Click on the image above to see step-by-step directions.

You can never go wrong with diamonds, and the bling on this cake is sure to be a customer pleaser. While the design requires several steps and can be time-consuming, some shortcuts, such as leaving the bottom tier iced only in buttercream and using ready-made dragees, reduce the labor, making the cake feasible for even the busiest bakeries. In addition to engagement parties or wedding showers, you also can offer the design for lingerie parties and even anniversary parties. If needed, you can pipe an appropriate message, such as “With this ring,” “And they lived happily ever after,” “From Miss to Mrs. with our best wishes,” “Marry me” and “I would do it all over again.”

ASHLEY VICOS Like many girls of her generation, Ashley Vicos’ love of baking began at age 5 with an Easy-Bake Oven. That love has become her career as she now owns Atlanta-based Sweet Ashley’s, a commercially licensed cake studio, where she creates custom cakes and teaches cake decorating classes. Vicos has competed in several decorating challenges on TLC and the Food Network and has been seen on NBC and CBS.