It is time for some buttercream love.  Are you looking for a cake to impress?  Why not try painting with buttercream?  Painting with buttercream or texturing buttercream is very similar to painting with acrylics using a palette knife.  The visual effect is a textured buttercream more like 3D that is stunning.  I guarantee it will look like a masterpiece when you are complete.  Plus no one will ever know how easy it was to make it.  It is so easy even a beginner decorator can master it.  Don’t you worry I won’t tell anyone?  It is our sweetcret.  This is as sweet as it gets… You can have your cake and eat it too.  I mean your cake painting. No, you don’t need fondant, buttercream can give you similar impressive results.

Lately, I have developed a newfound appreciation for buttercream cakes.  In doing so, I discovered painting with buttercream by accident.  I loved it so much I made a second painted buttercream cake.  I know you are probably giving me this side eye because you are thinking you need to be an artist.  As I mentioned before in my hand painted cakes post (how to hand paint on fondant), I am not formally trained to paint at all.  But, it is totally possible to paint without any formal training.

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Painting with buttercream or texturing buttercream can be scary at first especially if you spent a great deal of time trying to get sharp edges and a smooth cake.

I give you my full permission not to worry about getting sharp edges or perfect sides.  For those who are OCD and can’t help it take a deep breath because you are about to enter a very uncomfortable but fun zone.  Ok, so you can still have your sharp edges.  After all, cake decorating should be fun right.  It’s like having the best of both worlds.  Rustic is in after all. If it does not come out the way you expected you can always just call it abstract art right?

So I know you are asking the million dollar question: how do I paint with buttercream? Well, grab your spatula or palette knife and let’s go.

Painting with Buttercream

Before you start painting make sure your cake is cold.  You should not be able to see any fingerprints on the cake.  If the cake starts getting warm, put it back in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes.  Gather all your materials before you begin and always start with a simple design. There is no pressure, it is art.

Materials Needed:

• A small angled offset spatula
• Palette knife set (I used a 1 and a 2)
• Frosted and chilled Cake
• Cake turntable
• A photo of a flower of your choice
• Icing color gel (pink, orange, moss green)
• Small bowls with different colors of buttercream

Step 1: Choosing your Buttercream

The first step in painting with buttercream is to use the right buttercream recipe. I prefer to use meringue-based buttercream such as Swiss Meringue Buttercream or Italian Meringue Buttercream because they have a similar consistency to acrylic paint.  However, after I made my first painted buttercream cake, I used Wilton icing pouch with tips and they worked very well.  I love the Wilton icing pouches because they are small and comes already colored.  It is such a great option if you don’t want to color alot of buttercream.

Step 2: Choosing your photo

Choose a simple photo.  A simple photo is one that is easy to trace onto the cake.  A photo gives you a guideline to follow. I personally find that this takes away all the guesswork.  The first cake I made I used a photo.  After that, I felt very confident and made the second cake freehand.  Of course, there is no penalty for doing it freehand.

Step 3: Coloring your Buttercream

Choosing your color palette is a very important step.  Your color palette is based on the photo that you choose.  Color the buttercream ahead of time using a small amount of buttercream because it tends to get a little darker as it sits.  I used rose pink (two shades), orange and a moss green.  You can always make it darker later.  If you are running out of time I recommend the Wilton icing pouch they come pre-colored and are in small packages.

Step 4: Tracing your Photo to the Cake

Cut out the photo and use a small angled offset spatula to trace it on the cake. Trace it in different areas for a layering effect.

Step 5: Now It is time to start Painting with Buttercream

Using your spatula or palette knife (1 or 2) add the pink buttercream one section at a time.  If painting a flower add the buttercream to each petal.   Then add a second layer of  the darker pink buttercream to the flower for texture.  I used a paint brush for an additional effect.  Then add the orange buttercream for the center of the flower.

Add more flowers all around and add leaves.

Add texture to the buttercream.

Continue to add more buttercream flowers to the top and to the side.

Then add a buttercream flower to the top.  Add leaves with a spatula, then use a paintbrush to spread it out some more.

Looking at the buttercream flowers up close.

Paint as many flowers as you like and continue to layer.  Don’t be afraid to make some of the flowers freehand.

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