Category: Seasonal

The Tastiest From-Scratch Strawberry Cake Recipe

July 9, 2020

by Whitney

strawberry cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

A few years ago, I created this Strawberry Lemonade cake that became an instant hit: cake flavored with fresh strawberries (pureed and reduced), filled with strawberry buttercream, topped with lemon buttercream – basically Summer in cake form! It’s been on my list to write an all-strawberry cake recipe ever since, and after getting a request for one via Instagram DM, I knew it was time. I took to the store for a pound of fresh strawberries and a package of freeze dried strawberries to give you the ultimate flavor profile. I promise, it’s as delicious as it is pretty to look at!

Tasty Toasted S’mores Cupcakes

June 30, 2020

by Whitney

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smores cupcakes with toasted marshmallow

I can’t tell you how many requests I’ve gotten for a cupcake version of my S’mores Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Buttercream. It’s one of my all-time favorite recipes (s’mores fan to the core, here!) and there are so many amazing flavors going on in it: graham cracker cake, decadent chocolate, toasted marshmallow buttercream. I had to get a little creative to capture the magic of these flavors in cupcake form, and I am so happy with how they turned out. Behold!

Cascading Floral Cake Tutorial

April 24, 2020

by Whitney

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cascading floral cake tutorial by Sugar and Sparrow

Before the whole world shut down, I made this colorful Cascading Floral Cake inspired by the pretty Spring flowers that were just starting to bloom. Nowadays, seeing the Spring flowers is the highlight of my daily walks and I find them just as inspiring (and totally worth celebrating!), even in this wild season. Whether you need a fun cake project in your life, have a #QuarantineBirthday to celebrate, or you just need something pretty to look at, I’m showing you how to get this look with some quick and easy floral techniques!

Colorful (Edible!) Easter Egg Cake Toppers Tutorial

April 3, 2020

by Whitney

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Even though Easter isn’t all about colorful eggs, they became such an iconic symbol of the holiday. So much that when Wilton asked me to create a cake project for their Easter campaign, eggs were the first thing to come to mind! Imagine my delight when I browsed through Wilton’s online shop and found the perfect silicone mold to make these Easter egg cake toppers. With a little painterly inspiration, some colorful Candy Melts, and a little cake pop filling, these cake toppers are so festive and fun to make!

Ruby Chocolate Buttercream Recipe

February 6, 2020

by Whitney

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Ruby chocolate buttercream recipe by sugar and sparrow

I’ve been curious about ruby chocolate for awhile now, mostly because of its gorgeous, all-natural mauve coloring. So when I saw these Chocolove Ruby Cacao bars at my local New Season’s, I almost squealed! I thought it was a super rare find but it turns out you can find ruby chocolate bars at most grocery stores now, especially around Valentine’s Day. It’s the latest chocolate confection since the invention of white chocolate, only it’s made from the ruby cocoa bean with no added flavoring or food coloring.

Painted Buttercream Cake Tutorial

January 6, 2020

by Whitney

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Painted buttercream cake by Sugar and Sparrow

Let me tell you about the most freeing cake project I’ve ever created: I had a smooth, frosted cake on the turntable as my blank canvas, a pretty buttercream color palette set before me, and absolutely no vision of what the cake would look like in the end. The only thing I was sure of was that I was going to play with some bold buttercream colors. With a great album on in the background to keep me company, I started by adding a big color swatch onto the cake, then a few more, then spatula painted the buttercream wherever I felt like, and ended it all with a good splatter painting sesh. It was the first time I truly let myself go in a cake decorating session with no real expectations or rules, and that’s exactly why I want to share the process with you!

Festive Christmas Wreath Cupcakes Tutorial

December 13, 2019

by Whitney

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buttercream holiday wreath cupcake decorating tutorial

As I was out for a wintery walk the other day, I couldn’t help but notice pretty Christmas wreaths adorning the doors in my neighborhood and it dawned on me – I’ve never made any wreath inspired cake projects before! So when The Cake Blog asked me to create a Holiday inspired project this month, I knew just what to do. I put on my Christmas playlist, poured a cup of cocoa, and got to work piping these three different Christmas wreath designs. Behold these festive cuties:

Sprinkle Gingerbread House Kits + Decorating Tutorial

December 5, 2019

by Whitney

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sprinkle gingerbread house by sugar and sparrow

Way back in July, I got this amazing opportunity to design a sprinkley gingerbread house for SprinklePop using their Sprinkle Gingerbread House Kit. It was so much fun to create (truly felt like Christmas in July!) and also, my festive little gingerbread creation ended up on the package itself! I was so starry-eyed over all of it then and now that the Holidays are in full swing, I’m swooning all over again. If you’re looking for the perfect gingerbread house kit to decorate with family and friends, this one is my pick!

My Ideal Hot Cocoa Bar Setup

December 4, 2019

by Whitney

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Hosting a Holiday party can be a whole lot of work. From curating the perfect playlist to decorating, planning out your tablescape, and coming up with fun activities, your to-do list can get long real quick. I’ve got one idea for you that’s guaranteed to be a hit for your guests of all ages: a festive hot cocoa bar! Not only is it a whole lot of fun and tasty as can be, setting it all up requires very minimal effort.

How To Make Mini Christmas Tree Cakes

December 4, 2019

by Whitney

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Some people love to decorate gingerbread houses for the Holidays, but I think these mini Christmas tree cakes are such a fun alternative! Not only are they quicker and easier to assemble than a gingerbread house, they double as the perfect, edible Holiday centerpiece for your dessert table. Whether you’re throwing a Holiday party this year or you just want a festive project that’s fun for all ages, these mini Christmas tree cakes are a hit!