If you’ve ever baked a cake and ended up with a domed top, you know the frustration! Trimming and levelling it before stacking layers wastes cake and makes your layers shorter. That’s where baking strips for cakes come in. These simple tools help you bake tall, flat cake layers every time so you can skip the trimming, save time, and get professional-looking results straight from the oven.
What Are Baking Strips for Cakes?
Baking strips are long strips of fabric with loops at one end. They're designed to wrap around the outside of your cake pans. When soaked in water before baking, they keep the outer edge of the cake tin cooler for longer. This means the cake bakes more evenly from the outside in, preventing domed cakes.
How to Use Baking Strips for Cakes
The process is simple but there are a few important cake baking tips to follow to get the best results.
First, fit your baking strip around your cake pan. Thread the end through both loops and pull it tight. Using both loops is essential! The second loop keeps the end of the strip up so it doesn't touch the hot metal of the oven and catch fire. Slide that loop all the way to the end to hold it in place.
Next, soak the strip in cold water. An extra cake pan works perfectly for this! Just fill it with water and press the strip down until it’s fully submerged. Let it soak for about five minutes while you grease your pans and prepare your cake batter. This ensures the fabric absorbs enough water to stay damp throughout baking.
After soaking, squeeze out the excess water so it’s damp but not dripping. If it’s too wet you’ll create extra steam in your oven. Wrap the strip back around your cake pan and it should fit perfectly if you adjusted it before soaking.
Use baking strips with any cake batter but you'll notice more of a difference with some recipes than others. I notice the most drastic difference with my Very Vanilla Cake layers - more about that next! When using baking strips your cake batter will bake more slowly so add 5 to 10 minutes to the recipe baking time. The extra time is worth it for the flat tops you’ll get!
Baking Strips vs No Baking Strips
To show the difference I baked two identical cakes, one with baking strips and one without. The cake with baking strips (on the left) is taller and has a perfectly flat top. The one without (on the right) is shorter and domed, which means you’ll need to trim it before stacking. After trimming, the layer baked without baking strips can be just half the height of the one baked with strips!
Flat cake layers aren’t just prettier, they stack more evenly and have a better texture because they’ve risen evenly from the edges to the centre.
The Benefits of Using Baking Strips
To prevent domed cakes, baking strips are the best tool for baking even layers. They’re reusable, inexpensive, and work with any cake pan size. They’re also a huge time saver because you can go straight from oven to assembly without levelling the cake first.
Where to Get Baking Strips
Baking strips for cakes are available from most cake decorating shops and online baking supply stores. There are a few different brands and designs but they all work in the same way. I love these! I recommend choosing ones with adjustable loops so you can fit them snugly around different sized cake pans.
Final Thoughts
If you want your cakes to look beautiful both in and out, baking strips are a worthwhile investment. They prevent domed cakes, make layering cakes quicker and easier and give you beautiful, professional-looking layers with every slice. Once you try them, you’ll wonder how you ever baked without them!
Decorating a cake can be just as much fun as baking it but it can also be incredibly frustrating if things don’t go quite to plan. Whether you’re struggling with messy buttercream, lumpy frosting, or piping gone wrong, these cake decorating tips will make your life so much easier. In this tutorial I’m sharing ten of my most-used cake decorating tricks that will save you time, fix common problems, and help your cakes look more professional.
Make Yellow Buttercream White Instantly
I adore my 4 Minute Buttercream but just like any butter-based frosting, it can look yellow instead of white. Here’s a trick that magically turns yellow buttercream white: use a tiny bit of violet food colouring.
Dip a toothpick into a bottle of violet gel food colour and drag that through your buttercream. Stir it in and you’ll see the yellow tinge disappear, leaving you with a much brighter white. The violet cancels out the yellow, like a colour correction filter! Just be careful because a little goes a very long way.
How to Fix a Piped Border You Don’t Like
Let’s talk about borders. They can be really tricky if your buttercream is a bit too runny or too stiff, or you’re experimenting with a new piping technique. And if your hands are shaky like mine, getting a perfect border on the first attempt is tough.
The secret here is to chill the cake before you pipe. This way the frosting will be cold and firm when you pipe your border and if you don’t like how it looks, just scrape it off with an offset spatula. Because the frosting underneath is chilled, it won’t smudge or smear. Now you can try again with a different piping tip or style until you get the look you want. Game changer!
How to Get the Perfect Buttercream Consistency
Let’s talk about the texture of your buttercream. It can really make or break your cake! If it’s too stiff or full of air bubbles, it’s a nightmare to spread or pipe. Here’s a quick and easy way to fix it.
Scoop out about a third of your buttercream into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for 10 seconds. This will melt it slightly. Then stir it back into the rest of the buttercream. The melted portion loosens everything up, making the whole batch much smoother and easier to work with. This trick gives you that perfect spreadable consistency every time.
Get Rid of Lumps in Buttercream
Forgot to sift your icing sugar? Don’t worry – there’s a fix. If your buttercream has annoying little lumps in it, grab an immersion blender (also known as a stick blender). Blitz the buttercream for a few seconds and the spinning blades will completely smooth it out. You’ll be left with silky, lump-free buttercream that’s perfect for frosting your cake or piping. This is a great hack if you notice lumps right before using the buttercream and don’t want to make a fresh batch.
Cake Decorating Tips for Piping without Explosions!
If you’ve ever had a piping tip burst out of the end of your piping bag mid-design, you’ll love this one. Here’s how to make sure your piping tip fits snugly and stays in place.
Drop the piping tip into a piping bag and push it as far down as it will go. Use scissors to score a line halfway up the tip, then push the tip out of the way and cut along that line. Now when you press the piping tip back down, about half of it should poke out through the cut in the bag. This is just enough to keep it secure while you pipe, no matter what shape or size tip you’re using.
How to Fill a Piping Bag Without Getting Messy
Here’s a super simple but incredibly useful trick. Stand your piping bag in a tall glass and fold the top over the rim. This holds the bag open while you spoon in your buttercream, keeping your hands clean and giving you full control.
Only fill the bag two-thirds full so there’s room to squeeze without buttercream oozing out the top. Once filled, unfold the top, lift the bag up and twist the top tightly to stop air or buttercream escaping when you’re piping.
Cutting Neat Slices of Cake
If you've ever cut into a cake straight after baking it, you probably ended up with a sticky, crumbly mess. It might be soft and delicious but it’s difficult to cut cleanly. For neat slices, try this instead.
Chill your cake for at least an hour, then leave it at room temperature for another hour. Now the buttercream will have set, so it won’t stick to your knife. The cake will have warmed up to room temperature so it will have softened again to the perfect texture for eating. Dip your knife into hot water, wipe it dry, and slice. You’ll glide through the cake cleanly without dragging crumbs along the way.
How to Make Buttercream Colours More Vibrant
Using a lot of food colouring to make dark colours like red or navy blue can cause un unpleasant taste in buttercream. Here are three tips to avoid using so much colouring.
Tint your buttercream to be lighter than your final colour. Then microwave it for 5–10 seconds to melt the butter slightly and the heat will deepen the colour dramatically. Once melted, stir well and then pop it into the freezer for five minutes. This will bring the buttercream back to the right consistency and the cold will also intensify the colour even more. Let it rest for an hour or two, and you’ll see the colour develop even further. It’s the easiest way to get bold colours without staining everyone’s teeth!
How to Store Leftover Buttercream
If you’ve got leftover buttercream, don’t throw it away! It can actually save you time next time you decorate a cake. Spoon your leftovers into ziplock bags or airtight containers and freeze them for up to two months. When you’re ready to use them, let them thaw at room temperature overnight. Once soft, stir them vigorously to smooth out any air bubbles, re-tint the colour if you need to, and you’re ready to decorate again.
How to Fix Broken Cake Layers
Not every cake layer comes out of the pan in one perfect piece. If you’ve got a cracked or broken layer don't throw it away! Just fill in the gaps with buttercream.
Use buttercream to glue the broken pieces back together. Then stack and fill your layers as usual and then crumb coat. Once your cake is fully frosted, no one will ever know there was a missing chunk. The frosting hides everything and you’ll end up with perfectly straight sides and a smooth finish.
Final Thoughts on These Cake Decorating Tips
I hope these cake decorating tips make your decorating life easier, neater, and much less stressful. Knowing how to fix mistakes, work smarter with buttercream, and use your tools properly makes a huge difference. With these cake decorating hacks in your toolkit, you’ll be much more confident and prepared for anything that comes your way!
If you’re new to cake decorating, you’re probably discovering how many small decisions go into making a cake look beautiful. This guide to cake decorating for beginners is packed with 10 simple tips that would have saved me so much time, money and frustration when I was starting out. These beginner cake decorating tips will help you avoid common pitfalls, work more efficiently, and even enjoy the process more! Some of these tips might really surprise you, from how to stop your buttercream from melting to how to store fully decorated cakes.
1. Choosing the right cake board
This might seem like a minor detail but it’s actually one of the most common cake decorating mistakes beginners make. Your cake board should be at least 2 inches wider than your cake. That means if your cake is six inches across, you’ll want to use an eight inch board. This may seem exaggerated but after adding your crumb coat and frosting, the cake will be wider than you expect.
If your cake goes right up to the edge of the board, it’ll look cramped and messy. Moving it onto another board is tricky to do without damaging it. So if you’re ever in doubt, always choose the larger board. It gives your cake space to breathe and makes the final presentation look much neater.
2. Using the freezer
One of the best tricks in cake decorating for beginners is learning how to use your freezer properly. If you frost a cake when it’s at room temperature, the soft layers will slide around on the cake board. They'll also shed crumbs into your frosting. Here’s how to fix that.
After baking and cooling your layers, spread a small blob of buttercream in the middle of your cake board. Press your first cake layer down onto it, which helps anchor the cake. Once the cake is stacked, pop it into the freezer for 15 minutes. This firms up the cake and the blob of buttercream so it stays in place while you frost it. It also means your buttercream will glide on much more smoothly without dragging crumbs. Check out this tutorial for more ways to use your freezer for cake decorating.
3. Understanding room temperature in cake decorating for beginners
Here’s something I learned the hard way: room temperature really matters when you’re decorating cakes. When I moved to Texas I experienced freezing cold winters and 110°F summer days in an uninsulated garage studio. My buttercream couldn’t handle the extreme temperatures. In winter, the frosting was too stiff to smooth and in summer it melted off the cake.
When your buttercream doesn't behave even though you followed the recipe, it’s probably the temperature of your room. If it’s too cold, the buttercream in your bowl will feel stiff when you stir it. Your frosting smoother will leave texture behind as you scrape around the cake. It will tear the buttercream and you'll see small, shallow holes in the surface. Microwave the bowl of buttercream for 10 seconds, give it a stir, and repeat if needed.
If it’s too warm, the frosting will slide down the sides of your cake. Stick the bowl of buttercream in the freezer for a few minutes to firm it up. Getting the temperature (and therefore the buttercream consistency) right makes your decorating so much easier.
4. Quick tricks for bringing ingredients to room temperature
Recipes often call for room temperature butter and eggs, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait around all afternoon. Here’s how to get there quickly.
Microwave your butter for 10 seconds, flip it over, then another 10 seconds. Now your spatula should slice easily through each bar or stick of butter. For eggs, pop them in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for five minutes. They’ll be ready to use and mix much more evenly into your batter. These little shortcuts will save you time and improve your baking results.
5. Do you really need fancy tools for cake decorating for beginners?
I used to think that the more cake decorating tools I had, the better my cakes would be. But you absolutely do not need a drawer full of gadgets to make beautiful cakes. In fact, you probably already own plenty of things that work just as well as “proper” tools.
For example, you can cut stencils out of parchment paper or create textured buttercream finishes with a spoon. I’ve decorated entire cakes using only everyday kitchen tools and the results looked as polished as when using professional tools. If you’re just getting started, don’t let a lack of tools hold you back. Focus on your technique instead – it matters so much more.
6. Mix colours in a cupcake tray to save time and washing up
If you’re using several different colours of buttercream, here’s a simple trick that will save you time in the kitchen. Use a cupcake tray to mix small amounts of coloured buttercream instead of separate bowls.
Now all your colours are in one place, they're quicker to use, and you only have one tray to clean at the end. When you’re working on more complex cake designs, little time-savers like this make a big difference.
7. Break the process into stages for easier cake decorating
When you’re new to cake decorating it’s tempting to try and do everything in one day. But one of the most helpful beginner cake decorating tips is to break your cake process into stages.
You can:
Bake the layers and make your fillings or buttercream while they're in the oven
Make decorations or toppers ahead of time
Chill everything and decorate when it’s convenient
This works especially well if you have a busy schedule or little ones at home. It’s much more manageable and you won't waste time waiting in between stages. You’ll end up spending less total time on the cake without feeling rushed.
8. Freezing finished cakes – yes, you can do that!
This tip blew my mind the first time I tried it: you can freeze fully decorated cakes. Once your cake is finished, put it in the freezer unwrapped for 30 minutes. This firms up the frosting and decorations. Then wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to two months.
To thaw, move the cake to the fridge the day before serving. On the day, take it out of the fridge two hours before you serve it and unwrap it straight away so the wrap doesn't damage your decorations. This will save you if events are rescheduled after you've already made the cake! It's also useful if you have scheduling conflicts and can't make the cake in the days just before an event. It’s an absolute game-changer.
And don’t worry – I’ve done blind taste tests and couldn’t tell the difference between a freshly baked cake and one that had been frozen for a week. As long as it’s stored and thawed properly, freezing doesn’t affect the taste.
9. Price your work properly
If you’re selling cakes, this one’s important. Custom decorations take time, materials, and creative energy. If you don’t charge for them, you’re doing extra work for free. Whether it’s hand-piped flowers or fondant figures, make sure your pricing reflects the extras.
This might not feel like a decorating tip, but it’s part of valuing your work. My full tutorial on how to price cakes breaks this down so you can make a profit.
10. Don’t forget to charge for deliveries
Here’s another common mistake: forgetting to include delivery in your pricing. It’s not just the drive – it’s the time spent planning, coordinating, getting the cake to the venue safely, and then getting yourself back home again. There’s also petrol or gas, wear and tear on your car, and the stress of transporting a cake.
It’s completely fair – and necessary – to charge for this. If you’re taking cake decorating beyond a hobby, make sure you treat it like a business.
Final thoughts on cake decorating for beginners
There’s a lot to learn when you’re starting out, but hopefully these tips help you avoid some of the common cake decorating mistakes that I had to figure out the hard way.
If any of these tips were helpful, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment to let me know which one you’re going to try first, or share your own favourite tip for beginners. And if you want to keep learning, visit my cake school to learn hundreds of cake decorating techniques and designs.
After 13 years of cake decorating, I can confidently say that temperature can make or break your buttercream. You're probably reading this because you're wondering how to stop buttercream melting in hot weather. If your decorations have drooped, colours have run, or your cake has started to slide off the board, it’s almost always down to temperature, not your technique.
In this post I’m sharing my top buttercream melting tips so you can decorate beautiful cakes even on hot days, without the drama of melting buttercream.
1. Understand How Room Temperature Affects Your Cake
If your cake goes from the fridge into a warm room, you’ll likely see tiny droplets of condensation appear on the surface of your buttercream. This is often called “cake sweat” and it’s frustratingly common. It happens because the inside of your cake is still cold, while the outside warms up faster.
The good news? It’s easy to fix. Just dab the droplets gently with a paper towel and the condensation will stop as the inside temperature of the cake catches up with the outside.
How to Prevent Condensation
If you want to avoid this altogether, try these steps:
Work in a cool room, so the temperature difference between the fridge and the room is minimal
If you don’t have a cool space, chill your cake between decorating stages
As soon as you see condensation forming, pop the cake back in the fridge for 10 minutes. Repeat this as many times as necessary while decorating. Just a few minutes in the fridge between steps makes a big difference!
2. How to Stop Buttercream Melting with Warm Hands
Ever noticed your piping loses definition and starts to look a bit blobby? If it's not the room temperature or the temperature of your cake, it could be your hands warming the buttercream through the piping bag.
Here's a quick hack to fix it. Pop the piping bag in the freezer for just one minute and set a timer. This cools the buttercream enough to firm it up again, without freezing it solid. After a quick chill, your piping will be clean, neat and defined once more.
3. How to Stop Buttercream Melting When Cakes Are on Display
Even if you’ve decorated the perfect cake, all your hard work can melt away if the cake is displayed in a hot environment. This is one of the most common causes of buttercream disasters at summer events or outdoor parties. Here’s how to stop buttercream melting when it’s hot out:
Buttercream Recipe Tip
Use half butter and half shortening (like Trex or Crisco). Shortening is much more stable in heat than butter, but still allows you to get smooth finishes and neat piping.
If you're familiar with the flavour of all-butter buttercream, you might notice a difference in the taste of this. To improve it, add half a teaspoon of clear vanilla extract to bring back the buttery flavour without the bite of shortening.
This half-and-half version of buttercream holds up much better in the sun. It's perfect for summer cakes or outdoor events. Look at the difference between these two cakes, sitting outside on the same day. The top cake is frosted with my 4 Minute Buttercream recipe for all-butter buttercream. The bottom cake is frosted with buttercream using the same recipe but with half of the butter replaced with shortening.
Display Tips for Hot Weather
Always display cakes in the coolest place possible
Avoid direct sunlight – shade is much cooler!
A breeze or a small fan can help reduce the temperature around the cake
How to Stop Buttercream Melting for Good
Whether you’re dealing with condensation, soft piping, or heatwave disasters, now you’ve got a toolkit of buttercream melting tips to protect your cakes. Knowing how to stop buttercream melting is all about preparation, awareness, and a few clever hacks and once you’ve got these down, warm weather won’t ruin your cakes.
Want to take your decorating skills even further? Check out my online cake school for detailed courses on hundreds of cake decorating techniques and designs.
Sprinkles are fun, nostalgic, and instantly make anything feel like a celebration. In this sprinkle cake tutorial I'll show you how to bake sprinkles into your cake and swirl them through your frosting for a colourful effect. Whether you call it a sprinkle cake or a funfetti cake, this one’s guaranteed to get smiles.
This step-by-step guide is perfect for beginner to intermediate bakers, so if you’ve ever wondered how to make a sprinkle cake that actually looks as good as it tastes, keep reading – you’re in exactly the right place.
Baking the Sprinkle Cake Layers
Start with your favourite vanilla cake batter and rainbow sprinkles. I like to use rods or jimmies instead of tiny nonpareils for the biggest bursts of colour. I'm using Supernatural sprinkles with no artificial dyes 🙂 And although I love chocolate cake, using a pale batter will make the sprinkles really pop. Try my favourite buttery 8inch Very Vanilla Cake or the 6 inch version at the bottom of this sprinkle cake tutorial!
Once your batter is mixed, it’s time to add the sprinkles. About a quarter cup is perfect for a 6 or 8 inch cake. Fold them in gently with a spatula – don’t stir too hard or you’ll over-mix the batter which can make the cake taste dense.
Now divide your batter evenly between two or three cake pans and bake according to your recipe instructions.
Once the cakes are out of the oven, leave them in the pans for around 10 minutes – just until you can handle them without burning your fingers. Then turn them out and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
If your cake layers have domed while baking, level them first for a neater and more stable cake. Use a serrated knife to slice back and forth in a sawing motion across each cake.
Filling and Stacking the Cake
Time to make your filling and frosting! I’m using my 4 Minute Buttercream – it’s sweet and creamy and it smooths and pipes like a dream. It also takes food colouring really well, so you can tint it whatever shade you like.
To assemble the cake, choose a cake board that’s at least 2 inches wider than your cake. I’m using an 8 inch board for my 6 inch cake. Dab a bit of buttercream onto the middle of the board to hold your cake in place like edible glue. Place your first cake layer on top and spread a layer of buttercream over it using an offset spatula. If you’ve got a turntable, now’s the time to use it – it makes this part so much easier.
Stack the rest of your layers, adding buttercream in between. Then put your cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or 15 minutes in the freezer) so it firms up. This makes frosting much easier and neater.
Crumb Coating the Cake
While your cake is chilling, tint your remaining buttercream any colour you like. I chose a soft yellow to match my nails!
To check if your cake is ready for the crumb coat, take it out of the fridge and hold the cake board at an angle - almost sideways! If the cake stays in position on the cake board, the buttercream has set and it's ready to frost.
Once your cake is cold and firm, you'll need your frosting tools. An offset spatula or angled palette knife is ideal for spreading buttercream onto the cake, preferably a large offset spatula that's about 13 inches long (including the handle). You'll need a cake comb (also called a frosting smoother or icing scraper) and a turntable. You'll find a list of all of my favourite tools here!
What is a crumb coat? It's a base layer of frosting that traps crumbs and gives your cake a smooth outline. Start by spreading buttercream over the top, pushing it over the edges to completely cover the top. Then hold your offset spatula at a 45 degree angle as you spin the cake to flatten the top.
Next, work your way down the sides. I like to spread the frosting up past the top edge of the cake slightly to form a lip – this helps you get sharp corners later on.
Use a cake comb or frosting scraped to smooth the sides of the cake. It doesn’t have to be perfect because it's about to be covered up with another layer. Use your offset spatula to swipe sideways across the top to level the frosting there. Chill the cake again for 30 minutes so the crumb coat sets.
Decorating with Sprinkle Buttercream
Here’s where the real fun begins. This is the part sometimes called funfetti cake decorating. First, scoop out about half a cup of buttercream and set it aside. You’ll use that later for piping and it needs to stay sprinkle-free or it’ll clog the piping tip.
Now fold sprinkles into the rest of your buttercream, stirring until the they're mixed through evenly. Then spread this sprinkle frosting over the crumb coat – top first, then down the sides. Use a slightly thicker layer than the crumb coat so you’ve got enough to smooth and shape.
Scrape around it with your cake comb again, smoothing it out and filling in any gaps. Your cake comb might drag sprinkled around the cake, leaving a trail behind in the frosting, but as you scrape again and again those trails will disappear.
For the top edge, use your offset spatula to swipe inwards from the outer edge to the middle. Clean your spatula between swipes so that you don't drag smears of buttercream back onto the neat top edge. Chill the cake again for 15 to 30 minutes to set the buttercream before piping onto it.
Piping the Finishing Touches
Now it’s time for the finishing touches. Drop a star shaped tip into a piping bag and spoon in the buttercream you set aside without sprinkles. I'm using a 4B piping tip. Choose the front of your cake – where the sprinkle frosting looks its best – and start piping your border a quarter of the way around the cake to the left or right. This way, the join of the beginning and end of the border will be tucked away at the side.
Hold the piping bag just above the cake and squeeze while pushing away slightly, then pull back and away to form a wave. Repeat all the way around the cake, overlapping the 'tail' of each wave with the next one. The last one won't look quite the same because there's no room for a tail and nothing to overlap it. That's why you started the border in the least visible place on the cake! Use a toothpick to neaten the last wave and gently press the end into the first wave.
If you’ve got leftover buttercream, you can pipe a border around the base too. Or store leftover buttercream in a ziplock bag in the freezer for a month!
How to Store Your Sprinkle Cake
Your finished sprinkle cake can be stored in the fridge for two to three days without drying out. The buttercream frosting seal in the moisture and keeps it tasting fresh. But don't serve this cake cold! Take it out of the fridge about 2 hours before serving so the buttercream and cake warm up and soften. That's when they'll taste the best!
This cake is perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or honestly just a Tuesday that needs a bit of sparkle. I hope this sprinkle cake tutorial has given you all the information you need to create a colourful, joyful sprinkle cake!
This is a rich, buttery cake with sprinkles baked into the cake batter and inside the frosting!
Ingredients
Scale
For the cake:
3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 cup white sugar (granulated sugar) 3 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 6 tablespoons buttermilk 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 3/4 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour) 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup rainbow jimmies or sprinkle rods
For the buttercream:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (icing sugar) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1-2 tablespoons whole milk (full fat) gel food colouring (optional) 1/4 cup rainbow jimmies or sprinkle rods
Instructions
To bake the cake:
Using a mixer with a beater/paddle attachment (not a whisk), beat room temperature butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down to the bottom of the bowl once during mixing to make sure no butter or sugar is stuck at the bottom.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing on the lowest speed after each addition for 30 seconds. Scrape down to the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated before adding the next egg.
Add vanilla and mix for about 30 seconds to combine.
Add room temperature buttermilk and oil and mix on lowest speed to incorporate.
In a bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to the mixing bowl and mix on lowest speed to incorporate, scraping down to the bottom of the mixing bowl to check that batter is evenly mixed.
Pour sprinkles into the batter and fold in gently with a spatula.
Grease three 6 inch baking pans with non-stick oil spray or butter. Divide batter equally between the cake pans.
Bake at 160ºC or 325ºF for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Leave cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to loosen the cakes from the edges of the pans and then turn onto a wire cooling rack. Leave to cool completely.
To make the buttercream:
Mix butter and sugar together at low speed for 4 minutes, scraping down to the bottom of a the mixing bowl a few times, until smooth. Add vanilla and salt and mix to combine.
Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the buttercream is the consistency of peanut butter or stiff whipped cream.
Optionally, tint the buttercream using food colouring.
To put the cake together:
Spread a bit of buttercream onto the middle of a cake board or flat plate or platter. Press the first cake layer onto the buttercream to secure it in place.
Spread about 1/3 cup buttercream to cover the top of the cake layer and then place the next cake layer on top. Spread another 1/3 cup buttercream on top and then add the final cake layer. If you have time, put the cake into the fridge for 30 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes before frosting it.
Spread half of the remaining buttercream to cover the cake with a crumb coat. Smooth with a cake comb or offset spatula. Let this set in the fridge or freezer for 15-30 minutes.
Set aside about 1/2 a cup of the remaining buttercream and cover with plastic wrap for piping later. Stir sprinkles gently into the rest of the buttercream.
When the crumb coat has set, spread sprinkled buttercream over the cake and scrape around a few times with a cake comb. Spread more buttercream over any indents or shallow areas or trails caused by the sprinkles and scrape around the cake with your cake comb again. Repeat until the frosting is smooth. Flatten the top edge by swiping sideways with an offset spatula or angles palette knife.
Chill the cake for 15-30 minutes in the fridge or freezer before piping a border onto the top. This prevents the weight of the piping causing bulging or drooping frosting.
Serve this cake at room temperature. You can refrigerate it for 2-3 days but take it out of the fridge at least 2 hours before serving.
Travel with a cake can be nerve-wracking. Will it melt? Slide around? Get ruined before it even arrives? Whether you're heading to a party, an event, or any trip with a homemade creation, these cake travel hacks will help you deliver your cake safely and stress-free.
From car trips to international flights, here are 10 clever tips for how to travel with cake so it arrives looking as good as it tastes!
Keep Cakes Cold When Travelling by Car
For how to travel with cake in a car, the most important thing is to keep the cake cold. Buttercream firms up in the fridge, acting like glue to hold the cake together. A cold cake is sturdier and far less likely to shift, smudge, or collapse on the journey.
For long distances or driving in hot weather, keep your cake in the fridge for several hours or overnight before you drive. You can even place it in a cooler to keep it cold on the road. I once drove a cake 150 miles to Yosemite National Park on a scorching 110°F day and thanks to the cooler and a chilled cake, it arrived absolutely perfect!
How to Travel with Cake Using an Upside-Down Tupperware
If you don’t have a cake box, don’t panic. A Tupperware container works surprisingly well! Instead of lowering your cake into the container (and risking squashing a side or poking a finger into it), try this: turn the lid upside down and place your cake on that. Then lower the container down over the top and press it into the lid to seal it.
This trick keeps the cake secure and is super easy to carry. Because it’s airtight, it helps the cake stay fresh and moist during your journey. Check out this tutorial for tips on how to make min cakes.
How to Travel with Cake without It Sliding Around
When a cake is in a box that’s too big for the cake board, it can slide around and bash into the sides. Especially when braking or turning in the car. To stop that from happening, make sure the cake board fits the box snugly.
If your cake is on a smaller board, you can place it on a larger board and use either a piece of non-slip mat or some tape to hold it in place. That way, it won’t budge, even with sudden movements.
Cake Box Hack to Fit Tall Cakes
Have a tall cake without enough room in the box? Here's a clever hack! Cut two short diagonal slits into one side of the box lid, then repeat on the opposite side. When you put the lid on the box, push the middle section of the lid down into the box. The slits will allow the sides of the lid to lift up, raising the height just enough to fit your tall cake without squashing it.
This is perfect for cakes that are just a few inches too tall for the box. The hack will allow you to use the boxes you already have, avoiding having to buy custom packaging.
How to Travel with Cake without a Box: Tray Bake Cakes
If you don’t have cake pans or a cake box, you can still travel with a cake! Just pour your cake batter into a casserole dish or any oven-safe baking dish and bake it right in that instead. It will take a little longer to bake since ceramic heats more slowly than metal.
Once it’s cooled you can decorate it directly in the dish. Spread or pipe frosting on top, add some sprinkles or decorations, and the cake is ready! You can carry it by hand to your destination and serve it straight from the dish!
How to Travel with Cakes in the Car
When figuring out how to travel with cake in a car, where you place the cake makes a big difference. The boot (or trunk) of the car is usually the safest place because it’s flat and often lined with a non-slip surface. The passenger footwell is another great spot because it's flat and easy to access.
Avoid putting cakes on car seats, which are usually slanted. If you absolutely have to, level the seat with something like a blanket or towel so the cake doesn’t slide off the incline while you drive.
Use a Cake Safe for Tiered, Tall or Sculpted Cakes
Travelling with a tall, tiered, or sculpted cake? A Cake Safe is a total game changer. It’s a sturdy box with thick walls, metal rods that lock everything in place, and a central dowel that goes through the cake to hold it steady.
The panels lock together securely so nothing shifts around and you can transport even the most fragile designs without worry. This is one of the best investments if you deliver cakes regularly. Here's my tutorial for this Pokemon Bulbasaur Cake.
Now let’s talk about flying with cakes! Whether you're packing a cake in your hand luggage or in a suitcase, these next three hacks will help you travel by plane with your cake looking and tasting perfect.
How to Travel with Cake in a Suitcase
For my 10th wedding anniversary I took a chocolate cake on three flights from the US to Peru and it still tasted amazing! Here’s how I did it:
Bake two cake layers and wash the pans you used. Trim the tops flat and cut around the edges so there’s space around them for frosting. I used around cookie cutter an inch smaller than the cake. Stack and fill the cake and then frost it and put it in the freezer for an hour.
Once it’s fully chilled and firm, line one cake pan with cling film and place the cake inside. Wrap the whole cake in cling film and lower another cake pan down over the top. Now the cake is protected and won’t move around! Freeze it until you travel and carry it in a lunchbox or cooler.
I packed my cake (within the cake pans) inside a large ziplock bag to prevent condensation. I flex with it in my checked luggage from Austin to Atlanta to Lima to Cusco - no problem!
How to Travel with a Naked Cake
If you want something simpler, stack and fill your cake but skip the outer frosting. Wrap the cake in cling film and place it inside a cake pan (or two, for extra protection). You can pipe decorations later if you bring buttercream in a piping bag.
Freeze the cake before your trip and pack it in a cooler with an ice pack. It will thaw gradually and be ready to decorate or serve when you arrive. This option is great if you’re short on time or packing space but still want a homemade cake at your destination.
Travel with Frozen Cake Layers to Assemble Later
If you’ll have time to assemble the cake after you arrive, travel with the layers only. Wrap and freeze each one and pack them in a cooler in your luggage.
This saves time on your trip compared to baking the cakes layers when you get there. It lets you frost the cake however you like, without worrying about how well the decorations will travel. That’s exactly what I did for the cake I drove to Yosemite. I made the layers in advance, froze them, and then flew to my in-laws' and decorated the cake there before driving to my destination.
Those are my 10 hacks for how to travel with cake, whether by car, by plane, or even in your suitcase! I hope these tricks give you the confidence to take your cakes anywhere without stress or damage.
Which of these cake travel hacks will you try next? Let me know in the comments! And if you want to learn even more cake decorating techniques, check out the online classes and memberships on my cake school. See you there!
What are your biggestcake problems or cake FAQ? Broken cake layers, trying to undo a decorating mistake, air bubbles in your icing or frosting, leaning cakes, sloping cakes, bulges? In this tutorial I’ll share why these things happen AND how to fix them!
Cake FAQ #1: How can I fix broken cake layers?
If a cake falls apart when you turn it out of the pan, don’t throw it away! Wrap it in cling film or Saran Wrap and put it into the fridge. As it chills, it gets less crumbly. Then when you put your cake together, use buttercream as glue to attach the broken pieces together. When this buttercream sets it will hold the layer firmly together. It's best to use the broken cake as a middle layer with the intact layers above and below it. That will keep the cake stable.
After frosting or icing the cake, and decorating it, you’d never know it was at one point broken! The buttercream will even hold the slices together when you serve the cake.
How to remove piping from a cake
If you’re intimidated by piping you’ll love this next quick fix! Before piping onto a cake, always chill it in the fridge to set the frosting. This way, if you don’t like your piping you can scrape it off without damaging the frosting on the cake, since that buttercream is cold and firm and will hold its shape. Now you can pipe again, practicing the same technique again or try something different. Check out my tutorial on 15 Piping Hacks for more tips and tricks!
How to scrape off a cake design
You can scrape decorations off the sides of a cake, too. By chilling the frosted cake before decorating it, the frosting will be cold and firm and will hold its shape. If you decide you don’t like your decorations you can scrape them off straight away, while they’re still soft, without damaging the cold, firm buttercream frosting underneath. For the easiest scraping, dip a metal cake comb into hot water or warm it with a blowtorch or hair dryer.The warm metal will scrape the soft buttercream off effortlessly!
How to get rid of air bubbles in buttercream
Next, here are three ways to get rid of air bubbles in your buttercream. I'm using my 4 Minute Buttercream here and that's what I use for all of my cakes.
The first way to remove air bubbles is to stir buttercream quite aggressively in the bowl. Knock your spatula against the sides of the bowl to push any air out of the buttercream.
Next, the second way is to scoop out about a third of the buttercream and microwave it for 10 seconds. Stir this melted buttercream back into the main bowl of frosting. As it mixes with the room temperature buttercream it will create the perfect consistency for spreading and smoothing it onto a cake. AND it will get rid of any stubborn air bubbles!
If you notice air bubbles appear as you smooth the frosting on your cake, use this third way to get rid of them. Heat the edge of your cake comb with a blowtorch or hair dryer or hot water. Rub it with a towel or paper towel and pinch it to check it’s warm, not hot. Then scrape around your cake. The warm metal will glide over the surface of the buttercream, dragging it around the cake to fill in any air bubbles or shallow indents or imperfections. The result will be impossibly smooth buttercream! This tutorial on smooth frosting has more tips on the technique for smooth frosting.
Cake FAQ #5: How can I fix a leaning cake?
Leaning cake? Here’s a quick hack to straighten it. Wrap the cake in cling film or Saran Wrap and then push against the lean to center all of the cake layers on the cake board. Now put the cake into the fridge to set the filling and frosting. Once chilled, the buttercream will hold the cake in its new, straight, position. When the frosting is cold it will be firm, not sticky, so now you can peel the plastic off without pulling the buttercream with it!
Cake FAQ #6: Why are there bulges in my cake?
If you can see a cake’s filling bulging out through the frosting it’s because the filling is too runny and the weight of the upper layers of cake is pushing it out.
For runny fillings like jam or caramel or lemon curd you need what’s called a buttercream dam. This is simply a ring of buttercream piped around the edge of each cake layer. It acts as a wall to hold the runny filling in, so it doesn’t ooze out.
After you’ve assembled your cake, put it in the fridge to set the buttercream dams. When they get firm they'll secure the cake layers in place. Now you can frost the cake and as you spread and smooth the frosting, the filling will stay where it’s supposed to and you shouldn’t see any bulges in the sides of the cake.
Help! I poked my finger into my cake!
After taking all the time and effort to smooth your frosting, this has probably happened to all of us - poking a finger into the frosting or knocking the cake against something else. Don’t panic, this is easy to fix whether the frosting has set or not. Just spread a bit more buttercream over the wound and instead of smoothing it with your spatula or a cake comb, use a little piece of acetate. This is flexible plastic that will curve around the cake to match the curve of the frosting. It will smooth this new buttercream without damaging the frosting that’s already on the cake.
Cake FAQ #8: How can I fix a sloped cake?
After filling and layering your cake, if you notice the top is sloping it’s not too late to fix it! A spirit level is useful to show you if it really is sloping. Use a serrated knife like a bread knife to trim off the top and then check with a spirit level if you’ve corrected the slope. If the bubble is in the middle, the cake is level! Now you can frost and decorate your straight, level cake! This is my Oreo Chocolate Cake - yum!
I hope these hacks have answered your cake FAQ and will help you fix these common cake challenges. To learns hundreds more cake decorating techniques and designs and practical tips and tricks visit my cake school and join my All You Can Cake membership for access to EVERYTHING on my cake school! Start a free 7 day trial to try it out - I'm that confident you’ll love it!
Planning ahead for a big event, bake sale, or client order? Learn how to make and package cake slices to keep them delicious and beautiful! Not only does it save time on the day, your cake slices will look professional and irresistible. Use this tutorial when you make cake slices for a school celebration, a brunch, or a wedding tasting!
In this tutorial I’ll walk you through everything from baking and assembling your cake, to cutting it neatly, wrapping each slice beautifully, storing them so they stay fresh, and transporting them without a single smudge. It’s all beginner-friendly, and you don’t need any fancy tools to get started!
What Kind of Cake Works Best?
You can make cake slices out of round or rectangular (sheet) cakes. But if you’re just starting out, a sheet cake is probably the easiest to handle. Bake at least two layers so that you can add filling and your slices will be tall and flavourful.
If your sheet cake is on the larger side, removing it from the pan without it breaking can be a bit nerve-wracking. Here’s a trick: place a wire rack on top of the pan while the cake is still inside. Then flip the whole thing upside down so the cake lands neatly on the rack. Lift the pan away and ta-da! A perfectly intact cake, ready for decorating.
Filling and Assembling the Cake
I’m making a cookies and cream cake here, so I’m stirring crushed Oreos into my quick, four-minute buttercream. The finer you crush the cookies, the easier the frosting will be to spread.
Assemble the cake layers directly on a cutting board to make things simple later on. Start with your first layer, spread your buttercream evenly with an offset spatula (or even the back of a spoon), and stack the next layer on top. I like to add frosting on top too — it gives the best cake-to-frosting ratio — but you can skip that if you prefer.
Want to add height without baking more layers? Slice each layer in half horizontally to double the number of layers. You can do this with a serrated knife or a wire cake leveler. Carefully saw back and forth until you’ve split the cake cleanly — this gives you extra layers of filling, and adds both flavour and height to your finished slices.
Chill Before You Slice
Before we move on to how to cut and package cake slices, there’s a step you can't skip: chilling the cake. Pop it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes or the freezer for about 15. This firms up the cake and frosting so when you cut it, you get clean, sharp edges.
Cutting a cake while it’s still soft will drag the filling through the cake and smear frosting everywhere, so don’t rush this part!
While the cake chills, use the time to clean your workspace. It’s also the perfect moment to prep your flavour labels. These little details add professionalism and if you’re packaging cake slices for sale, they’re important for allergens and presentation.
How to Make and Package Cake Slices
Once your cake is fully chilled, you'll need a serrated knife and a ruler to cut it.
I like to started by scoring lines along the long side of the cake, which will determine how wide each slice is. Use your ruler to lightly score the top of the cake where you’ll cut, then slice slowly with a bread knife.
For the thickness of each slice, use the width of your ruler as a handy guide. Clean your knife in between slices and you'll notice how easy the slices are to handle since they're cold!
When it comes to wrapping your cake slices, cellophane is your best bet for rectangular slices. It gives crisp edges and a professional, glossy finish. If you don’t have any on hand, cling film (plastic wrap) will do, though it won’t look quite as sharp.
Place your cake slice onto the middle of a piece of cellophane. Fold each long side over the cake until they overlap slightly, but don’t seal it just yet. Keeping your finger pressed gently on the fold, tuck in each end like you’re wrapping a present: make two triangles on each side, then fold those up and over the front of the slice.
Seal the wrap with a sticker or flavour label — this adds a sweet finishing touch and keeps everything in place. Make sure the label direction is consistent on each slice. I like the text to flow the same way as the frosting, with all slices facing the same way when displayed.
Visual tutorial showing how to package rectangular cake slices by wrapping them in cellophane and sealing with a flavour label for a neat, professional finish
You’ll need to adjust the size of your cellophane depending on the height of your slices. Taller cakes need bigger wraps so you have enough room to fold and seal neatly.
If you’re using cling film, wrap in the same way. It won’t give those crisp triangle edges, but it will still protect your slice well.
Working with Round Cakes
If you’ve baked a round cake, you’ve got two options.
The first is to cut it into traditional wedges. These make big, indulgent servings that look beautiful at events. Slice your cake and place the slices on a tray lines with parchment paper or wax paper. Put it into the freezer for 10 minutes to chill the slices so you don't damage the buttercream. Then wWrap each wedge with cling film, letting the ends meet under the base of the slice so the top stays neat. Cellophane doesn’t work well here because it won’t sit flat against the curved edges.
Use this second method if you want rectangular slices from your round cake. Cut about an inch or two in from the edge of the cake, on four sides to leave a square. You can use the outer curved pieces for cake pops or tasters. Then slice the centre square just like you would with a sheet cake, and wrap them the same way.
How to Store Cake Slices
If you’re not serving your slices right away, proper storage is essential. Once wrapped, place the slices in an airtight container — like a sealed Tupperware, zip-top bag, or a cling-film-wrapped tray. This prevents them from drying out or absorbing flavours from the freezer.
Yes, you can absolutely freeze them! In fact, it’s a brilliant way to prep ahead for busy weeks. Slices will keep for a month in the freezer if wrapped and stored properly. Just move them to the fridge the day before you need them, and they’ll be perfect to go.
This is the exact method I used for Teacher Appreciation Week at both of my kids’ schools — there’s no way I could have done it all in one day!
Transporting and Serving
Here’s the final stage: transport and serve your slices with care.
Always move them while cold, straight from the fridge. The buttercream will be firm, so they’ll hold their shape as you transfer them from storage to display.
When you arrive at your event or drop-off, arrange them on trays, stands, or dessert tables. Leave them at room temperature for about an hour before serving — this softens the buttercream and sponge for the best flavour and texture. Cold cake can taste dry, but room temp? It’s creamy, fresh, and tastes like you made it that day.
Ready to Try It?
Now you know how to make and package cake slices for any occasion — and exactly how to cut, wrap, store, and serve them like a pro. Whether you’re gifting them, selling them, or prepping ahead for a big day, this method saves time and gives your cakes that polished, professional touch.
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Looking for cake decorating ideas for beginners that are fun, achievable, and don’t require special tools? These 10 easy techniques are perfect for birthdays, parties, or whenever you're in the mood to create something beautiful. Use them to hide a not-so-smooth frosting job or to try something new and fun. I'm sure's you’ll find a decorating idea here to fall in love with. Let’s dive in!
1. Add Texture to Avoid Smooth Frosting
If you find it tricky to get frosting smooth, here’s a clever trick: don’t even try! Instead, embrace texture. Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Press it gently against the side of the cake while spinning it on a turntable. This creates subtle grooves in the frosting. My 4 Minute Buttercream works beautifully for textured finishes!
You can also pull upwards to make vertical grooves. That’s a great option if you don’t have a turntable, since the cake doesn’t need to be spinning smoothly. Or use random arcs for a rustic look. These textures not only disguise any uneven frosting but also create a gorgeous base for adding flowers or other decorations.
2. Cake Decorating Ideas for Beginners Using Cookie Cutter Stencils
Here’s one of my favourite cake decorating ideas for beginners: use a cookie cutter to make a buttercream stencil! Pick a simple shape like a star. Trace around it onto parchment paper, cut it out, and throw away the shape so the parchment becomes your stencil.
Press the stencil onto a cold cake — that part’s key! This cake has been chilled for at least an hour. Spread buttercream over the stencil and scrape off the excess. When you peel it off, you’ll be left with a perfect buttercream shape. You can leave it as is, or decorate the outline with piped dots or sprinkles.
3. Swipe on a Contrast Colour
After frosting your cake, try adding a burst of colour around the base. Pipe or spread a small amount of a second colour (or flavour!) around the bottom. Use the tip of a palette knife or offset spatula to swipe it upwards at a diagonal.
Use light pressure — too much and you’ll scrape through the base frosting. If that happens, just go over it again with more buttercream. This is a quick and easy way to create a colour contrast and a rustic decorated effect.
4. Mix Sprinkles Into Your Buttercream
Take your sprinkle game to the next level with this one! After you crumb coat your cake with a thin layer of frosting to trap crumbs, stir sprinkles into your bowl of buttercream. Use tiny non-pareils (hundreds and thousands in the UK) or jimmies or rods. Then frost the cake with this sprinkle-studded buttercream.
As you smooth the sides with a cake comb, some sprinkles might drag through the buttercream and leave trails behind. Don't panic! Just spread more frosting over those and also over any gaps. Then smooth again until the surface is even. This is an eye-catching effect that adds loads of personality to your cake!
5. Pipe a Fun Buttercream Border
Borders are a quick way to add height and style to your cake. Spoon some buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip like a 4B. Decide which part of your cake is the front — where it looks best — and start piping just to the side of that spot. That way, your border starts and ends at the least visible place on the cake!
Hold the bag just above the cake, squeeze, push slightly away from you, then pull back to fold the frosting over itself. This makes a wave. Pipe waves all around the cake, overlapping the tail of each previous wave with the next one. If the last wave looks awkward, tidy it with a toothpick. This border makes the cake look fun and fancy!
6. Cake Decorating Ideas for Beginners With Fresh Flowers
Fresh flowers are a quick and beautiful addition to cakes. If possible, decorate on the day you're serving so the flowers don’t wilt. Group small bunches together and wrap the stems in cling film to stop any juices from leaking out.
Pop the stems into wide straws like boba straws. Trim the straws to the same length as the stems, about an inch or two. Then push the straws into the cake. Tadaa!
7. Easy Cake Toppers
For one of the easiest cake decorating ideas for beginners, skip handmade toppers and use toys or figurines instead. Just dab a bit of fresh buttercream underneath to help them stick. You can also use premade message toppers or artificial flowers. Push them gently into the cake to keep them upright.
8. Pipe Pretty Swirls to Divide Slices
Using a 1M star tip, you can create elegant swirls that look beautiful and help guide your cake slices. Chill the cake for at least an hour first — that way, the weight of the piping won’t sink into the frosting underneath.
Then pipe a two-loop spiral, swiping away at the end for a tidy finish. These swirls are perfect for dividing your cake into even portions: if you need 10 servings, just pipe 10 swirls and slice between each one!
9. Decorate with Chocolates
This might be the easiest technique of all. After frosting your cake, while the buttercream is still soft and sticky, press chocolates gently into the top. I’m using Ferrero Rocher here on a chocolate Nutella cake.
They stick beautifully and instant decoration with almost no effort.
10. Combine Cake Toppers and Piping
Let’s combine two of the most fun cake decorating ideas for beginners: cookies and piping swirls. Arrange macarons or cookies around the top edge of your cake, standing them upright. Space them evenly by placing four first — at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock — then filling in the gaps.
Now, pipe swirls between the cookies, bringing the swirls right up to the edges. The cookies act as a guide so every swirl ends up the same size. It’s a showstopper finish that’s surprisingly easy!
Easy cake decorating ideas for beginners
You can store decorated cakes in the fridge for 2–3 days. Before serving, bring the cake out 2 to 4 hours early. That way, the buttercream and sponge come to room temperature and taste their best!
If you liked these cake decorating ideas for beginners, you’ll love with what’s inside my cake school! I’ve got hundreds of techniques to show you step by step, even if you’ve never made a cake before. See you there!
Want to make your summer cakes stand out? These summer cake ideas are fresh, fun, and full of colour. In this tutorial I’m sharing ten buttercream cake designs that are perfect for warm-weather celebrations. There's even one that you can travel with! These summer cake designs are simple to recreate — no fancy tools needed!t
Mosaic Flamingo Cake Design
This eye-catching design uses frozen buttercream to create a mosaic effect that’s both modern and fun. Start by spreading different shades of pink and coral buttercream onto a piece of parchment paper and placing it in the freezer until the buttercream becomes hard. Then, use a sharp knife to cut the buttercream into small triangles. For the flamingo’s beak and eye, do the same with black buttercream.
To assemble the design, lightly outline the shape of a flamingo on your cake using a toothpick. Press the frozen triangles into the outline to form the shape, fitting them together like a puzzle. If the frosting on your cake is still soft and sticky, the tiles will stick to it easily. If the frosting has set you can brush your shape with a damp paintbrush first and the tiles will stick to that.
It’s important to keep the buttercream pieces cold while you work so prepare two trays and rotate them between the freezer and your decorating station. This way you’re always working with cold, firm buttercream that holds its shape. The result is a colourful, artistic cake featuring whatever theme you choose!
Ice Cream Cone Cake
Nothing says summer like ice cream and this ice cream cone cake design is a playful twist. Begin by cutting a triangle out of parchment paper to use as a stencil for your cone. Press the stencil against your cake after chilling it for at least an hour in the fridge. The frosting should be cold and firm. Spread cone-coloured buttercream over the stencil and scrape over it with a cake comb to leave a thin, smooth layer behind. Peel the stencil off and use the edge of a cake comb to gently score diagonal lines across it, creating the look of a waffle cone.
To create the scoop of ice cream, scoop up buttercream with an ice cream scoop and lower it on top of the cone. For a realistic touch, pipe a few buttercream drips just beneath the scoop to mimic melting ice cream. You can finish it off with a cherry on top or a handful of sprinkles to make it look extra tempting.
Wave Frosting - Summer Cake Ideas for Beach or Pool Parties
This water-textured cake is ideal for beach or pool parties. Frost your cake as usual but only use a frosting smoother or cake comb once or twice because the frosting doesn't need to be super smooth. Then turn it sideways so that the short edge is against the cake. Hold it at a slight angle, pressing the bottom edge into the frosting while letting the top lean gently outward. As you spin the cake, wiggle the comb up and down to create the look of soft, rippling waves rising up the sides.
While the frosting is still soft, toss tiny white nonpareils or hundreds and thousands against it to look like bubbles. To turn this design into a mermaid cake, add buttercream mermaid tails. These are part of my tutorial on 10 DIY cake toppers and are easy to make in advance.
Number Cake - Summer Cake Ideas for Birthdays
Number cakes are easily personalized summer birthday cakes. They look stunning with very little effort! Simply cut the number you want out of a sheet cake, twice. Spread or pipe buttercream onto the first number-shaped layer and then gently place the second cake layer on top. Decorate with more buttercream piping and finish with your favourite toppings: macarons, chocolate, cookies, candy, fresh flowers or whatever matches your party theme. To learn more about how to get the perfect shape and decoration check out my number cake tutorial with lots of helpful tips and design ideas.
Grocery Store Cake Makeover
If you’re short on time or just not in the mood to bake, try a cake makeover instead. Buy a cake from a grocery store or supermarket and remove the decorations. Garnishes can be picked off the top and scraped off from the sides using a cake comb. The re-decorate it to make it your own.
For a fun, cheerful effect, press sprinkles all over the frosting. It's best to put the cake on a tray while you do this, to catch all of the falling sprinkles.
Another easy option is to pipe melted chocolate onto a piece of parchment or wax paper that's long enough to wrap around your cake. If the frosting on the cake is textured, you'll need to smooth it first by scraping around it a few times with a cake comb. Then lift the parchment up and wrap it around the cake. After chilling it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, peel off the paper to reveal a beautiful chocolate collar or cage.
Buttercream Mosaic Wrap Cake
One of the more intricate but rewarding summer cake designs is a wrapped buttercream mosaic. This technique involves drawing a summery design on parchment or wax paper, optionally placing acetate on top. Pipe tiny, random buttercream shapes to fill in your design. You can use piping bags without piping tips or with small round piping tips. Even a ziplock bag will work, with one of the bottom corners snipped off to pipe through.
Once the design is complete, freeze the paper or acetate until the buttercream is firm. Spread a background colour over the design and then carefully wrap the design around a cake, pressing it gently against the frosting.
After chilling the cake to set the buttercream, gently peel away the acetate or paper to reveal a smooth, colourful mosaic pattern. The result looks jaw-dropping!
How to Travel with a Cake
Need a cake for a celebration while you're on vacation? You can travel with this one! Bake your cake layers in advance and layer them with buttercream filling or your favourite jam or jelly. Wrap the cake in cling film and lower it into the cake pan you used to bake the cake. Put it into the freezer for up to a month, until your travel day. You'll also need to freeze some buttercream in a ziplock bag or a piping bag.
On the day you travel, move the cake in the pan and the buttercream into a cooler. Add an ice pack so that they'll thaw very gradually while you travel. When you get to your destination, slide the cake out of the pan and unwrap it. Put it onto a plate and add some piping on top. Now you have a homemade celebratory dessert without wasting your vacation time stuck in the kitchen!
Half-and-Half Cake
Offer two flavours in one cake with a fun half-and-half design. Bake two flavours of cake, dividing the recipes in half to make just one or two layers of each flavour. Cut the cake layers in half to make semi-circles of cake.
To assemble a half-and-half cake, place a semi-circle of one cake flavour onto a cake board and pipe or spread a neutral flavoured buttercream across the flat edge. I use my 4 minute buttercream for this. Press a semi-circle of the other flavour of cake against this to make a circle of cake.
Add your fillings to each half and then repeat to layer the rest of your cake, remembering to attach each pair of cake semi-circles with buttercream so that the cake doesn't fall apart.
To frost a half-and-half cake, cover one half of the cake with parchment or wax paper while you frost the other side. Peel off the paper and the frosting will stop neatly along the join of the two flavours. Before you frost the other half, it’s important to chill the cake before covering up this frosting with paper so the buttercream doesn’t smudge.
Repeat the same process for the final coat and use piping along the dividing line to decorate and blend the two sides.
This way you can offer two different flavours in one cake. It's a fun option for a joint birthday party where each person has a different favourite flavour, or just to give your guests more options!
Seasonal Summer Cake Ideas
Summer is all about fresh, fruity flavours. To make the most of seasonal ingredients, try my strawberry cake recipe. It uses both fresh and freeze-dried strawberries in the cake layers, with a filling and frosting made from freeze-dried strawberries so it's bursting with flavour.
If you’re looking for something tropical, try my piña colada cake. It’s made with coconut milk cake layers and a pineapple frosting and filling, using freeze-dried pineapple for a bold flavour without watering down the buttercream. Decorate with shredded coconut and some dried pineapple for a beachy vibe.
Whipped Cream Frosting for Summer Cake Ideas
If you’re looking for something a bit lighter than buttercream, especially in the summer heat, try my stable whipped cream frosting. It holds its shape beautifully without drooping or weeping, even on warmer days. You can pipe it onto cupcakes, frost a full cake with it, and use it for detailed borders and swirls. It pairs beautifully with fresh summer fruit and makes cakes taste refreshing and delicate.
Summer Cake Designs in Hot Weather
Condensation can ruin your beautiful cake designs and it can be especially challenging in summer. If you're in a hot of humid climate or want to serve a cake outdoors in summer, check out my tutorial on how to prevent and fix condensation.
These summer cake ideas are all easy to customize and most importantly, they’re fun! Whether you're baking for a beach party, summer birthday party cake, picnic, or just enjoying the sunshine at home, there’s a design here to inspire your next cake.
