The best part about this Layered Ombrè Cake is that the design is super forgiving. You start with a smooth buttercream cake, but you don’t need to be meticulous about the finish since half of the cake will be covered up with layers of color. No need to stress about this one! 

Before we get to the written tutorial, be sure to check out this video I whipped up of the process: 

Are you into cake decorating videos like this one? If so, head to my YouTube page to see even more! From decorating tutorials to recipe videos and Cake Basics, you’ll find everything you need there to grow in your cake skills. Be sure to hit the Subscribe button so you never miss a new video. 

You Will Need:

• A cake that’s been crumb coated and chilled (this one is a 3 layer 6 inch, but any size will do)
• Cake turntable
• Icing smoother
• Angled spatula 
• 1.5 batches of vanilla buttercream
• Color gels (I used AmeriColor Fuchsia and Teal for mine)
• Bowls and spoons for color mixing
• Wilton Tip 4B (x4) – optional
• 4 piping bags – optional

Step 1: Frost a Smooth Buttercream Finish

With your chilled, crumb coated cake on the turntable, add buttercream to the top of the cake and smooth it down with your angled spatula until it’s level and reaches over the edges.

Add a layer of buttercream all around the sides of the cake, then use your icing smoother to smooth the sides. If you need tips on how to get a nice smooth finish, be sure to check out this Cake Basics post on how to frost a smooth buttercream cake. 

You’ll notice that a little crown of buttercream has formed around the top edge of the cake (a great sign!). Use your angled spatula to swipe the edges inward (toward the top center of the cake) so you create nice sharp edges. 

When you’re happy with your buttercream finish, pop it into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes while you move on to the next step. 

Step 2: Mix Your Buttercream Colors

Divide the remaining buttercream equally amongst four different bowls (or however many colors you want for the layers). Add your food color gel to each one and mix until you like what you see. 

For my color palette, I used AmeriColor Fuchsia in different increments for the light and dark pinks and AmeriColor Teal for the light and dark teal colors (also in different increments). If you want to learn more about color mixing, I created a Cake Basics guide here. 

Step 3: Add the First Layer

Starting at the middle of the cake, add your first color. It should have highs and lows and look perfectly imperfect. No need to add it all the way down the cake, just stick to the middle area. 

Once your color is on, use your icing smoother to gently (and slowly!) smooth it down.

Don’t worry about stopping and starting again in the smoothing process – it’s essential that you go slow for this part to maintain those highs and lows. 

Step 4: Add the Additional Layers

When the first color is smoothed down, add the next color slightly below it so that the color above is still very visible. Repeat the process of smoothing it down.

Continue to add and smooth your colors until you reach the bottom of the cake. 

Look at that pretty texture you can create with buttercream layers!

Step 5: Finish with Some Piping (Optional)

You can feel free to stop the design process with the previous step, but I thought this cake needed a little something extra on the top. I prepared four piping bags with Wilton Tip 4B and filled each one with a different color. Then, I added buttercream stars along the top in a crescent shape. 

And there you have it – a totally eye-catching alternative to the gradient ombrè! This Layered Ombrè look is so much fun to create and an easy look for anyone to achieve. 

If you found this tutorial helpful for your Layered Ombrè Cake, I want to see the results! Be sure to leave a comment below and tag @sugarandsparrowco in any Instagram photos of your cake. I love to see what you create!

The post Layered Ombrè Buttercream Cake Tutorial appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

One of my favorite easy things to dress up a cake is to do a chocolate ganache drip finish. Over the years, my ability to create the drip look has definitely grown, and I get tons of questions asking what my secret is. The truth is, chocolate ganache has definitely put me through the wringer before (especially white chocolate ganache, which used to be my absolute nemesis). After figuring out the perfect ratio for chocolate to heavy whipping cream and learning the do’s and dont’s of drip cakes, I’ve got it down to a science these days. And now you will too!

This chocolate ganache recipe has been my go-to forever, and it involves only two ingredients: chocolate and heavy whipping cream. There’s no need to be intimidated with this one – just bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer, pour it over the chocolate, whisk it together until it’s uniform, and give it time to set up. The type of chocolate you use will determine the amount of heavy whipping cream to incorporate for the perfect consistency. Although semi-sweet chocolate is the most common type I use for drip cakes, I’ve listed the ratios I use for all different types of chocolate below.

Although the recipe seems straightforward enough, there are quite a few tricks to learn before mastering the art of the drip. I’ve listed out a basic step-by-step tutorial and some troubleshooting tips below, but first, here’s a detailed video to show you how to make the recipe and everything you need to know about the technique I use for drip cakes: 

Want to see more Cake Basics videos like this one? Head to my YouTube Channel to see the growing collection. You’ll also find tons of cake recipes and decorating videos there to inspire you and broaden your skill set – be sure to hit the subscribe button so you never miss a new one!

Print

Chocolate Ganache For Drip Cakes

The perfect chocolate ganache consistency for drip cakes using semi-sweet chocolate, with ratios for white chocolate, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate included.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup (185g) semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, or a bar chopped up into bits
• 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream

Instructions

• Place chocolate chips into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal). If you’re starting with a chocolate bar, chop it into small pieces until they’re about the size of chocolate chips. 
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm heavy whipping cream until it just starts to simmer. I always look for small bubbles forming around the edge and a soft simmer starting in the middle. When it's reached this point, pour the cream into your bowl of chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds. 
• Whisk it together until it’s uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk. Cool ganache at room temperature for 10-20 minutes, or until the ganache itself is room temperature or slightly above. 

Notes

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

If you’re using white chocolate: my favorite ratio is 3:1, meaning three parts white chocolate to one part heavy whipping cream. Here is my full recipe for white chocolate ganache.

If you’re using dark chocolate: use a 1:1 ratio but add 2 extra Tbsp of heavy whipping cream. Since dark chocolate contains more cocoa solids, it tends to set harder and is prone to cracking if not balanced with more cream. 

Tips For Perfect Chocolate Ganache Drip Cakes

Tip 1: 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 or slightly above, about 10-20 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 2: Make Sure Your Buttercream Is Chilled

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 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 3: Always Do 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 4: Drip The Sides Before Filling In The Top

When I first started caking, my initial thought was to just dump ganache over the top of the cake and let it run down the sides naturally. If you’ve ever tried that before, you’ll know it doesn’t end up looking good. You’ll have a lot more control over the appearance if you start by dripping the sides until they’re aesthetically pleasing before filling in the top of the cake.

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.

Tip 5: Don’t Touch Those Drips

If you’ve ever made a drip cake with ganache before, you’ll know that it’s a little sticky to the touch when it’s room temperature. When the drips have been refrigerated, they’re a little less fragile, but try not to touch the drips at all during the decorating or boxing-up process.

Chocolate Ganache Troubleshooting Tips 

Since the consistency of your ganache is pretty much everything when it comes to a successful drip cake, I wanted to take a moment to talk about what to do if your drips are too thick or too runny. Most of the time, it doesn’t take a whole lot to bring your ganache back to ideal drip consistency. Here are some common problems and ways to solve them: 

Problem 1: The drips are pooling at the bottom of the cake – this typically means your ganache is too warm, in which case I recommend to give the ganache 5-10 more minutes to cool down before attempting your next test drip on your chilled buttercream cake. 

If you’ve let the ganache cool for a significant amount of time and the drips are still too runny, it means that too much liquid (heavy whipping cream) was incorporated into the recipe. To fix this problem, you’ll need to thicken the ganache with more chocolate. This will mean melting about 1-2 additional oz of chocolate in the microwave, warming the existing ganache to the same temperature as the melted chocolate, then whisking it all together before letting it cool back down to ideal drip consistency. 

Problem 2: The drips are thick and gloppy – this means your ganache is too set (or too cold). To fix this, gently warm the ganache in the microwave in 5-10 second increments until it’s ideal drip consistency. 

Problem 3: The ganache has split – this has never happened to me with this recipe, but if your ganache looks grainy or seized, it means that for some reason, the fat is separating from the liquid. To fix it, gently reheat the ganache in the microwave or over a double boiler to 92ºF to melt the fat crystals, then re-whisk to bring it back together. 

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 Tips For Perfect Chocolate Ganache Drip Cakes appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I find myself savoring every moment of this pregnancy because the journey to get here was super emotional. It took a lot of prayer and there was heartbreak along the way, but God is so good and these little kicks I’m feeling these days + my growing bump are a constant reminder that this baby is a gift from Him. I could not be more thankful and honored to get to do this!

Being pregnant during this coronavirus pandemic has been pretty wild. I’m definitely missing being surrounded by all my people during such a special time, but thanks to all the Zoom and FaceTime chats I’m having I still feel very connected. I’ve also gotten to spend a ton of quality time with my husband before we become a family of three and it’s nice to have extra time at home for all this nesting I’m about to do. Still, it would be nice to get away for a babymoon before this kid gets here. If not I guess we’ll have to make it a newborn-moon! It doesn’t sound nearly as restful, but worth it to bask in the sun and stick my toes in the sand somewhere tropical. 

I’m 21 weeks now and thankfully, this pregnancy has been pretty easy so far. In the beginning I mainly felt like a bottomless pit of hunger and only got nauseous when I didn’t eat every hour and a half. The only things I could not stand were the sight/taste/thought of sour cream and the smell of taco seasoning. Other than being too tired to move by 8pm and having to pee 24/7 I felt pretty good (which was also terrifying, cause those early symptoms felt like such reassurance). Now that I’m a little over halfway there, I still wake up a ton at night but I’m experiencing some more of the fun stuff: good hair, a reasonably sized bump, a little more energy, vivid dreams every night, and baby kicks that keep getting stronger and stronger.  

Biggest cravings so far: peanut butter toast every single day, Special K cereal (has to be the one with strawberries), spicy Indian food, cheeseburgers, any kind of Italian food, and Reser’s bean and cheese burritos (which is weird because I hadn’t even thought about those things in like fifteen years). Oddly enough, I am preferring salty/spicy/savory things over sweets these days.

We found out the gender last week and wanted to come up with a fun way to tell all of you. So naturally, I made myself a gender reveal cake!

Without further ado, it’s a…

BOY! 

And the crazy thing is, I had this super strong feeling that we were having a son weeks before we found out. I did have a few vivid dreams that I was having a girl in the beginning, and an overwhelming majority of our friends guessed it would be a girl, but after I hit the second trimester I was just convinced it was a boy. I couldn’t shake the feeling. So when the ultrasound tech said he was a boy I was mind blown that the feeling was true! We are so elated to be having a son! And just look at his cute little profile:

I’m already so obsessed with this boy and can’t wait to be his mama! Already dreaming of his birthday cakes but trying not to think too far ahead because I hear time goes fast. In the meantime, I’m savoring every moment of this pregnancy and grateful to be healthy during this crazy time in the world. Hope you’re all safe and healthy out there and thank you for celebrating sweet boy with us! 

And one last thing: If you’re wondering about the details of how I created my gender reveal cake, here’s the tutorial for the buttercream piping technique I used. The color palette for the frosting is Americolor Electric Blue and Fuschia, mixed in a few different shades and combined for the purple color. I tinted the cake batter with Americolor Electric Blue to get that pretty shade for the cake inside.

If you’re expecting and want to make your own gender reveal cake, feel free to steal this idea or check out the tutorial for these sprinkle filled gender reveal cupcakes. Be sure to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram if you do – I’d love to celebrate with you!

The post Baby on the Way + Gender Reveal Cake appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I am so, so happy with how this cake turned out! The vast majority of terrazzo cakes I’ve seen before have been made with fondant (and they do look amazing!), but since I’m such a buttercream nerd I really wanted to see if I could create the look entirely with frosting. I’m glad I challenged myself, because I figured out a technique that works so well! By creating the print with buttercream on parchment paper, I was able to transfer it onto the top and sides of my cake and get a smooth terrazzo print all over. Just imagine all the amazing color palettes this design will work with!

This terrazzo technique is super easy, but I will admit that using it on both the top and sides of the cake can be a little time consuming. It essentially involves creating large buttercream transfers (one for the top and one to wrap around the sides) and ironing them onto the cake with a Wilton fondant smoother. Most of your time is spent waiting for those transfers to firm up in the refrigerator until they’re just the right consistency to work with. If you’re short on time, using this technique on only the sides will give you that same terrazzo look while saving you half the time! Either way, this terrazzo technique is going to make your cake next level.

Here’s a quick video of the decorating process for you to visualize the technique before you read all about it below:

If you’re into cake decorating videos like this one, be sure to check out my YouTube Channel! You’ll find tons of videos to inspire you there, and make sure you never miss a new one by clicking the Subscribe button.  

You Will Need: 

• 6-inch cake that’s been crumb coated and chilled
• 1.5 batches of vanilla buttercream
• Wilton Color Right Food Color System 
• Bowls and spoons for color mixing 
• Parchment paper
• Scissors
• Pencil
• A ruler and a piece of string for measuring
• 6-inch cardboard cake circle
• Wilton Tip 2 (x5) 
• Piping Bags 
• Angled Icing Spatula
• Wilton Fondant Smoother

Step 1: Create a Buttercream Color Palette

Reserve 2.5 Cups of buttercream and divide the rest evenly amongst separate bowls, one per color of your terrazzo tiles. I decided to use five different colors in my design, so I divided my buttercream into five different bowls and used the Wilton Color Right System to color each one.

The Wilton Color Right System is best for creating custom colors, and it comes with a handy chart to help you mix just the right amounts to get the color you have in mind. For example, to get the muted pink tone I mixed a little of the Pink with the tiniest bit of Brown to create more of a dusty rose color. 

Mix away until you’ve got the ideal color palette, then add each color into a separate piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 2. 

Step 2: Measure and Cut the Parchment Paper

Before you start piping away, you’ll first need to cut out parchment paper to fit the top and sides of your cake. Measuring the top is easy if you have a cardboard cake circle that’s the same size as the diameter of your cake. Simply trace the cake circle onto a piece of parchment paper and cut it out. 

For the sides, you’ll need a ruler and a piece of string. Measure the height of your cake with the ruler, then wrap a string around your cake and mark where it comes together before measuring it with the ruler. This will give you the height and circumference of your cake’s sides. Add about ½ inch to the height measurement and 1 inch to the circumference measurement, then trace the dimensions onto wax paper and cut it out. You’ll now have a strip of parchment paper that’s sized just a tiny bit bigger than you need (trust me on this!) to create your terrazzo pattern on. 

Step 3: Pipe the Terrazzo Colors

Starting with the circular piece, use your piping bags to create random terrazzo-inspired shapes all over the parchment paper. Be sure to leave some blank spaces in between to give the shapes just the right amount of space. It helps to pull up some images of terrazzo patterns for inspiration.

Once your terrazzo tiles are piped on, place the parchment into the refrigerator to firm up for about 20 minutes. This part is important for making sure the tiles maintain their perfect shapes during the next step. 

Step 4: Frost the Parchment Paper 

When your terrazzo tiles are nice and firm, spread the reserved buttercream over top of them, creating a ¼ inch thick layer of frosting over the entire piece of parchment paper. Make sure the buttercream is as smooth as possible and don’t be afraid to apply a little pressure to help fill in all the spaces between the color tiles.

Then, place the frosted parchment pieces back into the refrigerator for another 10 minutes, but no longer. You want to make sure the buttercream is firm enough to work with, but not so firm that it doesn’t adhere to the cake easily. 

Step 5: Transfer the Terrazzo Pattern to the Top

Add a super thin layer of fresh buttercream frosting to the top of the cake to act as glue, then place the circular Terrazzo parchment on top, buttercream side down.

Use the Wilton Fondant smoother to press the parchment down so it adheres to the top of the cake perfectly, then place the cake back into the refrigerator for another 10 minutes. If you feel like the top needs to be flatter, you can put a weight (like a couple soup cans) into a cake pan that’s the same diameter as your cake and place it on top. This will keep just the right amount of pressure on it while it sets in the fridge.

After it’s firmed up, carefully peel back the parchment paper to reveal your beautiful buttercream terrazzo!

Step 6: Create the Terrazzo Pattern on the Sides

Repeat steps 3 and 4 using the strip of parchment paper you previously prepared for the sides of the cake.

After its last trip to the refrigerator, where it’s semi-set, apply a thin layer of fresh buttercream to the sides of the cake for glue.

Wrap the parchment (buttercream side down) around the circumference of the cake and be sure to pull it as tightly as you can so it makes contact with every inch of those sides. You can secure the parchment with binder clips if you need to, but mine really stayed put once I had it wrapped.

Smooth the terrazzo wrap with the Wilton Fondant smoother and place it back into the refrigerator for a final 10 minutes.

Now that the wrap is nice and set, gently peel the parchment paper off the cake to reveal those gorgeous terrazzo sides.

Finally, use a paring knife to cut away the excess buttercream around the top edge. This part is essential for making sure you’ve got perfect, sharp edges.

Just look at that pretty buttercream terrazzo transfer!

This technique works in all sorts of color palettes and cake sizes, so let your imagination run wild with this one. And if you’re in need of a few things on the list, be sure to check out the amazing selection of cake decorating supplies at your local JOANN store or shop their online collection! It’s a one stop shop for everything you need for this cake design and then some. Happy National Craft Month, everyone! 

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 Buttercream Terrazzo Cake Tutorial appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

These Fondant Skills 101 Kits come with everything you need to create fondant decorations for cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and cookies. Inside, you’ll find some basic instructions on working with fondant and so many tools and supplies for getting artsy with it. There’s a paint palette, paint brush, and food color that you can mix with water for painting on fondant. A geometric-textured mat for embossing the fondant. And even a piping tip with a circular opening that you can use to create fondant sprinkles. I wanted to try it all, so I made some painted decorations, used the texture mat, and made my own sprinkles. So fun!

I think adding fondant accents to buttercream cakes can be such a fun way to mix mediums and achieve some really artistic looks. The best thing about using fondant decorations is that they’re 100% edible, fondant dries firm in about 24-48 hours, and it’s really easy to work with. This Fondant Skills 101 Kit is perfect whether you’ve never worked with fondant before or you want to try a variety of fondant techniques in a cost effective way (only $10!).

I’m walking you through the different types of fondant decorations I created with this kit below, but first, here’s a quick video of all three to show you in action:

You Will Need:

• Tasty by Wilton Fondant Skills 101 Kit
• Cornstarch or powdered sugar
• Vegetable shortening 
• Small rolling pin 
• Sharp knife
• Circular cookie/fondant cutters
• Wax or parchment paper
• Buttercream frosted cake, any size (mine is a 4” round)

How to Make Watercolor Fondant Decorations

Open one of the fondant packages and knead it until the consistency is moldable and even, similar to Playdoh. You can add a little vegetable shortening to your hands if you find they are sticking to the fondant.

Place a little cornstarch or powdered sugar on a flat surface to prevent the fondant from sticking, then use a small rolling pin to roll the fondant into about an ⅛ inch sheet.

Let the fondant sit while you mix up your paint colors. On the paint palette, add a few drops of whatever blend of colors you’d like, then mix a few drops of water into each color. The kit comes with primary colors (red, blue, yellow), so I created some pinkish reds, purples, and blues. Mix it with just a little bit of water for a stronger color, or a lot of water for a softer hue. When your colors are ready, use the paintbrush to paint them onto your fondant canvas.

I added broad strokes of each color and splattered a little extra water over the top of the canvas to let the colors bleed a bit.

When you’re satisfied with how your painting looks, cut the fondant into shapes. I used a sharp knife to cut the painted fondant into isosceles triangles, but you can create any shape you want with a knife or cookie cutters!

Once your shapes are cut out, place each one onto a sheet of wax or parchment paper to dry. I recommend allowing them to dry for 24 hours, then flipping them over and allowing the other side to dry for at least 12 more hours. 

How to Make Geometric Print Decorations

To make the geometric printed circles, open the second package of fondant and follow the steps in the previous section to knead the fondant and roll it into an ⅛ inch sheet. Then, take the geometric texture mat, place it on top of the fondant sheet, and roll over it with the rolling pin a few times.

Peel off the texture mat to reveal a glorious geometric pattern.

You can cut this fondant into any shape you want, or even paint over it at this point using the steps in the previous section. I chose to keep these decorations white and used these cookie cutters to cut out circular shapes.

Place your geometric print decorations on a sheet of wax or parchment paper, then allow them to dry for 24 hours on one side before flipping them over and drying for another 12 hours.

How to Make Fondant Sprinkles 

For this technique, I colored the remaining fondant with the food colors from the kit, then rolled all of them out into an ⅛ inch sheet. Using the small end of the green piping tip, press into the fondant sheet to cut out small circular sprinkles of each color.

Using the wide end of the green piping tip, cut out larger circles from each color. Then, roll each large circle into a ball.

Fondant sprinkles are so easy and I love how customizable they are! Imagine all the color palettes you could create.

Allow the fondant sprinkles to dry for about 24 hours, or until they’re firm. 

Decorating The Cake

All that’s left to do is add your fondant decorations to your buttercream cake and make a mixed medium masterpiece! To add my decorations, I simply stuck the watercolor triangles and geometric print circle decorations into the top of the cake. It’s easy to stick them straight into the buttercream and they’ll stand on their own (they weigh barely anything). Then, I added some fondant sprinkles around the toppers.

I also placed some of the fondant decorations to the side of the cake with a few dots of buttercream and added even more fondant sprinkles.

These fondant accents ended up making this cake look super abstract and I am so into it!

I love that this Fondant Skills 101 Kit comes with all the supplies you need for these three techniques and so much more – you can easily combine the techniques for even more decoration styles! Wilton’s new Tasty line has even more fun kits like this for cake decorating and they’re available now at JOANN. Go check them out at your local JOANN or in their online shop. I have a feeling you’re gonna have so much fun with these kits no matter what your cake decorating skill level! 

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 3 Ways to Make Fondant Decorations with a Tasty by Wilton Kit appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I first created a cake with this approach for New Years Eve and the process was so freeing that I knew I had to try it again. It’s basically edible art therapy! After posting it on Instagram I got so many requests for a video that I decided to film this one, and I hope it’s as therapeutic to watch as it was to create. If you’re more of a visual learner, this video shows the techniques in action for you to reference as you create one yourself:

The only real decision that’s important to make before you start decorating is choosing your color palette. Each time I’ve used this technique to decorate a cake, I’ve chosen four different colors to make it come to life. I usually start by mixing up one bold mid-toned color, make a darker color to contrast it, then pair those with two lighter pastel colors to use for the spatula painted portions.

It will work with any color palette, so just choose four colors that you’re crazy about and run with it!

You Will Need:

• A frosted cake that’s been chilled
• ½ batch of vanilla buttercream (or other light colored buttercream)
• Food color gels of your choice
• Bowls and spoons for color mixing
• A cake smoother or bench scraper
• A small icing spatula
• Edible Art Paint in Glamorous Gold (optional)
• Food-grade paintbrush (optional)

Step 1: Mix Up A Color Palette

Divide the buttercream into four different bowls, reserving a bit of white buttercream just in case you need to lighten a color. Then, use your food color gels to create the color palette of your choice.

The color gels I used for this specific color palette are all Americolor: Eggplant mixed with Regal Purple for the darkest color, Fuschia for the mid-toned color, Peach and Lilac for the lightest colors.

Step 2: Create Bold Color Swatches

Make sure your cake has been chilled for at least 30 minutes and is firm to the touch before starting the painting process (aka where the fun begins!). Choose two different colors to use as your big, bold swatch colors. I always pick the darkest color and the mid-toned color, but you can use any colors you feel would be the most fitting. One by one, use your small icing spatula to apply color wherever you want on the cake, then use your bench scraper to scrape off the excess and create smooth color swatches.

It’s best to have a few paper towels handy throughout the process, because you’ll need to clean your bench scraper every time you smooth out a color to get a clean finish.

Repeat the process until you’re happy with how many swatches are on your cake, remembering to leave enough blank space for spatula painting.

Step 3: Spatula Paint

Wherever you feel like, use your icing spatula to apply the final two colors, spatula painting them on in strokes. There’s no right or wrong here, so feel free to overlap your color swatches and go with the flow on how long or short your spatula painted strokes end up.

Make sure you clean your icing spatula when switching colors, unless you want the strokes to end up with colors mixed together.

Step 4: Splatter Paint

I absolutely love splatter painting cakes, so I chose to finish the design by splattering some Edible Art Paint in Glamorous Gold all over my colors. You can use any kind of edible paint or luster dust mixed with alcohol for this part, but I love Edible Art Paint because it’s already pre-mixed and ready to go. Just pour a little bit into a bowl, dip a food-grade paintbrush into it, and splatter until you love what you see.

And that’s it! Three different cake decorating techniques combined to make art. The best part is that every cake design you create with this approach will look totally unique, and it’s so easy that you can just relax and enjoy the creative process. I hope painting with buttercream is as therapeutic for you as it is for me!

If you create a cake with this tutorial, I’d LOVE to see your artwork. Be sure to tag me on Instagram to show me!

Disclosure: this post does contain some affiliate links, meaning I may receive a small commission if you click them and purchase items I’ve recommended. Clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, but they do help to keep Sugar & Sparrow up and running. Thank you for your support!  

The post Painted Buttercream Cake Tutorial appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

After the impulse Buttercream yarn purchase and a bit of research on knitted buttercream piping techniques, I decided to order all of the supplies on JOANN’s website and use their in-store pickup option just to see what it was like. I was so happy with how convenient it was! Did it stop me from wandering down the aisles and impulse buying some Fall home decor? Absolutely not. But it is so nice to know that the items I needed were ready and waiting for me at the checkout counter.

This cake requires just three piping tips (Wilton 1M, 4B, and 3) and an extra dose of patience, which is so worth it for this end result! There’s a major pro tip in the tutorial below that details how to get the knit lines so straight. I ended up using the Wilton Color Right system to create the purple buttercream color so that it matched the yarn perfectly. And as an optional cake topper, I found the perfect bamboo knitting needles to finish the look. I love everything about this cake.

Here’s a quick video to show you all the tips and techniques before you read all about them below:

If you’re into video tutorials like this, be sure to check out my YouTube channel. There are tons of videos there to inspire you and show you the ropes of cake decorating! And I’m always rolling out new ones, so be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing.

You Will Need

• 6 inch cake that’s been crumb coated and chilled
• 1.5 batches of vanilla buttercream 
• Food color gels of your choice (optional)
• Cake turntable
• Angled spatula
• Icing Smoother
• Wilton Icing Comb
• Wilton Tips 1M, 4B, and 3
• Piping bags 

Step 1: Color the Buttercream (optional)

You can choose to leave the buttercream white or tint it with some food color gels of your choice. I ended up using the pink and blue gels from the Wilton Color Right Food Coloring System to create this warm purple tone that matches the Buttercream yarn as closely as possible! 

I love how easy it is to create totally custom colors with these food color gels, and it comes with a handy guide in case you aren’t sure about color theory. 

Step 2: Frost the Cake

Before we start piping, I find it best to frost a thin layer of smooth buttercream beneath the piped finish. This way any spaces that peek through your piped patterns will match exactly, making the texture look flawless. With your chilled, crumb coated cake on the turntable, smooth a thin layer of buttercream on top of the cake using your angled spatula, then cover the sides with buttercream. 

Next, use your icing smoother to create a smooth, even buttercream finish. No need to worry about small imperfections, but make sure the sides are as straight and level as possible.

You’ll notice a little crown appear around the top edge as you smooth the sides of the cake, and you can use your angled spatula to drag those edges inward to create sharp edges. 

Step 3: Create the Guidelines

If you’re wondering how to get the knitted piping perfectly straight horizontally, this is my favorite hack. I used the square tooth comb from the Wilton Icing Comb set to gently create evenly spaced horizontal lines around the cake. Just turn the cake while you gently comb the sides.

And for the top, I placed the same icing comb onto the center and swirled it around to create lines there too. These lines are the perfect piping guide! 

Once your cake finish is perfectly striped, pop the cake into the refrigerator to chill for about 20 minutes while you practice your piping.

Step 4: Practice Piping Techniques and Make a Plan 

While your cake is chilling, it’s best to prepare your piping bags and make a plan before you begin piping on the cake. Count how many rows (the lines from step 3) you’ve got on your cake and draw them out on a piece of paper. I had 17 rows to fill in, and knowing that helped me plan out which piping techniques I wanted to use on each section of the cake. Feel free to copy the pattern in step 5 if you have 17 rows, adjust it to fit more or less rows, or draw out your own design!  

I came up with three different techniques for the knitted piping, shown in the photo below. If you want to practice them before you start on the cake, you can pipe them out on a piece of wax paper to get the hang of it. 

Technique 1 (the top row above) is made with Wilton Tip 4B and simply involves piping stars. 

Technique 2 (the middle row above) is a cable knit texture created with Wilton Tip 1M. You can get the look by piping a braided pattern, or piping a series of v shapes that overlap. 

Technique 3 (the bottom row above) is your basic small knit texture, created with Wilton Tip 3. It’s similar to the technique above it, but instead of piping v shapes, you’ll be piping x shapes that overlap. This way, the top of each x looks like a v. Continue until you have a series of knits that look like the bottom row in the photo.

Step 5: Pipe the Sides of the Cake

Using the techniques shown above, I started at the bottom of the cake and piped a row of stars with Wilton Tip 4B, then filled in the subsequent three rows with Technique 3 (tiny knits):

I piped Technique 1 to fill in the next two rows, then Technique 2 to fill in the subsequent four rows:

The cable knit piping is basically the middle of the cake, so I repeated those techniques in reverse order to reach the top:

Step 6: Pipe the Top of the Cake

Similar to the planning session for the sides of the cake, count how many rows you’ve got on the top of your cake and decide how you want to fill them in. I started my design with one open star in the middle of the cake, then filled in the next four rows with Technique 3.

Then, I finished the top with another round of cable knit piping using Technique 2.

This part is totally optional, but I thought it would be so fitting to top the cake with these bamboo knitting needles once I was done with all that piping:

You might need a hand massage after this one, but this knitted buttercream texture is unreal and totally worth it!

Whether you’re in need of the perfect piping tips for this cake design, some cozy wool yarn for your next real life knit, the prettiest home decor for Fall, or all of the above, JOANN is my go-to place for all of it. Be sure to check out their website and try the BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) feature if you want next level customer service! I can’t promise that it will stop you from wandering the aisles and impulse buying other things, but it’s great to have everything you need ready to go at the checkout counter. 

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 Buttercream Knitted Sweater Cake Tutorial appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

This Sea Life mold made it so easy to turn gumpaste into brilliant sea shells, coral, and starfish. It will work with fondant too, but I chose gumpaste just because I wanted the sea life pieces to dry more quickly. If you make them a week ahead, fondant is a great option. But if you’re like me and wait until the last minute, gumpaste will dry much quicker (in about 24 hours!) and is still as easy to color and work with as fondant.

To supplement my pretty gumpaste sea life accents, I used some of my favorite Wilton piping tips and pearl sprinkles (also available at JOANN) to create some additional under the sea textures. And to make things even more sea-themed, I crushed up some graham crackers to create edible sand for decorating.

Before I detail exactly how to get this under the sea look, here’s a quick video to show you the techniques in action:

Gumpaste Sea Life Materials:

• Wilton Ready-To-Use Gumpaste or fondant 
• Sea Life Gumpaste & Fondant Mold
• Wilton Color Right Food Coloring System 
• Shortening 
• Small rolling pin
• Exacto knife

Under The Sea Cake Materials: 

• A 6-inch cake that’s been crumb coated and chilled
• 2 batches of vanilla buttercream
• Icing smoother
• Angled Icing Spatula 
• 8 inch cake circle 
• Crushed graham crackers
• Sea Life Pieces 
• Wilton Tips 104, 4B, 2A, and 225
• Piping bags
• Wilton Pearl Sprinkles

Step 1: Make The Gumpaste Sea Life

Separate the Ready-To-Use Gumpaste (or fondant!) into 1 inch pieces and knead each one with a little shortening until it feels uniform in consistency, like play-doh. Use the Wilton Color Right System or food color gels of your choice to color each piece. Here’s how I colored my gumpaste:

Color by color, press the gumpaste into portions of the Sea Life Mold and use a small rolling pin to flatten it out. This mold is pretty flexible, so it should be easy to release each piece by gently pulling it away from the mold. 

Cut away the excess gumpaste with an exacto knife and place each sea life piece onto a sheet of wax or parchment paper to begin the drying process.

Allow the gumpaste to dry for at least 24 hours, flipping it over once in between to let both sides dry evenly. If you’re using fondant, allow it to dry for at least 72 hours, flipping the pieces over once in between.

Once all of your sea life pieces are dry and firm, you can move on to decorating the cake. 

Step 2: Color The Buttercream

Divide the buttercream into separate bowls: divide 4.5 cups between three separate bowls for the base frosting. Since I went for a blue ombre effect on my buttercream finish, I colored one bowl a dark blue, one bowl a medium blue, and one bowl a light blue. 

Divide the remaining buttercream into a four or five separate bowls for the colors you’ll be piping. These colors will end up being your additional buttercream textures like coral and sea grass, so feel free to copy the above color palette or follow your heart on these colors. 

Step 3: Frost The Cake

With your crumb coated cake on a turntable, frost and smooth the top of the cake with the lightest blue buttercream. Then, working from the bottom of the cake up, frost the bottom third of the cake with the deepest blue buttercream, the middle third with medium blue, and the top third with the lightest blue. 

Use your icing scraper to smooth the sides of the cake, keeping the top edge uneven. I think leaving the top edge like this gives the illusion of tiny waves around the top of the cake.

At this point in the decorating process I like to chill the cake for at least 30 minutes to let the buttercream firm up.

Step 4: Add the Crushed Graham Cracker Sand 

Transfer the chilled cake to an 8 inch cake circle and place the whole thing back on your clean turntable. Fill in the top of the cake with crushed graham cracker sand, then add some more sand to the bottom edges. 

Step 5: Add The Gumpaste Sea Life

Press your gumpaste sea life pieces into the sides of the cake wherever you feel like. For the smaller pieces (like shells) you can reserve them until you pipe the additional textures in the next step. You do you!

Step 6: Pipe Additional Textures 

Prepare separate piping bags by fitting them with piping tips and filling them with the additional buttercream colors you mixed up in step 2. I used Wilton Tip 104 for the green sea grass, Wilton Tip 4B for the open stars, Tip 2A for the coral textures, and Tip 225 for some small drop flowers.

You can pipe these textures in any order, but here’s what I did: first, I piped some coral dots with Wilton Tip 2A, then piped squiggles with the green buttercream using Wilton Tip 104:

Next, I added vibrant purple and yellow open stars using Wilton Tip 4B:

Finally, I added some little pink drop flowers with Wilton Tip 225:

You’ll find that it’s super easy to pipe these under the sea textures, and the buttercream really makes everything come together. Once your piping is finished, you can add in some of the smaller gumpaste pieces like seashells, and press some sprinkle pearls into the sides of the cake to create the illusion of bubbles. So fun! 

Step 7: Decorate The Top Of The Cake 

You can choose to leave the top of the cake sand-only, but I used some of the gumpaste coral as a cake topper, piped some open stars, and added some gumpaste shells to make an ocean floor scene.

So pretty, right? This Under The Sea Cake is so much more detailed with the gumpaste sea life pieces, and I am so happy that JOANN had the perfect mold to make my oceanic cake dreams come true! Whether you live near a JOANN store or shop their website, you’ll find all the materials to get the perfect Under The Sea look with your cake decorating. Best of all, if you download the JOANN app, you’ll always have a coupon to get these cake decorating supplies at a discount. It’s just one more reason I love this store.

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 Under The Sea Cake Tutorial appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

This Cake Comb set comes with three combs that are double sided, meaning you can get six different looks in one little set. You can use any of these combs on your buttercream finish to get a cool, textured look that’s picture-perfect. For this tutorial in particular, the comb with the square cutouts is exactly what you need for stripes. As you drag it through your buttercream, those little squares will carve out ridges that can be filled with any color you want, then smoothed all together for a flawless striped finish.

Here’s a quick video of the process, and I’ll share everything you need to know about creating striped cakes from start to finish below. Be sure to read all of the tips in each section, because there are a few hacks I’ve learned along the way: 

You Will Need:

• A 6-inch cake that’s been crumb coated and chilled
• 2 batches of vanilla buttercream 
• Icing Smoother
• Angled Spatula 
• Wilton Icing Comb Set
• Food color gels of your choice
• A piping bag

Step 1: Frost And Smooth The Cake

With your crumb coated cake on the turntable, frost a layer of buttercream onto the top of the cake and smooth it with your angled spatula. Then, add a thick layer of buttercream to the sides of the cake and use your icing scraper to smooth it until the sides are even. 

The layer of frosting on the sides of the cake should be thick and deep enough for your cake comb to pass through and create ridges, about ¼ inch or more. Don’t worry about creating the sharp edges on the top of the cake just yet, only focus on getting those sides nice and smooth.

Step 2: Create Ridges With The Cake Comb

Next, hold the cake comb next to the cake at about a 45 degree angle towards you and gently turn the turntable. You’ll want to gradually create these ridges, so be sure to only apply a tiny amount of pressure at first. Each time you go around the cake, clean your cake comb completely by holding it under running water and drying it. You want it to be free of any buttercream bits to create perfect ridges.

If you find that there are holes or gaps in some of the ridges, fill them in with buttercream and go over them again with the cake comb. Also, if your ridges are tearing when you pass over the buttercream with the cake comb, it most likely means that your buttercream is too stiff. Luckily there’s an easy fix! Simply add a little bit of room temperature milk to your buttercream and mix it with your mixer for a thinner-consistency buttercream. Then, add the buttercream wherever your ridges have ripped and smooth them over with the cake comb.

Keep going around the cake until your ridges are more than ⅛ inch deep. Once you’ve reached the ideal depth, use your angled spatula to create sharp edges on the top of your cake. Swipe the buttercream from the outer edges toward the center of the cake until those edges look sharp and the top of the cake looks smooth and even. 

Step 3: Chill For 30 Minutes 

This step is critical to creating evenly spaced buttercream stripes, because if you skip this step and the buttercream is too soft, the stripes can spread and look uneven. Simply pop the cake in the refrigerator and chill the buttercream for at least 30 minutes, until it’s firm to the touch. 

Step 4: Fill The Ridges With Color

Add your favorite food color gel to the remaining buttercream and mix it up. I used the Wilton Color Right Food Coloring System from JOANN to mix up this deep fuschia color (using the pink and blue colors). Add the colored buttercream into a piping bag and snip off about ¼ inch opening on the end. With your chilled cake on the turntable, pipe the colored buttercream into the ridges. 

It’s best to overfill the ridges rather than underfill them – you want to make sure that the colored buttercream reaches every space within the ridge. 

Step 5: Smooth The Stripes 

Finally, use a clean icing smoother to go around the cake several times and remove the excess colored buttercream. You’ll want to clean the icing smoother every time you go around the cake to ensure that you’re removing as much of the colored buttercream as you can. 

This step requires a bit of patience, but as you carefully smooth and remove excess buttercream, you’ll see those perfect stripes start to peek through. Continue this process until all of the excess buttercream has been removed and those stripes look perfect!

From here, you can continue decorating the cake if you wish. To get this look, I added some Sweet Tooth Fairy sprinkles, a buttercream border using Wilton Tip 1M, and turquoise gumballs. All of these pretty decorating supplies can be found at JOANN! 

The best part about this technique is that you can use any stripe color combination you want! Just follow the above steps and you’re good to go. I hope this tutorial gives you more confidence in creating buttercream stripes and you’ll find everything you need to get the look at JOANN. And the best part is, if you download the JOANN app, you’ll get tons of coupons to get these cake supplies at a discount. Happy cake striping! 

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 How To Create Striped Buttercream Cakes With A Cake Comb appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Wilton sent me a big box of supplies to create this birthday cake, and there are a few I want to highlight here because they’re total cake game changers. First, the Wilton Cake Leveler is something I always, ALWAYS use to level my cake layers before filling and stacking them. You can adjust the height of the leveler and just run it through your cake to create nice, even layers. Having even cake layers is a must for creating perfectly level cakes as an end result.

Second, having a trusty cake turntable is key for creating a smooth buttercream finish. Wilton sent me their High And Low Turntable and it was stellar for the job! It’s got adjustable legs so you can really get the turntable height that’s comfortable for you.

This cake design all starts with a smooth buttercream cake, so in addition to having level cake layers and a trustworthy turntable, the last keys to success are having a great icing smoother and angled spatula. I prefer both of these items to be stainless steel, because sometimes getting a smooth finish means slightly heating up the scraper/spatula to erase wrinkles. If you’re still trying to master a smooth buttercream finish, I’ve detailed all my best tips in this post.

Ok, back to this birthday cake design! Although it looks intricate, I promise it’s way easier than it looks. Watch this quick video of the process (above) to show you how it’s done, then I’ll walk you through the step by step below.

You Will Need:

• A 6-inch cake that’s been filled and frosted with a smooth buttercream finish
• 1 batch of vanilla buttercream
• The Wilton Color Right System
• Bowls and spoons for mixing buttercream colors
• A piece of saran wrap
• Piping bags
• Wilton Tips 1M, 104, and 4B
• Gold pearlized sprinkles
• Tall gold birthday candles

Step 1: Mix Up A Buttercream Color Palette

For this cake, I created a pastel rainbow color palette using the Wilton Color Right system.

A really easy way to do this is to divide the batch of buttercream into three bowls and color one bowl pink, one bowl yellow, and one bowl blue. Then, mix part of the blue with the pink in a separate bowl to create purple, part of the blue with part of the yellow to make green, and part of the pink with part of the yellow to make orange.

Step 2: Prepare Your Piping Bags

Before placing each buttercream color in its own piping bag, I created a multi-colored piping bag for making some rainbow rosettes! The easiest way to do this is to lay a piece of saran wrap down, then swipe four colors next to one another on top of it.

Roll the saran wrap up like a colorful burrito and snip off one of the ends before placing it into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 1M.

Then, place each individual color into separate piping bags fitted with Wilton Tips 104 and 4B. I used Tip 104 for the green and blue colors and Tip 4B for the rest.

Step 3: Pipe The Cake

With your smooth buttercream cake on the turntable, pipe the rainbow rosettes on the upper half of the cake and the top of the cake in a random pattern.

Next, use the piping bags fitted with Tip 104 to pipe ruffles next to each rainbow rosette.

Finally, fill in all the empty spaces with stars using the piping bags fitted with Tip 4B. The goal here is to create a sort of ombrè effect with the piping, so feel free to pipe some stray stars toward the bottom of the cake.

Step 4: Add Sprinkles

I love using sprinkles to add even more texture to whimsical buttercream, and these Wilton Pearlized Sprinkles are perfect for the job. Using either your fingers or a pair of tweezers, add the sprinkles to the centers of some of the stars and the edges of some of the rosettes.

There is no right or wrong way to add sprinkles here. To keep with the ombrè look, I placed a few stray gold sprinkles toward the bottom of the cake.

Step 5: Top With Birthday Candles

No birthday cake is complete without some pretty candles, and the taller the better! These Tall Gold Candles are perfection. Place them on top of your cake and get ready to party!

Wilton has a ton of great birthday cake ideas on their site as well, so be sure to check them out for inspiration. If you’re inspired to make this cake design for a birthday or any day, be sure to tag me on Instagram (and @wiltoncakes as well!) to show us what you’re caking!

The post Pastel Rainbow Birthday Cake Tutorial appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.