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Sugar & Sparrow

Lifestyle and Cake from Portland Oregon

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chocolate strawberry cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

January 28, 2026 · In: Cake, Featured, Recipes, Seasonal, Valentines

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake

Chocolate covered strawberries are one of those desserts that feel instantly romantic and the flavors are so good together, I just had to make a cake inspired by them! Originally…

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heart shaped cake tutorial

February 10, 2023 · In: Featured, Seasonal, Tutorials, Valentines

Easy Heart Shaped Cake Tutorial

Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to make something sweet from scratch. I’ve got lots of ideas here, but if you’re planning on making a layer cake for your loved…

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watercolor cake tutorial by sugar and sparrow

June 24, 2021 · In: Featured, Tutorials

Watercolor Cake Tutorial

I’ve always been inspired by painterly textures when it comes to my cakes, and although watercolor buttercream has been around for quite some time, it hasn’t gotten old in my…

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sugar and sparrow 3 year blog anniversary

May 17, 2021 · In: Featured, Lifestyle

Sugar & Sparrow is 3!

My blog baby is three! In some ways it seems like only yesterday that I got up the nerve to launch Sugar & Sparrow. I was so anxious to do…

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raspberry chocolate cake recipe

February 1, 2021 · In: Cake, Featured, Recipes, Seasonal, Valentines

Raspberry Chocolate Cake Recipe

One of the very first recipes I put on this blog was this Raspberry Buttercream recipe. It’s one of my favorite buttercream recipes ever – ultra flavorful, not too sweet,…

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cascading floral cake tutorial by sugar and sparrow

April 24, 2020 · In: Featured, Seasonal, Spring, Tutorials

Cascading Floral Cake Tutorial

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…

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ruby chocolate cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

February 14, 2020 · In: Cake, Featured, Recipes, Seasonal, Spring, Valentines

Ruby Chocolate Cake Recipe

Right after I made this Ruby Chocolate Buttercream recipe, I instantly thought to try it with my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I figured since ruby chocolate has predominant notes of…

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cascading heart cake tutorial

February 7, 2020 · In: Featured, Seasonal, Tutorials, Valentines

Cascading Heart Cake Tutorial

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….

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sprinkle drip cake tutorial

January 6, 2020 · In: Featured, Seasonal, Tutorials, Valentines

Sprinkle Drip Cake Tutorial

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…

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Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

Helping you whip up pretty desserts with confidence and creativity. And hopefully sharing a few laughs with you along the way!

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berry chantilly cake recipe inspired by whole foods

Berry Chantilly Cake Recipe

sugar and sparrow 3 year blog anniversary

Sugar & Sparrow is 3!

Dunkaroos layer cake with sprinkle buttercream recipe

Dunkaroos Layer Cake Recipe (feat. Amoretti)

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@sugarandsparrowco

ALMOND JOY CAKE 🤎🥥 this tastes just like an Almond ALMOND JOY CAKE 🤎🥥 this tastes just like an Almond Joy candy bar in cake form: layers of soft, fluffy coconut cake with silky chocolate ganache, sliced almonds, and the dreamiest coconut-almond buttercream! 

Comment RECIPE and I’ll send it on over! Or find it linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/almond-joy-cake-recipe/

#almondjoy #coconutcake #almondcake #cakedecorating #candycake
You butter believe I made myself the Halloween cos You butter believe I made myself the Halloween costume of my dreams!! 🧈 

#diyhalloweencostume
#foodcostume #halloweencostume #handmadecostume #bakerlife
MELTED CANDLE CUPCAKES 🖤🕯give me a few cupcakes, s MELTED CANDLE CUPCAKES 🖤🕯give me a few cupcakes, some dye-free black buttercream, and black chocolate ganache and watch me transform them into the spookiest edible centerpiece! 

Full tutorial is linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/melting-candle-cupcakes/ but I have a condensed version below: 
 
SUPPLIES: ⁣ 
-9 cupcakes⁣  (made these with my small batch black velvet cake recipe!) 
-1 batch of dye-free black buttercream 
-boba straws or skewers (for stabilizing the taller candles) ⁣ 
-icing smoother + turntable ⁣ 
-black ganache for dripping⁣ 
-3 birthday cake candles⁣ 
-matches ⁣ to light them
⁣ 
INSTRUCTIONS: ⁣ 
1. Fill and stack the cupcakes: one stack of 2 cupcakes, one stack of 3 cupcakes, and one stack of 4 cupcakes. For the two taller cupcakes I inserted a boba straw through the middle to stabilize the stack for frosting. ⁣ 
2. Frost the stacked cupcakes with smooth buttercream and keep the top edge raw. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to let the frosting firm up. ⁣ 
3. Transfer the frosted cupcake candles  onto a small plate and pipe ganache around the edges and tops to look like melted wax. ⁣ 
4. Insert a birthday cake candle into each cake candle (keep the wick about 1/4 inch from the cake surface) and light! ⁣ 
⁣ 
#candlecake #halloweencake #cupcakes #blackvelvetcake #blackbuttercream
BISCOFF COOKIE BUTTERCREAM 🤎 this delicious frosti BISCOFF COOKIE BUTTERCREAM 🤎 this delicious frosting is flavored with Biscoff cookie butter and goes with literally ANY Fall cake recipe 🙌🏼 So far my favorite cake flavors to pair it with are pumpkin cake, banana cake, chocolate cake, coffee cake, and spice cake, but I am also testing a full-on Biscoff cake this week!! 

Full recipe + my favorite cake pairing suggestions are at https://sugarandsparrow.com/biscoff-buttercream/ 
⁣⁣ 
INGREDIENTS⁣⁣ 
1 Cups (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature⁣⁣ 
1/2 Cup (94g) Biscoff cookie butter⁣⁣ or spread
3 Cups (360g) powdered sugar⁣⁣ 
1 tsp pure vanilla extract⁣⁣ 
2 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature⁣⁣ 
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste⁣⁣ 
⁣⁣ 
INSTRUCTIONS⁣⁣ 
1. Cream the butter and Biscoff cookie butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or you can use a hand mixer and large bowl). Mix on medium-high until creamy and well combined, about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed.⁣⁣ 
2. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after mixing in each addition. Add the vanilla, milk, and salt and continue mixing on low speed until smooth and combined, 1-2 minutes.⁣ 
⁣⁣ 
#biscoffcake #biscoff #buttercream #frosting #cakedecorating
DYE-FREE BLACK VELVET CUPCAKES 🖤 These all black c DYE-FREE BLACK VELVET CUPCAKES 🖤 These all black cupcakes use black cocoa powder (and NO food coloring!) to achieve that rich black color for the cupcakes + black buttercream. That means they won’t turn anyone’s mouth black AND they taste like Oreo cookies in deliciously moist cupcake form 👻

✨Full recipe (with dye-free black buttercream) is linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/black-velvet-cupcakes/ 

BLACK VELVET CUPCAKES
Yield: 14 cupcakes

1 Cup (132g) all purpose flour
3/4 Cup (150g) granulated sugar
1/3 Cup (38g) black cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 Cup (60ml) vegetable oil
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 Cup (120ml) full-fat buttermilk*
1/2 Cup (120ml) hot coffee or hot water

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. Place all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together to combine. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and whisk until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the hot coffee (or hot water) and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin. 
3. Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake liners (no more than ⅔ full) and bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool completely before frosting with dye-free black buttercream (full recipe linked in my bio).

*If you don’t have buttermilk on hand (I rarely do!), use 1/2 Cup whole milk mixed with 1 1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice. 

#blackcupcakes #blackbuttercream #blackcocoapowder #halloweencupcakes #halloweenbaking

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