Simple (Yet Show-stopping!) Cake Decorating Ideas

I used to think cake decorating was only for professionals and that you had to take formal classes to gain skill. It appeared daunting, elaborate, and something that required serious art skills. However, after a few attempts at piping cupcakes, I quickly realized that it is just not true. That intricate cake decor definitely does exist, but it is not the only way to make an impressive cake! Here are a few ideas for simple cake decorating and some tips and tricks I learned along the way.

Try a meringue-based buttercream

I went kicking and screaming into meringue-based buttercreams because they seemed intense. Very hot sugar water dumped into a whirling stand mixer? No thank you! But alas, after my first Italian Meringue Buttercream attempt, I realized it’s a game changer. Everything is smoother – the icing itself lacks that slight grit you get in an American Buttercream, and it results in a smoother finish for your cake.

I just braved Swiss Meringue Buttercream this past year, and I’ve happily used it for several cakes. It has become my new favorite icing for cakes that require a nice, smooth finish – like this Vanilla Salted Layer Cake. I still have lots of love for Italian Meringue Buttercream, too, especially for filling my macarons. Here are two base recipes I recommend for meringue-based buttercreams:

• Swiss Meringue Buttercream from Kitchen Trials (I follow their steps for the Salted Caramel Buttercream, but leave out the caramel sauce)
• Italian Meringue Buttercream from Chef Lindsey Farr

Upgrade to gel food coloring

Do you still have the 4-pack of primary colored teardrop-shaped tubes sitting in your pantry? First, throw them away because they are probably super old, then upgrade to gel food coloring. Here are three key benefits to gel-based food coloring:

• It’s incredibly versatile – It can color frostings and fondants; moreover, because it’s heat safe, it holds the color of macaron shells or cake layers in the oven.
• A little drop will do! Gel food coloring is far more concentrated than liquid, which means it will go a longer way.
• Won’t alter your consistencies – Because it’s a thick gel, and not a liquid, there is no excess liquid in your buttercreams or batter. The addition of liquids could spell disaster (especially for buttercream), so gel is a safer approach.

If you don’t want to fully commit yet, you can get a starter box of six colors from Americolor for under $20. I recommend purchasing directly from Americolor’s website, as it’s often cheaper than their Amazon storefront. Plus, you get loyalty points, Color Coins, you can redeem for money off (and side note: here’s my referral link).

Flower clusters are very, very forgiving

I recently did a cake for a friend of mine’s daughter. She wanted something Encanto themed, so I focused on bright colors that matched Mirabel’s outfit. Even though I made a double-batch of buttercream, I ran out of my pink base before I could fully frost the cake! Luckily I was able to cover some of the bare spots with buttercream flowers and swirls. Getting creative by using some aspects of your design to cover the less-pretty parts is something I do all the time. I love having that safety net.

In my head, I have this Julia Child quote on repeat: “If you’re alone in the kitchen and you drop the lamb, you can always just pick it up. Who’s going to know?” Meaning: Don’t be afraid of messing up because you can usually fix it. Oh, and don’t apologize because odds are you’re the only one that knows the error was there.

Leverage toys, cookies and cake toppers in your decor

I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to mold characters out of fondant. I don’t have the time or skills for that. Save the precise sculpting for the Food Network. To make a cake “POP!”, especially a themed one leverage toys, cookies/candy and cake toppers to tie it together.

It’s an especially great move for a child’s birthday cake because they get to keep the toys. For children under six, a small pack of Little People is a safe and durable option – and they have Little People for just about every theme you can imagine! Etsy is also a great spot to find cool and unique cake toppers, and you’ll even be supporting a small business.

I hope these ideas have given you some hope for your next show-stopping cake – and the confidence to make it happen, too! Do you have any other tips or ideas? I’d love to hear about them in a comment below. Happy baking!