Cake Decorating

The path

1. 1
   Level 1Free

   Buttercream Basics

   A piped two-layer celebration cake

   15 Steps, about 36 minutes each. Anyone who has baked a box cake. No decorating experience needed.

   1. Chapter 1: Frosting and piping. Buttercream at three consistencies, colored and bagged, and stars, shells and rosettes piped with control.
   2. Chapter 2: The layer cake. Two layers baked, leveled, filled, crumb coated and finished with smooth sides and a border.
   3. Chapter 3: Celebration cake. Flowers, leaves and writing, then a finished cake designed and made for someone's birthday or day.

   1. 1
      Frost six cupcakes

      A batch of buttercream and six cupcakes frosted with a swirl.

      American buttercream is butter beaten with powdered sugar, a little milk and vanilla. It's the easiest frosting to make and the most forgiving to pipe, which is why it's the frosting this Era is built on.

      Beating the butter first, until it's pale and fluffy, traps air and makes the frosting light. Adding the sugar gradually keeps it smooth and stops a cloud of sugar from flying out of the bowl.

      The detail beginners miss is butter temperature. Butter should be soft enough to press a finger into easily, but not shiny or melting, about 65 to 68°F. Too cold, and the frosting is lumpy. Too warm, and it's soupy and won't hold a shape.

      Here's an example. 1 cup (225 grams) of soft butter beaten 2 minutes until pale. 3 cups of powdered sugar added a cup at a time, on low speed. 2 tablespoons of milk and a teaspoon of vanilla. Beaten 3 minutes on medium-high until fluffy. Six cooled cupcakes frosted with a spoon in a swirl.

      Right is smooth, fluffy frosting that holds a soft peak. Cupcakes must be completely cool, or the frosting melts. Mixers have spinning parts; keep hands and spatulas out while they run.

      Preppy Kitchen
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   2. 2
      Fill and hold a piping bag

      A bag fitted with a coupler and tip, filled cleanly, and piped in steady lines and dots.

      Sally's Baking
   3. 3
      Get the consistency right

      One batch split into stiff, medium and thin buttercream, and two colors mixed.

      Wilton

   See all 15 Steps

   1. 4
      Pipe stars, shells and borders

      Rows of stars and a shell border, even in size and spacing.

      Icing On Top - Becky's CakesWilton
   2. 5
      Pipe a rosette cupcake tray

      Six cupcakes topped with 1M rosettes, plus a few drop flowers.

      Preppy Kitchen
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   3. 6
      Bake two cake layers

      Two 8-inch cake layers, baked, cooled and wrapped.

      Sally's Baking
   4. 7
      Level and fill the layers

      Two flat layers stacked with an even layer of filling.

      Wilton
   5. 8
      Crumb coat the cake

      A thin coat of frosting that seals in every crumb, chilled firm.

      British Girl BakesKing Arthur Baking
   6. 9
      Smooth the final coat

      Smooth sides and a flat top on your chilled cake.

      Cakes by MKSally's Baking
   7. 10
      Finish with borders

      Your layer cake finished with a shell border around the base and top.

      Wilton
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   8. 11
      Plan your celebration cake

      A sketch of a cake for someone: colors, border, flowers and the words to write.

      Wilton
   9. 12
      Pipe flowers and leaves

      A tray of rosettes, drop flowers and leaves, ready for your celebration cake.

      Preppy Kitchen
   10. 13
       Write on a cake

       A name or short message written neatly in buttercream.

       Wilton
   11. 14
       Build the celebration cake

       Two layers baked, filled, crumb coated and smooth, ready to decorate.

       Sally's Baking
   12. 15
       Decorate and share it

       Your finished celebration cake, decorated to your plan and given to the person it's for.

       Wilton
       Show your group
2. Level 2Unlocks after Level 1

   Showpiece Cakes

   Drip cakes, stencils and sharp edges

3. Level 3Unlocks after Level 2

   Tiers and Fondant

   A two-tier cake that stands tall

Where it ends: celebration cakes you design

Free lessons in Buttercream Basics come from Preppy Kitchen, Sally's Baking, Wilton, Icing On Top - Becky's Cakes, British Girl Bakes, King Arthur Baking, Cakes by MK. We link to their work and never copy it.