Our Favorite Baking Tools for Cake Decorating and Beyond

If you've ever made cake batter, buttercream or cookie dough with a stand mixer then you know how difficult it can be to get every last drop off of the paddle attachment. The MixerMate silicone spatula solves that problem with a slit down the middle that glides over the paddle, wiping it clean. A 71-year-old baker, Josephine B. Gonzales, teamed up with How To Cake It, the go-to place for baking tutorials and tools, to patent the design after she cut plenty of spatulas by hand in her home kitchen.

Buy it! $15, howtocakeit.com

Even if you don't have a small Brooklyn kitchen like me, you can always benefit from some extra counter space. Stack these baking racks on top of each other for double the room, then collapse their legs to store them.

Buy it! $32, pamperedchef.com

You'll notice that there are two turntables on this list: a show horse and a work horse. This pretty one is of course, my show horse. It spins seamlessly so it's certainly good enough to be your one and only if you're not a cake stand collector like me. But I tend to use it primarily for displaying my baked goods. Cakes take a ton of effort, so give them the presentation they deserve.

Buy it! $110, food52.com

Speaking of organization, this set is the best thing to happen to my pantry. I keep my flour and sugar in the big ones, and sprinkles, nuts, and chocolate chips in the smaller guys. If you're not looking to invest in so many, you simply must get the brown sugar saver. The small piece of terracotta, which you soak in water every few weeks, keeps your sugar from getting clumpy and hard. It's incredible.

Buy it! $60 (for 8 pieces), oxo.com

I don't know how I lived before mini spatulas. I use them for just about everything, not just baking. They're good for mixing small amounts of colored frosting and ganache, or even licking the peanut butter jar clean. These ones, made by Flour Shop founder Amirah Kassem, are rainbow so they're easy to find in the messy utensil drawer I'm always meaning to organize.

Buy it! $30 (for 8), williams-sonoma.com

Enter: the previously mentioned workhorse. Beloved by pastry chefs and cake makers everywhere, the Ateco turntable is heavy-bottomed so there's no tilting, it spins incredibly fast, and the non-slip pad keeps your cake from moving all over the place. If you're only buying one thing from this list, let it be this.

Buy it! $62, amazon.com

If you clicked on this story you likely already own a stand mixer, but maybe you're looking to upgrade or purchase a second for big baking days. This 3-quart one is small but mighty. I love that it's not as heavy as my 5-quart, so I can move it around with ease. It also has this soft-start function, which means I can avoid getting flour and powdered sugar literally all over my kitchen.

Buy it! $320, williams-sonoma.com

It wouldn't be a baking tool roundup without some piping tips. This kit has all the basics you need to get started, plus a coupler, flower nail and a little plastic box to store them all in.

Buy it! $30, bedbathandbeyond.com

I've tried dozens of cake scrapers. The acrylic ones are beautiful but chip easily, and traditional bench scrapers can be quite thick, leaving indents on the sides of your cake. This version, which comes in three different sizes, is super thin so you can get perfectly smooth sides. Plus, stainless steel means it's ultra-durable.

Buy it! from $20, bloomsbyjune.square.site

I used to think that all cupcake tins were created equal — but since trying the non-stick Goldtouch line I simply can't go back. Each well is slightly deeper and straighter than a standard cupcake tin, which helps avoid spillover and gives each cupcake the perfect shape.

Buy it! $32, williams-sonoma.com

Using a high-quality base for your cakes is so important. Back when I was using flimsy cardboard rounds, I struggled with cracking at the bottom of my cakes, and it was hard to transport them from fridge to counter and beyond. These white wood boards are so sturdy, and they're thin enough that they don't take away from your cake design.

Buy it! from $3, cakeboardsavare.com

I'm not too particular about my cake pans, but these are reliable, inexpensive, and come in a range of sizes. What more could you want?

Buy it! from $6, amazon.com

I have enough rubber spatulas to cover my kitchen floor (you can never have enough in my opinion) but the one I always reach for is from Sur La Table. It tapers really thin at the end so you can get every last bit of buttercream out of the bowl. And the rubber part comes off so you can throw in the dishwasher and hand wash the wooden handle. Mine has roosters on it but they come in a range of designs.

Buy it! $14, surlatable.com