Cake Decorating Ideas {Valentines Day Edition}

With Valentines Day quickly approaching, I wanted to share with you three super easy, super fun, and totally do-able techniques.

Seriously, even my hubby can do these. 

And you can too!  These are very basic, very simple designs that have a wow factor.  It looks like you have spent lots and lots of time but in reality it takes less then 15 minutes!

Want to learn how?

All you need is a few tools.  These are readily available at your local craft store.

I used a disposable pastry bag with a #5 tip and a nine inch offset spatula.  You can certainly improvise and use a plastic baggy and knife if you want too!

We will start with our cake.  This is a white cake with the BEST BUTTERCREAM FROSTING EVER tinted a fun sweetheart lovey dovey shade of pink.  (will post recipe at end)

I did a crumb coat (or dirty iced it) then did another coat of frosting and smoothed it out.  You dont have to worry about perfection here... if there are wholes or bumps, we can cover them with our design!

When making a dot cake you can make very precise uniform dots that have a very specific pattern.  Or, if you are anything like me, you want to hurry up and decorate this thing so you can catch the end of your favorite TV show.

Hence, random dots.  Just place them any-old-where.

I got a little crazy with my dots.  If you want perfectly uniform dots you can do that too... just takes a few second more of your time and concentration.

I also added some smaller dots to fill in the space.  Then a little border around the bottom. 

You could re-create this cake in many ways if you wanted to personalize your Valentines Day treat.  How about white with red dots?  Or chocolate with white and red dots? 

I might have to make one like that next year!

Next up is the very technical and absolute term of "squiggly lines".

For this we will also be using the disposable pastry bag and #5 tip.  I have sorta used this design before... here and here... and used smaller tips.  (The first with with contrasting colors and a more specific design, the second is monochromatic and also a scroll type design.)  Here I did a whole cake in the squigglys and have been hooked ever since.

Start out with any random ole pattern.  Then just build around it!  I made one solid shape here, then sorta just squiggled my frosting all around it.

Can you see the original shape?  Fun huh?  Now just keep going around the whole cake! 

And now for our last design! 

Start out with a cake that has been crumb coated.  You can see that this is a rough stage and shows lots of crumbs and cake through the frosting.  Thats ok!

Create a generous layer of frosting around the cake. 

Once you get a nice thick layer on, gently smooth the frosting so you have a flat surface.  You will be removing excess frosting, but not too much! 

Place your spatula flat against the cake, then gently move up, applying even pressure.

For the next row, place the spatula on the line you have created making sure to overlap. 

Do this all the way around the cake.

Until you have this.  Pretty cool huh?

And remember that super amazing buttercream frosting recipe?  Be warmed... this is the sweet stuff.  Like, ridiculously sweet.  I just happen to be a fan of that.

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

THE BEST BUTTERCREAM

2 cups shortening

8 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon clear imitation vanilla extract

6 fluid ounces heavy cream

In a large bowl, cream shortening with mixer until fluffy.  Add confectioners sugar (2 cups at a time) until well blended.  If the frosting gets to thick at any time you can add some of your heavy cream.

Add salt, vanilla, and heavy cream and blend until combined, then blend on high until frosting is light and fluffy.  If you need to add additional cream you can. (up to 2 tablespoons)

You should end up with this amazingly luscious delectable stuff.  Well.  If you added pink food coloring that is.

Also, this was enough frosting to cover all my cakes, so I would recommend halving it.

Now go forth and bake!  And then, go forth and decorate!

P.S.  I posted a couple additional photos over at my flickr page.  I was getting a bit to frilly for my little baking blog! ;)

Comments

[Stephanie]

All lovely and impressive ideas for valentines day. Thanks for sharing.

[doughmesstic]

I've done these designs myself, but woman, you make it look so easy! wonderful tutorial...I imagine there will be lots of great looking Valentine's Day cakes thanks to you!

[May]

I was Internet-less for days and days and missed your giveaway! I had the perfect name! Maximillian. Well I love love the cakes (as always in-love with everything I see on here). Thanks for awesome ideas. NO THANKS though for the extra 4 lbs since stumbling on your site! Lol

[Lauren @ Crave. Indulge. Satisfy.]

Gorgeous pink cakes! I love the vertical spatula technique for the icing on the 3rd cake!

[DG]

Looks simple, pretty and thanks for sharing this.

[Jennie]

So, I've been watching "The Story of Us" from the History Channel. It's basically a general overview of US History. Anyway, I couldn't help but see your polka dot cake as an example of the small pox disease. :) Ha! Please don't take offense. I love it, and I'll probably do it sometime. :) Thanks for sharing these easy ones!!!!

[Hilda]

Gorgeous!

[LauraB @ foodsnobstl]

Thank you for this great tutorial!

[Cookbook Queen]

What an awesome tutorial. If you like pink cakes and frosting and that sort of thing.

Which, I do. I pretty much live for it.

:) Your cakes are always so level and neat and pretty!!!

[Jess]

I don't like shortening in my frosting very much, but man those cakes are adorable!! I'm totally digging the three cakes all together.
Jess : )

[Marie Baars]

cute! I will be trying these for all season cake decorating! :)

[Barbara]

You have more faith in my abilities than I do! It'll never end up looking like that! Gorgeous!
Do I have to start thinking Valentine's Day already??

[Lexi]

I love valentines day, if only for the wonderful baked goods everyone can come up with! Beautiful, once again Amanda.

[grace]

i'm pretty excited--this is absolutely something i can execute. thanks for the ideas, amanda!

[Jenn@eatcakefordinner]

Thanks for the great tips and ideas. I am definitely making that buttercream frosting next time I make a cake. Unlike some people, I love the texture the shortening gives to frosting, but I have never had a shortening based buttercream with whipping cream? I can't wait to try it.

[Maris (In Good Taste)]

These look better than professional!

[Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles]

A girl not afraid to use shortening! I think I love you. :) These cakes are both beautiful and fun - lovely job.

[Jane]

Thanks so much for these tips!!

[hailey]

Wow! Those three ideas are so simple, and yet so amazing! thank you for the wonderful ideas for cakes :)

[Marynika]

Really awesome post. Thanks! Beautiful decorating. You are very talented :)

[Jenna]

WOW!!!! The cakes look amazing, and yet, so easy to decorate!! Thanks for the tutorial!

[Sarah @ SwizzleBerry]

I love them all, but my favourite is the polka dot cake. I'm seriously considering trying on for my daughter's 4th birthday party this weekend. I just showed her the pictures and she said "YES!", then said she wants one of each ;) A girl after my own heart!

[Patricia Scarpin]

The three of them look so amazing I can't even pick a favorite. Lovely!

[colleen]

So pretty!,I am making a 3 layer cake for my parents surprise 40th anniversary party, Dumb question how many batches should I make to frost the cake (double layer 8 in,10in &12in).
This will be my first time making something so big any tips of the trade?

[colleen]

I meant 3 tier double layered cakes....

[Amy]

I'm a new follower - following you from Martha's DiD site. Your cakes are so pretty and thanks for sharing the new techniques! I am going to try your butter cream recipe as well - heavy cream sounds fabulous! Thanks for sharing! ;)

[ali @ an ordinary mom]

Ooh, loving all the pink! I think I may try that squiggle technique on my next cake...

[Jenna]

I can't remember if I commented on this post yet, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE these gorgeous cakes. I am going to attempt to make the dot cake and maybe the one with the stripes. I don't think I will like the way my squiggles turn out. If they turn out cute, I may make a few small cakes as little gifts for a few of my mommy friends for Valentine's Day. What diameter cake pans did you use?

[sheila @ Elements]

Your cakes and designs are so beautiful!!!! Thanks so much for sharing how to do it 'cause I totally suck at decorating cakes but I think I could do this! I'll bet everyone goes nuts for your cakes! :)

[Craftiness Now]

absolutely gorgeous -- all of them! love the pink shade, the designs, and i'm always up for a good buttercream recipe :-)

[Amy @DYKTMP?]

Do the results come out the same if you use cream cheese frosting instead? I'm not a fan of butter cream...

[Ashley Lee]

Could you use this same recipe substituting butter for the shortening?

[Cakewalker]

Gorgeous cakes, tasty tutorials and stunning photography... Brava!

[sydney]

love it!!!! I've been searching the web for a easy to do valentine cake. seems pretty easy my only problam is wont that make alot of icing i mean 8 cups wow!!!!!!!!If you have anytime could you plase send me somemore cake pictures you have made to my emal please thanks.

[Karen Tucker]

Okay, you convinced me! I am going to start baking again...although I will be sending it to my husband's office, so I am not tempted. I have lost 40 lbs., we are empty nesters, and I DON"T NEED this in the house!!! ha ha ha ha But I can't pass it up. I am doing a bridal shower and the white roses are going to be my first attempt for a cake, then a baby shower (not for same lady) and I will be making the cookies and cupcakes with the baby peeking over the edge. Thanks for the great ideas!!!!

[Shruti Goradia]

Hi Amanda, Love your blog and cakes. thanks for sharing the tips. I notice you have a new favorite buttercream recipe - is that because it's better to decorate with or better it tastes better?

[Leanna]

I LOVE your buttercream frosting recipe! I used it yesterday for some valentines sugar cookies. I blogged about it at my brand new blog, More Like Martha (alotlikemartha.blogspot.com). Thank you so much for all of your inspiration! :)

[anne kaye]

wow! amazing. you are a very talented cake decorator!

[mandy]

i'm so excited to try the third technique for our school's Carnival and cake walk! maybe with chocolate frosting...yummmmmm...thanks again! as always you are simply amazing! i am in awe!!! :o)

[Alanna Teed]

Hi, I have linked these wonderful instructions up to my party planning blog. I love the tips and tricks and your cakes are so darn cute. Thank you
poppylopparties.blogspot.com

[Pati @ A Crafty Escape]

BEAUTIFUL cakes! I am so inspired and want to make a cake now.

[crown moldings how to]

Wow! awesome design. Love it.

[ThaiHoa Burroughs]

Thanks for the pics and tutorial -step by step. It is hard to find great tutorials on cakes. I made my daughter's first birthday cake...hmmm..not posting that pic!

[nikkala]

Love them all! Just shared on The Crafting Chicks Facebook page!

[Sarah]

I'm wondering if this "The Best Buttercream" icing can be frozen? I want to make cupcakes for my daughter's first birthday using your recipe but I have a lot of preparations to do the day before and day of and was wondering if I could make the cupcakes ahead of time and keep them in the freezer. I make these cupcakes (http://couplethatcooks.blogspot.com/2009/04/im-addicted-chocolate-cupcakes.html) all the time and keep them in the freezer and they taste perfect coming out of the freezer. As this is a buttercream recipe and the one I use for the chocolate cupcakes above is I"m guessing I can but I thought I'd ask as I'd hate to ruin a batch of cupcakes if it doesn't work. I could always ask my sister who's the professional cake decorator, but I thought I'd check with you first.

Thanks for your time;)

[Jana]

Hi thank you very much for the recipe!

Im will give it a try tomorrow but still got one question regarding the heavy cream:

Do I have to whip the heavy cream extra or just add in to the rest?

greetings from Germany! (and sorry for my bad English)

[Sarah]

Can i use butter instead of shortening in the buttercream frosting?

[Maria]

Your Buttercream recipe is AWESOME!!! I used it for my little girls birthday cake and everyone went on and on about how good it was!! It is my new go to recipe!! Thanks!

[Cory]

Sounds like a yummy buttercream recipe. Does it need to be refrigerated?

[voxangelus]

Just made this frosting for a birthday cake. Awesome! I have a new favorite :D