Whether you're decorating a birthday cake or creating a showstopper for a special occasion, DIY cake toppers are the perfect way to add height, colour and detail. And the best part? You don’t need to buy them! In this tutorial, I’m sharing 10 edible DIY cake toppers that are not only eye-catching but also surprisingly easy (and fun!) to make.

From quick chocolate shapes to dazzling rice paper sails, there’s something here for every skill level and time frame. These toppers use everyday ingredients like chocolate, candy, buttercream, rice paper and even ice cream cones. Let’s jump in!

1. Sprinkled Chocolate Number DIY Cake Toppers

This is a brilliant cake topper for birthdays, especially if you want to personalize your cake with a name or age. All you need are chocolate chips, sprinkles, and a few toothpicks.

Start by melting your chocolate—either white or dark—in the microwave. To do this without burning, use 50% power and heat it for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each interval until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted. Then transfer it into a Ziploc bag and push it down into one corner. Snip off just the tip of the bag to create a tiny piping hole.

Now for the fun bit. Pour your sprinkles onto a plate and use a spoon or your fingers to level them into a flat layer. Pipe your letter, number or shape directly onto the sprinkles. You’ll need to do this in mirror image because you’re working from the back and will flip the chocolate once it sets. Start with a thin outline and then trace over it a few times to build it up. You want the chocolate thick enough to hold its shape without snapping.

Before it sets, press a toothpick gently into the base of the chocolate shape—this is how you’ll attach it to your cake. Let the topper sit at room temperature for an hour or chill it in the fridge or freezer for 15–30 minutes until it’s firm. Once set, gently pick it up and you’ve got a sprinkle-covered edible DIY cake topper ready to go!

2. Melted Hard Candy Shards

This is one of the quickest edible toppers you can make and the result is colourful and shiny. You’ll need some boiled sweets or hard candy—choose colours that match your cake or theme.

Place the sweets on a metal baking tray that’s lined with baking paper or a silicone mat. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and pop the tray in for about 2 minutes. Keep a close eye on them—you want them to melt into little puddles but not spread too thin. If they cook too long they’ll become brittle and crack easily.

After about 15 minutes of cooling, the melted sugar will have settled into beautiful translucent discs or shards. You can snap them into abstract shapes or leave them whole. Push them firmly into your buttercream—don’t be shy here! Pressing them in properly is what will keep them upright.

They’re easy, inexpensive, and surprisingly impressive for something that takes one ingredient and just a few minutes to make.

3. Metallic Buttercream Accents

These metallic toppers look fancy but are simple to create. They're a fun way to turn your regular buttercream into glamorous accents that really pop against a cake.

Start by piping your chosen shapes—hearts, stars, zigzags, pumpkins, or anything you like—onto a piece of parchment or wax paper. The buttercream needs to be stiff enough to hold its shape, so make sure to use the full amount of icing sugar in the recipe and add the milk or cream a spoonful at a time until the consistency is storable but not runny.

Once your shapes are piped, pop the parchment into the freezer for about 15 minutes. This makes the shapes firm up and makes them much easier to paint.

To make the buttercream metallic, use edible gold paint. You can buy this pre-mixed or create your own by combining a small amount of edible lustre dust with a few drops of clear alcohol like vodka or a clear extract such as vanilla or almond. Use a small paintbrush to lightly brush the gold over your frozen shapes. Dabbing works best! Work quickly and gently because as the shapes warm up they’ll begin to soften.

When the paint is dry, carefully peel the decorations off the parchment. If the shapes have softened, put them back into the freezer for 5 minutes first. If your cake frosting has already crusted over or firmed up, pipe a small dot of fresh buttercream to attach each metallic piece.

4. Buttercream Molds for DIY Cake Toppers

This is a brilliant way to add colour and texture to your cake with something softer than fondant and more colorful than chocolate. You’ll need some silicone molds in whatever shape you like.

Spoon buttercream into the molds, pressing it down with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to make sure it fills every detail. Smooth the surface so the back of your topper will be flat and even. Then freeze the molds for at least 30 minutes.

When they’re completely firm, gently peel back the silicone to release the shapes. Handle them quickly and carefully—they’ll start to soften fast. Press them onto the cake’s buttercream. If a piece snaps, just press the broken parts gently back together. As the buttercream softens slightly, it’ll stick back to itself. You can press these onto the top of a cake or against the sides.

5. Ice Cream Cone DIY Cake Toppers

Ice cream cones are incredibly versatile for cake decorating. You can turn them into party hats, trees, or anything else with a conical shape.

For Christmas tree-style toppers, use green buttercream and a small round piping tip like a Wilton #8. Pipe little dots around the cone and pull your piping bag away after each one to leave a peak. These look like a pine tree's branches. While the buttercream is still sticky, add sprinkles for ornaments or dust with icing sugar for a snowy look. A touch of edible glitter looks magical dusted over them with a powder brush, too!

For party hats, cover the cone smoothly with buttercream. It can be tricky to get an even finish so here’s a trick: once it’s frosted, roll the cone in granulated sugar. This hides any imperfections and gives the hat a lovely sparkle.

Pipe a ring of buttercream onto the bottom of the cone and press it down onto your cake. This make a festive party hat for a character cake!

6. Cookie Cutter Chocolate Shapes

This method is ideal for clean, bold shapes. You’ll need cookie cutters, chocolate, sprinkles, and a toothpick.

Melt your chocolate and lay a piece of baking paper on a tray, placing your cookie cutter on top. Spoon the chocolate into the cutter and push it into the edges and corners.

While the chocolate is still melted, pour some sprinkles on the top and press them down gently. Then place the tray in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Once it’s fully set, carefully push the chocolate out of the cutter.

To turn your shape into a DIY cake topper, reheat the leftover chocolate and spoon or pipe a little bit onto the back of your shape. Press in a toothpick and let it set before pushing it into your cake.

7. Rice Paper Sails

These are dramatic and delicate and they add colourful flair to any cake.

Mix warm water with a few drops of food colouring in a bowl or tray. Soak your rice paper sheet for about a minute until it softens. Then lift it out and shape it by draping it over scrunched up parchment or wax paper or baking paper.

Wrap the bottom of the paper around a toothpick or skewer—this makes it easy to anchor into the cake.

Leave it to dry overnight. Once it’s dry and firm, press the toothpick into the cake. You’ll be amazed at how much impact this light, fluttery topper can have!

8. Buttercream Roses

These take a little practice but are absolutely worth mastering. You’ll need stiff buttercream, parchment squares and a flower nail. You'll also need a piping bag and a petal shaped piping tip like a #125 or a #104.

Pipe a small dot of buttercream onto your flower nail and then press a parchment square on top. Use a petal tip to pipe a central cone and then begin layering petals around it. Each petal should overlap the previous one by about a third.

Continue until your rose is the desired size. Transfer the parchment to a tray and freeze for at least 30 minutes. To add the flower to your cake, peel it off the parchment and attach with a dot of buttercream. Or pipe a larger blob of buttercream to angle the rose upwards for a more natural look and pipe extra petals at the base to blend them in.

10. Chocolate in Silicone Molds

Just like with the buttercream DIY cake toppers in #4, silicone molds make polished, professional-looking toppers using chocolate. I used this geometric heart shaped mold.

Fill your mold with melted chocolate and tap it gently to release air bubbles. Let it set at room temperature or in the fridge or freezer. If you’re making 3D shapes like spheres, fill both halves and let them set. Then warm a plate with hot water, dry it, and press the flat edge of each half against it for a few seconds. This melts them slightly so you can stick the halves together.

To finish, drizzle more melted chocolate over the top and sprinkle with edible glitter, sugar pearls or sprinkles. These toppers look store-bought but are easily homemade!

Why Make Your Own DIY Cake Toppers?

DIY cake toppers give you complete creative freedom to customize your cake. They’re often more budget-friendly than buying pre-made decorations and they taste better, too! From simple, quick designs to more intricate toppers, there’s something here for every skill level and style.

Plus, there’s something so satisfying about people asking, “Where did you get that?” and being able to say, “I made it!”

For more cake decorating techniques and designs visit my cake school, where you'll find online courses and memberships and my FREE course on 10 Frosting Techniques!

You can also watch a video of this tutorial on 10 edible DIY cake toppers:

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Welcome to this mini cake tutorial! Mini cakes might be small, but they pack in just as much flavour and fun as their full-sized counterparts. Whether you’re baking for a birthday, a tea party, or just fancy a cute treat, these bite-sized beauties are surprisingly easy to make at home. In this guide, I’ll walk you through every step – from baking the layers to choosing fillings, decorating, and even storing and serving.

If you’ve been wondering how to make a mini cake, you’re in the right place!

Start With Cake or Cupcakes

There are two easy ways to make mini cake layers: use cupcakes or bake thin cake layers.

If you’re starting with cupcakes (my one-egg recipes make about six), simply peel off the wrappers and slice the cupcakes in half across the middle. You’ll get wider and narrower layers, perfect for stacking into bigger or smaller mini cakes.

The uneven edges are covered up when you frost the cake, but you can also use a serrated knife to trim them down if you want your cake to look neat and even from the start.

You can freeze leftover cupcakes in an airtight container like a Tupperware or ziplock bag for up to a month. Handy for when you want to whip up a mini cake without baking from scratch!

If your cupcakes have overflowed a little in the oven, just trim the domed tops and use the flat bottoms:

Prefer using cake layers? Bake thin 6-inch rounds (again, my one-egg recipes work beautifully), and use a 6cm or 2.5 inch cookie cutter to cut out perfect mini cake layers. Level them by trimming the top before or after cutting for neat, flat layers.

The cookie cutter method gives really tidy, even layers. But again, don’t worry if you see a difference now between these and the cupcake-based layers – once frosted, they’ll look practically identical.

How to Make a Mini Cake Filling and Frosting

To fill and frost a mini cake I use my 4 Minute Buttercream. In the recipe card below you'll find my small-batch recipe using just one stick (or 1/2 cup) of butter and icing sugar or powdered sugar. I actually prefer using a hand mixer for this, as stand mixers often struggle with such a small amount of ingredients.

The consistency of your buttercream is key: it can’t be too stiff or it’ll be tricky to spread on such a small cake. Here’s my microwave hack: scoop out a third of the buttercream, microwave it for 10 seconds, then stir it back in. You’ll notice the buttercream becomes much easier to work with – smoother, softer, and less stiff.

If your buttercream looks yellow you can correct that with a tiny dab of violet food colouring. Use a toothpick to add the smallest amount – it neutralizes the yellow and brightens your buttercream to a crisp white.

To add flavour to buttercream you have lots of options: crushed freeze-dried strawberries, dulce de leche, jam, lemon curd, or melted chocolate. Anything thick enough not to make the buttercream runny works well.

Mini Cake Tutorial: Layering and Filling

Choose a cake board at least two inches wider than your mini cake layers. Spread or pipe a dot of buttercream in the middle to act as glue, keeping your mini cake firmly in place. Without this, your cake may slide around as you decorate it, especially since it’s so light. That buttercream dot will firm up as it chills, making the cake even more secure.

If you’re using buttercream as the filling, you can simply spread it or pipe it onto each layer. But if you’re using a softer filling like jam, lemon curd or dulce de leche, you’ll need to pipe a buttercream dam around the edge of each layer first. This prevents your filling from oozing out under the pressure of the cake layers and ruining the outer frosting.

To make a dam, fill a piping bag (folded over a glass to make it easier) with buttercream, then snip off the end to create a hole about the width of your finger. Pipe a ring around the edge of each layer, spoon the filling into the centre, and stack the next layer on top. Repeat until your mini cake is assembled.

Chill the cake for 30 minutes in the fridge or 15 minutes in the freezer before you start frosting. This is essential to stop the cake from sliding around or bulging.

Crumb Coating: A Crucial Step!

The crumb coat is your first layer of frosting and its job is to trap any crumbs that come off the cake. This step gives you a smooth, crumb-free surface for your final layer.

For mini cakes, I prefer to pipe the crumb coat on. It reduces friction from your spatula and makes it easier to apply the frosting without moving the cake.

Spread the buttercream onto your chilled mini cake using an offset spatula or palette knife. Have a small bowl on hand to wipe off crumb-filled frosting so you don’t mix it back into your main bowl. Press gently down on the cake board with one hand while you spread with the other to keep everything steady.

Next, use a cake comb or icing scraper, pressing the bottom edge onto the cake board for a straight finish. If your mini cake is made from cookie cutter layers, you’ll notice the neat sides straight away. Cupcake layers may look a little more rustic, but once they’re covered in frosting, it won’t matter!

Finish by tidying the top with your offset spatula, scraping sideways to pull in any excess frosting and create a clean edge.

Final Coat: Smooth Buttercream Perfection

After crumb coating, pop the cake back into the fridge or freezer until the frosting is firm and no longer sticky. This will make applying your final coat so much easier.

Check your buttercream consistency again – it should be soft and easy to spread. Start by frosting the top of the mini cake: spoon on a generous amount, spread it across, and let it spill over the edges to help form neat corners later. Hold your offset spatula at a 45-degree angle and gently spin the cake to level it.

Next, apply buttercream to the sides. Push the frosting up around the top to build a lip that helps you create a sharp edge. Use a cake comb to smooth everything out. Keep pressure light and stop often to clean your comb – excess build-up can drag and pull the cake, which might dislodge it from the buttercream glue.

To fill any gaps or indents, apply more buttercream and repeat the smoothing process. A metal cake comb works brilliantly for the final passes – and warming it slightly (with hot water, a blowtorch or hairdryer) can give you an ultra-smooth finish.

Tidy up the top by swiping sideways with a clean offset spatula. By starting with a generous layer and building that top lip, you’ll have a nice sharp edge once everything’s smoothed out.

Decorating Ideas for Your Mini Cake

Chill your mini cake again before decorating to firm up the frosting. I recommend using all of the following techniques on cold, firm mini cakes to prevent the frosting sagging or bulging.

Piping: Use small piping tips (like a #16 star) to keep your designs in proportion. You only need a little buttercream for piping, but fill your bag at least a third full to make squeezing easier. Add borders around the top and bottom, or pipe directly onto the sides.

Stencils: Use stencils to create intricate patterns. Make these yourself by drawing designs onto parchment paper or wax paper and cutting the shapes out. The surrounding paper will be your stencil! Make sure the buttercream frosting on the mini cake is cold and firm so the stencil doesn't damage it. Spread colored buttercream over the stencil and scrape off the excess to leave a thin, smooth layer behind. Peel the stencil off and voila! If you're using several stencils, chill the cake in between each so that you don't damage any previously stenciled details.

Lettering: To add a message, try Sweet Stamp letters. The cupcake-size sets are perfect for mini cakes. Chill the cake for an hour, then let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before stamping. You can paint over the impressions with edible paints or mix lustre dust with vodka or clear extract.

Buttercream transfers: These are another fun option. Pipe designs onto wax or parchment paper or microwave buttercream for 5 seconds to soften it and then paint the design on. Press the design gently against the cake, leaving the paper attached for now. Chill the cake for at least an hour before peeling the paper away. The details will transfer cleanly onto your chilled frosting.

How to Store and Serve Your Mini Cake

Mini cakes are easy to store and transport. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. For travelling, move them straight from the fridge to your car so they’re firm and won’t wobble en route.

Want to move your cake from its board to a stand or plate? Do it while it's cold to avoid damaging the frosting.

Let mini cakes sit out at room temperature for an hour or two before serving – they taste best when the cake, filling and frosting are soft. You can slice them into tiny wedges or use a fork because they’re just the right size for an individual serving or for two people to share.

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Want to learn more? Visit my online cake school for hundreds of tutorials, designs and techniques. Try everything FREE for 7 days with my All You Can Cake membership, which includes access to everything on my cake school!

Here's a video of this mini cake tutorial:

https://youtu.be/DPZAiB0M5cs

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If you're looking for an easy graduation cake that’s bright, joyful and doesn't require any fancy tools, this is the tutorial for you! Whether you’re celebrating a preschool graduation, the end of the school year or a milestone moment, this cake is guaranteed to make a statement.

Bake and Build Your Cake

Start by baking your favourite cake – I used my Very Vanilla Cake recipe and added sprinkles into the batter for fun, colourful slices. Assemble your cake with layers of cake and my 4 Minute Buttercream, which is quick, delicious and perfect for decorating.

You can use another recipe for the frosting but make sure it's a crusting buttercream. That just means it firms up as it sets, which is key for being able to apply your stencils later on.

Apply a crumb coat, which is a very thin layer of frosting that locks in crumbs and covers the whole cake. It doesn’t need to be perfect – just make sure there’s no naked cake showing. Chill the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Smooth Frosting on this Easy Graduation Cake

Once the crumb coat is set, tint your buttercream in your chosen base colour. I used blue gel for a bright, fun finish. Frost the top of the cake first, then move on to the sides, letting the frosting rise just above the top edge for sharp corners later.

Use a cake comb to smooth the sides. If you have a metal cake scraper, even better! You can warm it up for ultra-smooth results. To finish the top edge, swipe sideways with your offset spatula to avoid creating a bulge.

Now chill your cake again – at least one hour, or overnight.

Make Your Own DIY Cake Stencils

While the cake is chilling, make some DIY cake stencils. Search online for “celebrating children silhouettes” and print them out. Trace each figure onto squares of parchment or wax paper, leaving about an inch of paper around each outline. Carefully cut them out, snipping into the middle of each figure and then pushing one scissor blade through and angling around the outline. The more precise you are here, the cleaner your buttercream silhouettes will look.

Tip: if you’re doing a lot of figures, I find it’s faster to make individual stencils for each one rather than scraping them clean and reusing.

Add the Buttercream Silhouettes

Once your cake is firm and chilled, wrap your first stencil around the cake where you want the design. Press it gently against the cake and spread coloured buttercream over it, from the edges towards the middle to prevent smudging.

Scrape with a small offset spatula to smooth, then gently peel the stencil off. Use a toothpick to clean up any smudges.

Space your stencils so they don’t touch any fresh buttercream and repeat the process. Chill the cake again before filling in the gaps after the first figures has set.

Mixing your colours in a cupcake pan is a great time-saving trick – less washing up and perfect portions of buttercream for each figure.

Serve and Celebrate with this Easy Graduation Cake!

Once your design is finished, keep the cake chilled until it’s time to serve. This easy graduation cake is ideal for end of year parties or really any event that calls for bright, happy energy. I made it as a preschool graduation cake - you could even personalize the stencils for your child’s class!

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For hundreds more cake decorating techniques and designs, visit my online cake school!

You can also watch a video of how to make this easy graduation cake:

https://youtu.be/mgxUxbonpaE

This Nutella buttercream recipe is the kind of frosting that stops people mid-bite. It's smooth, rich, and packed with chocolate hazelnut flavour. Spread it over a layer cake, pipe it onto cupcakes, or sneak spoonfuls straight from the bowl! This recipe for rich, creamy Nutella frosting is a must-try for any Nutella lover.

Why you’ll love this Nutella Buttercream

Nutella adds a depth of flavour and creaminess that takes a basic buttercream to a whole new level. The result is a velvety chocolate buttercream with Nutella that’s chocolatey without being overpowering and sweet without being sickly. It also transforms buttercream consistency, making it spreadable and so easy to smooth! It’s incredibly easy to make — just a few simple ingredients and no fancy tools or techniques required.

This hazelnut chocolate frosting layered with my Perfect Chocolate Cake is one of my favourite cake flavour combinations! The chocolate cake is tender and decadent and Nutella pairs with it like a dream. But you don’t need a full cake to enjoy it! This easy Nutella icing is just as delicious on cupcakes.

How to make Nutella Buttercream

This Nutella buttercream recipe starts with my 4 Minute Buttercream, which is made by mixing room temperature butter with powdered sugar (also called icing sugar). I use my trusty KitchenAid mixer but a hand mixer will work as well. Add salt and vanilla extract for flavour but then the recipe takes a delicious turn. Instead of adding milk to thin out the buttercream, Nutella will give it the perfect consistency all by itself. As you mix it in, you'll see the texture transform, becoming softer and smoother as well as easier to stir! Now it's ready to be added to your cake or cupcakes!

Tips for Success

Make sure your butter is at room temperature before making this Nutella buttercream. I take mine out of the fridge the night before or in a warm kitchen, at least 2 hours before.

This recipe makes enough to frost a three layer 8inch cake or about 24 cupcakes. You can halve or double it if you like!

The more Nutella you add to the buttercream, the runnier or looser it will become. I suggest starting with the amount in the recipe and mixing that in before deciding whether or not you can add more! If your kitchen is warm, your buttercream with Nutella will probably only be able to handle the amount in the recipe. If it's cold you'll be able to add a bit more.

How to store leftover Nutella Buttercream

Store any leftover Nutella buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge for two weeks or in the freezer for two months. Take it out a few hours before using it to let it come to room temperature. Mix it well before using again to knock out air bubbles and make sure it's smooth.

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From rich chocolate pairings to fruity favourites and nostalgic classics, these 10 cake flavour combinations are guaranteed to impress. Whether you're baking for a birthday, brunch, or just because, each idea includes not only mouth-watering flavour pairings but also recipes and decorating tips.

Ready to dive into the ultimate list of crowd-pleasing cake flavour combinations?

1. Chocolate Nutella

Let’s start with my current favourite: chocolate and Nutella. This starts with my go-to chocolate cake layers—they’re soft, tender, and perfectly balanced without being overly sweet.

To boost that irresistible chocolate hazelnut flavour, make my Nutella buttercream. It makes the buttercream smoother and easier to spread, too. Decorate with a Nutella drizzle and Ferrero Rocher chocolates for a stunning finish. Press them onto the cake while the frosting is still soft so they stick easily.

2. Lemon Raspberry (the best fruity cake flavour combinations!)

This fruity cake flavour combination is a bright and zesty showstopper. Lemon zest is mixed into the batter, and fresh raspberries are folded in before baking. For the frosting, blend lemon curd into buttercream to add richness and a bold citrus punch.

Layer the cake with extra lemon curd for a tart contrast and decorate with fresh raspberries for a vibrant finish that hints at the delicious layers inside. Get my Lemon and Raspberry cake recipe here.

3. Piña Colada (Coconut Pineapple cake flavour combinations)

Inspired by the tropical cocktail, this cake pairs coconut and pineapple beautifully. Coconut milk in the cake batter creates soft, creamy layers with a subtle coconut flavour.

The frosting? Pineapple buttercream made with freeze-dried pineapple powder. This adds intense flavour without extra moisture. In the filling, a spoonful of cream cheese is added to the pineapple buttercream for balance. Finish with shredded coconut and dried pineapple slices for a cake that feels like a beach holiday in every bite. You'll find my Piña Colada cake recipe here.

4. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough with Brown Sugar Frosting

This one’s a decadent dream. The cookie dough is made safe to eat by baking the flour and skipping the eggs. Press it into discs to layer between your cake, and roll extra into balls to decorate the top.

The frosting is ermine-style, made by cooking milk and flour and mixing it with butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. It’s rich, smooth, and not too sweet. Paired with buttery vanilla cake layers, the flavours shine without overwhelming. This cookie dough cake recipe is must-try for any cookie lover!

5. Chocolate Peanut Butter (classic cake flavour combinations!)

A timeless cake flavour combination. Start with rich chocolate cake and layer it with chocolate buttercream. Then coat the outside with creamy peanut butter buttercream.

Pipe two-tone swirls using both frostings and top with peanut butter cups, or make your own: pour melted chocolate into mini cupcake cases and add a spoonful of peanut butter mixed with icing sugar. Once they set, they add a crunchy, satisfying bite. Try my chocolate peanut butter cake recipe to taste it for yourself!

6. Every kind of Strawberry

This strawberry cake is bursting with berry flavour and colour. Use both fresh or frozen strawberries and freeze-dried strawberries in the cake batter for maximum impact. I blend mine in my Magic Bullet blender to make a smooth puree with quick and easy cleanup!

Blend freeze-dried strawberries into a powder and stir into buttercream for an intense strawberry taste without any runniness. It also makes a brilliant, natural pink frosting. Freeze-dried strawberries also make a flavourful, long-lasting decoration. Here's my Strawberry Cake recipe!

7. Jam-Filled Vanilla Cake

One of the easiest ways to incorporate fruit into a cake is with jam. You can make your own or use shop-bought in any flavour. I love my Very Vanilla cake layers for this cake because they're rich and buttery and let the fruity jam really shine!

To stop the jam from leaking out, pipe a buttercream dam around each layer and fill the centre with jam before stacking. You can cover the cake with more buttercream or leave it ‘naked’ and just pipe a few dollops on top. It’s simple, beautiful, and easy to transport—perfect for summer events.

8. Banana Cream Cheese

This is ideal for those who don’t want anything too sweet. Moist banana cake is paired with tangy cream cheese buttercream for a balanced, rich flavour. I like to use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to create rustic texture in the cream cheese frosting. It's much easier than trying to smooth the soft and sticky cream cheese buttercream!

Let the cake come to room temperature before serving so the texture softens and the flavours really come alive. Try this Banana Layer Cake recipe for a brunch, coffee date, or afternoon tea.

9. Oreo Chocolate Cake

Always a crowd-pleaser. These chocolate cake layers use cocoa powder for that deep Oreo cookie flavour. The buttercream is mixed with crushed Oreos to make a delicious cookies-and-cream filling and frosting.

It’s distinctive, delicious, and simple to decorate—top the cake with whole Oreos and pipe buttercream swirls between them. Yum! Get my Oreo Chocolate Cake recipe here!

10. Marble Cake (Chocolate and Vanilla)

When you can’t decide between chocolate or vanilla, have both! Use one cake batter, divide it in half, add cocoa powder to one, and buttermilk to the other.

Scoop alternating spoonfuls into the pan and swirl with a toothpick for a marbled look. Use vanilla buttercream between layers, chocolate on the outside, and a swoop of vanilla up one side for a striking finish. Each slice is as beautiful as it is tasty. Try my Easy Marble Cake recipe here!

What next?

Looking for cake decorating ideas and techniques for any of these cake flavour combinations? Join my online cake school with a 7-day free trial and learn hundreds of techniques and designs. I’d love to see you there!

You can also watch a video of these 10 cake flavour combinations to see exactly how to make them:

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If you're looking for the best cake decorating tools for beginners, you're in the right place! Even as a beginner, having the right basic tools can make a huge difference – cake decorating becomes easier, more enjoyable, and your cakes will look SO much prettier, too. In this guide, I'll show you the 10 essential cake decorating tools for beginners, along with tips on how to use them like a pro. You can also check out my list of favourite cake tools.

1. Offset Spatula or Palette Knife

The most basic but vital tool for cake decorating is an offset spatula, also known as a palette knife. You'll use it to spread fillings and frostings onto your cakes. The longer the blade, the faster and smoother your spreading will be because a longer blade lets you flatten more with each swipe compared to lots of short strokes.

However, bigger isn't always better! A small offset spatula, like a 9-inch offset spatula, is perfect for detailed techniques such as stenciling, layered colour designs, and spatula painting. These are all skills covered in my online course on 10 Cake Decorating Techniques.

2. Cake Comb or Icing Scraper

A cake comb (also called a frosting smoother or icing scraper) is another essential. They come in plastic, acrylic, or metal, and it's crucial to choose one that's at least as tall as your cake, so you can smooth the entire side in one go.

Personally, I recommend a metal cake comb because plastic and acrylic versions can chip easily when washed or dropped, and those tiny chips cause grooves or trails in your frosting. Metal combs can also be gently warmed with warm water, a hairdryer, or even a blow torch to make your frosting ultra-smooth.

3. Turntable or Spinning Cake Stand

A turntable is incredibly useful when decorating cakes. It allows you to spin your cake while smoothing frosting or adding decorations, saving you lots of time and effort.

Plastic turntables are the cheapest option but tend to be quite wobbly, causing jerking motions that create vertical indents or dents in the frosting. A metal turntable costs a little bit more but is well worth the investment because the spin is much smoother, resulting in more polished cakes. You can see both in the image below - a metal turntable on top and a plastic turnable (with frosting grooves and dents!) is in the bottom two photos. The turntable on top is actually a cast iron turntable, which I love because it has such a sturdy base and comes with a non-slip mat!

4. Piping Bags

You'll definitely need piping bags for filling cakes, piping decorations, and adding details. You can choose between disposable and reusable options. I prefer disposable piping bags because they can be washed and reused hundreds of times. I find that reusable bags develop a lingering smell after a few uses.

You don't always need piping tips. Simply snip a small piece off the end of the bag to pipe small dots or a larger piece for bigger decorations. This makes them brilliant for quickly adding fillings and frosting or even creating dotted decorative designs.

5. Piping Tips

Now let's talk about piping tips. Fitting one into a piping bag is easy. Drop the tip inside the bag and push it down as far as it will go. Score a line with scissors about halfway up the piping tip. Push the tip out of the way and cut along the scored line. Then push the piping tip back down so that about half of it sticks out of the bag. This keeps it snug and secure while piping.

For piping swirls on top of cakes and rope borders, I recommend a 1M or 2D tip.

For beaded borders, a #8 tip is perfect and for textured beaded borders, a #32 tip works beautifully. And for chunky shell or wave borders, a 4B tip is ideal.

If you want to write messages, pipe intricate designs, or add tiny details like eyes or facial features, a #3 or #2 small round tip will do the trick.

Piping tips come in regular, small, large, and even "Russian" or "flower nozzle" sizes. You'll need different sized holes cut into your piping bags depending on the size of the tips, so it's handy to have a few bags ready.

I organise my piping tips in a craft box with separate sections for each type, making it easy to find exactly what I need.

6. Couplers

A coupler is a brilliant tool to have in your piping toolkit. It allows you to swap different piping tips onto the same piping bag without having to empty the bag.

To use a coupler, drop the base of the coupler into the piping bag, push a piping tip onto the outside, and screw on the coupler ring to hold the tip in place. This means you can switch tips while using the same buttercream colour, or move a single tip between different coloured bags, saving loads of time and effort.

7. Textured Cake Comb

Textured cake combs let you create fabulous patterns in your frosting. They can be plastic, acrylic, or metal, and you use them exactly the same way as a straight-edged cake comb by scraping them around the cake.

For striped cakes, the technique is slightly different. Scrape around the cake to create grooves, chill the cake in the freezer for 15 minutes, spread or pipe a second colour of buttercream into the grooves, and smooth with a straight-edged comb to reveal perfect stripes. This adds a professional and striking look to your cakes with minimal fuss.

I store my cake combs organised by size and material in a bamboo rack, making them easy to see and grab when decorating.

8. Small Stiff Paintbrush

If you want to add some metallic magic to your cakes, a food safe small stiff paintbrush is an essential tool.

You can buy edible metallic paints or create your own by mixing edible metallic luster dust with a few drops of vodka or another clear alcohol to make a thin paste. Use your paintbrush to dab or brush this onto cold buttercream. It’s fantastic for painting piped buttercream shapes, attaching details, or even highlighting embossed messages on cakes.

9. Sweet Stamp Letters

Sweet Stamp letters come in a variety of fonts and sizes, and they are ideal for beginners wanting to personalise cakes with names, messages, or quotes.

They work on fondant or buttercream, but for best results on buttercream, chill the cake for at least an hour to set the frosting. Then let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes so the frosting is still firm but slightly softened. Gently press the letters into the buttercream and lift them off carefully to leave a clean, neat imprint.

10. Cake Caddy

Finally, if you’re making cakes for friends and family, a cake caddy is an absolute must.

Instead of buying disposable cake boxes each time, invest in a sturdy cake caddy you can use again and again. Look for one that's tall enough for decorated cakes and toppers. This one has a pop-up lid to give you extra space and even comes with two tiers of cupcake trays!

Setting up your cake decorating toolkit with these beginner essentials will make the whole process more fun, less frustrating, and so much more rewarding. Plus, having a well-organised workspace saves tons of time searching for your tools – if you need inspiration, check out my tutorial on 14 Baking Organisation Hacks!

Ready to dive deeper into the world of cake decorating? Visit my cake school for hundreds of online tutorials and memberships to help you grow your skills and confidence!

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This piña colada cake brings sunshine to every slice. It’s inspired by the classic cocktail, with tropical flavours that are perfect for summer gatherings. Think soft coconut milk cake layers, tangy pineapple cream cheese filling, and creamy pineapple buttercream. It's easy to make and impossible to resist!

Make the piña colada cake layers

The cake layers for this piña colada cake are made with butter for richness and they're naturally flavoured with coconut milk. It's easiest to mix the batter using a stand or handheld mixer. Start by creaming butter and sugar together at medium speed until it's fluffy and lighter in colour. The butter should be at room temperature so that it mixes well with the sugar.

Switch to a lower speed and add the eggs. This Piña Colada cake recipe is at the end of this tutorial with a video showing how to make it. Add vanilla and coconut milk and when that's mixed in add the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt.

When everything is mixed together, divide the batter between three greased 8 inch pans and bake at 325F for 30 minutes, or until the middle of each cake springs back when you touch it. These cakes bake beautifully flat! But after the cakes cool, if you want to trim the tops with a serrated knife you'll have an even neater cross section when you slice the cake.

Make the pineapple buttercream

While the cake layers are cooling, make a batch of pineapple buttercream. Blend a 1.5 oz (43g) packet of freeze-dried pineapple into a fine powder. If you don’t have a food processor, use a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin. If you pound for long enough it works just as well!

To make the buttercream you'll need the butter to be at room temperature. I like to take mine out the night before I bake this cake so that it has plenty of time to soften. Sift your icing sugar or powdered sugar to remove any lumps. Mix them together on a low speed for about 4 minutes, until the buttercream is smooth. Pour the pineapple powder in and mix at a low speed - you don't want the powder to fly out of the mixer! Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or cream to thin out the buttercream so that it's easy to stir. You're looking for soft peaks when you pull your spatula out of the bowl.

See below for the recipe card where you can toggle between US and metric measurements!

Scoop out about a cup of the pineapple buttercream into a small bowl and stir in two tablespoons of cream cheese. This creates a creamy, tangy filling for your cake and balances the sweetness of the pineapple buttercream frosting.

Assemble the piña colada cake

Spread a dab of pineapple buttercream on the middle of your cake board to hold the first layer in place. When this buttercream sets it will attach the cake like glue! These cake layers bake flat so there’s no need to trim them. Any unevenness will be fixed by the buttercream filling and frosting.

Add half of the pineapple filling, spread evenly to cover the top of the cake layer, and press the second cake layer on top. Repeat with another layer of filling and top with your final coconut milk cake layer.

Crumb coat and frost

Chill your cake layers before frosting them so that they're firmer and less crumbly/ Then apply a thin crumb coat using half of your pineapple buttercream. This seals in crumbs and shapes the cake.

Chill again to set the crumb coat before applying your final layer with the rest of the buttercream. Smooth the top (I like to use an offset spatula or palette knife held at a 45 degree angle while spinning the cake) and then spread around the sides. Use a cake comb to scrape around the cake several times to smooth the frosting.

Decorate

To decorate this piña colada cake, press shredded coconut around the bottom to highlight that coconut flavour.

On the top I like to make a spiral swirl of texture using an offset spatula, pressing down on the outer edge and pulling it in to the middle as I spin the cake.

For a simple but stunning tropical decoration, use dried pineapple slices. They look just like flowers!

How to store and serve this piña colada cake

You can store this cake in the fridge for 2–3 days. It tastes best at room temperature, so take it out about 2 hours before serving to soften the cake and buttercream.

This Piña Colada cake recipe is one of my favourite summer bakes. It’s light, fruity, and its cocktail vibes are perfect for any summer occasion.

Sign up for my Free Course on 10 Buttercream Frosting Techniques to learn more ways to decorate cakes using buttercream!

You can also watch a video of how to make this Piña Colada Cake, coming soon!

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If you struggle with smooth buttercream frosting, you’re not alone! In this tutorial I’ll show you how to prevent and fix the most common problems using five cakes and ten tried-and-tested techniques. These are easy frosting hacks for beginners that will help you troubleshoot, prevent issues, and achieve smooth buttercream frosting - no fancy tools required.

1. Buttercream Dot to Anchor the Cake

Start by spreading or piping a small dot of buttercream in the middle of your cake board. This acts as glue and holds the first cake layer firmly in place.

If you skip this step, the cake will shift around as soon as you apply any pressure. As you flatten filling bulges or spread frosting, even a light push against the sides will slide the cake across the board. But with that little dot of buttercream anchoring the base, the cake stays centred and steady as you stack and decorate. This small trick is one of the most essential easy frosting hacks for beginners.

2. Repair Crumbling Layers with Buttercream

To achieve smooth buttercream frosting, your cake needs straight sides. This is possible even if your cake breaks while turning it out of the pan.

Here’s the hack: use buttercream to reattach any broken pieces so that each layer is level and straight. Once the cake is layered and frosted, it will have a clean, tidy shape, ready for finishing touches. This is a great rescue technique!

3. Apply a Crumb Coat to Trap Crumbs

The next step is to chill and crumb coat the cake. Smoothing the frosting comes later—this step is all about preparing the cake.

A crumb coat is a thin layer of buttercream (or any frosting) that completely covers the cake to trap loose crumbs. Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes first for two reasons. First, the buttercream dot underneath becomes firm when cold, anchoring the cake securely to the board. Second, the cake itself becomes firmer and less crumbly, so spreading frosting won’t pull off as many crumbs.

Don’t worry about making this layer perfect because it will soon be covered. It’s fine if you can still see the cake showing through in spots. Scrape the sides a few times so there are no thick frosting bulges and make sure the top is flat. Then put the cake back in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

4. Build a Frosting Lip for Sharp Edges

Once the crumb coat is chilled and firm, it’s time for Hack #4. Apply a second layer of frosting and this time focus on creating a wall or “lip” at the top edge of the cake.

After covering the top of the cake, spread the frosting around the sides and push it upwards so it rises slightly above the top edge. This lip helps you create sharp, clean angles around the top of the cake.

Spread frosting all the way down to the cake board and then scrape the sides a few times. If the top lip isn’t as thick as the rest of the frosting, go back and add more. To build it up just scoop up some more buttercream with your offset spatula and push diagonally upwards around the cake. This is one of the most important easy frosting hacks for beginners and will come in handy in Hack #9!

5. Smooth Buttercream Frosting Technique

This next hack is really about patience. Think of it as “scrape, spread, repeat.” First, scrape around the cake with a cake comb. Then spread more buttercream over any shallow areas, indents, holes, or gaps. Repeat the process: scrape, spread, and again, scrape and spread.

When scraping, press the cake comb down onto the board to keep it aligned straight against the side of the cake. With your other hand, spin the turntable so the cake rotates while the comb stays still. Press very gently—just enough to smooth the frosting—then swipe the comb away once you’ve gone as far as you can.

Don’t expect a perfect result on the first pass. Keep scraping and filling in the shallow spots until your frosting is beautifully even. Patience really is a game-changer for beginners working towards that perfect, smooth buttercream frosting.

6. Get the Right Buttercream Consistency

Now for Hack #6: make sure your buttercream is the right consistency.

If it’s too stiff, like in the top photo below, you’ll see lots of texture when you stir it. It will look chunky, with air pockets and resistance as your spoon or spatula pulls through it. Add milk a spoonful at a time to loosen it until it stirs and spreads easily. You're looking for soft peaks like in the bottom photo below. Now it will glide smoothly over the cake, helping you get a much neater finish.

On the other hand, if your buttercream is too runny, it won’t hold its shape and will slump or slide down the cake. Notice how runny the buttercream is in the top photo below. You can thicken it with more sugar but that makes it very sweet. A better option is to mix in some stiffer buttercream until the consistency balances out. You're looking for a consistency like in the bottom photo below.

This is one of the key easy frosting hacks for beginners and experts alike, because consistency makes all the difference in getting a flawless, smooth buttercream frosting.

7. Remove Air Bubbles Using Pressure

Air bubbles can appear in your buttercream even when the consistency is right. You’ll often see them when colouring buttercream or when it’s been sitting at room temperature.

To remove them, press and stir the buttercream firmly against the sides of the bowl. You want to push the air out by stirring aggressively—listen for slapping sounds as the spatula knocks the frosting into the bowl. This method forces out air and gives you a smoother, cleaner texture. It’s quick, simple, and ideal for beginners.

8. Use Heat to Eliminate Air Bubbles for Smooth Buttercream Frosting

If you’ve still got air bubbles, try using heat. Scoop out about a third of your buttercream into a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 10 seconds.

It will turn shiny and loose because some of the butter melts. Pour it back into the main bowl and stir well. It might look runny at first but as you mix, the consistency will even out. The combination of heat and mixing eliminates most of the air bubbles, resulting in much smoother frosting.

You can also apply heat directly to the cake. Warm a metal cake comb with a blowtorch, hair dryer, or by dipping it in hot water. Rub it with a towel or dowel to remove moisture and reduce the heat slightly—it should be warm, not hot.

Scrape the comb around the cake. The warm edge will soften the very outer layer of buttercream, allowing it to glide more easily and fill in shallow imperfections or bubbles. It leaves behind a beautifully polished finish that looks professional, even for beginners.

9. Tidy the Top Edge

Once the sides are smooth, it’s time to focus on the top edge, which you prepped earlier with that raised lip of buttercream in Hack #4.

Use your offset spatula to push the frosting from the edge inward, not downward. This removes excess buttercream without pushing it out over the sides, which could cause a bulge.

After each swipe, scrape the excess frosting into your bowl and wipe the spatula clean with a towel or paper towel. This prevents smearing or dragging frosting back onto the cake. Repeat all the way around, cleaning the blade each time.

Finally, get down to eye level and spin the cake slowly. Look for any uneven areas and gently smooth them out. This small detail helps achieve those crisp, neat lines that are essential for beautifully smooth buttercream frosting.

10. Chill Before Decorating

After everything you’ve done to get the frosting smooth, don’t ruin it by skipping this final step—chilling the cake.

Refrigerating the cake will set the buttercream so it’s firm. That way, any piped decorations or stencilling won’t damage the surface. It also helps when adding cake toppers because if the frosting is soft, the weight can cause the top to bulge or sink.

This is a must-do finishing step, and one of the simplest frosting hacks for beginners that makes a big difference to your final results.

These 10 easy frosting hacks for beginners will help you solve common issues and achieve a flawless, smooth buttercream frosting finish—whether you’re fixing crumbling layers, smoothing out air bubbles, or prepping for detailed decorations.

Looking for more tips and techniques? Visit my cake school for online courses and memberships to take your cake decorating skills to the next level!

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Make a gorgeous ombre cake in four simple steps! This tutorial starts with a crumb coated cake. To learn how to get to this point watch my tutorial on How to Make a Layer Cake.

Step 1: Prepare your ombre cake colours

Step one is to tint your buttercream or any other kind of frosting. I'm using my 4 Minute Buttercream. Strictly speaking, ombre is made by blending different shades of a single colour. But of course you can blend different colours into each other instead! The more colours or shades you make, the more gradual your ombre will be. To make the colours blend into each other in a subtle gradient instead of stripes, tint at least four shades. Another tip is to keep a small different between each shade so the transition isn't too dramatic.

There are two ways to make different shades of a colour. The first method is to start by tinting the darkest shade. Mix that with different amounts of plain white buttercream to make lighter shades.

The second method is to start with the lightest shade. Add more and more colouring to make darker shades. Keep the ratio of colours the same, for example one drop of green for every two drops of blue.

Step 2: Spread colours onto a cake

Start by spreading the darkest or lightest shade to cover the top of the cake. You want the frosting to stick out over the edges to make nice sharp angles around the top edge of the cake later. Then spread this same shade around the top of the sides of the cake. If you have three different shades, spread it to cover a third of the cake. Six shades? A sixth of the cake. I have four shades so I'm covering the top quarter of the cake, approximately.

Then use the next shade, spreading it around the cake below the first shade. Since these are going to blend together to make an ombre gradient you don't need an even band of coloured frosting around the cake. It's fine to go down a bit lower in some places and higher up in others. It's also fine to overlap the colour above.

Continue down the cake with all of your shades of buttercream. Go right down to the bottom of the cake board to cover up the very bottom of the cake. There shouldn't be any gaps where you can see the crumb coat.

Step 3: The Wiggle

Using the tip of your offset spatula or palette knife, use light pressure to zigzag up and down the buttercream. Do this as you spin the cake on the turntable, which starts the blending of the different shades of buttercream.

Step 4: Smooth the ombre cake frosting

This is the only step that might take some practice. The first three steps are really quite straightforward if you follow this tutorial. To smooth the frosting, rest the bottom of the cake comb down on the cake board. Press gently against the cake as you spin the turntable. When you can't spin any further, swipe the comb away and scrape it clean on the edge of a bowl.

Spread more buttercream over any indents or shallow areas using the same shade that's already on that part of the cake. So if the gap is in the lightest buttercream, use the lightest buttercream to fill it in.

I like to use a metal cake comb because you can heat the edge for the smoothest ombre frosting. I'm using a blow torch but you can use a hair dryer or hot water instead. Let the comb cool down for a second so it's warm, not hot. When you scrape around the cake it will glide over the buttercream, warming it and pulling it effortlessly to fill in any shallow indents in the surface without causing air bubbles or tiny tears in the buttercream.

I find holding the comb at a 45° angle against the cake gives the best results. Your cake comb hand is staying still, it's the cake on the turntable that's moving or spinning. Smoothing the frosting takes some practice and some patience! It took me 5 minutes and 52 seconds until I was happy with the results of my ombre frosting.

You can leave the top edge of the frosting uneven, which works really well for rustic designs. It looks very dramatic on cakes with simple designs, too. Or you can flatten or level it by swiping sideways with your offset spatula or palette knife. Make sure you're pushing sideways, not down, so that you don't create a bulge of frosting around the top edge. Wipe the blade clean on a towel or paper towel after each swipe so you don't drag buttercream back onto the top edge and leave texture behind.

This is how I decorated this ombre cake with a checkerboard cake design inside and painted buttercream flowers on the outside:

So, in four steps that's how I make an ombre cake! I hope this tutorial was useful! Visit my cake school to learn hundreds of other cake decorating techniques and designs, broken down into simple steps, close up videos and easy to follow instructions.

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This tutorial will show you how to make a birthday cake in 5 simple steps!

Step 1: Choose the size of your cake

To choose the size of your cake, consider how many people you're serving and how you plan to decorate it. For example, a 6 inch cake serves 12-18 people and an 8 inch cake serves 28-32 people. But your cake design or how you decorate it will factor in too. Let's say you’re serving 30 people so you need an 8 inch cake recipe. If you want to put a design on the side of a cake you’ll need a tall cake, for example the reindeer cake in th photo below. I baked my three-layer 8 inch Perfect Chocolate Cake batter in four 6 inch pans instead. You'll get the same amount of cake but with much taller sides to make space for your design.

You might need to adjust the baking time stated on the recipe if you change the size of the pans. I start checking the layers five minutes before the time on the recipe. Look for layers that spring back up the you poke them, which shows that they're baked.

Which designs work best of the sides of cakes? I almost always put decorations on the sides of cakes because they’re more visible than on the top. When the cake is on a dessert table or you’re singing happy birthday or cutting the cake it’s the sides, not the top, that you’re looking at.

However, some designs need less space on the sides of the cake, for example piped details on a vintage cake. And some messages require more space on top of the cake that others. For those designs I would choose a wider, shorter cake.

Step 2: Choose the flavours for the cake

Choose your cake, filling and frosting flavours

You'll have several flavour choices when you think about how to make a birthday cake. The cake layers, of course, but also the filling and the frosting. Popular fillings include dulce de leche or caramel, strawberry jam, lemon curd, and chocolate chip cookie dough.

Buttercream also works well as a cake filling, flavoured with ingredients like freeze dried strawberries or chocolate or Oreo cookies.

Flavoured buttercream can be used as a frosting, too. Or whipped cream or eggnog frosting… there are so many flavour options! As well as endless combinations of flavours. Some of my favourites are my Lemon and Raspberry Cake and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake.

How to make a birthday cake with your flavours

To put these together, choose a cake board at least 2 inches wider than your cake layers. Spread a bit of your frosting onto the middle, to act as glue. Push your first cake layer onto that, to attach it to the board, and then spread on your filling.

If it’s buttercream you can spread it right up to the edges but for runny fillings there's an extra step. Spread a thin layer of buttercream onto each cake layer first, to prevent the filling from absorbing into the cake. Then you’ll need to pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge of the cake, using a piping bag. This is called a buttercream dam and it acts as a wall to hold the filling within it, so it doesn’t ooze out from between the cake layers.

Once the cake is assembled you’ll need a crumb coat. This is a thin layer of frosting to completely cover the cake and trap any crumbs that come off the cake while you’re spreading the frosting on. It’s best to do this after chilling the cakewin the fridge for 30 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes. Now it will be firm and won't slide or wobble or lean as you frost it. You’ll typically use the same flavour and colour as your final coat of frosting. It doesn’t need to be neat because it’s going to be covered up in a minute.

Step 3: Frost the cake

Now you’re ready for the fun part! Step 3 is to choose a frosting technique. Smooth it with a cake comb or use any of these techniques from my FREE course on 10 Frosting Techniques. Each step is broken down step by step so you can follow along and create stunning cakes! 

Step 4: How to make a birthday cake with decorations

The next step for how to make a birthday cake is to choose a decorating technique. I have an online course on 10 Decorating Techniques, too, all of which you can do with just an offset spatula or palette knife, or a piping bag, or parchment paper or wax paper, or sprinkles!

Step 5: How to make a birthday cake with a message

To write a message you can use a piping bag with a small round piping tip like a #3. Pipe lines or pipe tiny dots to make each line, called pointillism. I think this is easier than piping lines because you don’t need to pipe with consistent pressure or speed. Score the letters with a toothpick before you start to guide you as you pipe lines or dots.

Another way to add a message is to create an edible cake topper message. Melt chocolate and then spoon it into a ziplock bag and cut a tiny piece off one corner. Squeeze the chocolate out through the hole to write the message. Then stick a toothpick into the bottom of each letter or group of letters and pipe over it with more chocolate. You can pour coloured sugar or sprinkles onto the chocolate and it will stick as it sets. After about 30 minutes at room temperature or 15 minutes into the fridge, lift the letters up and push them into your cake! Here are another 10 delicious cake decorations.

So, are you ready to make a birthday cake? Ask me any questions in the comments and remember to take my FREE course on 10 Frosting Techniques! See you there!

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