Creating A Wedding Cake With Dot Decor: A Guide

Decorating a wedding cake with dots is a fun and easy way to elevate your wedding dessert. The dotted Swiss pattern has been popular since the 19th century and has expanded beyond fabric to include wedding cakes. You can use royal icing, sugar dots, or buttercream to create dots in various sizes and colours. For a unique touch, try using a small, plain piping tip to pipe dots around the edges of your cake. If you're feeling creative, try embracing randomness and piping dots in different colours and sizes all over your cake. Alternatively, fresh flowers, fruit, or chocolate shards are great additions to a dotted wedding cake.

Using a piping bag to create dots

Step 1: Choose the Right Piping Bag and Tip

Select a piping bag that is comfortable for you to hold and gives you the desired control. Disposable plastic piping bags are convenient and easy to clean up, while reusable cloth, nylon, or silicone bags are more durable and environmentally friendly. Choose a round metal tip in the size that best suits your dot design. Smaller tips will create delicate dots, while larger tips will produce bolder, more pronounced dots.

Step 2: Prepare Your Icing

The consistency of your icing is crucial. For dot decorations, a medium-consistency icing is ideal. If your icing is too stiff, warm it slightly by kneading the bag with your hands. If it's too runny, chill it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. You can also stabilise buttercream frosting by adding a small amount of cornstarch or meringue powder.

Step 3: Fill the Piping Bag

Before filling your piping bag, snip off about 1/2 inch from the very tip of the bag, being careful not to cut too much. Attach the desired round tip to the bag. Fold the top half of the bag over your hand to create a "cuff". Use a spatula to scoop and press the icing into the bag, filling it about halfway to two-thirds full. Remove any air bubbles, twist the top closed, and you're ready to start piping!

Step 4: Pipe the Dots

Hold the piping bag straight up, with the tip just slightly above the surface of the cake. Squeeze the bag gently to form a dot, and as the icing begins to build up, raise the tip slightly while keeping the tip point buried in the icing. Stop squeezing and pull the tip up slightly, but not away from the icing. Use a circular motion to smooth out the point on top of the dot. To create a pull-out dot, continue squeezing and pull the tip up and away while decreasing pressure as you reach the desired length.

Step 5: Practice Makes Perfect

Creating dots on a wedding cake using a piping bag is a skill that can be mastered with practice. Experiment with different sizes of dots, varying the pressure and speed of your piping. Practice on a plate or parchment paper before decorating the final cake, and don't be afraid to try different icing colours and tip sizes to achieve the desired effect.

Doting on dots – specifically, Swiss dots

Swiss dots are a cute, teeny-tiny pattern that has been around since the 19th century. The pattern was coined to describe tiny raised dots against transparent tulle material, but it has since expanded beyond fabric and is now a popular choice for wedding cakes.

Traditionally, Swiss dots are white on white, but there is no reason why you can't play around with some brighter colours. You can even use the dots as a coordinating agent when it comes to cake design. For example, you could use dots of fluorescent colours to add a "zing" to the cake.

If you want to create a Swiss dots pattern on your wedding cake, you can use royal icing. Royal icing is made from egg whites and pure icing sugar, along with a tiny amount of lemon juice. When beaten together, they form a shiny, hard icing that doesn't hold its shape for long periods, so it's best used for small details like dots rather than large decorations.

To decorate your cake with royal icing dots, first, apply a thin layer of apricot jam to your cake. Then, knead and roll out some marzipan and drape it over your cake, removing any air bubbles and smoothing it down the sides. Allow the marzipan-covered cake to rest for two or three days so the marzipan fully hardens.

Next, apply a layer of royal icing about 1/4 inch thick to the top of the cake. Hold a clean, metal ruler at a 45-degree angle, slightly above the cake, and pull it across the top to remove any excess icing and create a smooth surface. Apply another thin layer of royal icing to the sides of the cake, smoothing it with a palette knife and removing any excess. Allow the cake to sit for three days so that this first coat of royal icing hardens.

Finally, fill a piping bag with royal icing and insert a small, plain tip. Pipe small dots around the top and sides of the cake, making all of the dots the same size and ensuring there are no gaps between them. You can pipe a second row of dots inside the first row for added impact.

Using sugar dots

Sugar dots are a great way to add a whimsical touch to your wedding cake. Here are some tips and ideas for using sugar dots to decorate your cake:

Colours and Sizes:

Sugar dots can be found in a variety of colours and sizes to suit your wedding theme and colour palette. While traditional Swiss dots are white on white, you can play around with brighter hues and different values to make your cake stand out. Consider using fluorescent or neon colours for a fun and unexpected touch. Smaller, flatter dots are also more accessible and easier to eat!

Placement and Design:

You can use sugar dots in a variety of ways to create different looks. Try sectioning them out with zigzags to create negative space, or use them as a coordinating agent in your cake design. For example, you can create a border of sugar dots along the perimeter of each tier, resembling a tiny strand of pearls. This can be placed at the top of the tier, the base, or both. You can also scatter sugar dots randomly all over the cake or in clusters for a more whimsical look. If you're feeling creative, try piping dots onto your cake using different sizes of piping tips and various colours of frosting.

Combining with Other Elements:

Sugar dots can also be combined with other decorative elements for a unique and personalised touch. Fresh flowers, greenery, or fruit can be added to your cake, with sugar dots used as a border or scattered around the base of each tier. You can also use chocolate to create big shards of thin chocolate that go around the outside of the cake, with sugar dots added on top for a textured look.

Timing and Storage:

It's important to consider the timing of when you will be decorating your cake with sugar dots. If you are using fresh flowers or fruit, it's best to add them last minute, especially if the fruit is cut. Sugar dots, on the other hand, can be added earlier as they will keep the cake looking fresh and hide any imperfections.

Sugar dots are a versatile and fun way to decorate your wedding cake, offering endless possibilities for customisation and creativity. Enjoy experimenting and finding the perfect combination of dots and other decorative elements to make your cake truly unique!

Using royal icing to create dots

• Prepare your royal icing: Combine egg whites, powdered sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the mixture until it reaches a glossy and slightly thickened consistency. You can adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken it or a few teaspoons of water to thin it out.
• Fit a piping bag: Choose a piping bag with a round nozzle and fill it a quarter full with your soft consistency royal icing. This will give you more control over the size and placement of your dots.
• Pipe the dots: Hold the piping bag at a 90-degree angle straight up, with the tip positioned slightly above the surface of the cake. Apply gentle pressure to the bag, keeping the nozzle buried in the icing. Slowly lift your hand and the nozzle slightly as you squeeze, allowing the icing to fan out.
• Relax the pressure: As you draw the nozzle down, relax the pressure and bring the bead to a point. Stop squeezing and pull the nozzle away. This will create a neat dot.
• Create your pattern: To make a border of dots, start each dot slightly behind the end of the previous one so that the fanned-out ends overlap, forming an even chain. You can also create random patterns or clusters of dots by piping different sizes and colours of dots wherever you like on the cake.
• Allow drying time: Royal icing will begin to set within an hour, but it is best to let it dry completely (about 24 hours) before stacking or transporting your cake. This will ensure that your dots are intact and do not smudge or break.

With these steps, you can create beautiful and elegant dot decorations on your wedding cake using royal icing. It may take some practice to master the technique, but it will be worth it for the awe-inspiring effect it will have on your special day!

Using dots to create a pattern

Swiss Dots:

The "dotted Swiss" pattern has been popular since the 19th century and can be a cute and elegant choice for a wedding cake. Traditionally, Swiss dots are white on white, but feel free to experiment with different colours and sizes. You can use zigzags to section out the dots and create negative space, adding interest and dimension to your design.

Dots as a Coordinating Agent:

Dots can be used to coordinate different elements of your cake design. For example, you can match the colour of the dots to the colour of the flowers or other decorations on your cake. This will help tie the whole design together and create a cohesive look.

Neon and Fluorescent Dots:

If you want to add a touch of surprise and modernity to your wedding cake, consider using neon or fluorescent dots. These bright colours will add a "zing" to your cake and are sure to catch your guests' eyes.

Sugar Dots:

Sugar dots are a great way to add texture and sweetness to your cake. They can be made in various colours and sizes and scattered across the cake or used to form patterns or borders. Sugar dots are usually coated in silver, gold, or chocolate and add a studded effect to the cake.

Piping Dots:

Piping is a versatile technique that can be used to create dots in different sizes and colours. You can use a plain open tip to pipe dots of the same size or vary the sizes and colours for a more random and playful look. Piping dots are a great way to add depth and texture to an all-white cake.

When decorating a wedding cake with dots, remember to have fun and be creative. Dots can be used in endless ways to create beautiful patterns and designs that will impress your guests and make your cake unique.

Frequently asked questions