Category: Tutorials

Sprinkled Rose Cupcakes Tutorial

March 18, 2019

by Whitney

This post originally appeared as a guest post on SprinklePop’s blog. It’s too good not to re-share here, because these cupcakes are one of my fave looks for Spring. Enjoy!

Spring deserves to be celebrated, and that’s just what I think of when I look at these cupcakes. They remind me of a Spring parade and kindof make me want to throw confetti in the air because warmer weather is on the way! The Sorbeto sprinkle mix by SprinklePop is like a happy color explosion, and I think it’s the perfect way to add a little more fun to these buttercream flower cupcakes. It’s pretty much the best way to welcome Spring if you’re as excited as I am about it!

Buttercream Flower Wreath Cake Tutorial

March 13, 2019

by Whitney

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I dream of Spring all Winter long, and now that it’s only a few days away I can literally feel my excitement level going up! My favorite thing about Spring is the flowers start blooming again, which always gets me in the mood to incorporate buttercream flowers into my cake designs. They’re so easy to whip up with the right piping tips, a few flower nails, and some pre-cut parchment paper squares – all of which I found at my local JOANN store! With such a great selection of craft and cake decorating supplies, I always find what I’m looking for.

Sprinkled Ombrè Valentine’s Day Cupcakes

February 6, 2019

by Whitney

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This was originally a guest post I wrote for SprinklePop’s blog. It’s too good not to re-share here, because the sprinkles on these cupcakes are the prettiest Valentine’s Day blend I’ve ever seen!

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with your s/o or Galentine’s Day with your best gals, it’s the perfect reason to whip up something sweet, pretty, and made with love. If you’re looking for a dessert that’s quick and easy (but looks like you spent lots of time and effort!), this cupcake project is for you! All it takes is your favorite vanilla buttercream recipe, pink food color gel of your choice, and this stunning Romance sprinkle mix by SprinklePop. And if you’re looking for a great cupcake recipe for underneath all that magic, I’ve got some tasty suggestions below!

Painted Buttercream Cake Tutorial

January 31, 2019

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!

Sprinkle Drip Cake Tutorial

January 21, 2019

by Whitney

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sprinkle drip cake tutorial by sugar and sparrow

This was originally a guest post I wrote for SprinklePop’s blog. It’s too good not to share here, because sprinkle drip cakes are so much fun to make with any sprinkle mix!

There are drip cakes, and then there are sprinkle drip cakes. And let me tell you, while both are pretty to look at, the sprinkle version is so much more fun! The sprinkle drip cake trend was popularized by one of my favorite cakers to follow on Instagram, @brittanymaycakes. To my knowledge, she’s the little genius behind putting sprinkles on top of a ganache drip, and I just had to give it a go because it looks so stunning – especially with this Bewitched sprinkle mix by SprinklePop.

White Chocolate Ganache Drip Cake Recipe + Tips

January 14, 2019

by Whitney

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Ever since I shared this recipe and tutorial for semi-sweet chocolate ganache drip cakes, I’ve gotten so many questions about making white chocolate ganache drip cakes. I’m so excited to share these tips with you because I know how finicky white chocolate ganache can be if you don’t get the ratio and timing just right. In fact, the first time I made it (using a super popular recipe that won’t be named) the ganache was so thin and runny that the drips just ran down the side of the cake and pooled at the bottom, even after cooling it to below room temperature! I have since experimented with white chocolate ganache to find the perfect ratio of chocolate to heavy whipping cream, and have found some handy tips for making it extra white and beautiful.

Spatula Painted Cupcakes Tutorial

December 26, 2018

by Whitney

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spatula painted cupcakes by sugar and sparrow

Decorating with the spatula painted technique has proven to be one of my very favorite ways to add color and texture to cakes. It’s one of the easiest techniques ever, and I’ve found it to be really therapeutic to put on a great album, mix up a fun buttercream color palette, and swipe away. Since it’s such great art therapy, I was pondering other ways to incorporate the technique into cake decorating when I realized – why not try it on cupcakes? I tested it out over the weekend and am so in love with how they turned out!

Tips For Perfect Chocolate Ganache Drip Cakes

December 25, 2018

by Whitney

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tips for perfect chocolate ganache drip cakes

One of my favorite easy things to dress up a cake is to do a chocolate ganache drip finish. Over the years, my ability to create the drip look has definitely grown, and I get tons of questions asking what my secret is. The truth is, chocolate ganache has definitely put me through the wringer before, especially white chocolate ganache, which used to be my absolute nemesis. Don’t worry, I’ll share my secrets for white chocolate ganache another day because it deserves it’s very own post (but if you’re dying to know my white chocolate ganache recipe I’ve included it in the recipe notes below).

True chocolate ganache has tested my patience as well, but after figuring out the perfect ratio for chocolate to heavy whipping cream and learning the do’s and dont’s of drip cakes, I’ve got it down to a science these days. And now you will too!

How To Make A Christmas Tree Cake

December 19, 2018

by Whitney

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christmas tree cake by sugar and sparrow

I did a thing, people. I made a 3D Christmas tree cake! Never before have I strayed from making a regular shaped cake, and I’m so glad I tried it because it was a jolly good time. Although it seems like there would be cake carving involved, there isn’t – all you need for this design is a handful of circular cake layers in increasingly smaller sizes, some green buttercream, your favorite piping tip, and of course, plenty of pretty holiday sprinkles for decorating!

How To Cover A Cake In Sprinkles

December 12, 2018

by Whitney

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Holiday sprinkles cake by Sugar and Sparrow

This was originally a guest post that I wrote for SprinklePop’s blog. It’s too good not to re-share over here, because covering a cake in sprinkles is an essential cake decorating skill you’re gonna want in your repertoire. Oh, and it’s a whole lot of fun too, so enjoy!

Incorporating sprinkles into cake design is something I’ve loved from the beginning of my cake making journey. But although I’ve been caking for years, I’ve never actually attempted to cover an entire cake in sprinkles – until now, that is! Behold: