No matter what kind of event you are planning, whether it’s a birthday party or the opening of your new cafe, desserts always seem to be an integral part of any celebratory occasion. And when you’re trying to impress someone with your culinary skills, it can be difficult to know how much work is necessary. This post will provide general guidelines on what sort of dessert should make for a good impression and tips from professional bakers on making them look spectacular!
- Decide on a theme for the dessert table: Decide on a theme for the dessert table and plan your dishes accordingly. A cake with multiple layers is an impressive centrepiece but can be very time consuming to make! If you have less than 24 hours before guests arrive at your party, consider opting out of any complicated desserts or more than two tiers in favour of something simpler and quicker, like cookies or cupcakes.
Cupcakes are also great because they don’t require slicing into pieces; instead, people eat them straight off the paper liner that comes with the baking pan. A variety of flavours will ensure there’s sure to be something everyone likes too.
- Get creative with your desserts: Use different colours, shapes, and textures to make them look interesting and appealing. A bit of originality goes a long way in making your desserts look more appetizing! You can check Chopnotch for creative designs and mouth-watering desserts.
Here are more ideas for desserts: A cake (any flavour) with a light frosting, or even just whipped cream. A cookie tray filled with different shapes and sizes of cookies (chocolate chip, sugar-dipped, etc.). A pie that you can either buy premade in the freezer section of your grocery store or make from scratch yourself! You could also purchase frozen ready-to-bake dough to cut out all those pesky steps. And don’t forget some cupcakes – they’re easy to serve and eat too!
- Don’t forget the presentation: Make sure to use colourful plates, liners, and serving pieces, as well as garnishes like fruit or sprinkles. They’re fun additions that make an ordinary dessert into something special for someone who has been waiting patiently all day for it!
If you want to create a masterpiece but don’t have much time, try using premade bases with fresh toppings on them instead of baking one from scratch. You’ll still get credit for creativity without having to spend hours cooking and decorating if things are getting hectic. A lot of bakeries also sell already made cake pops which will be ready when guests arrive.
- Ensure that all of your dishes are labelled: A lot of people have trouble reading handwriting, so you want to make sure that they can tell what’s in each dish. A good rule is to use a different colour for every flavour or type of dessert you offer, and put your name on the top of them as well! Doing this will help your guests know what they are eating and will make your cooking look more professional. A lot of bakeries also sell already made cake pops which will be ready when guests arrive at the event!
- Lighting: Don’t forget about lighting! A dim room makes it difficult for pictures taken by friends and family members – which means no one will be able to see any of your hard work. A good rule is to use a variety of lighting sources and make sure that they are all balanced for the same intensity. A heavy-duty floor lamp can be a great addition to any home and will help you make your desserts shine!
- Cake: A cake is the centrepiece of many special occasion celebrations. A lot of people believe that it’s necessary to have one for every serving size – but this isn’t true at all. For example, if you’re making an eight-inch round layer cake with six layers in total (three on each side), then you’ll need three servings worth of icing or cream cheese frosting per type (one-half cup). A good rule of thumb would also be two cups of filling for fillings such as fruit preserves or banana pudding. This means that there should only ever be two servings per flavour in order to present nicely.
A three-layer cake, for example, would only need one cup of filling/icing or cream cheese frosting. A two-inch round layer cake with four layers in total (one on each side) would only take a half cup per flavour – which is just enough to cover the top and sides of the cake! A two-layer cake with four layers in total would only need a quarter of that or just one teaspoon on each side. A sheet cake is the easiest to cover because it’s easy to use your spatula and add more frosting as you go!
- Keep in mind the dietary restrictions of the guests: A dairy-free dessert will take a bit more work, but it’s worth it as many people are lactose intolerant. A gluten-free cake can be made with an easy flour swap like almond or coconut flour. You’ll need to find the right ratio of liquid ingredients so that your mixture doesn’t turn into the dough, and you might want to add additional binding agents such as eggs or gelatin. Gluten-free cakes tend not to rise quite like wheat flours do, which means they’re best served in smaller portions unless the topping provides height (like frosting).
A non-dairy dessert will have to be made with a cheese substitute that has similar properties to soy or coconut-based cream. A vegan option can use whole, natural ingredients but might not taste as rich because they lack the fat content of dairy products such as butter and eggs, which provide richness and texture.
- Make themed desserts specific to the occasion: A birthday cake might be decorated with a big number “30”, for instance. A wedding cake can have the bride and groom’s initials on top, or you can use flavours representing each of their favourite things. A dessert for a baby shower could be decorated with small versions of items like rattles or pacifiers. A graduation cake can have school colours and designs on top to represent the graduate’s accomplishments, such as their degree program.
Conclusion:
A dessert for a special occasion is often one of the most important parts. A cake, pie, or other sweet dishes can demonstrate creativity and skill with baking that will make any event more memorable!
