I absolutely love the details on this cake, from the pretty piping to the spooky sprinkles and a touch of sparkle created with this gold shimmer dust. It would be so stunning on any Halloween party table! And it’s delicious too – underneath all that pretty piping is my favorite black velvet cake recipe.

JOANN has an incredible selection of Halloween food crafting items like sprinkles, molds, cake pans, toppers, and really everything you could need to spook up your party table. It’s really a one-stop shop for all things Halloween though – from frightening home decor to the perfect fabric for any costume. I couldn’t stop myself from grabbing some extras like these skull shaped ice cube molds and this pretty pumpkin scented candle. 

Lambeth Cake Tips for Success

If you’ve never made one before, a Lambeth cake may look a little intimidating. Since the style involves over-piping (aka you can never pipe too many details), it ends up being a really forgiving design. Here are some of my best tips to set you up for success: 

Start with a chilled cake. Before you pipe any details, make sure that your smooth buttercream finish is nice and chilled (firm to the touch). This helps keep the buttercream finish intact while you pipe on top and will help any piping set quickly because of the cold surface. 

Place a larger cake circle underneath. Since you’ll be piping details onto the bottom border of the cake, it will save you a lot of stress to make sure the cake is sitting on a cake circle that’s larger than the cake and any piping. This way you can just lift the whole cake off of the turntable while keeping all the piping perfect. For example, since my cake layers are 6-inches in diameter, I decorated my cake on an 8-inch cake circle for easy transfer. 

Plan out your piping. It’s not enough to know what kinds of designs you want to pipe on a Lambeth cake. You have to know where to pipe them. This is where a template comes in handy, and I’ll show you how to make the most simple template ever in this tutorial below. 

Create the ideal buttercream consistency. Piping looks its best when you’re using buttercream that is the right consistency. Not so thick that there are crinkly edges, but not so thin that you can’t see detail and the designs are drooping. You want a stiff consistency buttercream, and this post will show you how to create it with my American buttercream recipe. 

Here’s a video tutorial that will walk you through how to create this Halloween Lambeth Cake from start to finish. Give it a watch before you read through the detailed steps below!

If you love cake decorating tutorial videos like this one, be sure to check out my YouTube channel! I’ve got a growing collection of recipes, decorating tutorials, and Cake Basics over there. Hit the subscribe button on my page so you never miss a new video.

You Will Need

• 6-inch cake that’s been frosted smooth and chilled
• 8-inch cake circle to decorate on
• 6-inch cake pan (for tracing)
• Wax or parchment paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Toothpick
• 2 ¼ inch round cookie cutter 
• Scotch tape
• 1 batch (3 Cups) of vanilla buttercream 
• Bowls and spoons for color mixing
• Wilton Color Right Performance Food Coloring
• 2 Tablespoons Black cocoa powder or regular cocoa powder
• Cake turntable
• Wilton tips 104, 4B, and 32
• Piping bags
• STIR Halloween Sprinkle Mixes
• STIR Edible Shimmer Dust in Gold 

Step 1: Make the Lambeth Template + Mark the Cake

The Lambeth technique is all about symmetry. The best way to keep your piping symmetrical is to make a template to mark out equal sized sections on your cake. To make the template, flip a cake pan (the same size as your cake layers) upside down onto a piece of parchment paper. Trace around it with a pencil and cut out the circle. Flipping the pan upside down and tracing around the lip helps account for the frosting on the sides of the cake when measuring the true diameter.

After cutting out your parchment paper circle, fold it in half three times to create 8 equal-sized sections.

Place the template on top of the chilled cake and mark each crease with a toothpick (a). Find a round glass or cookie cutter that’s the same diameter as the sections in your template and place a piece of scotch tape across the middle to create a half circle (b). This will help you line it up with the top of your cake as you press it into the sides (c) to indicate where each garland will go.

Step 2: Mix the Color Palette

Divide the 3 Cups of buttercream equally amongst three separate bowls and mix in the color gels of your choosing. I used the Wilton Color Right Performance Food Coloring set to custom mix these colors. In the first bowl, I mixed in 5 drops of Orange. In the second bowl, 5 drops of Pink and 2 drops of Blue to create a warm purple tone.

To create the black color in the last bowl, I first mixed in 2 Tablespoons of black cocoa powder to create a dark brown color, then mixed in 3 drops of Black. This way, I didn’t have to use nearly as much food coloring. If you don’t have access to black cocoa powder, you can use regular cocoa powder instead but note that you’ll need to use a few more drops of Black. 

Step 3: Prepare the Piping Bags

Fit two piping bags with Wilton Tip 104 and add half of the black buttercream into one and half of the purple buttercream into another. Fit two piping bags with Wilton Tip 4B and add the rest of the black buttercream and the rest of the purple buttercream. Fit one piping bag with Wilton Tip 32 and add the orange buttercream. 

Step 4: Create the Bottom Border

Starting at the bottom edge of the cake, pipe a shell border with Wilton Tip 4B using the black buttercream. To pipe a shell border, hold the bag at a 45 degree angle and squeeze the piping bag until the buttercream fans out and forces the tip upward (a). Gradually relax pressure as you lower the tip and pull the bag toward you to create a tail (b). Pipe the next shell directly onto the tail of the first (c).

Continue piping shells all the way around the bottom edge of the cake, until you reach the very first shell you piped.Using the same technique, pipe a smaller shell border on top of the first using Wilton Tip 32 and the orange buttercream.

Place purple eyeball sprinkles onto the shell border as accents. I placed mine directly below where each of the indented semi-circles from the template connected.

Step 5: Create the Ruffle Garlands + Accents 

Onto each of the semi-circle indents you created in Step 1, use the black buttercream-filled piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 104 to create the ruffle garland. To create a ruffle, hold the piping bag at a 45 degree angle to the surface of the cake with the skinny end of the tip facing away from the cake (a). Squeeze the bag as you move your hand slightly up and down to create the ruffle texture as you pipe (b). Release pressure on the bag once you’ve ended the ruffle where you desire (c).

Continue piping black ruffles along the semi-circle indents until you reach the first one you piped.

Using the piping bag filled with purple buttercream and fitted with Wilton Tip 104, pipe a second set of purple ruffles directly onto each black ruffle.

Use the orange piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 32 to pipe a small shell with the tail pointed upwards where each of the ruffle sets connect. Place a black spider sprinkle onto the top of the middle shell.

Pipe a purple star about an inch beneath each space where the ruffles connect using Wilton tip 4B. Place a skull sprinkle on top of each star. Gently press a pumpkin sprinkle about ½ inch beneath each skull-topped purple star.

Step 6: Decorate the Top of the Cake 

On the top edge of the cake, pipe a shell border with Wilton Tip 32 and the orange buttercream. Pipe another shell border directly next to it using Wilton Tip 4B and the purple buttercream.

Place skull sprinkles in between the two shell borders.

Use the black piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 4B to pipe swirls next to the purple shell border and place an orange eyeball sprinkle on top of each swirl.

Step 7: Spray with Shimmer Dust 

For a little extra shine on all this pretty piping, I spritzed this Gold Edible Shimmer Dust all over the cake. It gives a really subtle finish of gold luster and was really fun to use! I want to top every cake with this stuff now.

And there you have it! The perfect Halloween showstopper cake for your party table, regardless of the average age on your guest list. Even if you’re not throwing a Halloween party this year, it’s a really fun cake design to whip up this spooky season!

I hope you love making this colorful, vintage-inspired Halloween lambeth cake as much as I did! If you do end up making one, let me know how it went in the comments below + be sure to tag @sugarandsparrowco and @joann_stores on Instagram to show us. We’d love to see what you create!   

Disclaimer: I was compensated by JOANN for my work of creating this project, styling, filming, photographing, and writing about their products. As always, all opinions are honest and my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support Sugar & Sparrow.

The post Vintage Halloween Lambeth Cake Tutorial appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

While rustic swirls are easy to create, they do require a little bit of strategy. The first time I tried this look, I found myself spending way too much time trying to perfect each and every swirl. Turns out that in order to get that carefree look, you have to let loose a little bit. Once you get to the point of wild abandon, your cake will look amazing! 

This technique works with any kind of frosting and color scheme, but I really love it with chocolate buttercream. The texture of the swirls makes a chocolate cake just look extra delicious. Here’s a quick video I whipped up of the technique so you can see it in action before you read the step-by-step below. 

If you love cake decorating tutorial videos like this one, be sure to check out my YouTube channel! I’ve got a growing collection of recipes, decorating tutorials, and Cake Basics over there. Hit the subscribe button on my page so you never miss a new video.

You Will Need:

• One 6-inch or 8-inch layer cake that’s been crumb coated and chilled
• 3 Cups of frosting (here’s the chocolate buttercream I used)
• Cake turntable
• Icing smoother
• Angled icing spatula 

Step 1: Frost the Cake

Start with your chilled, crumb coated cake on the turntable. Add a few scoops of buttercream to the top of the cake and smooth it down with your angled icing spatula until it’s nice and level. 

Next, add buttercream to the sides of the cake and glide your icing smoother over them while turning the turntable to create level sides. Fill in any gaps in the finish with more buttercream and continue smoothing until the sides are level.

Don’t worry about achieving a super smooth finish – the goal here is to make the sides look straight and even. 

Step 2: Create the Rustic Textures

Immediately after frosting the cake, swipe your angled icing spatula through the buttercream to create the rustic texture all over the sides. Remember, we’re going for a perfectly imperfect look, so try not to overthink this part. 

I like to use a combination of quick swipes, C-Shapes, and S-shapes for my rustic swirls. You can always re-texture some areas that you’re not entirely satisfied with. 

Step 3: Decorate the Top

When you’re satisfied with the texture on the sides of the cake, continue those same techniques on top of the cake until it’s all filled in with beautiful rustic swirls. 

And that’s it! You can keep the cake as-is or continue decorating by adding fun birthday candles, fresh (edible) flowers, sprinkles, or whatever you’d like! However you choose to decorate (or not), your cake is going to look downright delicious with all that texture. 

I hope you have the best time with this classic cake decorating technique! If you found this tutorial helpful, be sure to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me. I love to see what you create!

The post How to Frost a Cake with Rustic Texture appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Cake Pan Set

While it’s perfectly okay to bake your cakes one layer at a time, it’s much more efficient to have a set of cake pans so you can bake all your layers at once. I always like to make triple layer cakes, so I recommend having at least three of your favorite pan sizes. My go-to size is a 6-inch round pan, but a set of 8-inch round pans are great to have on hand too. And opt for anodized aluminum instead of dark metal – it bakes more evenly! 

Cake Turntable

It’s impossible to get a smooth buttercream finish without a cake turntable. It’s also just all-around easier to fill, stack, and decorate cakes with a turntable even if you’re going for a rustic look. The one thing I recommend is finding a cake turntable with a non-slip pad. This will ensure your cake won’t budge while you’re decorating! 

Icing Smoother

It’s super important to find an icing smoother that you feel totally compatible with. I’ve tried a lot of them over the years, but my all time favorite ended up being this bench scraper by Norpro. I use it 100% of the time! I love that it’s perfectly level, easy to grip, and can be gently heated for a super smooth buttercream finish. 

Icing Spatulas

Icing spatulas are extremely versatile. I use them to apply buttercream to my cakes before smoothing them, create sharp edges, add texture to my cakes, and more. It’s best to have a few sizes on hand for different tasks. 

Cardboard Cake Rounds

Every cake I make is built on top of a cardboard cake round. This makes it much easier to transfer the cake off the turntable and onto a stand or into a box. 

Piping Bags

Sure, you can use a ziploc bag for piping buttercream (I have in a pinch!), but it’s so much more efficient to have piping bags on hand. I like to buy the 16-inch size because it holds enough to pipe a lot of buttercream but can also be trimmed down into smaller bags. 

Piping Tips

If you have zero piping tips in your collection and just want to start with a few, I recommend the two below. They’re both extremely versatile – 1M is great for rosettes and swirl borders, 4B is great for star shapes and swirls borders. 

Cake Leveler

Every picture perfect cake starts with perfectly level layers. Since they don’t always bake up flat, it’s handy to have a cake leveler for cutting off domed or misshapen tops. This will make all of your layers the exact same height as well. 

Food Color Gels

It’s so much fun to incorporate color into your cake decorating! My favorite brand of coloring to use is AmeriColor for a few reasons: they don’t add any weird flavor to your buttercream, they’re super concentrated so it doesn’t take a whole lot of food coloring to achieve the color you want, and they come in every single color you could possibly imagine. While they do have Nifty Fifty and Heavenly Seventy kits that include pretty much every color you could want in your collection, they also make a starter kit (below) that has all the basics. 

Anyone Can Cake: Your Complete Guide to Making & Decorating Perfect Layer Cakes

My book is written with beginners and those wanting to up their cake decorating skills in mind! It’s essentially everything I know about making and decorating layer cakes. The first half covers how to bake the perfect cake layers, create a structurally sound layer cake, and decorate it in all sorts of ways. It includes full guides and troubleshooting tips on ganache drips, coloring buttercream, and adding finishing touches like sprinkles and piping. 

The second half is all recipes you could want to practice everything you learn in the first half of the book. It’s truly an all encompassing handbook that will set you up for success and help grow your skills! 

I put together a little Amazon shop with all of these essential tools in one place. Click the link below to shop them all at once!

I’m cheering you on in your cake making and am here to support you however I can. Once you get your collection of tools going, be sure to check out my Cake Basics series to learn all the fundamentals! That series paired with my book will be a game changer. Happy caking!

The post Essential Cake Decorating Tools for Beginners appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

There’s this blackberry bramble in my yard that gets a little out of control every summer, which I am completely okay with because I can’t help but bake those berries up into all sorts of delicious things. I usually go for a blackberry crisp, blackberry pie, or basically any blackberry dessert I can enjoy a la mode. This year I decided it was time to get a little wild and make a full-on cake recipe with our blackberry harvest and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It started out as a simple blackberry cake with blackberry buttercream, but before I knew it I was swirling blackberry purèe into cake batter and baking crumble topping to sprinkle between layers. The result is the most delicious blackberry crisp inspired cake and I could not be more happy with how it turned out!

This blackberry crisp cake is so fun to make and completely addictive upon first bite. It’s perfect for a summer gathering, sure to impress your guests with its creative flavor profile and beautiful natural colors. I started by purèeing some blackberries and reducing them along with some lemon, brown sugar, and cinnamon to really enhance the flavor. Then I swirled some of the reduced purèe into the cake batter to create a beautiful blackberry swirl in the baked cake layers. The layers turned out so moist, fluffy, and absolutely delicious. 

I put the rest of the blackberry purèe into the buttercream and it made the prettiest natural color. I love the little flecks of blackberry throughout and the flavor turned out so spot on as well. It’s got the perfect blackberry flavor, not too sweet, and worked wonderfully for filling, frosting, and decorating the cake. 

It was my husband who suggested the baked crumble topping for in between layers, and I am so happy that I included it! The crumble topping really takes the flavor of this cake beyond and adds such amazing texture. It tastes like a blackberry crisp in cake form! If you’re already a blackberry crisp or cobbler fan, you’re going to love this one. And if you’d rather make a more straightforward blackberry cake, you can always leave it out. But trust me, you don’t want to leave it out! 

I decorated this blackberry cake with crumble topping, swirls piped with Wilton Tip 4B, and fresh blackberries. I was worried about the blackberry flecks clogging up the piping tip but I didn’t have any issues with it! I love how this design turned out but regardless of how you decorate, this cake is going to taste amazing. I cannot wait for you to try it!

Print

Blackberry Crisp Cake

Layers of fluffy vanilla cake swirled with blackberry purèe, topped with fresh blackberry buttercream and baked crisp topping throughout. It tastes just like blackberry crisp in cake form and is so perfect for summer!

Prep Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Blackberry Purèe

• 2 Cups (453g) fresh or frozen blackberries
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt

Blackberry Cake

• 2 3/4 Cups (290g) sifted cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 Cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 Cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs + 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 Cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature
• 3/4 Cup (180ml) blackberry purèe, room temperature

Baked Crisp Topping

• 1/2 Cup (40g) old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 Cup (60g) all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 Cup (50g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 Cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened

Blackberry Buttercream

• 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 7 Cups (840g) powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) blackberry purèe
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions

Make the Blackberry Purèe

• Add the blackberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt into a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat until the mixture begins to boil, then use a fork to mash up the berries. Continue to cook for 10-15 minutes or until the purèe has thickened and reduced by about 1/3. You should have around 1 ¼ Cups of blackberry purèe after the reduction. Remove from the heat and place into an airtight container in the refrigerator to let cool for about 30 minutes, or until room temperature. It will thicken as it cools.

Make the Blackberry Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with a cooking spray (Baker's Joy is my favorite) and fitting a parchment paper circle to the bottom of the pan.
• Sift the cake flour and then measure by spooning and leveling it in your measuring cup. Add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. 
• In the bowl of your stand mixer (a handheld mixer works fine too!), beat the butter on high for two minutes until it's light and creamy. Add in the sugar and continue to mix on medium-high for another two minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs and egg whites, one at a time, mixing until just combined and scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the vanilla and sour cream, turn the mixer to high, and beat for one full minute. It will look curdled at this point, but don’t worry – it will become smooth cake batter at the end.
• Add in the dry ingredients all at once and turn the mixer to low speed. Mix until just combined, then slowly pour in the milk. Continue to mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs with a whisk to make sure there are no lumps. The batter will be slightly thick.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Dollop the blackberry purèe by the spoonful on top of each cake and use a butter knife to swirl it into the batter, then bake for 30-35 minutes. They're done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack for an additional few hours of cooling. Make sure they're entirely room temperature before applying any frosting. 

Make the Baked Crisp Topping

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Add all of the ingredients except for the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix together on low to combine, then add in the softened butter. Continue mixing on low until the mixture begins forming pea-sized clusters.
• Spread the mixture evenly onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet, then bake for 5 minutes. Stir the topping around a bit, then bake for another 5 minutes until it begins to turn golden brown. Let the crumble topping cool completely to room temperature, then store in an airtight container until you’re ready to assemble the cake.

Make the Blackberry Buttercream

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light in color, about 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one. 
• Add the vanilla, blackberry purèe, and salt and mix on low for another 1-2 minutes, or until fully incorporated. 

Assembly

• Once the blackberry cakes are completely cooled, level them to your desired height. Add a swipe of blackberry buttercream onto a cardboard cake circle and place the first layer on top. Add a layer of blackberry buttercream as filling, then sprinkle on about 1/4 Cup of baked crisp topping before adding the next layer on top. Repeat the filling and stacking process with the final cake layer. Crumb coat the cake with blackberry buttercream, then place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the buttercream set firm.
• Create a smooth buttercream finish with blackberry buttercream, then press baked crisp topping onto the bottom third of the cake. Use Wilton Tip 4B to pipe swirls with blackberry buttercream around the top edge of the cake (you may need to thicken the buttercream consistency for this part). Top each buttercream swirl with a fresh blackberry and sprinkle more baked crisp topping on top.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: 

1. The blackberry purèe can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Bring it back to room temperature before using it in the cake and buttercream recipes. 
2. The blackberry cake can be baked ahead and stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively you can store the cakes in the freezer for up to two months.  
3. The baked crisp topping can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 
4. The blackberry buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix in your stand mixer to bring it back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

Did you make this blackberry crisp cake? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me. I love to see what you create with my recipes!

The post Blackberry Crisp Layer Cake appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I recently made another gum paste rainbow arch topper, this time for a Bluey themed cake, and realized it’s such a fun DIY that I needed to share it with you all. The main things you need are gum paste, food color gels to create your rainbow color scheme, toothpicks, and about 48 hours of dry time. Here’s a quick video of the process before you read all about it below:

PS: If you love creative cake decorating tutorials like this one, be sure to check out my YouTube channel! 

Gum Paste Vs. Fondant

Gum paste is a pliable sugar dough that is very similar to fondant in texture and workability. The main difference is that it dries much harder than fondant. And while you’d use fondant to cover a cake and make simple decorations that guests might want to eat, you should only use gum paste for decorations like cake toppers or sugar flowers since it dries rock hard. Gum paste is technically edible, but it’s not really much fun to eat (and might chip a tooth!). 

You can get gum paste on Amazon or at your local craft store that has a cake decorating aisle. If you make a lot of custom cakes, I definitely recommend having some on hand at all times for last minute decorations. It’s so much fun to work with and so durable – a win win! 

You Will Need

• Gum paste
• Food color gels of your choice (I used AmeriColor Deep Pink, Sky Blue, Electric Purple, and Lemon Yellow)
• Rubber gloves
• 1 Tbsp vegetable shortening 
• A Cup or mug
• 1-inch circular cookie cutter or round glass 
• Small paint brush
• 1 Tbsp water
• Sharp knife
• Large spatula
• 2 toothpicks 
• Wax or parchment paper

Step 1: Color the Gum Paste

Measure the gum paste into four 1-inch balls and place the rest back in the package. You may need to knead the gum paste with a little vegetable shortening to make it pliable if it seems too firm to work with at this point. 

Put on your rubber gloves (so you don’t dye your hands!) and knead food color gel into the gum paste balls one by one to create the color palette you’re imagining. I used AmeriColor Deep Pink, Lemon Yellow, Sky Blue, and Electric Purple for this color palette (one drop per ball). Be sure to store any gum paste that’s not in use underneath a cup to keep it from drying out. 

Step 2: Roll the Gum Paste

One by one, roll out each gum paste ball with your hands to make them into tube-like shapes. Each gum paste tube should be between ⅛ and ¼ inches in diameter, and about 8 inches long. 

Do this part carefully so that each colored tube for the rainbow arch is the same diameter, and store any finished tubes underneath a glass while you’re rolling the other colors out. 

Step 3: Assemble the Rainbow Arch

Place the round cookie cutter or circular glass onto your work table. This will be used as a centerpiece to build the rainbow arch around. Starting with the color that you want on the inside of the rainbow arch, wrap the middle of one of the gum paste tubes around the centerpiece to make a perfect arch, with the ends of the tube parallel to each other. I went with my Electric Purple tube for the inside color.

Dip the small paint brush into the water and paint the edges of the gum paste arch. This will act as glue for the next color. 

Wrap the next gum paste tube around the arch and gently press it around the first gum paste color to adhere it with the water. 

Repeat adding water to the edges and adding additional gum paste tubes until your rainbow arch is all together, then remove the circular centerpiece. I ended up making the inside of the arch smaller by gently reshaping it with my hands once the centerpiece was removed.

When your arch looks beautiful and even, use a sharp knife to chop off the uneven ends. 

Step 4: Add Toothpicks

Gently flip the rainbow arch over (I used a large spatula to do this) and paint a little bit of water between the arch grooves where you’ll be placing your toothpicks on both sides. Then, gently press toothpicks onto the water. 

I’ve never had any problems with the toothpicks not adhering securely with this method, but if you want to make the arch topper extra sturdy, you can use a little water to glue a thin piece of scrap gumpaste over the toothpicks. This should hold them in place very well.  

Step 5: Allow to Dry for 48 Hours 

Allow the rainbow arch topper to dry in a cool, dark place for at least 48 hours, flipping it over at the 24 hour mark so that both sides dry equally. The color of your gum paste can fade if it dries in the direct sun, which is why it’s important to keep it in a dark place like your pantry or a drawer. 

Once it’s completely dry, top your cake and be amazed! I love the rainbow arch look so much and I know it would look amazing in all sorts of colors. Perfect for a whimsical look or a modern one! 
Did you make this rainbow arch topper? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below or feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram. I love to see your creativity!

The post Rainbow Arch Cake Topper Tutorial appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Here’s a quick video that explains the differences between each buttercream consistency and shows you how to make it before we get into the details below:

If you want to see more videos like this one, check out my YouTube Channel. I’ve got a growing collection of recipe videos, cake decorating tutorials, and my Cake Basics series in video format. Click subscribe while you’re there so you never miss a new video! 

3 Types of Buttercream Consistency

There are three different consistencies of buttercream that each play a different role in cake decorating. All of the info you’ll find on this post can be paired with any of my buttercream recipes, since they’re all American buttercream recipes. If you’re wanting to work with a different type of buttercream (such as Swiss Meringue, Whipped Cream, etc.), you’ll want to search for info that’s specific to your buttercream type. Here’s everything you need to know about when to use each consistency and how to make it: 

Medium Consistency

I’m starting with medium consistency because it’s the consistency you’ll end up with when you make my vanilla buttercream recipe as-is. It’s also the most versatile of all the consistencies – perfect for filling and stacking a cake, crumb coating, frosting a smooth buttercream finish, and even decorating cupcakes with piping tips. 

If you’re working with an American buttercream recipe that isn’t one of mine, you can check to see if your buttercream is medium consistency by dipping your spatula into it and observing the shape of the peak. It should be a soft peak that holds its shape for at least a few seconds when you turn it right side up. 

Thin Consistency

Thin consistency is perfect for a few things: painting with buttercream (this floral buttercream cake is a good example), writing out a message, or for frosting a super thin final layer of buttercream onto your cake. The second reason is more of a cake hack, which I shared in this YouTube video on how to get an extra smooth buttercream finish. 

To make your buttercream thin consistency, add it back into the bowl of your stand mixer (if it’s not already there) and mix it on low speed while you add room temperature milk, 1-2 teaspoons at a time, until the desired consistency has been reached. To test it, you should be able to dip your rubber spatula into the buttercream and it will come out with super soft peaks that don’t really hold their shape, but also aren’t melty (see the troubleshooting tips below if it is). This consistency should spread very easily, which makes it perfect for more painterly textures.

Stiff Consistency

If you’re piping buttercream flowers, especially ones with petals that need to stand upright, or piping intricate designs like a lambeth cake, you’ll need a stiff consistency buttercream. Thickening your buttercream when necessary will help it to hold its shape and prevent your piping from looking droopy. 

Another time that stiff consistency comes in handy is in the filling and stacking process, when you’re working with a soft filling that needs a piped buttercream dam around it to uphold the weight of the cake layers above. By slightly thickening your buttercream for the dam, it will be extra effective against the weight of gravity. This way, your filling won’t bulge out between the layers.

To create a stiff consistency buttercream, add powdered sugar to your batch of buttercream, 2-3 Tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. You can add as much powdered sugar as you’d like depending on how thick you want the buttercream. If you are concerned about making it too sweet, you can use cornstarch as an alternative. It won’t add any flavor to your buttercream. 

To test the consistency, you should be able to dip your rubber spatula into the buttercream and it will come out with stiff peaks that hold their shape. It should pipe easily without having to put a lot of pressure on the bag and the piped details should not look frayed. If they do, you’ll want to thin out the buttercream slightly (see details on that in the next section). 

How to Fix Buttercream 

When you’re altering buttercream consistency, it’s entirely possible to overdo it. The good news is that whether you make your buttercream too thick or too thin, it’s easy to fix. I’ve thrown in some additional common problems just in case you need troubleshooting tips for those too: 

If it’s Too Thick 

You’ll know your buttercream is too thick if it’s ripping the cake layers while you’re trying to frost with it or the details look frayed when you pipe with it (like in the picture below). To fix it, simply add room temperature milk, 1 tsp at a time, until the consistency is just right.

If it’s Too Thin or Runny 

There are a few ways you’ll know your buttercream is too thin: it looks soupy, bulges out from between your cake layers when used as a filling, or the details droop when you try to pipe with it. Buttercream might end up too thin if you add too much liquid or if you’re working in a warm kitchen. Butter starts to break down above 75 degrees, so any environment above that will have an effect on your buttercream consistency.

To thicken your buttercream when you’ve added too much liquid, simply add more powdered sugar, 2-3 Tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. If it’s more of a matter of the kitchen temperature being too warm, pop your buttercream into the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes. Then, remix it in your stand mixer on low speed for a minute or two to bring it back together. The refrigeration should help the butter in the recipe firm up and stabilize the whole batch.

If it’s Filled with Air Bubbles

Sometimes when you’re making a batch of buttercream, extra air can get trapped inside, resulting in visible air bubbles throughout the mixture. This mostly happens when the buttercream is whipped on too high of a speed after adding the powdered sugar. To fix it, place the buttercream into an airtight container, let it rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then add it back into the bowl of your stand mixer and let it mix on low speed for about a minute. I don’t know why this works exactly, but the whole process somehow forces out all the extra air like magic. 

If you didn’t realize your buttercream had air bubbles in it until you started frosting the cake, fear not. Frost a super thin layer of buttercream, air bubbles and all, and place the cake into the refrigerator while you fix the rest of the buttercream using the process described in the paragraph above. By the time you’ve got a smooth buttercream to work with, your frosted cake should be chilled to the point where you can frost an additional layer of buttercream over the top and fill in all of the air pockets in the buttercream layer beneath. 

To prevent air bubbles in the future, always mix on low speed from the time you add the powdered sugar until the end of the recipe. Low and slow is the ticket. 

If it Looks Curdled 

Typically, the buttercream becomes curdled if you start with butter that’s too soft or add milk that’s too cold. Both of these ingredients must be at room temperature for the buttercream to have a cohesive, smooth consistency. To fix it, place the entire batch of buttercream into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, then re-mix it with your stand mixer for 2-3 minutes. It should look well-blended and smooth at this point. 

If it Feels Grainy or Gritty

Buttercream looks and tastes gritty if you haven’t given the powdered sugar enough time to dissolve. The powdered sugar will dissolve easiest if you sift out any large lumps prior to adding it. To fix the grainy consistency, add 1-2 additional teaspoons of room temperature milk and mix the buttercream on low speed for an additional 1-2 minutes. This should help the powdered sugar dissolve completely. 

Hopefully this post solves every buttercream consistency question you could ever have! But, if you’ve got more questions, feel free to post them in the comments below. I’m happy to help!

The post How to Make the Perfect Buttercream Consistency + Troubleshooting Tips appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

This technique you’ll be using for these sprinkle letters also works for shapes and number cake toppers, so feel free to let your imagination run wild! The main things you’ll need are Candy Melts (tempered chocolate works just as well), some pretty sprinkles, and toothpicks to turn the letters into cake toppers. I used a template that I printed out to make sure each letter was the same size and font. You could print out a template with any font you want or wing it when you pipe out your letters – the sprinkles tend to cover up any imperfections, making this technique pretty fail proof regardless. 

Here’s a quick video to show you how to make these sprinkle letters before I walk you through the steps below. 

If you love creative cake tutorials like this one, be sure to check out my YouTube channel! I’ve got a growing collection of recipes, decorating tutorials, and Cake Basics over there. Hit the subscribe button on my page so you never miss a new video.

You Will Need:

• Printed letter template (I used this one)
• Wax paper
• Scissors
• ½ Cup Wilton Candy Melts or tempered white chocolate
• 2 piping bags
• Wilton Tip 3
• Sprinkles of your choice (I used Sprinkle Pop “Treasure Hunt”)
• Toothpicks

Step 1: Print the Letter Template

To create my template, I simply typed out the word “YAY” in a word document and experimented with fonts until I found one I loved (it’s called Bebas Neue). It took a few prints to figure out what size I wanted the letters to be, and that will vary depending on how long your word is or how tall you want the letters to end up. Once you get them the size and font you want, print the template and cut out the individual. 

If you want to replicate these exact YAY sprinkle letter toppers, here’s the template I created.

Step 2: Pipe the Letters 

Melt the Candy Melts according to the package instructions. Alternatively, you can use tempered white chocolate or Ghirardelli Melting Wafers that don’t require tempering (but taste amazing!). 

Once melted, place the Candy Melts into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 3. Cut out some pieces of wax paper and place them over each individual letter, then pipe each letter onto the wax paper pieces using the template beneath as your guide. 

Step 3: Sprinkle the Letters

Working quickly so that the Candy Melts don’t set before this step, drop pinches of sprinkles onto the letters, then press them in gently so that the entire surface of each letter is covered with sprinkles. It’s important to use a light touch with this part because you don’t want the Candy Melts to spread and warp your letters. 

Let the sprinkled letters set up for about 20 minutes at room temperature or 10 minutes in the refrigerator. Afterwards, shake the excess sprinkles off of the letters to reveal the pretty toppers beneath. 

Step 4: Add the Toothpicks

Place the remaining Candy Melts (you may need to re-melt them by now) into a piping bag and snip off about ⅛ to ¼ inch opening on the end. Turn the sprinkle letters face down so that the backs are facing upward, then pipe a line of Candy Melts onto the back of each one. Add a toothpick onto the line and cover it with more melted Candy Melts. 

Let the toothpicks set firm for another 20 minutes at room temperature or 10 minutes in the refrigerator. Once your sprinkle letters are beautifully set and functional, you can place them on top of the cake.  

Just imagine what you can create now that you know this quick and easy cake topper technique! I’d love to know if you give it a go. Be sure to comment below to tell me about your sprinkle letter toppers or tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me. I love to see what you make with my tutorials! 

The post DIY Sprinkle Letter Cake Toppers appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

The first thing you need to know about white chocolate is that it’s not a true chocolate, meaning there’s a lack of chocolate solids and therefore doesn’t behave the same as semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate. Instead, it’s made from a mixture of sugar, cocoa butter, milk products, vanilla, and some sort of fatty substance called lecithin. Although I’ve never tried making white chocolate ganache with anything fancier than Hershey’s white chocolate chips, you can feel free to go as branded or non-branded as you want. Generic white chocolate chips or a white chocolate bar chopped into small pieces will work just fine.

With the absence of chocolate solids, the ratio of heavy whipping cream to white chocolate chips is going to be different than other ganache recipes. I’ve found a 3:1 ratio to be absolutely perfect (exact recipe below), meaning three parts chocolate to one part heavy whipping cream. Just bring the cream to an almost-boil, pour it over the white chocolate chips, whisk it together until it’s uniform, and you’re good.

Here’s a detailed video of the recipe, and you can continue reading below for all of my tips on working with white chocolate ganache:

If you have yet to check out my YouTube channel, head there to see more cake recipe videos, decorating tutorials, and my entire Cake Basics series in video format. Hit the subscribe button while you’re there so you never miss a new video!

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White Chocolate Ganache For Drip Cakes

The perfect white chocolate ganache ratio for creating drip cakes. 

Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 Cup (190g) white chocolate chips or bar, chopped into bits
• 1/3 Cup (80ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp food color gel or whitening gel (optional)

Instructions

• Chop the white chocolate chips or bar as finely as you can and place it into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal).
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm heavy whipping cream until it just starts to simmer, whisking constantly. I always look for small bubbles forming around the edge and a soft boil starting in the middle. When it reaches this stage, pour the cream over the white chocolate. 
• Whisk together until the ganache is uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk. It can help to hold the bowl over the residual heat from the burner (once it's turned off) if you're having a hard time whisking everything together.
• Whiten or color the ganache (optional), then cool ganache at room temperature for anywhere from 5-20 minutes (depending on your kitchen environment), or until the ganache itself is slightly above room temperature. See the instructions for dripping a cake with white chocolate ganache + troubleshooting tips in the rest of this blog post below.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: this ganache can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, microwave it in 10 second increments, stirring after every interval until your ganache is room temperature and uniform in consistency.

Tip 1: Whiten Your Ganache If It’s Too Yellow

The thing about white chocolate chips is that they aren’t exactly as white in color as they seem to be. To whiten the ganache, I swear by Americolor Bright White food color gel. It works like a dream every time, and you only need about half a teaspoon per batch of white chocolate ganache to get a perfectly bright white.

Some bakers like to use white candy melts in place of white chocolate chips to make white ganache, but I don’t like the taste of candy melts. So the whitening method is my favorite option.

Tip 2: Be Patient With The Cooling Process

Once you’ve whisked the ganache together, it’s crucial to let it cool on your countertop until it’s room temperature, about 20-30 minutes depending on how cold your environment is. Trying to speed up this process by placing ganache in the refrigerator doesn’t usually end well – I’ve found that it cools unevenly, leading to thick, globby drips.

Cooling in the fridge also leads to the urge to stir it too often. Ganache (especially white chocolate!) does not like to be stirred too often, and the end result can mean that your whipping cream starts to separate from the chocolate. You’ll know that this has happened because the ganache will look grainy and dull, or even separated like oil and water. To fix situations like these, you’ll need to reheat the ganache to 92ºF to melt the fat crystals and re-whisk to bring it back together.  

Tip 3: Chill Your Buttercream

There’s a science to this tip. Since molecules move more slowly at cooler temperatures (and warp speed at higher temperatures), it makes a lot of sense that you can better control how far the white chocolate ganache drips when the buttercream is chilled. Make sure that after you do your final coat of buttercream, you chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Tip 4: Start With A Test Drip

When your buttercream is nice and chilled, do a test drip by letting the ganache run down the side of your cake. If it travels rapidly and pools at the bottom, your ganache is too warm. Continue to cool the ganache for another 5-10 minutes and try your test drip again. If it’s globby or doesn’t travel very far down the side of the cake, it’s too cold. Reheat the ganache in the microwave for about 10 seconds, stir, and try again. Repeat the reheating process as needed until you get the perfect consistency.

The good thing about a test drip is you’re able to see how the ganache will behave. That way you don’t have to commit until you like what you’re seeing.

Tip 5: Drip The Sides Before Filling In The Top

Whether you’re using a spoon to create drips (like I am!) or you’re into the squeeze bottle method, it’s best to drip the sides of the cake before filling in the top. Although it might be tempting to just dump all of the ganache on the top of the cake and let the drips fall where they may, you’ll have more control over the length of each drip by starting with the sides (after a successful test drip of course).

Try not to add too much ganache to the top when filling it in, because if you add any more to the drips you’ve created, it will make them travel farther than you’d like. Instead, try to use just a little ganache and spread it so that it just touches where your drips begin. The ganache on the top should self-level a bit, so don’t worry too much about getting it super smooth.

And there you have it – everything I know about dripping cakes with white chocolate ganache. It’s a really good skill to have in your cake decorating repertoire, especially with how versatile white chocolate ganache can be color-wise. Adding a little food color gel can turn it any vibrant color of the rainbow! And whether you keep it white or color it up, I promise it’ll taste a million times better than candy melts.

Is there anything else you’d like to know about drip cakes? I’m certainly not an expert per se, but if you have more questions, let me know in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer!

The post White Chocolate Ganache Drip Cake Recipe + Tips [Video Included!] appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

UPDATE 2023: I recently found a way to make black buttercream with ZERO food color gel, so if you’re looking for a dye-free alternative be sure to check out this recipe.

Spooky season is here and with it, lots of black buttercream cakes. I’m no stranger to the trend and before now I’ve stuck with a method of making my Favorite Chocolate Buttercream recipe and adding a few Tbsp of AmeriColor Super Black. Since this food color gel is tasteless, the black buttercream still tastes like chocolate buttercream but there is one little problem: it stains teeth temporarily (among other things). So I thought I’d do a little research and experimenting to see if I could create a black buttercream recipe that not only tastes great, it uses as little food coloring as possible to get a nice deep color. 

First, I ordered some black cocoa powder. It’s cocoa powder that has been heavily Dutched, aka alkalized. It helps provide a rich black color, so I swapped the cocoa powder in my Chocolate Buttercream recipe with it to see if it would be all it took. The results: a really dark brown buttercream that tasted a bit bitter, almost like a dark chocolate buttercream. I still needed to use about ½ tsp of AmeriColor Super Black to get it looking right, and it passed the “no teeth stain” test, but I really wanted to make it taste amazing. If flavor isn’t an option (or if you’re a fan of dark chocolate unlike myself), this route is definitely worth a try! 

Since I wanted to get that perfect balance of chocolate flavor, deep black color, and perfect consistency without using too much food coloring, I tried again. This time, I used a mix of half black cocoa powder and half regular (Hershey’s) cocoa powder. The results were again a dark brown color, and this time I had to use about ¾ tsp AmeriColor Super Black. BUT all that to say, this one is the winning black buttercream recipe in my eyes – it passes the “no teeth stain” test, has the perfect black color, and tastes just like my Favorite Chocolate Buttercream recipe. It’s the one I’ll put below. 

3 Key Elements for Black Buttercream Success

If you’ve ever tried to turn a big batch of vanilla buttercream black using only food coloring, you know that it takes a lot of coloring. So much that it can not only ruin the flavor and consistency of your buttercream, it’s costly and isn’t really fun to eat because everyone is left with a black mouth. Instead, going from a deep brown color (aka chocolate buttercream) to black is much easier and takes a lot less coloring. Before you get to buttercream making, here are three key things to keep in mind for black buttercream success: 

1. Start with a chocolate buttercream recipe. It’s much easier to go from brown buttercream to black than it is to go from white to black. By adding cocoa powder into the mix, you save yourself a lot of food color gel (and stress!). I prefer using half black cocoa powder + half regular cocoa powder in my recipe below. You can certainly substitute the regular cocoa powder in the recipe with all black cocoa to use even less food color gel, but the taste will be more like a dark chocolate as opposed to a milk chocolate buttercream.  
2. Use a concentrated black color gel. I swear by AmeriColor Super Black because it’s so concentrated that you truly don’t have to use a whole lot to get a rich black color. It’s also formulated in such a way that it won’t affect the flavor or consistency of your buttercream. 
3. Give it 24 hours to deepen in color. It may look like wet concrete when you first mix it up, but time is magic with this stuff. Give it at least 24 hours to deepen in color and you’ll be blown away at how dark it gets. This is definitely worth making ahead. 

Here’s a quick video that shows you how to whip this black buttercream recipe up.

PS: If you’re into recipe and cake decorating videos like this one, be sure to follow along on my YouTube channel! You’ll find my entire Cake Basics series in video format there, plus tons of recipes and cake decorating tutorials as well. Hit the subscribe button so you never miss a new one! Without further ado, here’s the recipe:

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Black Buttercream Recipe

A pitch black buttercream that checks all the boxes: decadent chocolate flavor, perfect consistency, and won't stain your teeth!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 3 Cups

Ingredients

• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar
• 1/4 Cup (30g) black cocoa powder
• 1/4 Cup (20g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp AmeriColor Super Black or other black food color gel

Instructions

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter on medium speed until creamy and light in color, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle, then add the powdered sugar, cocoa powders, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Turn the mixer to low until all ingredients start to come together.
• Add the black food color gel, increase the speed to medium and beat for two full minutes. The color will resemble wet concrete at first, but will darken as time goes on.
• Place the buttercream in an airtight container and allow the color to deepen for 24 hours or more.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: this buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and rewhip with your stand mixer to bring back to frosting consistency. 

Yield: This buttercream makes enough to:

• Frost 12-15 cupcakes with a piping bag
• Fill and crumb coat a three-layer 6-inch cake or two-layer 8-inch cake. To have enough for frosting and decorating as well, double the recipe. 

Did you make this black buttercream recipe? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram and show me. I love to see what you create!

The post Black Buttercream Recipe with Minimal Food Coloring appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Every Thanksgiving, I look forward to a few things: 1) cooking all day with my mother in law with the music blasting our favorite dance-worthy hits, and 2) getting to make a delicious, eye-catching dessert that the whole family can enjoy. The Thanksgiving meal is my absolute favorite to eat too, especially when surrounded by my loved ones, so this holiday really checks all the boxes for me. And since I’m always on dessert duty (I take my role very seriously!) I’m always trying out new recipes to compliment the family favorites. This year, I thought I’d go a little above and beyond and translate the classic pumpkin pie into cake-form, which is how this Momofuku-inspired Pumpkin Pie Cake was born:

Whether I’m keeping it classic with a pie or creating something more ambitious, JOANN is always my go-to for baking supplies. They’ve got an unparalleled selection of bakeware, piping tips, sprinkles, and basically everything you could need to create the dessert you’re imagining and then some. Just look at all of these pretty cake creations I’ve made with JOANN supplies in the past. You’ll also find everything you need to make your Thanksgiving table beautiful – floral arrangements, place settings, dishes, home decor, and basically all the materials you could ever need for DIY projects.

In the case of this Pumpkin Pie Cake, I shopped my local JOANN store for acetate sheets, a springform cake pan, hefty piping bags, and the ideal piping tip to pipe that toasted meringue on top. If you don’t live near a JOANN store, be sure to check out their online collection to get what you need. 

This Pumpkin Pie Cake has layers of tasty elements going on: I used my Pumpkin Layer Cake recipe for the cake layers and filled them with Pumpkin Creme Filling, Brown Sugar Buttercream, and pie crust pieces.

Using the springform pan lined with acetate, I was to assemble this Pumpkin Pie Cake in such a way that you can see each and every layer. I love that this assembly technique is so easy to put together and you truly don’t have to fuss about decorating perfectly. The layers are the showstopper. And an extra added bonus: it’s quick. You can make all of the elements ahead and spend just a few minutes putting it all together, which we all know is a life saver when planning and cooking an elaborate Thanksgiving meal.

To top it all off, I piped my easy (only four ingredients!) Marshmallow Meringue recipe with Wilton tip 8B around the edges and toasted them with my kitchen torch. Busting out that kitchen torch might just be my favorite part of it all!

I’ll be sharing the recipes for each layer of this Pumpkin Pie Cake and all the info you need to assemble it below. First, here’s a video of the assembly process to inspire you: 

If you’re into cake tutorials like this one, head on over to my YouTube Channel. You’ll find all sorts of cake decorating tutorials, recipes, and my entire Cake Basics series in video format. I’m always adding new videos there, so be sure to hit the subscribe button so you’ll always be the first to know about a new one.

Materials You Will Need:

• 6” Springform Cake Pan
• Acetate Sheets
• Scotch Tape
• Piping Bags 
• 6 inch cake board
• Small icing spatula 
• Three 6-inch pans for baking the cake layers 
• Wilton Tip 8B (or other decorative piping tip of your choice)
• A kitchen torch (if planning on toasting the meringue)
• The recipes below

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Pumpkin Pie Layer Cake

Layers of perfectly spiced Pumpkin Cake, Pumpkin Creme Filling, Brown Sugar Buttercream, and crushed pie pieces. Assembled with exposed layers and topped with toasted Marshmallow Meringue for an easy, eye-catching dessert for Thanksgiving (or any special occasion!)

Servings 20 slices

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake

• 2 3/4 Cups (290g) cake flour, sifted before measuring
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 Cup (140g) packed brown sugar
• 1 Cup (205g) white granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 Cups (12oz) pumpkin purèe
• 1 Cup (240ml) full fat buttermilk, room temperature DIY recipe in notes section below

Brown Sugar Buttercream

• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 Cup (95g) packed brown sugar
• 3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Pumpkin Creme Filling

• 1 Cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1 Cup (120g) powdered sugar
• 1 Cup (8oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 Cup (8oz) pumpkin purèe
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Vanilla Milk Soak

• 1/3 Cup (80ml) whole milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Additional Elements

• 1 package of store bought pie crust or ½ batch of your preferred homemade pie crust recipe, baked and crushed into pieces
• 1/2 batch Marshmallow Meringue Frosting (make as a last step) Recipe linked in assembly instructions below

Instructions

Make the Pumpkin Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and placing a wax or parchment paper circle into the bottom of each one. Measure the cake flour by spooning into your measuring cup and leveling it. Place it into a medium sized bowl and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and ground ginger. Whisk together and set aside.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer (a handheld mixer works fine too!), cream the butter on high for two minutes until it's light and fluffy. Add in white and brown sugars and continue to mix on high for another two minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla and mix for one minute on medium-high, scraping down the bowl and paddle once more.
• With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the buttermilk in a steady stream and mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs to make sure there are no lumps. Batter will be slightly thick, but pourable.
• Pour batter evenly between the cake pans (fill them no more than ⅔ full) and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pan for ten minutes before removing and continuing to cool on a wire rack or flat surface.

Make the Brown Sugar Buttercream

• With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium-high until it’s creamy, light, and homogenous. About 4 minutes.
• With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
• Add vanilla, milk, and salt and mix on low for another minute until fully incorporated.

Make the Pumpkin Creme Filling

• Chill a metal mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer in the freezer for 15 minutes. Once the bowl is chilled, add to it the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar. Beat with a whisk attachment (a stand mixer or hand mixer will work for this) on high until peaks form and the mixture is thick and whipped, about 5 minutes. Remove the whipped cream mixture from the mixing bowl and set aside in a separate bowl.
• Add the softened cream cheese, canned pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the mixing bowl and mix on medium speed until it’s fully combined and there are no lumps, about 5 minutes.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream mixture into the pumpkin mixture until combined. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container if not using immediately.

Make the Vanilla Milk Soak

• Combine the whole milk and vanilla. Set aside if using right away or refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Assembly + Make Ahead Tips are all below

Assembly 

Once the Pumpkin Cake layers are cooled completely, torte each one with a cake leveler or serrated knife to make them all the same height. 

Cut one of the 12 inch sheets of acetate into two 6 inch pieces by folding it in half and using an exacto knife (or scissors) to slice it in two. 

Line the springform cake pan with both trimmed sheets of acetate. Tape the sides together using a couple pieces of Scotch Tape on the outside to keep the acetate level during the assembly process. 

Place a cardboard cake board into the bottom of the acetate lined pan before placing the first layer of Pumpkin Cake on top. Then, brush a layer of Vanilla Milk Soak on top. 

Pipe an even layer of Brown Sugar Buttercream over the top of the cake layer and smooth it down with an icing spatula. No need to get it completely smooth, but do make sure it’s as level as possible and reaches the acetate edges.

Generously sprinkle pie crust pieces over the top of the Brown Sugar Buttercream and pat them down with the back of your hand.

Pipe an even layer of Pumpkin Creme Filling over the top of the pie crust pieces and smooth it down with an icing spatula. Again, no need to get it completely smooth, but do make sure it’s as level as possible. 

Repeat steps 3 through 6 until you’re ready to add the final layer of cake.

For the final cake layer, turn it upside down (so that the bottom of the cake is the top) before placing it on top of the Pumpkin Creme Filling. 

Pipe a final layer of Brown Sugar Buttercream on top of the final cake layer and smooth it down with your angled spatula, then pipe a layer of Pumpkin Creme filling on top. Use your spatula to create a decorative swirl on top of the Pumpkin Creme Filling.

Place the entire cake into the refrigerator for at least one hour, or overnight to allow everything to set firmly. The exposed cake layers will be protected from getting dry because of the acetate siding and the Pumpkin Creme Buttercream on top. Once it’s set and ready, remove the cake from the springform pan and carefully peel away the acetate. 

Make a half batch of my Marshmallow Meringue Frosting (note that since it’s a half batch, the cooking/whipping times will be about 2 minutes each instead of 4). 

Fit a piping bag with Wilton Tip 8B before filling it with the meringue, then pipe stars with the meringue around the top edge of the cake. Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue stars.

Make Ahead Tips & Notes

*DIY Cake Flour Recipe: To make your own cake flour, spoon and level one cup of all-purpose flour and remove 2 Tbsp. Add 2 Tbsp of cornstarch. Repeat per the amount of cake flour you need, then sift the flour and cornstarch mixture 4 times (don’t skip that step!). After sifting, spoon and level to re-measure the amount of cake flour you need. 

The Pumpkin Cake Layers can be made ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to two days. Alternatively, you can store the wrapped cake layers in the freezer for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.

The Brown Sugar Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

The Pumpkin Creme Filling can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Give it a few stirs right before you’re ready to use it. 

The Vanilla Milk Soak can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week (go by the expiration date on your milk though). 

For the pie pieces, I used store bought pie crusts and baked them according to the box instructions, then crumbled them up into little pieces. You are more than welcome to use your favorite from-scratch recipe as an alternative. 

The Marshmallow Meringue needs to be made as a final step in the assembly process to make sure it maintains perfect piping consistency. 

The fully assembled cake can be stored in the refrigerator (toasted meringue piping and all!) for up to two days before serving. You’ll want to wrap the sides of the cake in plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. Be sure to take the cake out of the refrigerator about an hour or two before serving, because cake always tastes better at room temperature. 

If you’re looking for an easy, creative alternative to the classic Thanksgiving desserts this year, this recipe is sure to be a hit. It’s got all the Fall flavors you want in a Thanksgiving dessert, but it’s much prettier to look at and can be made in advance so you don’t have to stress about whipping it all up day-of. Regardless of what’s on your dessert menu this year, JOANN has all the tools you need to create something stunning and delicious. And remember, with a huge assortment of floral arrangements, Thanksgiving decor, and supplies you need for any DIY projects, you’ll find all of that there too (and so much more). 

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all. I hope you all have endless lists of what you’re thankful for this year and get to share it all with family and friends. And please let me know if you make this cake recipe! Leave a comment below to tell me about it or tag @sugarandsparrowco and @joann_stores on Instagram to show us – love to see what you create!

Disclaimer: I was compensated by JOANN for my work of creating this project, styling, filming, photographing, and writing about their products. As always, all opinions are honest and my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support Sugar & Sparrow.

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