A note on this cake stand pictured above: I get asked about where it can be purchased all the time, and sadly I haven’t been able to find the same one online! It was a birthday gift from my sister in law many years ago, before Sugar & Sparrow was even a twinkle in my eye. I did find this very similar one on Amazon that you can feel free to check out. And as for where I get my other cake stands, I’ve had great luck at thrift shops, Target, eBay, and Amazon (here’s another one I use all the time). 

Before I get to the written tutorial below, here is a quick video I whipped up of the process showing two different styles of cake: one with a buttercream finish and one with sprinkles around the bottom edge. Give it a watch before you read on: 

Want to see more Cake Basics videos like this one? Head to my YouTube Channel to see the growing collection of recipes and cake decorating tutorials that’ll help you learn all the basics. 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!

You Will Need

• A decorated cake on a turntable
• Cake stand or box 
• Angled spatula 
• Hot water 
• Dish towel

Step 1: Prep The Cake 

There are two things that are essential when it comes to a successful cake transfer: 1) a solid foundation underneath the cake and 2) a chilled cake. First, the cake needs to have been stacked on a cardboard cake circle in the filling and stacking process to ensure it has a sturdy foundation. This method will not work if you don’t have a firm foundation beneath that cake, because it’s nearly impossible to lift a layer cake that’s just sponge on the bottom. It might work with a cake lifter, but even still, I highly recommend building your layer cakes on a cardboard cake circle for easy maneuvering, 

Second, I always start the transfer with a chilled cake. To make sure the cake is nice and chilled before attempting to move it, place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer. This will get that buttercream finish nice and solid so that if you do end up touching the cake finish during the transfer, you won’t fingerprint it easily. 

Step 2: Heat the Spatula 

Once the cake is nice and chilled, heat up an angled spatula by running it under some hot water for a few seconds, then drying it thoroughly with a towel.

Heating the spatula will help create a clean edge in the next step. 

Step 3: Release the Cake From the Turntable 

Now that the spatula is warm, run it all along the bottom edge of the cake to release it from the turntable. You’ll want to keep the spatula as close and parallel to the turntable as possible to get a clean edge around the bottom of the cake. 

As you go around, the seal between the buttercream frosted cake and the turntable will be completely released.

Once you’ve gone around the entire cake, work your spatula underneath to lift up one side.

Step 4: Move the Cake 

With your spatula lifting one side of the cake, slide one hand underneath the cake. Remove the spatula and place your other hand beneath the cake and slowly lift it up.

Move the cake over to the stand, going as slowly as you’d like.

Once you’ve made it to the stand, gently lower the cake and keep one edge of it lifted to pivot the cake around where you want it. Then, slide the angled spatula back underneath and gently lower the cake edge before removing the spatula.

Notice that I’ve got my finger covering the area above the spatula to prevent the buttercream finish from sliding off with the spatula. 

Step 5: Fix Any Areas (If Necessary)

Now that the cake is safe and sound on the stand, I like to slightly re-heat my spatula using the hot water method shown in step 2 and run it all around the bottom edge of the cake to press in any areas that look flared out or imperfect from the transfer. This helps to make the cake look even more flawless! 

And there you have it! All my best tips for moving your cake onto a stand, all while keeping it looking picture perfect. You can use this same method for moving a cake into a box, onto a serving plate, or wherever your cake needs to end up. 

If you want to learn more about cake baking and decorating, be sure to follow along with this Cake Basics series and all of the fun cake decorating videos I release on my YouTube page. Hit that subscribe button over there so you never miss a new video. And PS: I’m always thinking of new Cake Basics topics to help you learn, so if there’s something you’d love for me to cover please leave a comment below with your idea! 

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A cute linen apron.

My sister in law got me this pretty linen apron that has the cutest criss cross straps! Maybe now my clothes won’t be so covered in powdered sugar.

A tiny cupcake stand.

This teeny tiny stoneware cupcake stand is also from my sister in law, made by the Hearth & Hand collection at Target. I’m kindof obsessed with all things miniature and I’m so excited to use it in my food photography. It’s perfect!

The perfect white cake stand.

I gifted this one to myself for Christmas (hehe) because I’m trying to grow my cake stand collection. It’s surprisingly hard to find plain white cake stands that aren’t super short and wide! This one is a 6 inch stand on a taller pedestal, and it comes in all sorts of sizes and colors.

A personalized cake design journal.

Little did I know, my husband was tucked away in his office designing me a custom cake journal. I cried instantly when I unwrapped it because it was just so thoughtful! Every page features a blank cake that I can draw all over and cast creative vision. I’m always scribbling cake designs on napkins and scraps of paper, so to have all of my designs in one place is going to be magical.

The cake cookbook that started it all.

And as if that wasn’t thoughtful enough, my sweet husband also hunted down the cake cookbook that started my passion for baking! My mom used to have the entire collection of these Jean Parè cookbooks and I poured over this specific one when I was a little kid. My mom passed away a handful of years ago and I sadly didn’t inherit her recipe books, but I’m so happy to have this little piece of my childhood back thanks to the internet and my thoughtful husband.

I’ve already started baking some of the recipes and they’re just so good. Some of them are hilarious though. There is a recipe for Chocolate Potato Cake that incorporates mashed potatoes into the batter and another quite famous one for Tomato Soup Cake, which is basically a spice cake with a can of tomato soup added. I can’t imagine either of those being tasty, but I’m going to have to bake them just to see!

What are a few of your favorite things right now? Let me know in the comments!

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