How to Decorate a Cake Shaped Like a Pyramid

I found this pyramid cake idea online from a complete party theme that included directions and diagrams of how to decorate a cake shaped like a pyramid.

Tips for success: It is VERY important to freeze the cakes before sculpting them. Make one 3/4-inch cardboard template. For cutting cakes use a “stiff” serrated knife. Ice with medium to soft icing.

Use a “dark” icing, because you will have A LOT of crumbs to deal with and be prepared to lose the tip of the pyramid while cutting the cakes. Solution: Use stiff icing to form a new and better one.

Don’t fret too much about the sides not being perfect; it really does look more authentic. I like to use cookie or graham cracker crumbs for sand (looks and tastes better than brown sugar or ground cinnamon). The glitter they suggest should look and taste OK. I also baked a single layer half-sheet cake and iced the cakes together.

More Pyramid Cakes

Tips on how to decorate a cake by Lydia L., Patterson, CA

(Editor’s note: This cake was made for a Yugioh theme, but it seems much more appropriate in this category…)

I baked cakes in a 10-inch pyramid mold (purchased online) and a 14-inch square cake pan. Use a pound cake recipe, or add a box of instant pudding and an extra egg for each box of cake mix (use one without the pudding, like Duncan Hines).

They are iced with a stiff white icing, for a smooth fondant-like look. I found a Yugioh graphic from an online search for the Millennium Puzzle, enlarged it in Print Shop to fit the Yugioh character cake, and then printed on card stock and cut the outside pieces to form a template.

After the icing developed a “crust” I smoothed the icing with parchment paper and then etched a pattern onto each side of the cake trying to be careful to match-up the lines from each side (knife, icing spatula etc.). I delicately brushed Gold Luster Dust onto the cake with a “soft” sable brush (a stiff brush will leave marks).

The cake is on a stiff piece of cardboard (cut one inch wider than cake). As you brush the cake with the luster dust it will inevitably fall to the board. Just brush this dust into the board, since it wont come off anyway (the bonus is that it looks great!). Another idea is to cover the cardboard with gold cake foil instead.

Next, I painted the puzzle lines with non-diluted black paste icing color and a fine tipped brush, piped the bottom corners and the “eye” and in the center of each side with stiff white icing and a large round icing tip (#12). I smoothed the corners with my fingers.

Tube icing, like in the ones carried by the grocery store, would be great to use. It is very stiff and develops a nice crust. It can be used right from the tube without a tip, just remember to keep it very close to the cake. Again I let the icing dry and brushed with the gold dust.

The 14-inch cake is also iced with stiff icing and smoothed with parchment; placed on a cake board covered with gold cake foil and a hand-painted birthday greeting on side in copper paste color and fine tipped brush.

The 10-inch cake needs support or it will eventually sink into the bottom cake. Stick 5 stiff straws in the bottom cake (4 corners and a center one) and cut them “level” as close to the icing as possible and place the 10 inch cake on top of the straws to make sure it’s not tilting.

Once your happy with the cake, use a bit of icing under the 10″ cake board to help keep the cake from sliding while moving it. I hope you find these tips on how to decorate a cake useful.