5. Ombré Rosette Cake
An ombré cake shows off a beautiful gradient of color, usually from deep to light, and it’s much easier to create than it looks. Instead of fancy piping, you can use a simple rosette tip and pipe small flowers in rows, changing the color intensity as you move up or down the cake.
Divide your buttercream into three or four bowls. Tint each one in the same color family, going from lightest to darkest. Fit a piping bag with a small open star tip, then pipe rosettes in a ring around the base of the cake using the darkest shade. For the next row up, use a slightly lighter shade, and continue until you reach the top, where you’ll finish with the palest color.
The result is a cake that looks like a watercolor painting. Materials include buttercream, gel food coloring, a piping bag, and a star tip. Time required is roughly 45 minutes, and the difficulty is beginner to moderate. For a striking effect, try a dusty rose, lavender, or soft blue palette. This technique also works wonderfully with cupcakes, so you can practice on a smaller scale first.