11 Must-Have Cake Baking & Decorating Tools for Every Baker

My passion for cake decorating and baking tools began unexpectedly when I received a simple cupcake decorating kit as a birthday gift from my aunt. Intrigued, I decided to give it a try. As I piped colorful swirls of frosting onto my cupcakes and adorned them with sprinkles, I felt an incredible sense of joy and accomplishment.

Soon, I found myself collecting an array of cake baking & decorating tools, each with its unique purpose. What started as a simple gift transformed into a lifelong hobby and a creative outlet. Today, I not only create stunning cakes but also share my knowledge and love for cake decorating with others. It all began with that one thoughtful gift, and I haven’t looked back since.

Anyway, I’ve put a plethora of baking tools to the test, and now I’m thrilled to extend my wholehearted recommendations to my fellow home bakers. Whether you’re just starting your baking journey, curating a registry, or on the hunt for the perfect gift for an aspiring baker, this comprehensive selection of indispensable cake baking & decorating tools will effortlessly transform your home baking experience into a delightful piece of culinary artistry!

Cake Baking & Decorating Tools Every Baker Should Have!

I own every item on this list of cake-baking implements. I list eleven items, but some include multiple items. You can use your best judgment on which items you would use based on my descriptions. This post is not sponsored in any way; I’m simply recommending products I adore to my fellow homebakers. A significant portion of these connections are affiliate links.

1. QUARTER SHEET PAN & HALF SHEET PAN

Half-sheet and quarter-sheet pans are some of the most versatile and useful pans a baker can own. Both of these brands are of superior quality and have withstood extensive use.

The 10 x 13-inch dimensions of a half-sheet pan are ideal for baking roll desserts, such as this chocolate cake roll. I also use half-sheet pans for baking cookies, scones, vegetables, potatoes, seafood, meat, croissants, pastries, breads, pouring out toffee or chocolate bark, and a multitude of other applications.

2. ELECTRIC MIXER

If you do a lot of baking, you need an electric mixer. I prefer to use my hand mixer over my stand mixer. If you desire both, you need to get both. A stand mixer is indispensable whenever I’m working with a large quantity of dough/batter or preparing something that requires several minutes of combining (e.g., fudge, dough, meringue).

For beginner bakers, a manual mixer is the ideal tool. This mixer is more affordable, of superior quality, and performs wonderfully for the cake batter.

3. ROUND CAKE PANS

I started making layer cakes with these pans in 2019, and I fell in love with them right away. They offer excellent value for the price! I recommend having three. If you only have two round cake pans and want to make a three-layer cake, you will need to bake the final layer. This is one of the essential cake baking & decorating tools.

Tip: Invest in 2-inch-deep cake pans or those chosen “deep dish” style; some round pans are only 1-and-a-half inches deep, which may result in batter overflow.

4. PARCHMENT PAPER ROUNDS

Regardless of the size or brand of your cake pan, you must ensure that it is properly prepared before you transfer your cake batter into it. I always use parchment paper rounds nowadays. You should have as this is one part of cake baking & decorating tools.

This is how I used it:

• On a large piece of parchment paper, trace the bottom of the cake pan(s).
• Cut the parchment into circles.
• Then, lightly lubricate or spray the cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. I typically use coconut oil nonstick cooking spray or “baking spray,” which contains a small amount of flour.
• Place the parchment round inside, and then lubricate it as well. Yes, you should grease both the pan and the parchment. This ensures a non-stick environment for the cake.
• After the cake cools down, run a slender knife around the edge, turn it onto your hand or a work surface, and remove the pan. Remove the parchment circle from the cake’s base.

5. CAKE TURNTABLE OR CAKE STAND

I don’t consider myself an expert in cake decoration; I generally use simple techniques to decorate my cakes. If you don’t have this then purchase immediately as this one is an important part of cake baking & decorating tools. When frosting a multi-layered cake, a cake turntable can be useful. Using the assistance of a few thin, flat spatulas and a friend, you can delicately transfer the cake from the cake turntable to a serving plate or cake stand if you do not wish to serve the cake on the cake turner.

6. SIFTER/FINE MESH SIEVE

In many cake recipes, one step is to sift the dry ingredients. However, this step is often forgotten or skipped. This step isn’t just for fun or to make your life harder; it helps the recipe work by providing the ingredients air and getting rid of any lumps. You cannot make angel food cake, French macarons, vanilla sheet cake, or this cake flour replacement without one.

This set is very useful because it has three different sizes and nice long handles. They’re easy to clean (just use warm water and rinse) and have lasted me for years. I think a sifter or sieve is one of the most important tools in the kitchen.

7. DIGITAL FOOD SCALE

You can also use a kitchen scale to make layer cakes. I often weigh the pans when I’m adding the batter to them, to make sure I’m getting about the same quantity of batter in both/all of the cake pans, assuring the layers will be uniform and baked evenly. (This only works if you use a set of the same cake pan since they all weigh the same.)

8. CAKE CARRIER

This should be number one on today’s schedule. Cake carriers are indispensable for transferring and preserving cakes. Have you ever needed to refrigerate a layer cake, but discovered that covering it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap destroys the frosting? Place the cake in a cake carrier! Have you ever had to carry a beautifully decorated layer cake? Use a pastry carrier! I’ve even baked desserts in it.

9. ICING SPATULAS

I use a large, straight icing spatula to decorate large cakes with multiple layers, such as this chocolate peanut butter cake. A small straight spatula is useful for removing a cake from its pan or spreading frosting on a smaller cake by tracing its perimeter. In addition, I prefer to use a small offset spatula to decorate sheet cakes served in the pan.

10. BENCH SCRAPER

A bench scraper is extraordinarily useful for smoothing the frosting along the sides of a layer cake. This bench spatula is suitable for cakes of any size.

11. SILICONE PIPING BAG

When you’re ready to create designs on the top or sides of your cake, a reusable piping bag comes in useful. We simply had to produce one in Blue! As it is essential one for cake baking & decorating tools, make sure you have one.

Bottom Line

Buy your products progressively! I would recommend purchasing your essentials as these are important cake baking & decorating tools, such as a turntable, frosting spatulas, cake leveler, and pans, all at once. However, if you are looking to expand your decorating repertoire, buy things one by one, and before you realize it, you’ll have a closet full of cake-decorating supplies and pans!

I hope that this blog post was useful! Everything I sell is posted in this store.