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Learn how to make this gorgeous buttercream flower cake! It’s made with tender vanilla cake layers and frosted with delicious homemade buttercream. This design may look intimidating, but I promise you only have to make two types of buttercream flowers!! It’s easier than you might think. What You’ll Need to Make this Buttercream Flower CakeTo make this cake you’ll need a few different frosting tips! While this list might seem long, most (if not all) of tips can be found in a majority of beginner frosting kits. I’ve listed a couple brands that make some of these tips, but there are tons of other brands that make them as well! The most important thing is just that the shape and size of the tip you use is similar to what I recommend below.
How to Make a Buttercream Flower CakeTo make sure this cake turns out as amazing as possible, let’s walk through each step together! I’ve also included a video tutorial of the process below. Step 1: Make the Fluffy Vanilla Cake LayersI recommend making the cake layers first! It gives them time to bake and cool before you assemble the cake. Once that batter is ready, divide it evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, to make sure my layers will be the same height. Bake for 34-36 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate pans halfway through to help them bake evenly. Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan. Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans. Use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer, then set aside. If you make these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point. Step 2: Make the Vanilla Buttercream FrostingWhile the cake layers bake and cool, make the buttercream frosting. I firmly believe that the best type of frosting for piping buttercream flowers is American buttercream! It is super easy to make, is one of the most stable types of buttercream and it’s the easiest to color. However, if you think American buttercream is too sweet, you can also use Swiss meringue buttercream or Italian meringue buttercream. I like to add in a small squirt of pink gel food coloring to make the base frosting that will be used to fill and cover the cake a pale shade of pink. This gives the cake a beautiful, finished look and makes it feel more connected to the colorful buttercream flowers. Mix the frosting by hand with a rubber spatula for a couple minutes once it’s made. This will give it a silky smooth consistency that makes it easier to pipe with. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). Or if the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time). If you’re not sure what consistency you’re look for, check out my buttercream consistency guide. Cover the frosting with plastic wrap to prevent it from crusting and set aside. Step 3: Stack and Frost the Cake LayersIf possible, chill your cake layers in the freezer for 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes them cold to the touch, which minimizes crumbing and makes them so much easier to frost and stack. Spread about 1 Tbsp of frosting onto a greaseproof cake board or plate, then place your first cake layer on top of frosting smear. This helps the layer stay in place as you assemble the cake. Spread a thick, even layer of buttercream on top of the cake layer. Repeat with the remaining cake layers and flip the top cake layer upside down (cut side down). This makes it easier to frost your cake and get sharp edges. Chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch. Add a thick, second layer of frosting around the cake, then use a large offset spatula and bench scraper to smooth the frosting. Place the cake in the fridge to chill while you pipe the buttercream flowers. Step 4: Make the Buttercream FlowersDivide the remaining buttercream into four bowls and color them four different colors. I chose to use pink, purple, yellow, and green. However, you can use whatever color scheme you like! Now this is going to sound strange but mix a small spoonful of each color of frosting into each bowl. This helps the colors blend better and have a more cohesive look. It sounds crazy but trust me it works! Place each frosting in its own piping bag fit with a coupler. This will allow you to swap out your piping tips and make different flower designs with the same color of frosting. Seal the top of each bag with a rubber band and set aside. Cut out about 40 small, 1.5-inch squares of parchment paper. Pipe a tiny dab of frosting on top of your flower nail and press a square of parchment paper on top of it. Use the petal tip to make swirl roses and the grass shaped tip and the c-shaped tip to make chrysanthemums. Pipe 5 large chrysanthemums, 10 small chrysanthemums, and 25 small swirl roses in a variety of colors. After piping each flower, carefully remove the parchment square from the flower nail and place on a flat baking sheet or plate. Place the flowers in the freezer for about 5 minutes, or until they’re firm to the touch. Remove the cake from the fridge and pipe a ring of buttercream on top of the cake. Carefully peel the flowers off the parchment paper and place them in a ring around the top of the cake. Fill in any gaps with green buttercream by making leaves with the leaf tip and little flower buds with the round tip. Then enjoy! Substitutions & Swaps – Buttercream Flower CakeSome swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe include:
Substitutions & Swaps: American Buttercream Frosting
Tips for Making the Best Buttercream Flower Cake
Making This Buttercream Flower Cake in Advance and Storage TipsMake your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable. Make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. Just be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to make it nice and smooth again. This cake can last in the fridge for up to a week. A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer up to a month. If you freeze the cake, transfer it to the fridge the night before you plan to eat it. This will help it gradually thaw and minimize any temperature shock. Remove the cake from the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to cut into it. Let Me Know What You ThinkIf you try this cake recipe and tutorial, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts. Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets on social media so I can see your amazing creations! Other Recipes You Might Like:Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 35 minutes Additional Time 20 minutes Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes IngredientsVanilla Cake Recipe
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Tools and Equipment Needed
InstructionsFluffy Vanilla Cake Layers:
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
Assembling This Buttercream Flower Cake:
Making the Buttercream Flowers:
NotesTips for Making the Best Buttercream Flower Cake:
Making This Cake in Advance and Storage Tips:
Nutrition InformationYield24Serving Size1Amount Per Serving Calories 598Total Fat 31gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 79mgSodium 270mgCarbohydrates 77gFiber 0gSugar 62gProtein 4g What kind of frosting should I use to pipe flowers?A royal icing with a nice, stiff consistency is ideal for piping flowers, and it's simple to make.
Which buttercream do professionals use?Swiss meringue buttercream is probably the most standard buttercream for pastry professionals. It is incredibly smooth, making it an extremely popular choice for icing cakes. Compared to American buttercream, it has a much stronger butter flavor, but is considerably less sweet.
Is Swiss or Italian buttercream better for piping?American buttercream is sweeter than Swiss or Italian. It forms a “crust” when exposed to air – perfect for paining and piping on. Swiss Meringue buttercream is silky smooth and light. It's perfect if you're looking for a slightly less sweet buttercream.
What type of buttercream is most stable?Silky smooth Italian buttercream is the most stable of all the buttercreams and is not very sweet. It is made by pouring hot sugar syrup into whipping egg whites and then finished with butter, salt and flavoring.
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