Cake decorating is one of the sugar arts that uses icing and other edible decorative elements to make otherwise plain cakes more visually interesting. Alternatively, cakes can be molded and sculpted to resemble three-dimensional persons, places and things.

In many areas of the world, decorated cakes are often a focal point of a special celebrations, graduations, weddings and anniversaries.

Sugar showpieces, whether associated with cakes or as free standing works of art, can be composed of several different types of sugar element. All begin with cooking sugar, and possibly an edible acid agent or non-sucrose sugar product to avoid unwanted crystallization. The sugar preparation is heated to the hard crack stage, around 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Sugar showpiece features coluld be regarded as unsuitable for cake decoration especially if all the decoration is required to be eaten. Although the sugar sculptures will be edible, they could create a increase in dentistry bills for some people, so make sure your wedding day insurance covers this hazard if you inlcude this form of cake decoration.

Sugar sculpture
Sugar sculpture is the art of producing artistic centerpieces entirely composed of sugar and sugar derivatives. Sugar sculpture art is rapidly gaining interest and there are even competitions that include sugar sculpture and television Food Programmes include some competitive events. Sugar sculptures are becoming more popular as alternatives and even addtions to a wedding cake. However Sugar sculptures are often much more expensive. As Sugar sculptures are made-to-order and very time consuming to create, it is necessary to ensure that sufficeint time is given to the cake designer to include the Sugar sculpture design.

Pulled sugar
Once the sugar has been cooked, the now-liquid sugar is poured onto a silicone rubber mat (e.g., Silpat). Any coloring is now added. The sugar is then folded repeatedly into itself, until the sugar is, while still flexible, cool enough to handle. The sugar is then stretched out and then folded on itself repeatedly. This process incorporates air into the sugar, and gives it a bright lustery sheen. The sugar can then be sculpted by hand into various shapes, made into ribbons, or blown.

Blown sugar
In blown sugar, a portion of pulled sugar is placed on a rubber pump which is tipped with either wood or metal. Pumps are most commonly hand pumps. While being blown, the sugar can be shaped, often into animals or flowers. Blown sugar cannot be dipped in water to quickly cool it down and chefs must use fans to cool the sugar, all the while rotating it so that it does not come out of shape.

Cast sugar
Cast sugar is a technique where sugar is poured into molds. This technique produces more sturdy pieces than pulled and blown sugar, and is almost always used for the base and structural elements of showpieces.

Pastillage
In Pastillage, a thick sugar paste, similar to gum paste, is molded into shapes. When dried, it is hard and brittle. Made with gelatin, water and confectioner's sugar, it hardens quickly and can be shaped for a short while by hand, and after hardening, with electric grinders, cutters, sandpaper and assorted files.

Pressed Sugar
Pressed Sugar techniques require that granulated sugar is mixed with a minimum amount of water, and is put under pressure. It hardens into a solid piece. Though this is used for showpiece bases, it is less often used because of the time required to produce it, and its lesser aesthetic value.

Rock Sugar
Rock Sugar is where liquid sugar is blended with a small amount of royal icing. The heat from the sugar causes the air incorporated in the icing to rapidly expand, causing the mixture to grow to several times its original volume. The Rock Sugar mixture is quickly poured into a lined dish, and placed into a blast chiller to set. This Rock Sugar process produces a sugar mass with the texture of volcanic pumice, the color of which is determined by the color of the sugar syrup.

Spun Sugar
Spun Sugar is made with Sugar syrup spun into long extremely thin strands which can be shaped to make things like birds nests. The Spun Sugar is gathered on a fork or a special tool designed for spinning sugar and is flicked in long strokes over succeeding pipes.