One of the most interesting and fun parts of making a cake is the decoration. Cake decoration, if done right, can turn a basic cake into a beautiful treat worthy of any party. There are several ways to decorate a cake and produce impressive results. However, one way to effortlessly take your cake to a whole new level and create a masterpiece, is airbrushing.
Unlike traditional decoration methods, airbrushing allows you to create amazing decoration details in a neat and precise manner using an airbrush. The airbrush uses air from a compressor to push your desired color onto your cake, alleviating mixing stress and time. Whether you’re just finding your feet in cake decoration or already an expert, here are some airbrushing techniques you can use to make your own wow-worthy cake decorations.
How Do You Airbrush a Cake?
To get started with airbrushing a cake, the first and most important thing you need is a cake airbrushing kit. Each one comes with its own instruction manual, making it less difficult to operate. You’ll also need airbrushing supplies, paints and colors. Also, cake airbrushing is an art, and just like every other art, you need to have creativity, imagination, patience, and an eye for detail.
Airbrushing Tips and Techniques
To avoid any form of contamination, ensure your airbrush is only used with food safe colors. It is also important to follow the operation, care and maintenance of your airbrush kit as stated in the instruction manual by your manufacturer. This will ensure it runs smoothly every time.
Before you start airbrushing, use paper bags, newspapers, or butcher paper to cover the surrounding areas to protect them from being airbrushed. This makes cleaning up much easier. Also, clean the machine properly before adding color to it. After cleaning, fill the spray cup and run it with clean water to be sure the machine is in proper working order.
To be sure on which colors you need and the order of spraying, you may need to first sketch out your cake design. Once you have decided what colors to go with, you can then add them to the airbrush machine. Most people love to experiment with varieties of colors. You can select different colors and mix them before adding them to the machine. If you’re looking for a more subtle touch, mix your colors with a little amount of Vodka or any clear alcohol.
Holding an airbrush is as simple as holding a pen, you’ll only have to adjust your index finger and place it on the trigger. When spraying, do not hold the airbrush nozzle too close or too far away from the surface of the cake. Airbrushing experts recommend a distance of 6 to 8 inches. Moving too close can cause pockmarks on your frosting. If you move too far away, you’ll find airbrush color sprayed everywhere. Keep the nozzle at a 45° angle if you want to create softer lines, but for a sharper and more defined line, keep it at a 90° angle. Also, retracing colors multiple times will help you achieve darker results.
It is important to clean you airbrush with hot water between colors and after each use. This helps to prevent color blending and build-up in the needle.
With cake airbrushing, you can never stop learning. If you’re still a beginner, keep your projects simple while you get comfortable with the machine. When you’re ready, get out there and give more complex projects a bash!
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