DIY Simple Celebration Cake
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Welcome back to Cake Week! For five jam-packed days, I’m teaching you how to make professional looking cakes at home, so you can avoid those high bakery prices. You can find links to all posts in the series HERE.
When it comes to cake decorating, the ultimate culmination of skills come together for one, and only one project—the actual cake!
Today, we’re going to create a simple, yet festive celebration cake that tastes better than the ones you pick up at the grocery store, and costs a lot less than your local bakery.
Now, let’s be reasonable. If you’re looking for a crazy Cake Boss cake, then this tutorial probably isn’t for you. However, one of my favorite things about this cake is it’s not only pretty {and easy!}, it’s also customizable for just about every occasion—retirements, communions, graduations, showers—anything!
This five-minute video shows you how to assemble, frost, and decorate this simple cake. Plus, since it only uses THREE decorating tips, you don’t have to go out and buy a huge set to start decorating!
Enjoy!
List of Tools Used:
- Cake leveler – to cut off those inevitable cake humps
- Icing spatula
- Decorating bags and couplers
- Tip 12 – for icing dam {if you are using a pudding or jelly-like filling}
- Tip 21 – for border
- Tip 4 – for writing
- Parchment paper
- Icing smoother
- Sprinkles
- Buttercream Icing
If you’re not sure how to fill a decorating bag, this video gives you a quick overview.
And in case you’re wondering about my super secret cake recipe, it’s a box mix! I swear by Pillsbury Moist Supreme cakes and all my customers would rave about how good they are. It is also the only instance where the word moist is allowed in my house. 😉
Troubleshooting Tips:
- If your spatula picks up crumbs while icing your cake, thin down your icing with a little water until it’s easier to spread. Always wipe off the crumbs before dipping back into the icing bowl.
- Be sure to keep consistent pressure on the bag and go slow while you’re writing the message on top. We want the icing to fall on it’s own to create soft loops and letters. Don’t force it!
When you make cakes for special events, there’s always the question of how much cake to make. For instance, How do you know an 8″ round will be enough for a party with twenty guests? How much icing should you make to cover {and decorate} said cake?
You don’t, unless you can magically estimate like a pro.
That’s why I use a baking and serving cheat sheet to tell me the exact amounts I need. This sheet has served me well during my years of professional cake baking, and I still use it to this day!
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE CHEAT SHEET
Hungry for more cake decorating tips? Don’t miss all the posts from Cake Week HERE.
What event would you make this cake for?
Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.
My birthday is coming up here in the next month. Maybe I’ll give this cake a try 😉
I’d tell you that you should have someone else do the baking so that you don’t have to make your own birthday cake – but I made my own cake for my college graduation party a few years ago, so I guess I can’t. 🙂
Haha! I made my college graduation cake also 🙂
Too funny! Why get a grocery store cake when yours look and taste so much better? 🙂
I’m a sucker for homemade cakes but its an excuse to bake which is all I need lol
Celebrate Thursday – I think you should make a cake for that! Problem solved! 😉