How to Make a Striped Buttercream Cake. A new tutorial by our contributor, Erin Gardner!

Mastering the Striped Buttercream Cake: A Comprehensive Tutorial by Erin Gardner

Welcome to an exciting journey into the art of cake decorating! Today, we’re thrilled to bring you an exclusive tutorial from our esteemed contributor, Erin Gardner, a true maestro in the world of sweets. This guide will walk you through creating a visually stunning striped buttercream cake, a design that’s both elegant and surprisingly achievable for bakers of all skill levels. Whether you’re aiming to impress guests at a special occasion or simply enhance your decorating repertoire, this step-by-step method will equip you with the techniques to achieve beautifully smooth and perfectly defined stripes.

Striped buttercream cakes have become a beloved trend in modern patisserie, celebrated for their clean lines and vibrant aesthetic. They offer an incredible canvas for creativity, allowing you to play with various color palettes, from subtle pastels to bold, contrasting hues. Erin Gardner, known for her innovative designs and clear instructions, breaks down the process into manageable steps, ensuring you gain confidence with every turn of your cake turntable. Get ready to transform a simple cake into a dazzling centerpiece that tastes as good as it looks!

Gather Your Essential Supplies for a Flawless Finish

Before diving into the creative process, ensuring you have all the necessary tools and ingredients at hand will make your decorating experience smooth and enjoyable. Preparation is key to success in cake decorating, and having these items ready will help maintain the flow and precision required for perfect stripes.

Supplies Checklist:

• 6-inch Round Cake, Crumb Coated: A properly crumb-coated cake provides a stable, smooth base for your final layers of buttercream. This essential first step locks in any loose crumbs, preventing them from marring your pristine striped finish.
• 6 Cups of Buttercream Frosting: The heart of your design! Ensure your buttercream is at the right consistency – not too soft that it slips, and not too firm that it tears. We’ll discuss types and preparation shortly.
• Soft Gel Paste Food Color: These highly concentrated colors provide vibrant hues without altering the consistency of your buttercream. Choose a palette that inspires you!
• Piping Bags: Essential for applying your colored buttercream in neat, controlled lines around the cake. Using multiple bags for different colors will prevent mixing.
• Bench Scraper or Large Icing Spatula: This tool is critical for creating those signature crisp, straight edges and perfectly smooth sides on your cake. A metal bench scraper is highly recommended for its rigidity.
• Revolving Cake Turntable: An absolute game-changer for achieving professional-looking results. A smooth-spinning turntable allows you to apply and smooth buttercream evenly with minimal effort.
• Offset Spatula: Perfect for smoothing the top of your cake and refining edges, its angled blade provides ergonomic control.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Striped Masterpiece

Now that your workstation is set, let’s embark on the artistic journey of transforming your simple crumb-coated cake into a striped spectacle. Each step is designed to build upon the last, leading you to a beautifully finished product.

Step 1: Prepare Your Buttercream and Color Palette

The foundation of any great buttercream cake is, naturally, great buttercream! For this technique, a stable and smooth frosting is paramount. You can use your favorite recipe, whether it’s a luscious meringue-based buttercream (like Swiss or Italian meringue buttercream, known for its silky texture and stability) or a basic crusting buttercream (which forms a slight crust, making it easier to handle). The key is to ensure it’s well-mixed, free of air bubbles, and has a spreadable, yet firm, consistency.

Once your buttercream is ready, divide it into three equal portions. This tutorial features a lovely gradient of dark pink, light pink, and white, offering a soft yet striking contrast. Use your chosen soft gel paste food colors to tint two of the portions. Start with a small amount of color, mixing thoroughly, and gradually add more until you achieve your desired intensity. Remember, colors often deepen slightly as they sit. Leave one portion white to complete your trio. Load each colored buttercream into separate piping bags. There’s no need for special tips; simply snip a small opening (about 1/2 inch) at the end of each bag.

Step 2: Apply the Buttercream Stripes to Your Cake

This is where the stripes begin to take shape! Place your crumb-coated cake on the revolving turntable. Starting with one of your colored buttercreams, hold the piping bag at a slight angle against the side of the cake. Apply gentle, even pressure and pipe a continuous line of buttercream horizontally around the cake. Work your way up or down, alternating between your dark pink, light pink, and white buttercreams to create distinct bands. The goal here is not perfect smoothness yet, but rather to apply an even layer of each color. Aim for consistent thickness across all your stripes to ensure they blend beautifully in the next step. Don’t forget to generously fill the entire top surface of the cake with your chosen top color (white in this example), ensuring it extends slightly over the edges.

Step 3: Smooth the Top Surface of the Cake

With all your buttercream applied, it’s time to start smoothing. Begin by leveling the top of your cake. Take your bench scraper or a large icing spatula and gently glide it across the top surface, pulling in from the edges towards the center. The goal is to create a flat, even top. Don’t worry if some of the frosting overhangs the edges at this stage; this “collar” of excess buttercream will be neatly trimmed away as you smooth the sides, contributing to those desirable sharp edges.

Step 4: Create Perfectly Smooth and Defined Side Stripes

This is arguably the most crucial step for achieving those coveted sharp stripes. Hold your bench scraper or large icing spatula vertically against the side of the cake, ensuring it’s at a perfect 90-degree angle to your turntable. Apply light, consistent pressure against the cake. Now, slowly and steadily spin the cake turntable with your other hand while keeping the bench scraper completely stationary. As the cake rotates, the scraper will shear away excess buttercream, revealing the crisp lines of your stripes underneath.

Periodically, stop the turntable and scrape the accumulated excess buttercream from your bench scraper into a separate bowl. This prevents reintroducing lumps onto your cake. For an even cleaner finish, wipe the blade of your bench scraper with a warm, damp paper towel between spins. This ensures the blade is perfectly clean and warm, allowing it to glide more smoothly and create a flawless surface. Continue this process, rotating and scraping, until the sides of your cake are perfectly smooth, and your stripes are beautifully defined and even.

Step 5: Refine and Sharpen the Top Edge

Once the sides are smooth and striped, you’ll notice a slight ridge of buttercream that has been pushed up to the top edge. To achieve a professional, sharp edge, use the flat edge of your offset spatula. Hold the spatula almost parallel to the top surface of the cake, with the tip pointing towards the center. Gently swipe the blade across the top of the cake, pulling in from the outer edge towards the middle. This motion will carefully remove the excess buttercream, leaving a crisp, clean corner. Repeat this all the way around the cake until your top edge is as sharp and smooth as desired. For the cleanest lines, wipe your offset spatula clean after each swipe.

Expert Tips for Perfect Striped Buttercream Cakes

• Buttercream Consistency is Key: Ensure your buttercream is pliable but firm enough to hold its shape. If it’s too soft, your stripes will sag; if too stiff, it will be hard to spread smoothly. Adjust with a tiny bit of milk/cream or powdered sugar as needed.
• Chill for Stability: If at any point your buttercream becomes too warm or soft, or if you need to take a break, pop your cake into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. A slightly chilled cake is much easier to work with, especially when smoothing.
• Practice Makes Perfect: Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t flawless. Cake decorating is a skill that improves with practice. Try practicing on a dummy cake or even a clean kitchen counter.
• Warm Your Tools: A quick rinse of your bench scraper or offset spatula under warm water (and then wiping dry) can help it glide more smoothly through the buttercream, leading to a glossier finish.
• Even Pressure: When piping your stripes and smoothing, consistent, light pressure is crucial for uniform results.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Uneven Stripes: If your stripes appear wobbly or inconsistent, it might be due to uneven pressure when piping or an unsteady hand during smoothing. Ensure your piping bag is held consistently and your bench scraper is perfectly vertical and steady.
• Air Bubbles: Air bubbles in your buttercream can ruin a smooth finish. After mixing, take time to “burp” your piping bags by gently squeezing out air, and vigorously stir your buttercream with a spatula to remove trapped air before filling the bags.
• Buttercream Crumbles: If your buttercream seems to be crumbling or tearing when you smooth it, it’s likely too cold or too stiff. Let it come to room temperature or add a teaspoon of milk/cream and mix well until it’s more pliable.
• Messy Edges: A common issue, especially when you’re starting. Patience is key when cleaning up the top edge. Use short, precise strokes with your offset spatula and wipe it clean often.

Finishing Touches and Creative Variations

Your striped buttercream cake is now a blank canvas awaiting its final flourish! The beauty of this design is its versatility. You can keep it minimalist for a clean, modern look or add decorative elements to match any theme or celebration. Erin Gardner demonstrates how stunning a single, statement-making flower can be, and even shares a tutorial on making an oh-so-easy chocolate flower here.

Another popular option is a chocolate ganache drip, which adds an elegant cascade down the sides, beautifully highlighting your stripes. Consider fresh berries, edible flowers, or custom toppers for a personalized touch. For an extra sparkle, a sprinkle of edible glitter or a dusting of luster dust can elevate the cake to new heights. The possibilities are endless – let your creativity guide you!

Conclusion: Your Striking Striped Masterpiece Awaits!

Congratulations! You’ve successfully navigated the steps to create a gorgeous striped buttercream cake, guided by the expertise of Erin Gardner. This technique, while requiring a bit of patience and practice, yields incredibly rewarding results – a cake that is as much a work of art as it is a delicious treat. From preparing your perfectly colored buttercream to mastering the art of the bench scraper, you now possess the skills to transform ordinary cakes into extraordinary celebrations of flavor and design.

We hope this detailed tutorial empowers you to experiment with different color combinations and finishing touches, making each striped cake uniquely yours. Share your creations with us; we love seeing your baking triumphs! Remember, every cake you make is an opportunity to learn, grow, and spread a little more sweetness in the world. Happy decorating!

Explore More Cake Decorating Tutorials

Ready to expand your cake decorating horizons? Check out these other fantastic tutorials from The Cake Blog to further hone your skills:

• How to Pipe Buttercream Ruffles
• How to Build a Cake Like a Pro
• How to Frost a Sprinkle Cake
• How to Make a Drippy Chocolate Cake
• How to Make a Rainbow Petal Cake