I’ve been dying to try a marble cake for awhile now and the thing that’s kept me from it was the thought of making two different cake batters. It sounded like too much effort just to have a pretty marble effect. BUT after some research it turns out there’s a way to make two different flavors from the same cake batter. A revolutionary idea! So in the spirit of Fall, I introduce to you my very first marble cake ever: pumpkin and chocolate swirled together in the same cozy cake layers. 

This pumpkin chocolate marble cake is perfectly spiced, super moist, and so ideal for autumn baking. It starts with whipping up my favorite pumpkin layer cake batter, then you’ll reserve some of the batter to mix with melted semi-sweet chocolate. Since it’s mixed with the pumpkin cake batter, the chocolate cake batter ends up with spiced undertones and is so tasty. I didn’t realize how well pumpkin and chocolate went together until I made this cake and I’m so happy to know! Those two batters get swirled together to give the resulting cake layer a beautiful marbled effect. 

I polled my Instagram followers about what frosting to pair with this pumpkin chocolate marble cake and the winner was brown butter frosting, which I was secretly hoping would win. Brown sugar frosting was a close second and if you’d rather go with that, this pumpkin pie layer cake includes a brown sugar frosting that you can use. But brown butter frosting, oh my. It is so tasty with these marbled cake layers! One of these days I’ll dedicate an entire blog post to it. 

To make the brown butter frosting, you’ll add some of the butter into a frying pan, melt it over medium heat, and bring it to a simmer until it starts to turn foamy and light brown in color. It will start to smell nutty and you’ll see little brown bits forming. At this point you add it into a glass container and let it re-solidify before mixing it up into buttercream. It was my first time making brown butter frosting and I just can’t get over how tasty it is and those little brown bits in the buttercream finish make me swoon. 

After filling and topping this pumpkin marble cake with brown butter frosting, I added a chocolate ganache curtain drip. This is where you pour the ganache on top of the chilled cake and use an offset spatula to push curtains of ganache over the edges. It’s a bit more of a rustic technique than my traditional chocolate ganache technique, and I just love it on this cake. 

I tinted the remaining brown butter frosting with AmeriColor Burnt Orange and used Wilton Tips 6B and 4B to pipe a crescent of open stars. I wanted a little nod to the pumpkin flavor in this recipe without being too obvious. The real star of the show are the cake layers inside, so regardless of how you decorate, you’ll be super excited to cut into the cake and reveal all that marbling! 

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Pumpkin Chocolate Marble Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Deliciously spiced pumpkin and chocolate cake batters swirled together to create a marble effect in each layer. Paired beautifully with brown butter frosting and a chocolate ganache curtain drip.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Pumpkin Chocolate Marble Cake

• 4 Oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 3/4 Cups (290g) sifted cake flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 Cup (140g) packed brown sugar
• 1 Cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 Cups (360g, 12oz) canned pumpkin purèe
• 1 Cup (240g) full fat buttermilk* DIY recipe in notes

Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting

• 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 7 Cups (840g) powdered sugar
• 1/4 Cup (60ml) whole milk or heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp salt

Chocolate Ganache Drip (optional)

• 1/4 Cup (46g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 Cup (60ml) heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Make the Pumpkin Chocolate Marble Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and placing a wax or parchment paper circle into the bottom of each one.
• Place the chocolate chips into a glass bowl and microwave in 15-20 second intervals, stirring after each one, until the chocolate is fully melted and uniform. Set aside to cool. Place the sifted cake flour 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. It will look very curdled at this point, but don't worry! It will all come together after the next step.
• 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.
• Reserve about 2 Cups of the pumpkin cake batter (about 500g) into a separate small bowl and whisk in the cooled melted chocolate until the batter is uniform.
• Place spoonfuls of the pumpkin cake batter and chocolate cake batter into each prepared cake pan and carefully swirl with a kitchen skewer or butter knife to create a marbled effect throughout the cake layer. Try not to over-swirl and make sure to fill each pan no more than 2/3 full. Bake for 32-36minutes, 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 Butter Buttercream Frosting

• Brown the butter: Add 1 Cup of the unsalted butter into a large frying pan and cook over medium heat until the butter melts, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking for another 6-7 minutes while stirring constantly. The melted butter will start to foam on top, then will turn light brown in color and smell deliciously nutty. Remove from heat at this point and transfer to a glass container. Allow it to re-solidify for about 2 hours at room temperature or place it into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. It should be completely room temperature and thick (about the consistency of a thick caramel) before continuing on with the buttercream recipe.
• Once the brown butter is room temperature, cream the other 1 Cup of unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high until creamy and light in color, about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed.
• Add the cooled brown butter and vanilla and mix on medium speed until uniform. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after mixing in each addition. Add the milk and salt and continue mixing on low speed until smooth.

Make the Chocolate Ganache (Optional)

• Place chocolate chips into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal). In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the heavy whipping cream until it just starts to simmer, then pour the cream over the chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds. 
• Whisk together until the ganache is uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk. Cool the ganache at room temperature for 10-20 minutes, or until the ganache itself is room temperature or slightly above. 

Assembly

• Once the cake layers have cooled completely, level them to your desired height. Fill and stack the layers with brown butter frosting, then crumb coat the cake with more brown butter frosting. Refrigerate the crumb coated cake for 20-30 minutes to let the frosting firm up.
• To create the design pictured, use the brown butter frosting to create a smooth finish on the cake, then refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before dripping the cake with a curtain drip of chocolate ganache (pour the cooled ganache over the top of the cake and use an offset spatula to nudge it over the edges).
• Place the cake back into the refrigerator to let the ganache set while you tint the remaining brown butter frosting burnt orange (I used AmeriColor Burnt Orange for this part). Divide the frosting between two piping bags, one fitted with Wilton Tip 6B and one fitted with Wilton Tip 4B. Pipe open stars in a crescent formation around the top of the cake.

Notes

*DIY Buttermilk Recipe: Add 1 Tbsp white vinegar into a mason jar or measuring cup. Add one cup (240ml) whole milk and let sit for at least 15 minutes before using in a recipe. 

Make Ahead Tips: 

1. The 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.
2. The brown butter can be made ahead and stored in a glass jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, let it sit at room temperature until softened. 
3. The brown butter buttercream frosting 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. 
4. The chocolate ganache can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to drip consistency by gently heating it in 15-20 second intervals in the microwave, stirring after each one, until it becomes room temperature or slightly above. 

This pumpkin chocolate marble cake recipe is so perfect for any Fall gathering! I hope you love it as much as I do. Let me know what you think in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram if you post a pic! I love to see what you create.

The post Pumpkin Chocolate Marble Cake with Brown Butter Frosting appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Materials You Will Need:

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

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Pumpkin Pie Layer Cake

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

Servings 20 slices

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake

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

Brown Sugar Buttercream

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

Pumpkin Creme Filling

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

Vanilla Milk Soak

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

Additional Elements

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

Instructions

Make the Pumpkin Cake

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

Make the Brown Sugar Buttercream

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

Make the Pumpkin Creme Filling

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

Make the Vanilla Milk Soak

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

Notes

Assembly + Make Ahead Tips are all below

Assembly 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Make Ahead Tips & Notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post A Pumpkin Pie Layer Cake Recipe That’s Easy & Eye-Catching 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.

Although it was my first time trying the technique, I was so pleased to find out that it was super easy to create with the right piping tips (aka a handful of Wilton Tip 233). The tips basically do all the work for you, so you only have to worry about coming up with a cool color scheme and letting your imagination for the pattern run wild. I’ve got the full tutorial over here on The Cake Blog, and in the meantime, here are some photos to inspire your next shag cake:

Coolest texture ever, am I right? I’m already dreaming about other ways I can use these Wilton Tip 233’s. Head over to The Cake Blog to learn everything you need to know about creating the perfect shag cake and be sure to tag @sugarandsparrowco and @thecakeblog on Instagram if the tutorial was helpful! We’d love to see what you create.

The post Autumn-Inspired Shag Cake appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.