And just like that, Sugar & Sparrow is TWO years old! It feels so young and so old at the same time. This past year was all about growing in my recipe writing, getting better at food photography, and creating a steady stream of fun cake tutorials and videos. I learned a whole lot, but there’s so much more room to grow for year three and I’ve got some big ideas. Thanks for sticking with me and following along every step of the way!
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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!
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Two years ago, I got this wild idea to make some fondant hearts and cascade them down the side of a cake with pretty piping and Valentine’s Day conversation hearts. Ever since I posted that design on my Instagram back then, I’ve gotten tons of requests for a tutorial – not just for Valentine’s Day but for all sorts of occasions! Wait no more, the tutorial is finally here.
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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!
These past few months have been crazy. Between the demands of the holiday season coming up and working on a never-ending list of house projects, I am feeling perpetually frazzled these days. Despite the chaos, I thought a little recipe creating sesh would be perfect for me because baking does something good to my soul. I was right. I put on some Springsteen and decided to try my hand at creating the perfect pumpkin layer cake. Five rounds of bakes and a handful of albums later, I am so thrilled with how this Pumpkin Layer Cake turned out.
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There’s a serious sprinkle trend happening on Instagram, and I’m not even sure who came up with it! I’ve been marveling over sprinkle fault line cakes for weeks now, and I finally got the chance to try it for myself. I was so excited to use the technique with the Vintage Rose Gold sprinkle mix by SprinklePop because the sprinkles alone are stunning, but the fault line style really makes them pop! I just love the way they look peeking through that buttercream:
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And just like that, I have a one year old (my blog baby, of course)! I can’t believe it’s only been a year since I launched Sugar & Sparrow, and I am so, so happy I pressed the publish button back then. It’s been such a joy to share my recipes and cake decorating tutorials with you, and I’m looking forward to all that’s to come! I’ve just got all the feels about this.
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!
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 are the Holidays treating you? I’m in full on Christmas spirit mode over here, with so many ideas for festive Holiday cakes and no time to do them all! I like to really sink into this season because there are so many fun things to do with friends and family, and although I love decorating Holiday-themed cakes I try not to spend too much time in the kitchen this time of year because I don’t want to miss any festivities. This Merry & Bright cake was at the tippy top of the list though – it’s the second year in a row I’ve made this design, and I just had to share it with you because it’s so easy to recreate!
