How to Decorate a Chocolate Cake

Co-authored by Quynh La and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: June 17, 2024 References

Chocolate cake is a simple dessert that can be eaten on its own or with toppings and frosting added to it. If you’ve made a chocolate cake, you might be wondering what the best way to decorate it is. All you have to do is cool your cake and choose what toppings to use, and you’ll have a beautiful and delicious chocolate dessert that your friends and family can enjoy.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Cooling and Stacking Your Cake

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Let the cake cool before you decorate it. Before you do any decorating, you need to let your cake cool fully. Leave your cake at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or put it in the fridge uncovered for at least 30 minutes.^{[1]
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- If you start decorating while your cake is hot, your frosting will melt and slide off of the cake.
- Speed up the cooling process by placing the cake on top of a cooling rack.
2
Stick the layers together with frosting. If you are making a layered cake, put your layers together with a thin spread of frosting. It doesn’t matter how many layers you have, but they should be stuck together with frosting so that they don’t fall off of each other while you are decorating.^{[2]
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- The layers of frosting you use to stick your cake together will be visible when you cut into the cake. Use a bright color if you want to surprise your guests with multi-colored cake.
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Coat the sides of your cake with a thin layer of frosting to prevent crumbs. If you don’t want to get crumbs from your cake in the decorations that you use, put a thin layer of frosting on the sides of your cake. This layer will stick to all of the crumbs and hold them in place as you decorate later on.^{[3]
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- You can chill your cake with a thin layer of frosting on it in the fridge for 30 minutes for added protection against crumbs.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using Frosting to Decorate

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Make your own frosting for a rich, fresh flavor. Create your own buttercream, cream cheese, or whipped cream frosting to add a touch of freshness to your cake. Most recipes require only a few ingredients and a little bit of preparation.^{[4]
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- Make sure your butter is at room temperature, as this will help create a smooth, fluffy icing that’s easy to spread.
Tip: To make a simple buttercream frosting, just combine 1 cup (225 g) of butter, 3 cups (375 g) of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of vanilla extract until your mixture is smooth. Double the recipe if necessary.
You can use your frosting to cover the entire cake to give it a uniform look and a sweeter taste. Use a knife or a flat spatula to spread your frosting evenly and smoothly. Your cake will be covered in a thin layer of frosting that is all the same color.^{[5]
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Use a piping bag to write words on your cake for special occasions. Put your frosting in a piping bag and secure the top tightly. Cut a small hole in the bottom of the bag to let your frosting out slowly. Gently apply pressure with your hands to squeeze the frosting out of the bottom of the bag. Use small, even strokes to write in cursive or block letters on your cake.^{[6]
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- Write messages like, “Happy Birthday,” “Congratulations,” or “It’s a Boy!”
- If you don’t have a piping bag, put your frosting in a zipper-top bag and cut off the end of one of the bottom corners.
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Apply different tips to your piping bag to make floral designs or borders. Purchase small metal tips to put into your piping bag that can create different textures in your frosting. Large tips will pipe out more frosting, while smaller tips will create finer lines. Create small petals in a flower shape, or put circles of frosting around the borders.^{[7]
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- Practice your piping skills on a sheet of parchment paper before putting frosting on your cake.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Putting Toppings on Your Cake

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If you want your cake to be super chocolatey, spread a ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) thick layer of Nutella on top of your cake with a knife or spatula. The top of your cake will be covered, while the sides will have drippings of Nutella going down them. This will enhance the chocolate flavor of your cake and combine it with the hazelnut taste of Nutella.^{[8]
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Tip: If you want your Nutella to spread more easily, don’t let your cake cool down all the way. Instead, let it cool for 10 minutes at room temperature and then spread the Nutella on while it is still slightly warm.
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Add nuts or fruit for a rustic option. If you’d like to compliment your chocolate cake’s flavor, put fruits like strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries on the top. Stick them on with frosting around the border or cover the entire cake. You can also use nuts like almonds or walnuts for an added crunch. Sprinkle chopped nuts on the sides and top of your cake for a more uniform look.^{[9]
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- Check with your local grocery store or market to see which fruits are in season in your area.
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Crush up candy pieces to make a crunchy, sweet topping. If you want your chocolate cake to have a candy layer on top, you can take your favorite chocolate candy and crush it up to sprinkle it on the outside. Just put your candy, like a chocolate bar or peanut butter cup, into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to break it up into sprinkle-sized pieces. Then, sprinkle the pieces onto the top and sides of your cake. It will be covered in pieces of candy, almost like sprinkles.^{[10]
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- Use candy canes if you’d like your chocolate cake flavor to be contrasted with mint.
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Make a frosting drizzle for a tasty, decorative option. Instead of covering your entire cake with frosting, you can make a slightly runnier drizzle to pour over your cake in a design. Put your mixture in a piping bag and pipe it out quickly in whatever pattern you’d like. Your cake will look sophisticated with zig zagging lines across it.^{[11]
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- To make a basic drizzle, combine 2 cups (116 g) of powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons (14.19 g) of butter, 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of vanilla extract, and 3 tablespoons (44 mL) of milk until your mixture is smooth.
- You can also flavor your drizzle with chocolate or caramel instead of vanilla.
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Place fresh flowers on your cake for a bright, floral look. Fresh flowers can sit on top of your chocolate cake to add color and texture. Cut the stems on your flowers so they are 2 inches (5.1 cm) long, and rinse them thoroughly. Gently poke the stems into the cake so that they are stable. Remove the flowers before eating your cake.
- Always rinse your flowers off before putting them in your cake, especially if they came from a florist or grocery store. Some flowers are sprayed with chemicals that are dangerous to eat.
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Paint your cake with edible luster dust for an added shine. If you’d like your cake to stand out, you can purchase some gold or silver luster dust to paint onto your cake. Combine the luster powder with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of water, and use a paintbrush to add it to your cake.^{[12]
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- Luster dust goes on best over a light color. You can use white fondant to cover your chocolate cake and spread the dust onto that.
- You can buy luster dust online or at most home goods stores.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Decorating with Fondant

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Purchase fondant from your local grocery store. Fondant is an edible paste made mostly of sugar and water that is easy to shape and lay over the top of cakes. Check with your local grocery store or bakery to see what fondant they have.
- You can also easily make your own fondant by combining 1 bag of marshmallows, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water, and 4 cups (0.5 kg) of powdered sugar.
Fondant will stick to most surfaces. To prevent this, lightly dust a table or countertop with powdered sugar. This will also keep the fondant tasting sweet.^{[13]
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Spread your fondant with a rolling pin until it is approximately the size of your cake. It should be able to cover the top and the sides of the cake while staying ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) thick.^{[14]
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Tip: Try to only use one piece of fondant to cover your cake. Otherwise, you will be able to see the seams of multiple pieces of fondant stuck together.
Use your rolling pin and your hands to gently lift your fondant and lay it on top of your cake. Make sure that the fondant is centered and evenly covers the top and sides of the cake.^{[15]
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Use your hands to gently smooth the fondant onto the cake. Don’t press too hard, or else you will make imprints in the fondant.^{[16]
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Use a cookie cutter to cut shapes out of excess fondant. If you’d like to add more decorations made of fondant on top of the cover layer, roll your excess fondant to ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) thick and use a cookie cutter to make shapes. You can lay these on top of your cake, or use edible fondant glue to stick them on.^{[17]
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- You can make your fondant different colors by dropping food coloring on your fondant and rolling it with a rolling pin.