The Best Baking Stencils | 2023

We eat with our eyes just as much as with our mouth. When something looks stunning, it somehow tends to taste better too. This is especially true of desserts. From cakes and cupcakes to cookies to macarons, there are so many ways to make desserts beautiful. Icing, sprinkles, crystalized sugar, chocolate swirls – all of these are easier to use on your desserts when you have the right baking stencils.

There are many different types of baking stencils available. A common type is one that is placed onto the dessert and the negative space is then filled with icing, sprinkles or another embellishments to create a particular shape or pattern on the dessert once the stencil is removed. Baking stencils can also help bakers cut desserts into specific shapes. You can find stencils in the shape of numbers, letters and circles and squares, which are used as guidelines to cut cakes and cookies into those shapes.

When looking for baking stencils, pay special attention to the material it’s made from. For stencils used to decorate baked goods, it’s important to go with a material that is flexible. This makes the stencil easier to place on the dessert and take off from the dessert without ruining the decorations. Also consider the size of the stencil and whether it will work for the dessert you’re working on. For example, cake stencils are typically too big to use on cookies, and cookie stencils will not have enough surface area for cakes.

• While baking stencils make decorating desserts easier, they can be tricky to use if you don’t have a lot of experience with them. It’s always a good idea to plan out your decorative ideas on paper first before you begin working on the baked good. This way, you have ample opportunities to make mistakes and figure out your ideal design. If you start on the baked good without a plan, you may run out of space for the design you have in mind or you may not get the look right the first time.
• Maneuvering stencils on and off desserts can be challenging, because you don’t want to disrupt any of the decorations in the process. If you’re new to stenciling on baked goods, start small with a small stencil, which will be much easier to maneuver as compared to a larger one.
• Having trouble with your baking stencils moving around on the dessert while you decorate? You need a way to secure the stencil to the dessert while you work. One trick is to use a bit of sticky fondant under the stencil to help secure it in place. You can also do the same with shortening. Another option is to use toothpicks or dressmaker pins to hold the stencil in place. Keep in mind that these will leave holes in your dessert, so you will have to cover them up with icing after.
• Having the right icing consistency is key to working with baking stencils. If the icing is too runny, it may bleed through the stencil and you will end up with a decoration that doesn’t have the right look. However, if the icing is too stiff, it may be difficult to spread and may crack in the process, again creating an odd look.