Easy chocolate cake decoration to instantly add a wow-factor to your homemade cake. It’s so easy to make this chocolate cage, you don’t even need any special skills!
When it comes to cake decorating, I feel incredibly insecure.
I have no talent in piping elaborate designs, no creativity for beautiful arrangements, and I love simple, yet beautiful presentation. And when I want to impress, this chocolate cake decoration is always an answer.
You basically frost a cake, chill it and wrap it in a chocolate design that YOU can create with just one 1 ingredient, chocolate!
Tips for perfect chocolate cage:
- Dark chocolate, either bittersweet or semi-sweet, works best for this technique. You can use chocolate chips and bars for this chocolate cake decoration.
- Work with 2 shorter strips of wax paper so that it’s easier to handle. Measure the circumference of the cake and cut the strips for the same length. For example, if your cake measures 30 inches around, you’ll need 2 15-inch strips.
- Wax paper is the easiest to work with, because it’s thinner than most parchment papers, and peels off of chocolate easier.
- I used pretty thin decorating tip for piping my chocolate “cage” design (Wilton #2), but if you’d like to make a certain design, like flowers, or hearts, I suggest to go with bigger tip. You don’t want too thin lines, because it won’t be sturdy enough.
- To set the chocolate, let it rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. It should be firm, but still pliable. In a pinch, you CAN put it in a fridge, checking it every 5 minutes or so. You don’t want the chocolate too hard, or it’ll break.
And to show you just how easy it is, here’s a quick video tutorial for you.
Chocolate Cage - Chocolate Cake Decoration
Easy chocolate cake decoration to instantly add a wow-factor to your homemade cake. It's so easy to make this chocolate cage, you don't even need to have any special skills!
Total : 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup 150gr dark chocolate chips
- Wax paper
- Frosting bag with round tip
- 1 9-inch 2 layer cake
Note: I test all my recipes with both measurements for the most precise and accurate result!
Instructions
- To prepare the wax paper, measure the cake circumference and cut 2 strips of wax paper for that length. For 9-inch cake, I needed 2 15-inch strips. Height of the strips depends on the design you're planning, whether you want it the same height as your cake, or taller, etc. Just add an inch or so extra on top of the height of your design.
- Using a ruler and a pen, draw 2 lines on prepared wax papers that will guide you to draw the design.
- To melt the chocolate, place chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Start with 1 minute at 50% power, stir well and microwave for another 30 seconds at 50% power. Repeat until chocolate is fully melted.
- Transfer the melted chocolate into a frosting bag with round tip.
- Start piping your design within the lines, making sure it's thick enough to stand. Too thin lines are too fragile.
- Set for 30-60 minutes at room temperature. Or in a pinch, you can put it in a fridge, checking it every 5 minutes or so. It should be firm, but still pliable. You don't want the chocolate too hard, or it'll break.
- Carefully lift the wax strip with chocolate design, and wrap around the frosted cake. Repeat with the other side.
- Carefully peel off the wax paper. If the chocolate is a bit too soft, you can put the cake in fridge for 30 minutes, or longer, and then peel the wax paper off.
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Did you make this?Show me your creation! Tag me @shineshka and hashtag it #sweetandsavorybyshinee!
Avery says
Wow! What a cool idea! For my birthday cake, I plan on doing a thin vanilla cake layer at the bottom, then a thick strawberry mousse layer, topping with a thick lemon curd layer. I don’t like frosting, and don’t think it would work with my idea, do you think this cage would stick to the cake listed above?
Thanks so much!
Shinee says
Hi, Avery! Your cake sounds amazing!!! And yes, chocolate cage will stick to it.
Maria says
I made this cake it was perfect my friend loved it!! Thank you!
Shinee says
Yay, so happy you tried and loved it, Maria! Thank you for your feedback!
Jo says
Looks amazing!! Didn’t realize how easy it is!! Thank you for sharing! Qq: Should the cake be refrigerated when sticking the chocolate cage to it?
Shinee says
Hi, Jo. I’m not sure if I understood your question. Cake doesn’t have to be refrigerated prior to applying the chocolate cage, but it can be.
JW says
Would it stick to a cake that is unfrosted or one with a little ganache or glaze dripped down the sides?
Shinee says
Hi, JW. No, it won’t stick to bare cake. There needs to be some sort of frosting, ganaches, etc.
Maricris Warren says
Hi! I tried to make this, it get harden but after letting it out in the fridge for few minutes it gets soft again. I used a semi sweet chocolate chip. What can i do to make the chocolate hard even it’s out from the fridge?
Shinee says
Hi, Maricris. Is it really hot in your kitchen? I would let it harden in the fridge a little longer.
Sunee says
Hi yday I did white chocolate designs but after taking from the fridge it melted can you please let me know the reason
Thankyou
Shinee says
Hmm, what do you mean? So the white chocolate didn’t harden in the fridge?
Melissa says
Awesome ! Thank you soo much! This was super
Easy to do and super easy to put on my cake! I actually used parchment paper and it worked great! I ended up using white almond bark and it was beautiful! It has opened my eyes to even more cake possibliles now, I’m super excited!
Thank you again!!
Gloria says
Do you have to remove the chocolate before you cut the cake or can you cut thru it easily?
Shinee says
Hi, Gloria. No, you don’t need to remove the chocolate decoration. It’ll cut through just fine. You can see the picture of the sliced cake here.
Marni says
This sounds perfect! How can I be sure hat the chocolate sticks to the cake? I find that my homemade frosting hardens quickly and decorations fall off. I’m going to watch your video now! Thanks.
Shinee says
Hi, Marni. What kind of frosting are you using? I’ve used this chocolate cage on buttercream and cream cheese frostings and it sticks just fine.
Jean says
I tried this for a birthday cake and it was too thick to go through my frosting tip. I added a bit of milk to make it thinner, then it would not get hard enough to put on the cake. I put it in the frig…then in the freezer..still was to thick. What did I do wrong…???
Jean says
I am sorry, I misspoke… when I added the milk it was thin enough, but it did not set up firm enough that I could put it on the cake. Thanks for your help. Jean
Shinee says
Hi, Jean. Sorry you had trouble. It sounds like your chocolate wasn’t fully melted. If it was too thick, you needed to melt it a little bit more. It should be pretty runny. Also what size of frosting tip did you use? And adding milk makes it a ganache, which usually doesn’t set properly.
Tanya Sipani says
How early can I put the cage on the cake? I am having a party but we aren’t cutting the cake until a hour or 2 into it
Shinee says
Hi, Tanya. You can put the cage any time as you finish decorating the cake.
Mansi says
Had a similar question. I’m planning to make a whipped cream+ cream cheese frosting. Can I make it like 5-6 hours in advance? Should the cake be kept in the fridge after putting the cage?
Shinee says
Hi, Mansi. Yes, you can make the chocolate cage 5-6 hours in advance. And it can be refrigerated.
Janelle says
I just used a tiny hold in the corner of a small ziplock bag. And instead of using milk, use a tiny drizzle of olive oil stirred into the dark chocolate chips. It will help it soften into a silky drizzle but won’t impede the hardening at all.
Lily says
you just save my christmas cake!!!! thanks so much for helping!!!!