Home baker’s workbench
The decorating step you are stuck on, explained in order
Cakes N Shapes is a workbench manual for home kitchens: cakes, cookies and celebration desserts taken one step at a time, with an honest note on which tool or colour is worth buying.
On the bench
- Cake recipes and layer building
- Cookie decorating and icing
- Cupcakes, frosting and piping
- Nut-free celebration desserts
Written for
US home bakers, party planners and parents baking around a nut allergy — anyone who needs the next move spelled out before the candles go on.
Who writes this→Fresh from the bench
Latest guides
The newest walk-throughs, decorating notes and dessert ideas, newest first.
How to Bake Nut Free Cookies for School Parties: Easy (2026)
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How to Make a Cake Topper Without Fondant, Easy (2026)
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How to Make Edible Image Cake Toppers at Home | Easy 2026
Learn how to make edible image cake toppers at home using frosting sheets, wafer paper and edible ink, with fixes for peeling,…
How to Make a Number Cake Shape Without a Pan: Easy Guide 2026
Learn how to make a number cake shape without a pan in using cake sheets, buttercream and simple cutting tips for a…
How to Put a Photo on a Cake at Home: Easy Steps (2026)
Learn how to put a photo on a cake at home in with an edible icing sheet, thinned corn syrup and a…
How to Make Cupcake Liners Not Stick: Easy Fix 2026
Learn how to make cupcake liners not stick with -tested prep, filling, baking and cooling tips that help cakes release cleanly every…
How to Figure Out Cake Serving Sizes for a Party (2026)
How to figure out cake serving sizes for a party in : guest count, slice style, cake size and a buffer, with…
Before you preheat
Questions this site answers
- Why did my buttercream split an hour before the party?
- Gel or liquid food colouring for a deep, true red?
- How do I keep a cake nut-free in a shared kitchen?
- Which piping tip makes that shell border on the edge?
About
A workbench, not a bakery window
Every guide here is written the way a recipe card is written: in order, in plain words, with the fiddly part called out instead of glossed over. It starts with cake and cookie decorating and widens into the desserts a celebration actually needs.