Learn Ina Garten’s Smartest Trick for a Gorgeous Cake

published Feb 28, 2017
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(Image credit: @inagarten)

Have you ever set out to make the perfect birthday cake or treat for someone you love, only to fall short when it comes to the decorating part? There are so many over-the-top cakes on Instagram and Pinterest that look easy to make when you see the video or photo, but totally fall flat when you try to do it yourself.

Well, if you’ve ruined one too many cakes with subpar decorating skills, there’s hope yet. Ina Garten is here to help you.

The acclaimed cookbook author and TV personality took to Instagram to share a quick way to decorate a chocolate ganache cake with icing. In the words of Garten, the design “looks professional but with a little practice it’s really easy.”

The clip on social media shows Garten drawing lines on a circular cake with white icing. In the comments section, Garten tells a user she created the icing by mixing together confectioner’s sugar and water until she achieved a “thick, pourable consistency.” Then she used a knife to lightly graze the cake perpendicular to the white lines, creating a chevron pattern.

I love this tip because it’s something you could do with a store-bought cake to make it extra special without a lot of effort, or go all-out and make the cake from scratch. If you’re feeling up for a challenge, Ina Garten also posted the recipe on her site.

Get the recipe: Chocolate Ganache Cake from Ina Garten

See More Cake Decorating Ideas and Tips

Have you ever tried this chevron pattern on cookies, cakes, or brownies? Let us know in the comments.