Cake Tool Alternatives Already in Your Kitchen

Did you know that you may already have alternatives to popular cake decorating tools in your kitchen? That's right, no special tools are required! I'm sharing five alternatives to special cake tools that you can use today!

(Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I may earn commissions for purchases made through link clicks in this post.)

Cake Leveler = Serrated Bread Knife

As cake layers bake, they tend to form a dome on the top that must be removed before the cake layers are stacked. This is where a cake leveler comes in handy. If you don't have a cake leveler, you can use a bread knife. Any knife with large, serrated teeth will do. The key to using a bread knife to level cake layers is to keep the knife in the same position as you're cutting through the cake. With practice, you could level a cake just as well as you would with a cake leveler.

Cake Board = Flat Dinner Plate

Don't have any greaseproof cake boards laying around? No worries! You can use a dinner plate instead. The key is to make sure that your plate is as flat as possible. Notice how the white plate is much flatter than the blue plate, which has a slight lip. Though using a plate will give you one more dish to wash, it is better for the environment in the long run.

Cake Turntable = Microwave Plate Turntable

A cake turntable is a great tool to have because it allows you to decorate all sides of a cake while sitting or standing in one spot. Plastic ones and metal ones are available, but what can you do if you don't own one? No turntable, no problem! You can create your own cake turntable simply by grabbing the turntable glide and plate from your microwave. Assemble the glide and plate on a flat surface, and it will spin your cake just as easily as a turntable would.

Decorating Combs = Forks

You don't need any fancy decorating combs to add some pizzazz to the sides of your cake. All you need is a fork. You can use a standard-size dinner fork or a fork with prongs spaced wider apart. Using a standard fork will produce the appearance of smaller ridges, and the larger fork will produce the appearance of larger ridges. Similarly, you can also use a spoon to gently texture the frosting on a cake. Adding a little bit of texture really takes your cake game up a notch.

Decorating Bags = Parchment Triangle Bags

If you would like to try piping decorations onto your cake but don't have any of those decorating bags, just grab the closest roll of parchment paper. Yes, you can make your own decorating bags by cutting the parchment into a triangle and carefully folding it. I show how to do this in more detail in the video below.

You don't have to wait until you buy all of these special cake tools you think you need to get going on your cake decorating journey. You already have these tools at your disposal, so what are you waiting for?