Holiday cake stencil for a sweet finishing touch

Los Angeles paper artist Anna Bondoc, whose how-to behind seasonal place cards was posted Friday on L.A. at Home, has offered a bonus DIY project for readers: a snowflake cake stencil that you can download as a pdf and print at home.

Bondoc, who worked as a chef in New York City, is an avid home baker. What she produces in her home kitchen reflects the sensibility visible in her art: She avoids overly elaborate embellishments, and when it comes to baked goods, “I don’t make icing,” she says. She lays down a simple dusting of powdered sugar.

Her winter snowflake stencil lends a graphic touch to the tops of cakes that are flat and covered with a dense crumb. You can add the design to a honey-toned almond cake or, for ideal contrast, a flourless chocolate cake.

For more DIY ideas, you also can check out Bondoc’s blog.