4. Painted Buttercream Florals
If you love the look of hand-painted cakes but don’t have time to learn advanced piping, this technique is for you. Painted buttercream florals let you “draw” flowers onto a frosted cake using gel food coloring and a small paintbrush. No piping skills required.
First, frost your cake with a smooth base coat of white or pale-colored buttercream. Chill it until firm. Then, place a small amount of gel food coloring onto a palette or small plate. Dip a clean, food-safe paintbrush into the gel and lightly paint petals, leaves, and stems directly onto the chilled buttercream. The chilled surface helps the colors stay put and prevents smearing.
This technique works beautifully for a spring or bridal shower cake, and you can get as detailed or as loose as you like. Loose, watercolor-style blooms look especially modern and forgiving. Materials include a frosted cake, gel food coloring in a few colors, and small food-safe paintbrushes. Time required is around 30 to 60 minutes depending on the design, with a medium difficulty level. A Pro Tip: keep a damp paper towel nearby to clean your brush between colors.