Tartan Inspired Giftwrap - Tailored Bow Cake

If you need to decorate a plain iced cake, or at this time of year you want to do something a bit different with your Christmas cake, grab some sticks, foliage and ribbon and we will show you how to make it look very special.

1. Tie the sticks and foliage together with some thin ribbon. We have used the Pride of Scotland tartan in a 10mm wide ribbon.

The sticks are genuinely just some twigs we gathered, the knottier the better. Cut them all to roughly the same length and we have added a bit of frost for extra effect.

A bit of foliage stolen from a tree in the garden adds to the rustic effect.

Tie everything together with a simple bow.

Stage one done and now how to create a fancy tartan bow. I am so ham fisted that I really appreciated this simple step by step guide and now consider myself quite the expert at tying bows.

2. Cut a small length of the wider ribbon and add some double sided tape. We have used 38mm wide ribbon but you can use whatever suits the depth of the layers of your cake. If you have several layers you could even use a different tartan for each layer or mix up versions of the same tartan, for example the Ancient and Modern or Weathered, or Hunting.

3. At one end of the longer ribbon add a small tab of double sided tape

Double sided tape - brilliant stuff and available in any craft or good stationery shops.

4. Stick the end of the ribbon like a circle

5. Squeeze the circle in the centre then swing the long ribbon from side to side slightly larger to produce a ruffle effect

6. Add the small piece of ribbon around the loops to keep them together and add double sided tape at the back

7. Then stick the ribbon around the cake

Of course this tartan bow isn't just for cakes, once you have perfected the technique you can add it to anything, gift boxes, table decorations, even a little girls dress or hairband.

So there you have it, one beautiful bow and imagine how grand it could look on a much fancier cake, or several tiers. We sat our cake on a slate serving plate and set it off with a bed of foliage we found in the garden. I love the fresh green contrasted with the pure white cake and tartan. Let us know how you decorate yours. We would love to see and hear your ideas!