Decorating cakes for birthdays, anniversaries, children's parties, christenings or weddings is a perennially popular subject. Nothing is nicer than receiving a cake that has that personal touch. First Steps in Cake Decorating contains over 100 step-by-step cake decorating techniques and recipes needed to make and decorate cakes that are simple to make yet look stunning. All the most popular methods of icing and decoration are covered, including buttercream, sugarpaste, chocolate, marzipan and flower paste. Detailed, easy-to-follow instructions explain the basics of preparing and using different types of icing, followed by recipes for imaginative cakes for each method, all illustrated with step-by-step photographs. There are fantastic cakes to suit adults and children alike. Beginners will pick up the basics fast and even experienced cake decorators will find some inspirational new ideas.