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Sugar & Sparrow

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How To Frost A Flawless Semi-Naked Cake

May 23, 2018 · In: Featured, Tutorials

If there’s one thing that always looks good semi-naked, it’s a cake. The barely-there buttercream is such a versatile look that works well for almost any kind of event. Whether you dress it with fresh flowers, drip it with ganache, or tint the buttercream, you can get pretty creative with this rustic or minimalist look. And the best part is, the semi-naked technique is extremely easy. You just need to know a few key things before attempting it to set yourself up for success.

If you’re more of a video-inclined learner, here’s a quick one I shot of the semi-naked technique. I’ll break everything down in the tutorial in the next section:

You Will Need:

  • Thin Consistency Buttercream (this Vanilla Buttercream recipe is perfect)
  • Baked Cake Layers
  • Offset Spatula
  • Bench Scraper
  • Turntable

Step 1: Prep Your Cake Layers

If you haven’t already, start by torting your cake layers to an even, level height. In my opinion, this step should never be missed, no matter what kind of cake you’re creating. Torting helps to get rid of any domed cake tops, thus setting your entire cake up for being super level and sharp.

funfetti cake layers

Once your layers are perfectly even and level, fill them and start stacking them. Tip: when you’re stacking your cake layers, it helps to very slightly offset the middle layer so that the edge sticks out a little further in some areas. The top and bottom layers should be completely parallel for evenly straight sides, but slightly offsetting the center layer (and I’m talking a centimeter or two) will help create more varying depth with your semi-naked finish.

Step 2: Frost And Smooth The Top Of The Cake

Start frosting the top of the cake by placing a bit of buttercream on the top and smoothing it with an offset spatula, turning the cake on your turntable as you smooth.

how to frost a semi naked cake

You should have enough frosting on the top of the cake that it extends about ¼ inch beyond the top edges.   

Step 3: Frost And Smooth The Sides Of The Cake

Using that same offset spatula, apply buttercream to the sides of the cake, starting at the bottom and working your way up to the top. Since the semi-naked look involves buttercream that looks barely there, try to apply a pretty thin layer.

tips for the perfect semi naked cake

When you’ve got the sides covered, take your bench scraper and smooth the sides of the cake until they’re straight and you have some nice areas of cake peeking through. If you have areas that need more buttercream, simply apply more buttercream and keep smoothing until you like what you see.

how to create a semi naked buttercream finish

Try not to press too hard when you’re smoothing the more “naked” areas, since you could puncture the cake layers and cause them to crumble. If this happens, just smooth it over with more buttercream.

Step 4: Smooth The Top Edges

Now that your sides are looking so rustic and beautiful, you’ll probably notice a little buttercream crown has formed around the top edge of your cake. This is a really good sign, because it means you’re going to have a nice, sharp top edge when you’re done smoothing it.

tips for smooth buttercream cake

Using your offset spatula, smooth the buttercream crown inward, moving the buttercream toward the middle of the cake. The goal here is to create level, sharp edges by swiping through the buttercream crown and moving the excess buttercream across the top of the cake. Smooth the top of the cake until it’s level and you don’t have a dome in the middle from moving the buttercream crown inward.

Step 5: Decorate

Now that you’ve created your very own semi-naked cake, it’s time to dress it up a little! Some awesome next steps would be incorporating some fresh flowers (made food safe) to decorate, doing a ganache drip, or keeping the design rustic with some greenery like fresh herbs or eucalyptus! Here’s what I’ve done in the past: 

how to decorate a semi naked cake

semi naked drip cake by sugar and sparrow

Whether it’s your first semi-naked cake attempt or not, let me know if this tutorial was helpful and show me what you’ve created by tagging me on Instagram! I’d love to see your creations.

By: Whitney · In: Featured, Tutorials · Tagged: buttercream, buttercream recipe, cake ideas, cake tips, cake tutorial, frosting, how to frost a cake, naked cake, semi naked cake, semi naked cake tutorial, smooth buttercream

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Comments

  1. Vanessa says

    September 17, 2018 at 12:40 pm

    Hi! I wanted to try to make a semi-naked cake this weekend. Would you normally do a crumb layer with this too like you would normally frost a cake? I’m worried I might get too many crumbs in the frosting when trying to get the semi-naked look for my cake. Any tips??

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 19, 2018 at 5:03 pm

      Hi Vanessa! I don’t normally do a crumb coat when I do a semi-naked finish, but if you feel like you’ve got too many crumbs in your buttercream here’s what I would do: apply a very thin layer of buttercream to crumb coat, let it set/harden in the fridge for 20 min, then add your final coat of buttercream. In other words, just make sure the crumb coat is super thin so you can still get that semi-naked effect.

      Reply
    • Elizabeth Gutierrez says

      June 21, 2020 at 5:37 pm

      This is a great tutorial. Simple, to the point, made it very clear and easy! Thank You

      Reply
      • Whitney says

        June 22, 2020 at 12:42 pm

        Thank you so much, Elizabeth!

        Reply
  2. Piume Gunawardena says

    October 24, 2018 at 12:13 am

    These steps are so clear and useful. Thank you so much .

    Reply
  3. Robyn says

    December 26, 2018 at 9:24 pm

    Hi , if I have a tall cake can I still use my normal scraper or am I better off buying a bigger one to scrape the cake all at once. Thankyou

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 27, 2018 at 11:14 am

      Hi Robyn! It’s easier to get a smooth finish if your scraper is taller than the cake itself, but you can totally get by with a shorter scraper, especially for a semi-naked finish.

      Reply
  4. Marielle says

    January 6, 2019 at 6:59 am

    Hi, can i only use buttercream, or does ganache also work?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 6, 2019 at 5:41 pm

      Hi Marielle! Although I’ve never only frosted the semi-naked design with buttercream, I hear that you can replicate the look with ganache as long as it’s frosting consistency.

      Reply
  5. Samantha Bohnacker says

    January 22, 2019 at 1:15 am

    Hello,

    How far in advance can I do this to a cake and t will last? I know normal cakes covered in buttercream can be done up to three days in advance but not sure about this cake.

    Many thanks

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 22, 2019 at 2:20 pm

      Hi Samantha! You can definitely make this cake in advance. Even though the cakes are covered with a really thin layer of buttercream, it’s enough to keep the moisture inside the cake for a few days. I would make it no more than two days in advance since it’s a thinner layer of buttercream though.

      Reply
  6. Kaila says

    February 8, 2019 at 7:01 pm

    Hi! I am planning to make this for my daughter’s cake smash photos tomorrow. I don’t have a scrapper on hand. What can I do if I don’t have one??

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 10, 2019 at 12:26 pm

      Hi Kaila, it’s really hard to get smooth sides without a scraper or something sturdy with a straight edge. What do you usually use to frost cakes?

      Reply
      • Jennie says

        November 5, 2020 at 1:44 am

        you can use a ruler if you don’t have a scraper, it works just as well

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          November 5, 2020 at 10:10 pm

          That’s so creative, Jennie! I bet that totally works in a pinch!

          Reply
    • Jess says

      December 20, 2019 at 12:44 am

      I made a cake tonight and I didn’t have a scrapper so I used a paper plate! I cute the plate to have a 90* angle. It was a little flimsy so you could double the plates up if you need to. It wasn’t perfect but it worked well enough!

      Reply
      • Whitney says

        December 20, 2019 at 8:27 pm

        That’s genius, Jess! I’m so happy it worked out!

        Reply
  7. Brianna says

    February 17, 2019 at 11:29 am

    Hi, what size cake pan did you use for this cake? 6×2? 6×3?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 17, 2019 at 5:44 pm

      Hi Brianna! I used a 6×2 pan for this cake 🙂

      Reply
  8. Philippa says

    March 5, 2019 at 1:35 pm

    Hi, what is your cake recipe used here! Looks amazing!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 5, 2019 at 2:29 pm

      Hi Philippa! I used my Funfetti Cake Recipe for this cake design. Here’s the recipe: https://sugarandsparrow.com/funfetti-cake-recipe/

      Reply
  9. Erin says

    March 8, 2019 at 5:47 pm

    This is amazing! I noticed you said the icing should be a thin consistency. Would a buttercream made with shortening work for this too? Also, to avoid doing a crumb coat, can you ice the cake when the layers are frozen, or would you recommend them to be thawed? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 11, 2019 at 8:59 am

      Hi Erin! You can totally use a buttercream made with shortening. I like to use thin consistency buttercream, meaning it’s thinned down with a few tsp of whole milk, and you can totally achieve that same consistency with shortening based buttercream if you’re finding it to be too thick. I’ve never iced frozen layers of cake before, but I know some bakers who swear by that method, so feel free to try it and see what works for you!

      Reply
  10. Harriet says

    March 14, 2019 at 1:08 am

    Hi!
    What board is your cake sat on?
    I’m making a semi naked three tiered cake for my wedding, have you any tips on doweling and keeping the structure secure!?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 14, 2019 at 1:17 pm

      Hi Harriet! Congratulations on your wedding! I use these cake circles to place underneath each tier: https://amzn.to/2TEkpPJ and as far as dowelling goes, I have had success with both wooden dowels and boba straws. Here’s a guide to stacking a tiered cake and making it secure: https://www.wilton.com/stacked-tiered-cake-construction/WLTECH-423.html

      Reply
      • Harriet says

        March 15, 2019 at 12:03 am

        Thanks so much!! Xx

        Reply
  11. Essie says

    April 5, 2019 at 5:42 am

    Hi Whitney, do you think Swiss meringue buttercream would work? Or is that more for piping icing?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 5, 2019 at 9:00 am

      Hi Essie! Swiss Meringue Buttercream would work beautifully with this technique. Give it a try!

      Reply
  12. Jen says

    May 22, 2019 at 1:25 am

    Oh this is perfect! I’m going to test this for my one year olds birthday this weekend

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 22, 2019 at 9:03 am

      Yay, Jen! This design will be so sweet for your little one’s party!! Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
      • Julia Mironova says

        April 30, 2021 at 5:45 pm

        Hi Whitney
        Going to try to make this today and wondering do you put buttercream between the layers too or different cream?

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          April 30, 2021 at 7:44 pm

          Hi Julia! Excited for you to make this cake! I put buttercream between the layers on the cake pictured, but you can use any filling you’d like. Here’s all my tips for filling and stacking cakes: https://sugarandsparrow.com/fill-and-stack-cake-layers/

          Reply
  13. Tracy says

    June 11, 2019 at 6:38 am

    Hi Whitney

    What scraper would you recommend please?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 11, 2019 at 2:46 pm

      Hi Tracy! I love this one by Norpro: https://amzn.to/2MG2NjA

      Reply
  14. Jodi Beauchamp says

    June 11, 2019 at 8:04 am

    Hi how do you make sure all your layers have the same darkness on the edges? Mine always seem to be different, lighter and darker and I think it looks funny. Is there any additional steps in the prep or baking? Thanks

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 11, 2019 at 2:45 pm

      Hi, Jodi. I’ve never heard of that happening! Here’s how I always bake my cake layers: https://sugarandsparrow.com/how-to-prepare-cake-pans/

      Reply
  15. Debbie Hutchinson says

    June 25, 2019 at 6:10 am

    Thank you for the wonder tutorial!☺️
    May I ask where you purchased the beautiful cake stand in you pic? I absolutely love it.❤️

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 25, 2019 at 1:55 pm

      Hi Debbie! So happy you found the tutorial helpful. The cake stand pictured was a gift from my sister in law, and unfortunately it’s no longer available from Amazon. Here is a similar one though: https://amzn.to/2RAbU3S

      Reply
  16. Jennifer says

    July 3, 2019 at 3:09 am

    hello! I want to make a red velvet cake and ice it with this technique. What would be a recommended recipe or strategy to prevent crumbs from getting into the buttercream?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 3, 2019 at 10:10 am

      Hi Jennifer! I would do a light crumb coat on the cake, then chill it for at least 30 minutes before continuing with another final coat of buttercream. This way, all of the loose crumbs will be caught in the crumb coat and the final (thin) layer of buttercream will cover them up.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 3, 2019 at 9:43 pm

        to add one what type of cake recipe would you recommend, a chocolate cake recipe is preferred

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          August 5, 2019 at 8:55 am

          I have an excellent chocolate cake recipe here that I’d love to recommend: https://sugarandsparrow.com/chocolate-cake-recipe/

          Reply
  17. Sarah Van Wychen says

    September 10, 2019 at 2:02 pm

    I enjoyed reading all of your comments and your replies. I will be making a tiered semi naked cake for my sons wedding next month . You have some very good tips . I have decorated cakes at my job for many years but those were ice cream cakes , so this will be my first official cake cake . Thank you for all of the great information !

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 10, 2019 at 6:45 pm

      Thanks so much, Sarah! I’m happy the tips are helping and I’m so excited for you to make your first official cake. The semi-naked look is so pretty for weddings 🙂

      Reply
  18. Nikki says

    October 4, 2019 at 10:59 pm

    Hi there could this work for a gluten free version? Could you substitute for gluten free flour? Thanks heaps

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 6, 2019 at 8:18 pm

      Hi Nikki! I’ve never made a gluten free cake before, but I’m sure there are all sorts of good flour substitution tips online! This cake tutorial will work for any kind of cake and buttercream once you find a good recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • Lesley says

        July 24, 2022 at 6:27 am

        Hi – if it helps, I made a gluten and dairy free semi-naked cake, as an extra, at my son’s wedding. I used ‘Freee’ gluten free self-raising flour (available everywhere in the UK but not sure about US) and used the recipe on the back of their pack (victoria sponge) with a splash of vanilla essence added. I used Stork for the buttercream. The coeliac, and vegan guests were delighted 😉 xx

        Reply
  19. Shan says

    October 10, 2019 at 4:58 am

    Hi. Can you cover the cake with cream instead of the buttercream icing?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 10, 2019 at 10:00 am

      Hi Shan! I’m not sure what you mean by cream. If you mean whipped cream, I would find a recipe for Stabilized Whipped Cream frosting because that will work, but just plain whipped cream won’t frost well.

      Reply
  20. Angela says

    October 23, 2019 at 12:11 pm

    This is so helpful! I am going to make the same size cake you made. If you are transporting a cake should you secure the layers? Or you think it will stay put?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 24, 2019 at 11:51 am

      Hi Angela! There’s no need to secure the layers when transporting a cake of this size. I always refrigerate the cake for at least an hour (or even overnight) before transporting though. That way the cake is way sturdier.

      Reply
  21. Ann says

    October 23, 2019 at 1:20 pm

    hi! just wondering where you got your cake pans from?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 24, 2019 at 11:52 am

      Hi Ann! I get my cake pans from Amazon and the ones I used for this cake are these Wilton 6″ cake pans: https://amzn.to/2JjvdvC

      Reply
  22. Gigi says

    October 24, 2019 at 8:26 am

    Hi there, could I still do this naked cakes effect with a cream cheese frosting?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 24, 2019 at 10:14 am

      Hi Gigi! You can certainly create a semi-naked design with cream cheese frosting!

      Reply
  23. Carolynn Hartridge says

    October 24, 2019 at 1:06 pm

    Hi. I’m doing a 4 tier wedding cake semi naked and want to know if the cakes will hold fresh flowers on the edge of the middle layers or will they end up tearing the cake?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 25, 2019 at 4:18 pm

      Hi Carolynn! Inserting flowers into the edges of the middle layers will be totally fine. Flowers don’t weigh enough to tear the cake. Be sure to properly prepare the stems before inserting them into the cake, I have a tutorial on that here if you need: https://sugarandsparrow.com/fresh-flowers-cake-decorating/

      Reply
  24. Olivia says

    November 19, 2019 at 2:36 pm

    Hi! I’m making a super tall 8 inch layer cake for a birthday and I’d like to do a semi-naked frosting. I have some questions I was hoping you could help with:
    If I’m doing a really tall cake, it’s been suggested that I support with a cake round in the middle and support w dowels, etc. Can this be done on a semi naked cake if I trim the board slightly so it doesn’t overhang? I also want to alternate chocolate and vanilla layers and possibly do an ombre icing to avoid this looking too much like a wedding cake with just white. Do you think the ombré look plus chocolate and vanilla layers is too much happening at once? Any tips to make it work? Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 20, 2019 at 5:43 pm

      Hi Olivia! To answer your questions: 1) yes, you can support the taller layers with a cake round and just trim it down so that it’s slightly smaller than the cake layer. 2) If you alternate the chocolate and vanilla layers it might end up looking striped underneath the semi-naked frosting, even if you do an ombre over the top. I think what I would do is have the chocolate cake layers toward the bottom of the cake so the darker color of the ombre could go over the top of those and then ombre into white for the vanilla layers. If a striped look think a semi naked ombre will look really cool!

      Reply
  25. Karen Lawson says

    December 25, 2019 at 2:58 am

    Thank you for for this tutorial! I am hoping to make a decorate a cake for my daughter’s baby shower. How do you safely put flowers on the cake? I will be using roses but I am not sure how to place them. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 26, 2019 at 10:26 am

      Yay, Karen! So happy for you to try this technique and I think it will be so pretty for a baby shower. Here’s everything you need to know about using fresh flowers on your cake: https://sugarandsparrow.com/fresh-flowers-cake-decorating/

      Reply
  26. Chrystal Mcdonagh says

    January 7, 2020 at 9:55 pm

    Thank you so much for all your above advice, it has been extremely helpful. I’ve baked a number of cakes, however I have been asked to make a large wedding cake for February. It will be a naked cake, and I understand needs to be dowelled due to its size, however for transportation would you recommend leaving each layer separate on its individual board and then assembling once there? There are 4 layers, 3 being naked. I plan to leave it to refrigerate the night before.

    Also what frosting do you use please? I always struggle with this one as I know many use cream, however I was concerned that as a wedding cake it will be sitting out of the fridge. Other recipes I find are normal buttercream that then leaves the frosting yellow?

    Any help would be so greatfully received.

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 8, 2020 at 4:11 pm

      Hi Chrystal! For a four-tiered cake, I would do the assembly at the venue instead of trying to transport it all built up (much safer that way!). I would dowel the individual tiers and bring extra frosting with you to the venue, then assemble and finish decorating it there. For my semi-naked cakes (and every style of cake I do), I always use this vanilla buttercream recipe: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-buttercream-recipe/

      For an ultra-white buttercream, I always add a little Americolor Bright White at the end of the recipe. It whitens the buttercream without affecting taste/texture and you can find it here: https://amzn.to/39REqH0

      Good luck!!

      Reply
  27. Kiahna says

    February 24, 2020 at 5:56 am

    Hi Whitney! This tutorial is so helpful but I’m curious as to whether I could use white chocolate ganache instead of butter cream for a naked cake? I’ve decorated with both and I just find ganache to be easier to work but I don’t want to try it if it won’t work nicely! Thankyou 🙂

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 24, 2020 at 8:26 pm

      Hi Kiahna, white chocolate ganache frosting will work just fine with this technique! When it’s whipped into frosting consistency, it behaves just like buttercream. You should totally try it if white chocolate ganache is your go-to for frosting cakes.

      Reply
      • Suzie says

        February 1, 2023 at 3:04 pm

        Hey I am looking to do a wedding cake in July and afraid that american buttercream wont be stable enough. I was considering using white chocolate ganache – if this is whipped, will it still provide stability as it stiffens and sets as it would unwhipped ganache?

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          February 5, 2023 at 8:27 pm

          Hi Suzie! I would recommend this buttercream recipe for hot weather: https://sugarandsparrow.com/buttercream-recipe-for-hot-weather/

          Reply
  28. Salimah says

    March 28, 2020 at 6:19 am

    Hi there, this tutorial was amazingly helpful. However I just wanted to know, I’m making a semi naked wedding cake but want my actual sponge to be a white sponge vanilla cake. Is that possible? Thank you

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 30, 2020 at 1:01 pm

      Hi Salimah, this technique will work with any cake or sponge, so a white sponge vanilla cake will be totally fine. The cake and buttercream colors should be different enough to show the semi-naked details.

      Reply
  29. Lori-ann Morse says

    April 16, 2020 at 9:33 pm

    Hi everything looks fabulous,,, How exactly do I make the light blue ganache dripping??

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 20, 2020 at 10:12 am

      Hi Lori-Ann! To make the light blue ganache, you’ll need to make white chocolate ganache and first tint it with white food color gel (all the details for that are in this post: https://sugarandsparrow.com/white-chocolate-ganache-drip-recipe/) then add the tiniest amount of blue food color gel

      Reply
  30. Rachel says

    May 3, 2020 at 6:36 am

    Your cake is beautiful! I plan on making it for my sisters baby shower. You made 3 layers? How many people would you say it feeds? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 3, 2020 at 10:21 pm

      Thank you, Rachel! Excited for you to make this! The cake pictured is a three layer 6-inch cake, which serves about 12-15 people depending on how big the slices are.

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        May 7, 2020 at 8:55 am

        Hmmm, we might need a bigger cake (9″). How would the recipe change to make a 9″ cake? Or maybe you already have one…I’ll look around. Thanks!

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          May 7, 2020 at 9:36 am

          Which recipe are you looking to make – one of my cake recipes or the vanilla buttercream recipe that’s linked to this tutorial? If it’s the buttercream recipe, I would double the recipe linked in this tutorial for filling and frosting three 9 inch layers. If you’re looking for a cake recipe to make three 9 inch layers, each of my recipes make different amounts and adjusting them will depend on the recipe. Feel free to comment on one of my cake recipes for suggestions on how to adjust.

          Reply
          • Rachel says

            May 7, 2020 at 9:40 am

            Yes, I want to make the buttercream recipe in this link! I’ll double the recipe – thanks so much!

  31. Shanice tay says

    May 31, 2020 at 3:17 pm

    Hi Whitney,
    I was wondering how, with semi naked cakes, you avoid the bulging in between the layers of the cake into the exterior frosting. I keep my jam or filling an inch inwards to avoid spillage but the buttercream in the middle seems to bulge inbetween my layers..
    Any tips would help

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 2, 2020 at 9:25 am

      Hi Shanice! To make sure the filling doesn’t bulge in between cake layers, you’ll need to either:

      1) use a stiffer consistency buttercream to make a ring around the edge of each cake layer, then place the filling inside of that ring, then place the next cake layer on top. Since the buttercream ring will be more stable, it is less likely for the layers above to smoosh the filling down and make bulges. To make the buttercream more stiff, you’ll just need to add a little more powdered sugar to the mixture that you’ll be creating the rings with.
      2) Or if you don’t want to add extra powdered sugar to the buttercream, you can still use the buttercream ring method for filling the cake, but allow the cake to settle before you frost it. This means let it sit at room temp for about 20 min to see what gravity does. You can swipe away any buttercream bulges at that point. After that, I like to place the cake in the refrigerator to let the buttercream firm up before adding the semi-naked buttercream frosting.

      Does that make sense? A tutorial and video on this very topic is coming soon!

      Reply
  32. Jennifer says

    June 3, 2020 at 7:53 am

    Should this cake be refrigerated? I’m always so worried with anything that has milk in it. I wouldn’t want anyone to get sick from something so pretty!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 3, 2020 at 2:23 pm

      Hi Jennifer! Because of the amount of sugar in the buttercream, the small amount of dairy ends up being preserved at room temp and can last for 4-5 days outside of the refrigerator. I usually refrigerate my cakes after decorating (mainly to preserve the decorating details) until about 2 hours before serving the cake. It always tastes best at room temp 🙂

      Reply
  33. Natasha says

    July 5, 2020 at 1:23 am

    Excellent tutorial- genius suggestion to stagger the layers! Thank you for sharing, made a cake for my MIL’s birthday and it looked fab.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 6, 2020 at 3:56 pm

      Yay, Natasha! So happy this tutorial was helpful!

      Reply
  34. Elli says

    July 26, 2020 at 6:15 pm

    Hi! Could you please tell me what the names of the flowers are you used? Many thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 27, 2020 at 8:56 pm

      Hi Elli! Which cake are you wondering about the flowers? There are three different cakes with flowers in this post – some with roses and fuschia and carnations.. let me know which one you were wondering about and I can try to figure out what I used.

      Reply
  35. Roseann says

    August 11, 2020 at 9:50 pm

    Hi have you ever decorated a semi-naked cake with stabilized whipping cream instead of buttercream and if so how did it turn out?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 12, 2020 at 10:07 am

      Hi Roseann! Yes, I have used stabilized whipped cream as a cake finish for a semi-naked design, only once. It turned out great though!

      Reply
  36. Ellen says

    September 8, 2020 at 4:39 pm

    Can I chill the cake over night for easier delivery and stacking on sight? 3 tier cake

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 9, 2020 at 2:21 pm

      Hi Ellen! Yes, totally. I refrigerate cakes overnight every single time and keep them in the fridge until the very last minute (like when I’m heading out the door for a delivery). Way easier to work with a cold cake when you’re delivering and stacking on site!!

      Reply
  37. Tammy Hughes says

    September 14, 2020 at 2:10 pm

    For two 10-inch layers with two 8-inch layers on top, would you suggest adding dowels? Or do you think I can get by without it? I will be assembling it at the venue. Also, how much icing would you guestimate I would need? Thank you. Your cakes are beautiful, by the way!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 15, 2020 at 7:04 pm

      Hi Tammy! I would definitely use dowels if you’re making a tiered cake. And as far as amount of buttercream, if you’re using it to fill and frost with a semi-naked finish I would make 2.5-3x the vanilla buttercream recipe. If you’re only using it as a semi-naked finish you should be able to get away with 1.5x the recipe.

      Reply
  38. Keo Villi says

    February 9, 2021 at 4:19 pm

    I cant see if anyone else has asked this , but what is your preferred cake for a naked cake. Would a sponge work, or are you better off using a more dense cake??

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 10, 2021 at 1:07 pm

      Hi Keo! Either a sponge or a denser cake would totally work for a semi-naked cake. Any of my cake recipes will work with this technique: https://sugarandsparrow.com/category/recipes/cake/

      Reply
  39. emma says

    February 26, 2021 at 12:16 pm

    hello! Would this work with a whipped cream frosting?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 26, 2021 at 5:15 pm

      Hi Emma! It totally would.

      Reply
  40. Freda says

    March 11, 2021 at 11:30 pm

    Hi,

    Whenever I try doing sharp corners they end up looking rounded, what do you recommend?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 12, 2021 at 8:26 am

      Hi Freda! You’ll need to either 1) build up the buttercream “crown” high enough to create a sharper edge when you swipe or 2) troubleshoot this after the fact by refrigerating the cake with the rounded edges for 20 minutes, then doing another thin frosting layer over the top. It’s much easier to get a smooth/sharp cake when you have multiple frosting layers. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  41. Claire C says

    June 3, 2021 at 2:54 am

    This is great, thankyou! My cakes always seem to bulge which is so frustrating- any tips? 🙂

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 4, 2021 at 1:22 pm

      Hi Claire! That used to happen to me all the time too and I feel your frustration! It usually happens when the filling is too thin to uphold the cake layers. Here’s how I fill my cakes to prevent that: https://sugarandsparrow.com/fill-and-stack-cake-layers/

      Reply
  42. Wendy Dyer says

    June 9, 2021 at 7:25 am

    Hi.
    I’m making a two tier cake with for my daughter’s wedding in August. Would carrot cake with cream cheese frosting work? I’m already stressing …. but your tutorial has eased my mind a lot. Thanks

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 12, 2021 at 9:33 am

      Hi Wendy! A carrot cake with cream cheese frosting should totally work for a semi-naked cake design. As long as you follow these steps it should come out beautiful.

      Reply
  43. Desirae says

    May 24, 2022 at 3:57 pm

    Hello, for the ganache drip, can you tell me exactly what you used and how this look was achieved?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 31, 2022 at 7:39 pm

      Hi Desirae! Here’s my post and recipe for chocolate ganache drip cakes: https://sugarandsparrow.com/ganache-drip-cake-tips/ you should find everything you need to know there!

      Reply
  44. Elisavet says

    June 11, 2022 at 11:21 pm

    Hello!!
    I like to make a naked cake but i always use cake stripes so the edge is not caramelised at all and it doesn’t looks that good as I crumb coat it.
    I m afraid not to use the stripes. Any ideas?? Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 14, 2022 at 7:10 pm

      Hi there! I never use cake strips and don’t end up with over-caramelized edges. Even so, this semi-naked cake tutorial should work just fine with a cake that doesn’t have caramelized edges (like the ones you’re describing where you use cake strips). Whether you use your favorite recipe or try one of mine without cake strips, this tutorial for a semi-naked finish should work great!

      Reply
  45. Martha Veenendaal says

    August 13, 2022 at 9:40 am

    I’m making a semi naked cake for my son’s wedding in September. Because of the timeline, I must ice it the day before the wedding. Should I use a simple syrup on it to prevent drying, or do you feel that it would be okay for that period of time?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 14, 2022 at 8:14 pm

      Hi Martha! Simple syrup can’t hurt, but as long as the cake is frosted even with a thin layer of buttercream it should be protected against drying out, especially if you frost it the day before. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  46. Jean says

    September 28, 2022 at 10:06 pm

    Hi! Beautiful cakes! I want to use your tips to decorate a cake for my kid’s birthday, but I won’t have time to make home made frosting. Is it possible to make a store bought buttercream frosting into the right thin consistency by adding something to it? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 1, 2022 at 9:58 pm

      Hi Jean! I’ve never tried using store bought frosting so I’m not sure! But I did find this article from Wilton on how to decorate cakes with it: https://blog.wilton.com/store-bought-icing-hacks/

      Reply

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CARROT CAKE (recipe below) 🥕🎂 Y’all have b CARROT CAKE (recipe below) 🥕🎂 Y’all have been asking for a carrot cake recipe for YEARS and I finally whipped one up for my book, Anyone Can Cake. It’s perfectly spiced, has an extra moist crumb, and is just heavenly with cream cheese frosting. I ate an embarrassing amount during filming 😬😏⁣
⁣
CARROT CAKE⁣
YIELD: 3 6-inch layers or 2 8-inch layers⁣
⁣
INGREDIENTS⁣
2 1/2 Cups (333g) all purpose flour⁣
2 tsp (10g) baking powder⁣
1 tsp baking soda⁣
1/2 tsp salt⁣
2 tsp ground cinnamon⁣
1 tsp ground nutmeg⁣
1 tsp ground ginger⁣
1/4 tsp cloves⁣
1/2 Cup (100g) granulated sugar⁣
1 1/2 Cups (300g) packed brown sugar⁣
1 Cup (240ml) vegetable oil⁣
4 large eggs, room temperature⁣
3/4 Cup (135g) smooth unsweetened applesauce⁣
1 tsp pure vanilla extract⁣
2 Cups (260g) grated carrots (about 4 large)⁣
⁣
INSTRUCTIONS:⁣
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF/177ºF. Grease and line three 6-inch (15cm) or two 8-inch 20cm) cake pans. ⁣
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. In another large bowl, whisk together the white and brown sugars, vegetable oil, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla. ⁣
3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula until just combined, then fold in the grated carrots.⁣
4. Pour the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.⁣
⁣
Pair with my fave cream cheese buttercream recipe at https://sugarandsparrow.com/cream-cheese-buttercream-recipe/⁣
⁣
#carrotcake #creamcheesefrosting #carrotcakerecipe #eastercake #cakeideas #anyonecancake #baking #bake #layercake #bakedfromscratch #cakelover
[CLOSED! Winner TBA] Anyone Can Cake x Wilton GIVE [CLOSED! Winner TBA] Anyone Can Cake x Wilton GIVEAWAY 🥳 @wiltoncakes has been a HUGE part of my cake journey and I’m extra excited to gift ONE lucky winner every Wilton tool they could possibly need to make ⁣perfect layer cakes!⁣
⁣
ONE lucky winner will get everything in this Reel:⁣ ⁣
✨Gold piping tip set⁣
✨Cake turntable⁣
✨Navy and gold icing spatula set ⁣
✨Color Right Performance Food Coloring Set⁣
✨Icing comb set⁣
✨Icing smoother⁣
✨Cake leveler⁣
✨Set of two 8-inch cake pans⁣
✨a SIGNED copy of my book, Anyone Can Cake⁣
⁣
TO ENTER:⁣
⁣⁣1️⃣ LIKE this post⁣ ⁣
2️⃣ FOLLOW @sugarandsparrowco and @wiltoncakes⁣
3️⃣ TAG a couple friends who would love this prize below in separate comments. One comment = one entry ⁣⁣ ⁣
4️⃣ BONUS for commenting where you’re at in your cake decorating journey!⁣
⁣
That’s it! Ends March 25th at 11:59pm PST and is open to US residents only (sorry to my worldwide friends!). I’ll reach out to the winner via DM to claim the prize and if it’s you, please respond within 24 hours to claim. 🎉 Must be 18 or older. Not sponsored by Wilton or Instagram. Best of luck to all 🎉⁣
⁣
⁣#wiltoncakes #cakedecorating #cakes #cakelover #anyonecancake #cookbook #cake #sprinkles #cake #cookbookauthor #bakersofinstagram #bake #baking
(Ad) Buttercream Embroidery Cake Tutorial🧵🌸🎂 to celebrate March being National Craft Month, I decided to try out some new buttercream piping techniques and make the embroidery cake of my dreams! It ended up being so fun + easy with the perfect cake decorating supplies from @joann_stores 🙌🏼 Here’s how to make this happy little Spring-inspired cake:⁣
⁣
1️⃣ Frost your cake with a smooth buttercream finish and chill for at least 20 minutes.⁣
2️⃣ Use floral cookie cutters to imprint the buttercream.⁣
3️⃣ Outline the shapes using Wilton tip 2 or 3, then fill in the shapes with lines of buttercream piping. For some of the flowers, start at the edge of the shape and pipe a series of lines that connect in the center. For others, experiment with ways to fill in the shape with parallel lines, dots, or other embroidery-inspired piping. ⁣
4️⃣ Freehand some tiny dotted flowers and floral accents using those same piping techniques wherever your heart desires!⁣
⁣
The full tutorial + video for this pretty floral embroidery cake is linked in my bio! It’s the perfect way to welcome Spring 🌸⁣
⁣
#handmadewithjoann #joannpartner #embroidery #embroiderycake #baking #floralcake #cakeideas #buttercreamcake #bake #cakesofinstagram #cake #buttercream #cakelover #cakeart #nationalcraftmonth
Yellow Cake + Chocolate Frosting (aka Classic Birt Yellow Cake + Chocolate Frosting (aka Classic Birthday Cake) 🙌🏼 🥳 this one is extra nostalgic for me because it’s what my mama made for all my birthdays growing up 💛 this recipe rivals the box mix: super moist and fluffy layers of classic yellow cake (naturally colored with egg yolks) + silky smooth chocolate buttercream. Top with rainbow sprinkles for extra fun! 🎉⁣
⁣
Find this recipe linked in my bio + on page 147 of my book, Anyone Can Cake ✨⁣
⁣
#birthdaycake #yellowcake #chocolatefrosting #chocolatebuttercream #sprinkles #layercake #cakelover #cakesofinstagram #cake #bake #bakingfun #bakedfromscratch #anyonecancake #cakeideas #cakedecorating
Ombré Rainbow Sheet Cake 🌈🥳 for St. Patrick Ombré Rainbow Sheet Cake 🌈🥳 for St. Patrick’s Day or any day, because rainbow cakes are year round if you ask me 🫶🏽⁣
⁣
🎨 colors: custom mixed with @wiltoncakes color right food coloring system ⁣
🌈 piping tips: @wiltoncakes 1M for the rosettes, 104 for the ruffles, 32 for the swirls and stars⁣
⁣
#ombrecake #rainbowcake #sheetcake #cakedecorating #rainbow #stpatricksday #buttercreampiping #pipingskills #bakingfun #satisfyingfood #bake #cakeideas #cakelovers

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