1Ateco revolving cake decorating stand
A spinning turntable is the tool that makes smooth buttercream possible. Ateco's stand is a long-standing favourite in professional kitchens, with a heavy cast-iron base that won't slide about and a 12-inch aluminium top that turns smoothly. The top lifts off for cleaning, and a non-slip pad stops the cake board moving.
Pros
- Heavy base stays put.
- Smooth-turning aluminium top.
- Non-slip pad included.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
Ateco product details on Amazon UK ↗
2Ateco 7.75in offset spatula
Ask any cake decorator and they'll say the offset spatula is the tool they use most. Ateco's is the pastry chef standard, made in Japan with a tapered stainless blade that flexes evenly for spreading and smoothing icing.
Pros
- Pastry chef favourite.
- Even flex blade.
- Made in Japan.
Cons
- They might want a smaller one for cupcakes too.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
Ateco product page ↗
3Fat Daddio's anodised round cake pan
Tall, straight-sided tins give layer cakes neat edges, and Fat Daddio's are the ones bakers swear by. They're heavy anodised aluminium that bakes evenly without dark crusts, and the 3-inch depth means fewer layers to stack.
Pros
- Bakes evenly.
- Straight sides, crisp edges.
- Lifetime warranty.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
Fat Daddio's product page ↗
4Wilton 12-colour gel food colouring set
Liquid colouring makes icing runny, but concentrated gels give bold colours without thinning it. This set has twelve shades including black and a no-taste red, which are the two hardest colours to get right in buttercream.
Pros
- Bold colour, no thinning.
- Includes black and no-taste red.
- Mix to make any shade.
Cons
- Contains sulphites, check allergies.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
Wilton product page ↗
5Step-by-Step Cake Decorating by Karen Sullivan
DK's cake decorating book teaches the techniques one photo at a time, from piping and buttercream to fondant and sugarcraft. It's clear enough for keen beginners and full of ideas for confident decorators.
Pros
- Clear photo steps.
- Covers every main technique.
- Lots of project ideas.
Cons
- Some designs look a little traditional.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
DK product page ↗
What to buy someone who loves cake decorating
Cake decorators value good tools over gimmicks. The best gifts for cake decorators are a spinning turntable, a pro offset spatula, straight-sided cake tins a good set of gel colours and a step-by-step technique book. Check what sizes of tin they already have.
How we picked these gifts for cake decorators
We picked each product for what cake decorators enjoy and because it makes sense as a present. The order is our own choice. The pros and cons come from published product details, not customer reviews.
Amazon shows the current price and delivery. Where we've checked that the US listing is the same product, the US link goes there. Otherwise you'll get the UK listing, labelled as such. More about our research.
