The Cake Decorating Airbrush Technique is an Art That only a Few Master

Cake decorating airbrush techniques are a skill an increasing number of bakers are trying to master.

Similar to the process used to create images on shirts, a cake decorating airbrush can create vivid images on the surface of your dessert.

Patterns are available to help with the hard part of the process. The most important step a professional baker can make is selecting the right products to use.

What sort of airbrush machine you buy depends largely on how it will be used. For at home bakers or those with a small clientele, a fixed airflow hose will be adequate.

Fixed airflow means what it sounds like: a slow, steady stream of air.

A range of 8 to 10 PSI will be perfect for fine detailing such as lines and shading. For bakeries with a higher volume of clientele, a machine with a bleed control valve will allow for the control of the stream of air.

Such a machine can cover the range of 0 to 20 PSI for a wider range of decorating options including the creation of lines or an overall spray pattern.

A 50 PSI model is also available but is only really necessary for businesses who do very large scale works for a great number of clients.

Now that you've selected your machine, what else do you need? Obviously, something with color is going to have to shoot out of it to create an image. Bottles of airbrush food colors are available in a variety of sizes and in pretty much any color you could think of.

I recommend getting a brand where the caps are different colored caps to avoid making any costly mistakes when loading. How do you load the paints into the machine?

The best idea is to read your instruction booklet that came with the machine since the process can vary slightly between brands and models.

Like many other advanced methods of cake decorating, airbrush techniques require some trial and error before they are perfected.

Accessories you may consider include an air compressor moisture filter that will eliminate a build up of humidity, which can cause the hose to spit.

Airbrush cleaning fluid cleans out the system and allows you to maintain the integrity of the hose and keep project ingredients from getting clogged up together.

There are cake airbrush technique pattern books for every level of skill and most include stencils. For beginners, bows and ribbons are a safe place to start.

As you advance, subject matter like animals, objects and even portraits become to seem like less impossible.

If you are new to the art, practice on large thick sheets of paper before doing it on a cake. Many cooking schools teach a class in cake decorating airbrush techniques that may be available to the public. Do an online search or call your local culinary school for more information.