A LITTLE SWIRL HERE, A swivel there. A quick loose piping on top, a light rapid stroke at the bottom.
Cake decorating seems easy to do, but it certainly takes a lot of experience and innate passion to master this kind of culinary art form. Just ask chef-instructor and award-winning cake artist Toba Garrett, who has spent more than 30 years mastering cake decorating. Recently in Manila upon the invitation of American Hospitality Academy (AHA) Philippines, Garrett shared her expertise in making exquisite cake decorations.
In a series of classes, Garrett revealed her secrets and techniques for making delicious cupcakes and topping them with beautiful edible ornaments, such as royal icing flowers, ganache and gum paste. She also adorned them with two-dimensional designs including lattice work, textured rolling pin designs, floral designs and butter-cream piped designs.
Students learned simple yet fascinating cupcake decorating/piping designs such as classic and large shells, rosettes, reverse shells, rope, garland variations, rosebuds, half roses, ruffles, swags, bows and full-blown roses.
“We were glad Garrett generously shared some of the secrets professional bakers and cake designers have spent years perfecting,” said chef Gene Cordova, president of AHA Philippines.
Garrett said trends in cake decorating vary, depending on the clients’ preferences.
“I don’t know if there’s a specific trend in the art of cake decorating, but I would say there are different styles one sees when one orders a cake. For instance, wedding cakes are no longer traditionally white. Many years ago, it had to be virginal white. Now we are finding couples that are opting for the deepest of colors—colors or designs that reflect their personalities, like when someone’s into fishing, tennis or bowling. As cake artists, you have to take in that concept and relate that into a design. It’s a very personal thing.”
Garrett’s visit to Manila was part of AHA Philippines’ World Master Class Series, a program that brings in master chefs from all over the world to train the academy’s students and instructors.
This series has presented multi-awarded executive chefs and pioneers of culinary education such as chefs Susina Jooste (South Africa); Hubertus Cramer (Germany); Michael Caffrey (London); and Gene Cordova (Philippines), as well as Dr. Rosalinda Lagman-Hoops (USA); and Dr. Corazon Gatchalian (Philippines).
Garrett is a master chef-instructor of cake decorating and design at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, a department she started more than 14 years ago. Today, her classes, which are among the most comprehensive and diverse in the world, are sold out months in advance.
She has also authored several books, including “Professional Cake Decorating”—the first professional cake decorating textbook”—and “The Well-Decorated Cake and Creative Cookies—Delicious Decorating for any Occasion.”
She has won more than a dozen international gold and silver medals and many other diplomas and felicitations. These include the trophy of Les Commandarie des Cordons Bleus de France and the 14-karat-gold medal-of-honor from Le Societè Culinaire Philanthropique de New York.
