A long, narrow blade of thin, flexible stainless steel with a rounded end, bent so it sits a step below the handle. The offset keeps the cook's knuckles out of the frosting while the blade spreads it level across the top of a cake, smooths batter into the corners of a tin, levels a brownie slab and spreads icing on cookies. Also called a palette knife; a straight version with no step is the icing spatula.
Small offset spatulas, about 10 cm of blade, are the most used tool in a pastry kitchen: they lift a cookie from a tray, loosen a cake from its tin, slide under a slice of tart and plate a quenelle. For a smooth-sided layer cake the spatula is held still against the side while the turntable spins.