off a pretty and polished look to the finished product.

Paintbrushes – Kitchen and cake decorating paintbrushes can be very helpful and a lot of fun to work with. You can use cake decorating paintbrushes that are used for bag striping methods.

Toothpicks – Always keep toothpicks on hand to fix mistakes and test consistencies.

Are there any tools that you use that aren’t highlighted on this list? If so, please add them to the comments.

Use Stencils and Borders to Liven Up Any Cake

Do you have a cake that you would love to liven up, but you aren’t sure how? Would you like to learn more about cake decorating, but you find it intimidating? Cake decorating can indeed seem intimidating. With its elaborate borders and turrets, fancy script and ornate scrollwork, cake decoration can seem like a difficult art to the novice. But it need not be that way at all. The simple truth is that there are many simple ways to liven up any cake. And in many cases, less can definitely be more.

Using Stencils to Make Your Cake a Unique Creation

What is one of the easiest ways to liven up any cake in a flash? Stencils are fun to use cake decoration accessories that can transform a dreary cake into something truly memorable in just a few minutes time. Stencils come in a variety of shapes and sizes and themes and can be used on just about any kind of cake. Where can you find stencils? Stencils can be purchased at any place that is well stocked in kitchen or baking supplies, including supermarkets, craft stores and kitchen supply stores. What should you look for in a stencil? There are many types of stencils out there. Look for stencils that appear sturdy, and which say that they will not absorb grease.

Tips for Using Stencils Effectively

Although there is no right or wrong way to use stencils, there are many tricks and tips for achieving the right kind of effect on your cake. First, always make sure that you let the frosting and icing dry to the touch before you apply any kind of stencil. Once the frosting and icing has been allowed to settle, spray the top of the stencils’ surface with cooking spray. That way, you won’t get sprinkled sugars sticking to the stencil. Also, the stencil will not stick to the cake or fall back onto it when the stencil is lifted. Place your stencil gently onto the center of your cake (or wherever you want the design to go), and then sprinkle colored sugar very evenly over the openings. You can also use powdered cocoa or powdered sugar, or any other concoction that you can come up with. Or you can simply use icing to fill in the stencil openings. Finally, gently lift the stencil, making sure not to smear any borders or frosting.

Add Festive Borders to Your Cake

Another easy way to liven up your cake is to add some festive borders. This is a very basic way to effectively bring life to an otherwise drab cake. There are three very basic borders that can help you liven up your cake.

Making a Star Border for Your Cake

First, you can use the popular number 21 star tip. Use a zigzag motion along the edge of your cake to create a great-looking star border.

Making a Pretty Shell Border

You can also use the star tip in order to make a classic shell border. To make the shell border, touch the star tip to the cake surface and squeeze gently. Then lift the tip a little and let the short loop of the icing roll down. Then you want to bring the tip down at an angle in order to form the “tail” of the shell. Repeat this pattern until you have a row of connected shells.

Making a Ruffle Border

Another very pretty and lively border is known as the ruffle border. There are two different border tips that can do this job effectively—the number 70 leaf tip, and the number 104 rose tip.

If you have any tips to share, leave them in the comments.

Do you have a passion for cake decorating? Do you astound friends, neighbors and coworkers with your amazing and unique cake decorating techniques and creations? Do you dream of turning your cake decorating passion into a viable business? If so, you will want to check out these tips on getting started with your very own cake decorating business.

Do You Have Your Own Personal Style?

When it comes to considering the viability of your cake decorating business, you will want to examine your situation closely. Do you have your own personal style? What is unique about your cake decorating and products? What can you offer customers who may be tempted to go to a more established bakery or their local grocery store? In short, before you get started and begin to invest your time and money, sit down and consider exactly what it is that you can offer potential customers.

Making Your Cake Decorating Business Stand Out

In order to become successful in the cake decorating business, you will have to be able to sell your business as the best in its field. Every successful business will want to establish itself as the best in its field. You will want to be able to offer your customers the best kind of product possible. After you figure out exactly what you can offer your customers that is unique and enticing, you will want to develop this selling point to your potential customers. Can you offer your potential customers a unique product, and if so, how can you articulate this to them? This is an important marketing consideration that can make all the difference once you are getting ready to try to sell your cake decorations.

Making Your Business Known in the Community at Large

Once you have decided to take the plunge with your cake decorating business, it is time to let your intentions known throughout the local community at large. You can make your presence known throughout the community in any number of ways. You can attend nonprofit events, sign up for your local crafts fairs, attend your local farmers market, and attend bridal expos (if you will be creating special cake decorations and cakes for weddings). Send a press release to your local business directory and local community affair agencies.

Create an Ad for Your Local Paper

What is the easiest way to reach a whole audience without having to leave the house? Taking an ad out in your local paper is the best way to reach your local community. Although advertising can certainly be costly, it is also the easiest way to reach a large group of people that can turn into potential customers. In the cake decorating business, you will find that there are highs and lows. Make sure that you advertise during the months of May and June. These are the busy months for bakers, as orders for graduation cakes and wedding cakes roll in. During this time of year, most bakeries are overburdened with orders. This is a good time to begin to establish your reputation and a reputable and talented cake decorator.

Promote Your Cake Decorating Business with Your Own Website

It is easier and less expensive than ever before to establish your own website these days. Many people prefer to shop online, or else use the World Wide Web to do ample research on cake design and potential cake decorators. If you want to reach a greater number of people, you will definitely want to set up your own website. Put up pictures and examples of your work so that potential customers can see what you can do.

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How to Use a Paper Cone in Cake Decoration

Cake decorating is well known as one of the great edible arts. One of the most important tools of any cake decorator is the paper cone. The paper cone, in many ways, is the ideal baker’s tool because it is cheap, efficient and easy to work with. A paper cone can be a great way to work with several different colors without accidentally mixing up your different colored icings.

Other Reasons Why You May Want to Consider Paper Cones

There are other reasons why paper cones have become widely used in cake decoration. Many professional bakers and pastry chefs actually prefer paper cones because they can often be much easier to use than a pastry bag. Paper cones can be made in almost all sizes, including very small, and they are much easier to control. This means that paper cones make it much easier to use when the chef is working on a small scale or when doing very delicate work.

Important Factors When Working with a Paper Cone

There are some important things to consider when you are working with a paper cone. One of the most important factors is to make sure that the icing you are using has a good consistency. In order to work with a facile hand during cake decorating, you must be able to achieve a consistency in which the icing is neither too thin nor too thick. The icing must be soft and thin enough to flow through the paper cone opening. However, if the icing is too stiff, it will be difficult for it to flow easily through the paper cone opening. However, in some cases, you will want stiff icing so that the designs hold their weight and shape, especially when forming large decorations such as flowers.

Exacting the Correct Pressure On Your Paper Cone

Finding just the right pressure is one of the biggest tricks to making neat and exact decorations using a paper cone. When you are working with a paper cone, it is important that you keep a steady pressure on the paper cone so that the icing flows out evenly. When you are working with specific kinds of decorations, such as when you are doing certain borders, you will want to move between a light and heavy pressure. This takes practice, as you have to know how to regulate the pressure from the paper cone at just the right momentum. It takes a lot of practice, but once you have got the hang of it, using a paper cone for cake decoration can be a pleasure.

Tips for Decorating with a Paper Cone

There are many tips that can help you learn how to control cake decorating using a paper cone. Here are some simple guidelines on learning to use a paper cone for cake decorating. First, you can begin by filling your paper cone half full with icing. If your paper cone becomes too full, you will find it difficult to squeeze out the icing, and the icing make squeeze out of the top of the cone! Avoid this by not overfilling your paper cone. Once you have half-filled the paper cone, fold down the top of it to close it off at the top. Use scissors to cut off the tip of the cone. It is always better to snip off to little than too much. Once you have snipped out the bottom, practice on a paper towel before you get to decorate your dessert. If the bottom is too small, snip off a little more. When you hold the paper cone, try to position your fingers so that you can apply pressure with all of you palm at the same time.

If you use paper cones when you decorate cakes, please tell us about your experiences below.

When filling and icing a cake with a buttercream frosting, the challenge is to prevent crumbs from catching in the icing.

To help frosting spread more smoothly, get rid of loose crumbs with a pastry brush.

Cold icing is difficult to spread and pulls on the surface of the cake, so if you’ve made the icing ahead and chilled it, give it ample time to warm and soften.

Also, placing the cake’s sturdy bottom crust face-up on the top layer minimizes crumbs and provides distinct, clean edges that are easy to ice.

Spreading a thin coating of frosting on the sides helps seal in any crumbs, allowing for a smoother overall look.

Finally, applying a base coat, or “crumb coat,” of icing seals in loose crumbs so that they do not mar the cake’s appearance.

To anchor the cake, spread a dab of frosting in the center of a cardboard round cut slightly larger than the cake. Center the upper layer of a split cake crust-side up or one cake of separately baked layers bottom-side up on the cardboard round.

Spread a dab of frosting on the center of the cake stand, then set the cardboard round with the cake on the stand.

Place a large blob in the center of the cake and spread it to the edges with an icing spatula. Imagine that you are pushing the filling into place rather than scraping it on as if it were peanut butter on a slice of toast.

Don’t worry if crumbs are visible in the icing; since the filling will be sandwiched between layers, these crumbs will not be noticeable.

To level the icing and remove any excess, hold the spatula at a 45 degree angle to the cake and, if using a rotating cake stand, turn the cake.

If you’re not using a rotating stand, hold the spatula at the same angle, and, starting at the edge farthest away from you, gently drag the spatula toward you. It will take a few sweeps to level the icing.

Using a second cardboard round, slide the top cake layer crust-side up on top of the frosted bottom layer, making sure that the layers are aligned.

Press the cake firmly into place.

A thin base coat of icing helps seal in crumbs. To coat the top, place a blob of icing in the center of the cake and spread it out to the edges, letting any excess hang over the edge. Don’t worry if it is imperfect.

Scoop up a large dab of icing on the spatula’s tip: Holding the spatula perpendicular to the cake spread the icing on the side of the cake with short side-to-side strokes.

Repeat until the entire side is covered with a thin coating.

Refrigerate the cake until the icing sets, about 10 minutes.

Apply a final thick coat of icing to the top and the sides, following the steps above, making sure that the coat is even and smooth.

When icing the sides, apply a coat thick enough to cover and conceal the cardboard round. Dipping the spatula into hot water will help create a smooth coat.

As you ice the top and sides, a ridge will form along the edge where they meet.

After you’ve finished icing, hold the spatula at an angle, and, with a very light hand, starting at the farthest edge of the cake, smooth the ridge toward the center. Rotate the cake and repeat until the ridge no longer exists.

If you have any tips on icing a cake, please post your comments below.

Move over macarons: These treats are small, Southern, filled with sugar — and may be the next hot dessert trend

By Thomas Rogers

What are they?

In the past few months, the macaron has often been touted as the heir to the cupcake craze, but another contender is rapidly emerging in the Southern states (specifically Texas and Louisiana) albeit with a far less classy name. Cake balls are three-bite sized treats that, like cupcakes, are portable, cheap, and the perfect size for people who want a taste of sweetness without indulging in a full slice of cake or pie (or just want to order something using the word “balls”).

They are, as you’d expect, spherical desserts made of cake and frosting, covered with a semi-hard sweet coating, and unlike macarons, they’re actually easy to make at home. The basic (and shockingly unwholesome) recipe involves baking a whole cake, crumbling it into tiny pieces, mixing those with frosting and covering the entire sugary mess with some sort of confectionary coating. They come in all kinds of different flavors — ranging from red velvet and chocolate to “spicy chocolate baked with ancho, mixed with ancho cream cheese frosting and topped with cayenne toasted walnuts” (on sale at Austin’s Holy Cacao dessert trailer).

Where did they come from?

Although they are supposedly an old Southern confection, the current cake ball trend seems to have been kick-started in 2006 by a Dallas woman named Robin Ankeny, who used her mother’s “one-of-a-kind” cake ball recipe to start a business called, rather straightforwardly, The Cake Ball Company. In the years since, the company has exploded — her cake balls are now shipped to numerous bakeries, popular at weddings and even available in the Neiman Marcus catalogue (flavors include strawberry, chocolate toffee and “wedding cake”).

Since then, unsurprisingly, a rash of imitators have popped up, spurring what some writers have called the 2009 Texas “cake ball craze.” In early 2009, New Orleans Times Picayune food editor Judy Walker claimed that cake balls “are quite the rage in Louisiana.” At one Christmas party, she wrote, “I noticed my husband loading several into a napkin to take home [and] urged him to load up another napkin for me.” This winter, the Dallas Morning News featured the desserts as a special Valentine’s Day treat. The Onion AV Club profiled the owners of the Hot Cacao trailer, calling their cake balls (which come impaled on a stick) a “delicious amalgam that falls somewhere between pastries, truffles and lollipops.” They’ve been selected as Rachael Ray’s snack of the day, and most recently, were featured in Tasting Table’s newsletter of trendy foods.

Who’s eating them?

Clearly, they’re popular among Southerners — like, of course, flying-ham victim Paula Deen — and should be a hit with anybody who isn’t afraid of eating what basically consists of a large ball of sugar. Cake balls are already widespread on YouTube, and given the Cake Ball Company’s national distribution, it’s likely that they’ll soon be expanding their popularity beyond the South. Since cake balls are small, portable and reasonably inexpensive, they are, like their cupcake predecessors, perfectly suited for city-dwellers (especially trend-conscious New Yorkers) who might be looking for a quick treat on the go.

Longevity rating: 5 (out of 10)

Cake balls have a lot of things going for them — their homey appeal, their variety, a giggle-inducing name — and Americans are always looking for the next trendy dessert. But given the remarkable amount of sugar involved, it’s unlikely that they’ll ever reach the kind of widespread popularity of the cupcake (which enjoyed a considerably more responsible cake to frosting ratio). But who knows? If this summer’s “Sex and the City” movie contains a scene of Liza Minelli eating a cake ball on a camel (and, at this point, why wouldn’t it?) you’ll probably be fighting them off with a tennis raquet by the end of the year.

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