Easy Cake Decorating Idea

 

I’m starting to think that Pinterest has pushed back the cause of feminism by several hundred years.

 

 

 

This weekend we were hosting a Eurovision party and since it also happened to be the birthday of one of the Minx’s friends who was attending, I offered to make a quick birthday cake.

And then I went on Pinterest, disappeared down the rabbit hole, and emerged to find several hours had gone by and the kitchen was totally covered with food colouring and buttercream.  This is indeed a very easy frosting idea, but quick it is most certainly not.  It was enormous fun to do though.

 

 

The Minx and I got a little carried away with the food colouring and made coloured layers inside the cake, which I think in hindsight was a garishness too far, particularly as they were not quite as subtly pretty as I was hoping  It would have looked better just as plain cake with white buttercream inside.

But then garishness isn’t really a problem when making cake for an eight year old. Please excuse drunken pic below, but you get the idea.

Update: Several people have asked me to provide a bit more information on how I did it. I mixed up a big batch of vanilla buttercream (beat together 2 sticks/220g of  room-temperature butter, 6 cups/640g icing/confectioner’s sugar, plus a little vanilla extract, plus a tablespoon or two of milk until the buttercream is soft and smooth).

Then I divided the buttercream into six and the Minx and I conferred long and hard over which colours to choose. I spread a very thin crumb coat over the sides to even them up and then used a #21 tip to pipe little rosettes onto the cake, making sure that I didn’t pipe the same colour in adjacent spots.  And then kept going and going and GOING until every bit of the cake was covered.

Further Update: Thanks to the comments below, I’ve been able to track down the original source of the idea at I Am Baker. Thanks for pointing it out. The original pin I found was ‘uploaded by user’ and no source was indicated, so I’m glad to finally be able to credit the right person.

Comments

[K]

Gorgeous!

[Uncle Beefy]

Well done, Paola! It must have taken forever to frost that cake...?!?! But, what a delightful impact! :)

[Helen]

Hey you! Well done! Now, what I've never managed is the perfectly spherical, perfectly flat layers of cake ready to ice that seem to be the foundation of any non-homemamde-looking cake... Mine always look a bit more *ahem* organic....Do you trim, are you lucky or simply incredibly skilled?!?

[Liz@Violet Posy]

That is literally the coolest cake ever! It looks like there are ice gems all over it. Love it!!

[franky]

WOW....not only it looks so pretty but it looks delicious....how did you do each star so tightly ...can you show us an instruction/diy on how to make this cake? it'd be so nice for an outdoor garden party (http://www.eieihome.com/blog/tips-for-a-cozy-home-garden-party.html)!

Enjoy!

[Tina Ramchandani]

Wow Paola! Cake looks great. I would have caved halfway through and bought one :)

[Paola]

@K and @Uncle Beefy. Thank you! It didn't take THAT long.

@Helen, I seem to be able to manage natural flatness without trimming. Obviously I am incredibly skilled :)

@Liz Every English person has mentioned the same thing. We're obviously all really nostalgic for Iced Gems. I know I am...

@franky Instructions now above!

@Tina. Not sure what it says about me, but I enjoy mindless squirting...

[Sandra]

Lovely - the photos are lovely too! So you have six pastry bags for the icing? Or did ziplock save the day....

[Paola]

@Sandra, I used three separate plastic icing bags and rinsed them out before I changed the icing colours. Ziploc would have worked but I only have three couplers. More icing bags and a cake icing turntable would have really helped with this project.

[Mallowry]

I am in awe. And seriously considering doing this in a single colour for a cake I need to make this weekend (for a gentleman of a certain age rather than an 8 year old girl, hence the restraint) as might be rather more interesting than the flat & sugared icing I was planning... or maybe it would just look a bit weirdly furry!

[Paola]

@mallowry Hmmm. Do you mean literally all one colour, which might just look furry, or just a monochrome colour palette ie. six different blues ranging from sky to midnight, which could be very sophisticated I think. Or try with a very restricted colour palette in the same part of the spectrum ie. 2 different blues, 2 different greens, 2 different purples. You probably don’t need to make four layers either, which would make it easier.
I say go for it!

[Nicole]

I absolutely adore this cake! Its fun and beautiful.

[Handmade in Israel]

What a stunning cake! Can't wait to do this one day.

[Maud from Madrid]

I love your cake. It's amazing ! I have to try it and adapt without gluten. I'm sure my daughters will love it.

[Connie Paradise]

Fantastic idea! Will definitely try.

[Tara]

What a beautiful cake! i can't wait to try it myself!

[Rita]

Might have to try this for the 4th of July with red, white, & blue colors!

[Food Science Recruitment]

Wow! it is so beautiful design! really! I think it is not only looks good its also taste good, great job!

[Jackie]

Made this cake for our 9 year old granddaughter. She loved it!

[Rachel]

Message to Helen, I learned that the cake will not rise so much and stay flatter if you turn your oven down 10 degrees or so. I tried it and it does work

[Veronnica W.]

So pretty! Amanda at I Am Baker made this as well. Were you inspired by hers?

[Paola]

I was inspired by this pin on Pinterest http://pinterest.com/pin/160722280421756513/ It says 'uploaded by user' so I don't know where it comes from originally. I'd love to credit the original idea if I can..

[Amber]

Looks like you ripped off this idea from I am baker
http://iambaker.net/cake-challenge-wiltons-grass-tip/

[Phyllis Dew]

Love all the colors. Looks like a star-covered cake. As far as the colored layers, I agree that there can't be too much garishness for an 8 yr old. I have a 7 yr old granddaughter, and I think I might even impress her with this cake. Thanks for sharing.

[Channon Humphrey]

How does this icing hold up outdoors? It's it ok in humidity? I'm doing a Barbie cake for a shower and it will be outdoors under a patio. This looks fan and I would love to do this!!!

[Maria]

Fabulous!!

[chelsea]

This looks amazing!!! I actually laughed out loud at this:

"And then I went on Pinterest, disappeared down the rabbit hole, and emerged to find several hours had gone by and the kitchen was totally covered with food colouring and buttercream." -- This happens to me WAY too often! haha.

Great job on the cake though, definitely keeping this around for next time I have to make a birthday cake :)

[Jerry]

Pinterest has set us all back by many, many years. It is, however, tons of fun. Several hours on pinterest, though? Lol, wow, solid effort, haha.

[Karen]

I am getting ready to do a bridal shower cake-three seperate cakes a 12" 10" & 8", love this idea,her colors are Navy Blue, Wisteria and Pink. Do you think two shades of each color and some white on each cake with round white pearls around base of each cake would work?

[Cool Cake]

What a lovely post. I stumbled upon it when i was looking for some birthday cake inspiration (My niece is celebrating her 10th birthday soon) - she is going to love this cake :). Thanks for sharing!

[tanya1234]

mmmmmmmmm very nice thankx:)

[MOnica Dalberg]

Nice of you to credit the original baker, but I must say, yours looks nicer...shhhhhh....

[Rosie]

So LOVE IT!! This is going to be my baby girls 4th bday cake just add some butterflies and its a done deal :)

[Schokolade]

very colorful, but it looks delicious!

[Jen]

Adorable!! I could even manage this one, and I suck at cake decorating, thank you for the inspiration! My daughter will be 3 next month and I've been doing lots of thinking on her cake.

Also, isn't the point of feminism for women to have the freedom to do what they want? If this is what we want to do, why not? :)

[jim]

great

[Carol]

Awesome cake, have to try it. I wouldn't think the coloring inside is too much, I just would have used lighter colors like the topping.

[local internet marketing services]

The cake looks delicious and attractive to the eyes. This will attract buyers especially kids.

[Klara]

Very nice! Would it work with whipped cream instead of butter cream?