It can be so satisfying getting a perfectly smooth buttercream cake with sharp edges, but what if you don’t want your buttercream perfectly smooth. Maybe you’re looking to create a rustic themed cake, or maybe you just want to add some fun design onto the side of your cake. In this weeks video tutorial I’m showing you three ways you can add texture onto your cakes.
So if you’d like to see how just watch the tutorial below ⇩
Rustic Buttercream
The first technique you will see me create is using my offset spatula to create a rustic finish around the side of my cake. This look is perfect for a rustic wedding cake. It’s also great for anyone starting out in cake decorating who maybe hasn’t perfected smooth sides yet. The great thing about this technique is it doesn’t have to be perfect. The imperfections really give it the rustic look.
The key with this technique is to make sure your buttercream is quite soft and smooths easily. I used my American buttercream recipe for all three techniques. I first added a crumb coat onto my cake which I chilled in the fridge until firm. I know some people like to chill their cakes in the freezer, but for this technique this can make the cake a little too cold. You don’t want the coldness from your cake to start to set your buttercream before you have added in your lines.
I then used my offset spatula, but you could also use a rounded end knife or even the end of a tea spoon.
Texture Comb
One of the best ways to add a texture onto your cake is using a texture comb. So many companies now sell them and they come in so many different designs. They enable you to smooth the buttercream on the side of your cake, whilst adding in a fun design around the edge.
For this cake I used the double sided scalloped edged contour comb with by Evil Cake Genius. Just apply your buttercream roughly over your crumb coat and scrape it around.
One tip would be to always make sure you keep the bottom of the texture comb against your cake board, this way as you run it around your cake, multiple times, the pattern will always be in exactly the same place.
I love how by switching your regular cake smoother for a texture comb it can make your buttercream cakes look so fun. They are also super easy to use.
Using a stencil on a buttercream cake
When it comes to adding texture onto your buttercream cakes, stencils are a great choice as there are so many designs to choose from. You can also use any colour buttercream to make your design stand out, although I love how by using the same colour buttercream it just adds a really subtle texture over the side of your cake.
For this cake I used the Lexi stencil by Sweet Stamp. I love the geometric shapes it creates.
One thing to think about when using stencils is the type of finish you are trying to create. If you want your cake to look a little more rustic, try just adding patches of buttercream over your stencil. For a cleaner look you can add the design around the whole of your cake.
On most stencils there is a little border at the bottom of the design that means your design will start around 1cm up from the bottom of your cake. In the video you will see I place my cake on top of 2 acrylic discs to lift it up. You can also use a cake drum board. You just want to make sure it is a little smaller inside that your buttercreamed cake. This way when you wrap the stencil around the boarder is no longer and issue and the design will come all the way to the bottom. Have a look in the video to see what I mean.
I really hope you will find this tutorial useful and be able to use some of these techniques for adding texture onto your cakes. Let me know in the comments which is your favourite? Plus if you haven’t already you can subscribe to my YouTube channel for more Free cake decorating video tutorials.
Tools I used
I have put a list below showing all the tools that I used throughout this video or if you would like to see all my favourite cake decorating tools just click here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/cakesbylynz
Turntable: https://amzn.to/35u3QJB
Metal Scrapper Tool: http://amzn.to/2BNjf7v
Acrylic Discs: https://tidd.ly/3ysf5j7
Pink SweetStamp Food Gel: https://bit.ly/3taCdkh Use code ‘CAKESBYLYNZ’ for 10% off
Offset spatula (small): https://amzn.to/2yD7btn
Scalloped Texture Comb: https://bit.ly/3BFI6J2
SweetStamp Lexi Stencil: https://bit.ly/3tcCVNE Use code ‘CAKESBYLYNZ’ for 10% off
American Buttercream Recipe
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