What does a Cake Decorator do?
Cake Decorators put the final touches on baked goods to wow clients or ensure pastries match the theme of an event. They also work closely with bakers to ensure the foundational cake product holds up to decorative needs. Cake Decorators are critical to meeting or exceeding client expectations.
Cake Decorator skills and qualifications
To succeed in meeting high customer expectations and bringing client pastry dreams to life, Cake Decorators must have artistic and crafting skills. It also helps when Cake Decorators are adept at customer service and communication, as this helps them understand what a client wants or explain to customers what may be possible within their budget.
Some skills you may want to include in your job description for Cake Decorators are:
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Proficiency with cake decorating tools and ingredients
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Fine arts skills, such as sketching or painting
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The physical ability to remain upright for extended periods of time at cake-decorating workstations
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Excellent manual dexterity and fine motor skills
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Strong communication and collaboration skills
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An understanding of or experience in cake or pastry baking
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Basic math and accounting skills required to calculate ingredients as well as costs when speaking to clients about cake budgets
Cake Decorator experience requirements
The experience you require in your Cake Decorator job description depends on the level of artisan you want. A grocery store bakery, for example, may be willing to hire entry-level Cake Decorators and train them to complete basic frosting, piping and other pastry decor work. In this case, consider asking for basic food-service experience that ensures someone understands food safety and how to operate some commercial food equipment.
A specialty bakery that works on high-quality wedding cakes, however, may be more interested in an experienced artisan. You might require someone with a few years or more of pastry decorating experience in a specialty bakery and ask for a portfolio of work to review.
Cake Decorator education and training requirements
Most employers hiring Cake Decorators care more about experience and talent than education. You probably aren’t vetting candidates solely on their college degrees for these positions, for example. However, culinary training can be helpful, and food safety certifications can indicate that a candidate is prepared to add value to a commercial kitchen or bakery right away.
Cake Decorator salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Cake Decorator is $15.43 per hour in the United States. Entry-level cake decorators who are expected to use basic tools and plastic add-ons, such as those in a grocery store bakery, may make less. Experienced Cake Designers may make much more, especially if they create one-of-a-kind designs for large events or high-profile customers. Salaries also vary depending on geographic location and the type of business.
Job description samples for similar positions
Cake Decorator refers to a specific job within the food service industry. If you’re looking for a job description that covers a wider skill set or a different type of work, consider some of these related articles:
Cake Decorator job descriptions FAQs
Who does a Cake Decorator report to?
A Cake Decorator may report to the Head Baker or Pastry Chef, the Manager or Shift Manager of a bakery or shop or a Cake Manager. The reporting structure depends on the size of the business and how it is managed.
What makes for a good Cake Decorator?
A good Cake Decorator is someone who has fine art skills that translate into pastry ingredients. They must be able to visualize the final result of the cake and take appropriate steps to get there. That might include, among other things, cutting and staging cake and other pastries, piping or otherwise applying frosting and painting with edible decorations.
What’s the difference between a Baker and a Cake Decorator?
In many cases, the Baker and Cake Decorator are the same person — particularly in smaller businesses and bakeries. However, in larger organizations, these two positions are staffed by specialists. The Baker concentrates on creating recipes for cakes, including flavors and textures. The Cake Decorator concentrates on applying the final touches to cakes once they are baked.
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