Modern icing can be traced back to 18th century England where it started as a decorative glaze. It was called icing because it was supposed to look like ice when finished. As confectionary delights became more involved, cooks devised fancier types of icing, such as feather icing. What used to be an advanced cake decorating technique can now be accomplished in a few short steps, with equally impressive results.
Instructions
1. Gather ingredients for a basic white, foundation icing that will cover the cake before the feather icing is placed. You'll need 2 egg whites, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup corn syrup, 2 tablespoons water, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Blend all the items until creamy. After baking and icing the cake, allow it to sit until the icing is hard.
2. Start about 1 inch from the top edge of the iced cake and draw a straight line across the cake using one of the tubes of colored decorating gel.
3. Use the other tube of colored decorating gel and draw another straight line about 1 inch under the first colored line. Try to keep a steady pressure when squeezing the gel from the tubes.
4. Continue to draw lines of alternating color with the gels until you get to about 1 inch from the bottom edge of the cake top. Continue to space the lines about 1 inch apart.
5. Pull the tip of the knife or a toothpick backwards and forwards through the icing across the lines to form a feathered design. Clean the knife with a paper towel or use a new toothpick after drawing every line.
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