Strawberry season is in full swing! I actually planted some strawberries last month and was so eager to use my little harvest in my bakes but as soon as those sweet little berries turned red, a creature of some sort had a feast. So while I couldn’t use my homegrown strawberries this time around, it didn’t stop me from heading to the store to get some fresh berries for the Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake I’ve been dreaming of. I decided to whip it up as a Father’s Day treat for my husband and it was a total hit! 

This Strawberry Shortcake Layer cake is so easy to throw together for a Summer dessert. It starts with an extra fluffy white cake that is a delicious treat all on its own. Add to that layers of homemade whipped cream, fresh sweetened strawberry slices, and the tastiest shortbread crumbs ever (inspired by the one and only Milk Bar). This cake is so light and refreshing, the perfect amount of sweet, and so pretty to look at!

For the strawberry filling, you’ll be slicing fresh strawberries and tossing them with a little strawberry jam and granulated sugar. It’s best to let them sit for about 20 minutes to bring out the fresh strawberry juices before you start piling them in between your layers. The key here is fresh strawberries – frozen berries can technically be used but will add a lot more liquid to the filling. If you want it to look pretty, use fresh berries.

The homemade whipped cream frosting is stabilized, aka uses the addition of gelatin to make it sturdier for piping and upholding the weight of the cake layers and fillings. I piped shells with it using Wilton Tip 6B, but any piping tip and style would look beautiful. For best results, you’ll want to make sure to use very cold whipped cream, a cold mixing bowl, and the whisk attachment on your stand mixer. Just pop the bowl of your stand mixer into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes beforehand and make sure your heavy whipping cream is straight from the fridge as well.  

If you’ve ever had a Milk Bar cake, you know all about the shortbread crumbs I added to this cake. It was my husband’s idea to add them in between layers, and I think they really take the cake beyond. The shortbread crumbs only take a handful of ingredients you’ll already have on deck for the cake layers, and they’ll add a great pop of flavor and texture. If you’re short on time or want a more traditional Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake, you can totally skip the shortbread crumbs if you need to. Between the sweetened strawberries and homemade whipped cream frosting, this cake will still taste amazing. 

For an extra little bit of fun, I added some cute little chamomile flowers to accent the cake. You can usually find these in late Spring/early Summer in the floral department of your local grocery store (Portland favorites are Trader Joe’s or New Seasons). You can feel free to omit this part if you want, but I think they make the cake look so dainty and sweet when paired with those fresh strawberries. Chamomile is completely edible, although bitter, so these little blooms are really more for looks than taste. 

While you can technically make this cake a day or two before serving it, it will look prettiest if you make it the day of. Since the cake layers are unfrosted, they will dry out in the refrigerator unless you wrap the cake in plastic wrap, which will most likely mess up some of the piped details. Be sure to check out the make ahead tips in the recipe notes below to help you plan out your baking and assembly. Whatever occasion this cake is for, I hope it’s as much of a hit with you and your loved ones as it was with mine!

Print

Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake

Inspired by the Summer classic dessert, this cake features layers of moist and fluffy white cake, homemade whipped cream frosting, fresh sweetened strawberries, and baked shortbread crumbs. It's refreshing, delicious, and perfectly easy to throw together.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

White Cake

• 2 1/2 Cups (265g) sifted cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 Cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 Cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 Cups (300ml) full-fat buttermilk*, room temperature DIY recipe in notes

Baked Shortbread Crumbs

• 3/4 Cups (90g) cake flour
• 2 1/2 Tbsp (32g) granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Strawberries

• 3 Cups (480g) sliced fresh strawberries
• 2 Tbsp (40g) strawberry jam
• 1 Tbsp (13g) granulated sugar

Whipped Cream Frosting

• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 Tbsp cold water
• 1 1/2 Cups (360ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
• 1/2 Cup (60g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the White Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with baking spray and fitting a parchment paper circle to the bottom of each pan.
• In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and cream it together with the butter at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl and paddle at the halfway point. Turn the mixer to low and add the egg whites one at a time, mixing until they are just combined and scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the vegetable oil and vanilla, increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 1 minute.
• Turn the mixer off and add the flour mixture all at once. Mix the ingredients on low speed until just combined, then slowly pour in the buttermilk. Continue mixing at low speed for about 30 seconds, until the batter is uniform and combined. The batter will be slightly thin.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 28 to 32 minutes. They’re done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs on it. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pans and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the Shortbread Crumbs

• Preheat the oven to 250°F/121ºC and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix with a rubber spatula until the mixture begins to form small clusters, then press the ingredients together with your hands to form even more clusters. Spread the clusters onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Cooling the crumbs completely before using in the cake assembly.

Make the Strawberries

• In a medium bowl, mix together the sliced strawberries, strawberry jam, and granulated sugar. Let sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator while you make the whipped cream frosting.

Make the Whipped Cream Frosting

• Chill the metal bowl of your stand mixer for 15-20 minutes in the refrigerator or freezer. Sprinkle the gelatin into a small glass measuring cup or microwave safe dish. Add the cold water and whisk until the gelatin is dissolved. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes to let the gelatin set.
• While the gelatin is setting, add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract into the chilled metal bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed to combine. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the mixture is thickened, stopping just shy of reaching soft peaks, about 1 min.
• At this point, the gelatin should be solidified. If so, pop it into the microwave for 5-10 seconds, until the mixture has re-liquified but is still cool to the touch. Use a whisk to briefly stir the gelatin mixture together to make sure it's smooth.
• With the mixer on low speed, drizzle the liquid gelatin into the cream. Slowly increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until you have reached stiff, fluffy peaks, about 2 minutes. Use immediately to ensure the best consistency for piping.

Assembly

• Once the White Cake layers are cooled, level them to your desired height. Add the first layer onto a cardboard cake round on your turntable or cake stand. Add some of the strawberry juice onto the cake layer as a soak.
• Fit a piping bag with Wilton Tip 6B and fill it with the Whipped Cream Frosting before piping shells along the outer edge of the cake layer. The shells should begin at the edge of the cake layer and end with the tail pointed toward the center of the cake layer. Pipe a second row of shells to fill in the center of the cake layer. Top with about 1/3 Cup of the strawberries and sprinkle a handful of shortbread crumbs on top.
• Place the next cake layer on top and repeat the process of adding the strawberry juice soak, piping the Whipped Cream Frosting shells, topping with strawberries, and sprinkling shortbread crumbs. Repeat the filling and stacking process for any additional layers, then garnish with chamomile flowers if desired.

Notes

DIY Buttermilk recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

Make Ahead Tips: 

1. The white cake layers can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing to room temperature. 
2. The shortbread crumbs can be baked ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month. 
3. The strawberries can be made one day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
4. The whipped cream frosting cannot be made ahead. It must be made right before you plan on piping with it. 
5. The assembled cake or leftovers can be stored for 1-3 days in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap to keep the cake from drying out. For best results, assemble the cake on the day you plan on serving it and store it in the refrigerator, uncovered, until you’re ready to serve it. 

Did you make this Strawberry Shortcake Layer 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 Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake Recipe 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

Print

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.

The post A Pumpkin Pie Layer Cake Recipe That’s Easy & Eye-Catching appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

To celebrate two years of cake blogging, I’ve partnered with my friends at Americolor to give away one of their incredible Heavenly Seventy Kits! Just like the name implies, this kit comes with seventy color gels that will take your cakes to the next level. Whether you’re tinting buttercream, cake batter, fondant, gumpaste, ganache, or any other food that can be tinted with water-based gel, Americolor has (in my humble opinion) the best colors on earth. They’re so concentrated that you don’t need to use much to get rich color, they don’t alter consistency, and they are tasteless so you never have to worry about ruining flavors. They will change your life when it comes to color palettes!

For your chance to win this Heavenly Seventy Kit, be sure to follow along on my Instagram and keep your eye out for the giveaway post. The giveaway will be open from May 13th at 10:00am PST to May 14th at 11:59 PST. Aaaand it’s open WORLDWIDE, so as long as you’re over the age of 18 and have a valid shipping address, you’re good to go! 

There are 20 different shades of Americolor gels on this rainbow cake just to show you a fraction of what you can expect with this Heavenly Seventy kit! The most beautiful colors ever.

So happy to celebrate this milestone and looking forward to all that year three will bring! The only thing I know for certain is that things will look a bit different around here. I’ll still be bringing you tasty recipes and fun cake tutorials, but I’m also working hard on a project I’m calling Cake Basics – a series of videos and blog posts that cover the very basics of cake making! I’ll be walking you through all the simple methods I’ve come to lean on over the years that make a world of difference, all in hopes of giving you even more confidence with your cake making. I can’t wait to show you! 

One other thing I’m certain of for year three: there will be 100% more baby pics on here than previous years. My sweet baby boy is due in August and I could not be more excited! 

To wrap it all up and take a walk down memory lane, here are a few of my favorite recipes and decorating tutorials from this past year:

Floral Sheet Cake Tutorial

This is hands-down my favorite way to decorate a sheet cake. Just choose your favorite color palette, follow these quick and easy piping techniques, and you’ll end up with a beautiful cake for celebrating anything.

Cactus Cake

A true crowd favorite, I love seeing this cactus cake recreated all over Instagram. Such a simple design, but these desert vibes are just so pretty! Featuring a buttercream ombre sunset, piped cacti, and edible (graham cracker) sand. 

Lemon Layer Cake

Last spring, I decided to try my hand at the perfect lemon layer cake and I’m so proud of how this one turned out (after lots of tries!). I paired it with freeze-dried blueberry buttercream and oh my. Just look at how beautiful that buttercream is! Such a classic flavor pairing. 

Striped Buttercream Cake Tutorial

I finally learned how to use a cake comb for buttercream stripes and just love how perfectly spaced they turn out! This was another one of those techniques that took some trial and error, but this tutorial tells all in hopes of helping you create perfectly striped buttercream cakes. 

Buttercream Painted Floral Cake 

If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at spatula painted florals, here’s your chance! All you need is a great buttercream color scheme and a few palette knives. It’s basically art therapy at its tastiest. 

Mint Chocolate Cookie Cake Recipe

This recipe was fully inspired by my love for Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies, and if you’re a fan this cake will not disappoint! Layers of decadent mint chocolate cake, mint chocolate cookie crumbles, and mint chocolate chip buttercream. So tasty!   

Knitted Sweater Cake

Inspired by the coziest wool yarn ever, the color and textures on this knitted sweater cake ended up so swoon worthy. This tutorial shows you how to get the look with just three piping tips and some easy buttercream techniques.

Thanks again for following along and encouraging me every step of the way! Can’t wait for what’s in store for year three. If you have any requests for recipes, tutorials, or videos, let me know in the comments below! 

The post Sugar & Sparrow is TWO! appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Sheet cakes are very nostalgic for me because they’re what I was raised on. Every year for my childhood birthdays, my mom would bake a single layer cake in a casserole dish, add canned frosting with a butter knife, and top it all with simple birthday candles. It was glorious! 

The sheet cake in this photo looks really similar, but it’s all homemade. I baked my Yellow Cake Recipe in a 9 x 13 casserole dish and frosted it with my Favorite Chocolate Buttercream. You don’t need a ton of cake tools or fancy techniques to make a sheet cake (I frosted this one with a spoon to get those swoops) but if you want to get creative with a non-traditional design, go crazy!

Making the Right Amount of Batter

To bake my layer cake recipes in a 9 x 13 dish or pan, you’ll want to fill it only halfway full. My cake recipes have a bit of rise to them, and filling the pan more full will result in either 1) a really tall single layer of cake or 2) an overflow disaster. Since I know ingredients are semi-scarce right now, I don’t want you to make a big batch of cake batter when you aren’t going to use it all. So here’s a list of my layer cake recipes that you can convert following the instructions below:

For cake recipes that yield four 6-inch cakes or three 8-inch cakes, like the ones listed below, you’ll need to half the recipe to make the right amount of batter: 

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
• Milk & Cookies Cake
• Funfetti Cake
• S’mores Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Buttercream
• Milk & Cereal Cake
• Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Coffee Cake with Vanilla-Espresso Buttercream
• Favorite Matcha Cake 
• Salted Caramel Apple Cake
• Almond Joy Cake (Coconut Almond Cake)

The cakes listed below can be made as-is, but fill the 9 x 13 pan no more than half full. OR, if you really want to do the math, you can make 2/3 of the cake portion of the recipe to make just the right amount: 

• Perfect Vanilla Cake 
• One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
• Yellow Cake 
• Chocolate Oreo Cake 
• Thin Mint Chocolate Cake
• Pretzel Nutella Cake
• Ruby Chocolate Cake
• Spiced Vanilla Chai Cake
• Pumpkin Cake 
• Churro Cake 
• Strawberry Lemonade Cake

Preparing the Sheet Cake Pan 

Once you’ve found the perfect recipe, you’ll need to prepare the pan you’re using for best results. You can use a 9 x 13 inch glass or ceramic casserole dish, or a metal pan of the same dimensions. I tend to use glass or ceramic dishes (especially love this one that came as part of a set from Crate & Barrel) just because I love the way they look right out of the oven, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

Either way, prepare the pan or dish by spraying the sides and bottom generously with cooking spray (I love Baker’s Joy for this). You can alternatively grease the pan generously with vegetable oil, or just grease the sides and place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom.

Baking the Sheet Cake 

Once you’ve filled your prepared pan or dish with cake batter (remember, no more than ½ full!) bake it at the oven temperature the recipe instructs. For my cake recipes, I always bake at 350ºF. Add 5 minutes to the baking time in the original recipe and check for doneness then by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. It’s done when the toothpick comes out clean.

If it seems to need more time, add an additional 3-5 minutes to the baking time and check again. 

Frosting and Decorating the Sheet Cake 

You can use any of my frosting recipes to decorate your sheet cake, and if the cake recipe you chose calls for a specific buttercream recipe, be sure to half that portion of the recipe to make just enough for your sheet cake. To create the look pictured, use a spoon or butter knife to swirl the frosting around on top of the cake, then add some sprinkles to tie it all together. Totally quick and failproof!

If you’d rather get more elaborate with your sheet cake decorating, feel free to use piping tips and creative cake decorating techniques to create what you’re imagining! This floral sheet cake tutorial shows how to create one of my favorite sheet cake looks: 

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

You can bake the sheet cake ahead of time and store it in its dish at room temperature, covered tightly with plastic wrap, a day or two ahead of frosting. Once it’s frosted, the buttercream will preserve the cake underneath and keep it moist. I still recommend covering it with plastic wrap while you’re storing it (especially after cutting into it) because the extra protection helps keep it fresh for 3-4 days. 

You can keep your cake in the refrigerator as an alternative to room temperature, but I only recommend that if your kitchen environment is warmer than 70ºF. If you do refrigerate your cake, be sure to bring it back to room temperature before serving it because cake tastes best at room temp!

I’m so excited to provide you with lots of fun cake recipes for you to try as sheet cakes! Let me know which ones you try in the comments section, and be sure to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me how you decorated. I love to see what you’re caking. Stay safe and healthy out there, everyone! 

The post How to Convert My Layer Cake Recipes into Sheet Cakes appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

See? All that cake needed was a little revamp! Same sheet cake underneath, but a whole lot of pretty piping to make it eye-catching. All of these pretty buttercream florals were made possible with the Wilton Drop Flowers Tip Set + a few additional favorite tips (1M and 4B) I picked up at JOANN’s.

The best thing about baking a sheet cake is it’s easy. You don’t have to worry about leveling, filling, or stacking any layers. Just add some cake batter to your casserole dish and bake it up! The only real thing you need to worry about is giving the cake enough time to cool before you frost it.

The reason I love these Drop Flower piping tips is that they take care of all the hard work for you. They’re designed to create perfect florals in just a twist of the wrist, creating a beautiful floral look that anyone can achieve. Here’s a quick video to show you the technique before you read all about it below:

This design will work in just about any color palette imaginable, so pick your favorite color scheme and get ready to party!

You Will Need

• Your favorite casserole dish
• 1 box of cake mix
• 1.5 batches of vanilla buttercream
• Food Color Gels of your choice
• Bowls and spoons for color mixing
• Piping bags
• Wilton Drop Flowers Tip Set
• Wilton Tip 1M
• Wilton Tip 4B

Step 1: Bake The Cake

Whip up your favorite cake recipe or a box of cake mix, then pour it into your favorite (prepared) 9 x 13 casserole dish. I always like to spray the dish with Baker’s Joy to ensure that the cake doesn’t stick to the dish after baking.

Once your sheet cake is baked to perfection, allow several hours for it to cool at room temperature before you start piping your florals.

Step 2: Color The Buttercream

With your favorite color scheme in mind, divide the vanilla buttercream into separate bowls for color mixing, then use your favorite color gels to tint it. I used the Wilton Color Right System to mix up five different colors for this project.

While any color gels will work for this part, the Wilton Color Right System is perfect for getting totally custom shades. It comes with a guide for color mixing, and you can use it to achieve any color imaginable!  

Step 3: Prepare Your Piping Bags

Snip off the end of each piping bag and insert the piping tips one by one. For this design, I prepared two piping bags with Wilton Tip 4B, two with Wilton Tip 1M, and four for each of the piping tips that come with the Wilton Drop Flowers Tip Set.

The Wilton Drop Flowers tip set comes with Tips 225, 129, 109, and 190. Each one makes a different floral design, effortlessly!

Step 4: Pipe The Floral Designs

With your cooled sheet cake in the casserole dish, first pipe rosettes using the piping bags fitted with Tip 1M. To pipe a rosette, face the piping tip downward and squeeze the piping bag to get the buttercream flowing, then while keeping continuous pressure, make a small swirl around the where you originally squeezed. There’s no rhyme or reason as to where to pipe the rosettes, so just follow your heart here.

Next, use the piping bags fitted with Tip 4B to pipe star designs wherever you’d like. These stars are quite simple, just face the piping tip downward, squeeze, and release as you lift up.

And finally, use the piping bags fitted with the Wilton Drop Flowers Tip Set to fill in all of the empty spaces. You can either pipe them with a squeeze or gently rotate your wrist as you’re piping to get cool swirled floral designs.

Isn’t this floral sheet cake a hit? It’s a nostalgic concept, made modern with some easy piping! The best part is, it’ll work in all sorts of color schemes and the look can be achieved in minutes. It’s the easiest way to make an eye-catching floral cake!

Be sure to visit your local JOANN store to find all the piping tips you need to create buttercream florals, plus tons of cake decorating tools and supplies, all in one shop. If you don’t live near a JOANN store, check out their website for an epic selection of cake decorating goodness! And whether you shop in store or online, be sure to download their app, because they always have a coupon for you to get the best cake and craft supplies at a discount.

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 Floral Sheet Cake Tutorial appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

There are three types of buttercream flowers involved in this wreath cake topper: roses, ranunculus, and camellias. Although they may look intricate, they’re easy to make with a little practice and the right materials. They look so pretty all on their own, but it’s really fun to arrange them into a flower wreath as a cake topper. Total showstopper!

I whipped up a quick video to show you the process of making the buttercream flowers and assembling them onto the cake, so have a look before you read the tutorial below:

You Will Need:

• A cake that has been frosted and chilled
• 1.5 batches of vanilla buttercream, stiff consistency
• Wilton Tips 104 (for petals), 3 (for flower centers), and 352 (for leaves)
• Piping bags
• Pre-cut flower squares
• Flower nail
• Food color gels of your choice
• Bowls and spoons for color mixing

Step 1: Color The Buttercream

Divide your buttercream into different bowls and mix up the color scheme you’d like your flowers to be. I went with a dark brick red and light purple for the roses, fuschia ranunculus with peach centers, and white camellias with yellow centers, but these buttercream flowers can be made in any color scheme you’d like.

You’ll also need a few shades of green for the buttercream leaves, a little yellow for the centers of the camellias, and about ½ cup of plain white buttercream reserved. For all of the shades I created for this cake, I used the Wilton Color Right System from JOANN. It comes with a handy guide for mixing up any shade you could think of!

Step 2: Make The Buttercream Roses

To make the buttercream roses, fit a piping bag with Wilton Tip 104 and fill it with the buttercream color of your choice. Pipe a small dot of frosting on top of the flower nail, holding it in the hand you’re not piping with. Press a parchment paper square on top.

With the larger end of Tip 104 touching the flower nail and the skinny end pointed upwards, pipe the center bud as you twirl the flower nail 360 degrees. Pipe petals around the bud as you rotate the flower nail – shorter petals in the beginning and longer petals as you reach the edge of the flower nail.

When your buttercream rose is finished, carefully drag the parchment paper square off the flower nail and onto a flat surface. I placed a piece of wax paper onto a baking sheet for this part. Repeat until you have 5-6 buttercream roses, and feel free to pipe smaller sizes for variety.

Step 3: Make The Buttercream Ranunculus

To make the buttercream ranunculus, fit a piping bag with Wilton Tip 104 and fill it with the peach buttercream (or color of your choice for the center of the flower). Prepare the flower nail by placing a dot of buttercream on top, then pressing a parchment paper square onto it.

Hold Tip 104 at a 45 degree angle, with the larger end of the piping tip touching the flower nail and the skinny end pointed toward the center of the flower nail. Pipe a swirl of buttercream as the base for your center bud as you twirl the flower nail 360 degrees. Then, create overlapping layers of buttercream as you rotate the flower nail. Imagine that you’re piping small rainbows over the center bud as you go around.

Next, switch to your main ranunculus buttercream color (I used fuschia for this), still using Wilton Tip 104. Continue the overlapping motion for the petals all the way around the bud. When you’re finished, carefully slide the parchment paper onto your baking sheet so the flower can begin to dry. Repeat until you have 5-6 different ranunculus flowers, and remember to create a variety of sizes.

Step 4: Make The Buttercream Camellias

To make the buttercream camellias, place your buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 104 (I’m using white for these, but you can use any color!). Fit another piping bag with Wilton Tip 3 and fill it with yellow buttercream. The second piping bag will help create the flower centers. Prepare your flower nail by placing a dot of buttercream on top and pressing a parchment paper square onto it.

Starting on the outer edge of the flower nail with Tip 104 flat (the larger end toward the center of the flower nail and the skinny end pointed outwards), pipe a row of petals as you rotate the flower nail. When you’ve created a circle of outer petals, pipe a second row of petals with the same motion, only point the piping tip at a 45 degree angle so the inner row of petals stands up. Then, use your yellow buttercream to fill in the center of the petals with dots.

When you’re finished, carefully slide the parchment paper onto your baking sheet so the flower can begin to dry. Repeat until you have about 4-5 camellias.

Step 5: Refrigerate The Buttercream Flowers

Place your baking sheet with all of your beautiful buttercream flowers into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to let them firm up before assembling the buttercream flower wreath.

After the refrigeration process, they should be firm to the touch and really easy to handle. Although you might be tempted to place them in the freezer to speed this part up, I have not had good luck with the freezer. I know some bakers swear by it, but in my experience, the refrigerator is better when it comes to these delicate buttercream flowers.

Step 6: Assemble The Buttercream Flower Wreath

Prepare a piping bag by filling with your reserved ½ cup of white buttercream and snipping off a 1-inch opening. On a cake that’s been frosted and chilled for at least thirty minutes, pipe a circle of white buttercream about ½ inch from the edge of the cake. This will help create height for your flower wreath.

Next, assemble your chilled buttercream flowers on top of the circle of buttercream, pressing them in and angling them outward and inward for variety.

Feel free to overlap some of the flowers and don’t worry about small empty spaces – we’ll fill those in next!

Step 7: Pipe The Buttercream Leaves

Fit a piping bag with Wilton Tip 352 and fill it with green buttercream. I ended up fitting another piping bag with Wilton Tip 3 and using the lighter green buttercream to pipe dotted foliage around some of the flowers, but feel free to stick with leaves if that’s your jam.

Wherever there’s an empty space (aka the white buttercream is showing through), pipe leaves to fill in the gaps. Feel free to pipe green dots like I did or designs to fill in those empty spaces and complete your floral wreath cake.

And there you have it – the perfect cake for Spring! Remember that with more practice, your buttercream flowers will be so easy to whip up you’ll want to put them on everything. And if you’ve got a JOANN store in your area, be sure to check out their cake decorating supply selection! I’m always so impressed with their collection of Wilton products, cake pans, decorating tools, and all the things. And best of all, they always have great coupons if you download their mobile app. That way you can get what you need and save money while you’re at it!

Disclaimer: I was compensated by JOANN for my work of creating this cake, 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 Buttercream Flower Wreath Cake Tutorial appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.