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Sugar & Sparrow

Lifestyle and Cake from Portland Oregon

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My Favorite Tools

vegan vanilla buttercream recipe by sugar and sparrow

The right tool can be the difference between a cake and a caketastrophe.

These are all of the caking and content creation tools I’ve come to love over the years and use on the daily. Whether you’re brand new to cake baking or a seasoned pro, you’ll find something on this page to help on your journey.

Visit my Amazon Store

I’ve set up an Amazon Store that collects all my favorite tools in an up-to-date storefront.

VISIT THE STORE

Tool Section Shortcuts

Baking Tools
Decorating Tools
Piping Tools
Content Creation Tools

Baking tools

kitchenaid stand mixer in pistachio

5-Quart KitchenAid Mixer

The perfect all-purpose stand mixer for whipping up layer cakes, cupcakes, and up to three batches of buttercream.

Buy on Amazon
kitchenaid 7 quart stand mixer in milkshake

7-Quart KitchenAid Mixer

The perfect large batch stand mixer for whipping up layer cakes, cupcakes, and up to eight batches of buttercream.

Buy on Amazon
kitchenaid paddle attachment

KitchenAid Paddle Attachment

The ideal attachment for mixing cakes, cupcakes, and buttercream. Designed for perfect results.

Buy on Amazon
kitchenaid whisk attachment

KitchenAid Whisk Attachment

The ideal attachment for whipping cream and meringue. Designed to incorporate lots of air.

Buy on Amazon
4 inch cake pans

4-inch Cake Pans (Set of Four)

A set of four mini cake pans that have a removable bottom for easy release! Perfect for my small batch cake recipes.

Buy on Amazon
6 inch cake pans

6-inch Cake Pans (Set of Four)

My go-to for party cakes, as three layers will serve up to 18. I recommend having at least three of these pans.

Buy on Amazon
8 inch cake pans

8-inch Cake Pans (Set of 2)

A double-layer 8-inch cake is a great size for a party. I recommend having at least two of these pans.

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24 cup cupcake pan

24-Cup Muffin Pan (for Cupcakes)

A great pan for baking two dozen cupcakes at once, which is a life saver if you’re making larger batches!

Buy on Amazon
OXO kitchen scale

OXO 11-Pound Kitchen Scale

My recipes are written in American Cups and metric measurements, and it’s always more precise to bake by weight.

Buy on Amazon

Decorating tools

norpro icing smoother

NorPro 6-Inch Icing Smoother

This is my favorite tool for frosting smooth buttercream cakes.

Buy on Amazon
wilton icing spatula set

Wilton Icing Spatula Set of 3

Three essential icing spatulas in one set! I love the gold/navy color combination of these.

Buy on Amazon
wilton cake leveler

Wilton Adjustable Cake Leveler

The easiest tool for leveling your cake layers or torting them horizontally.

Buy on Amazon
13 inch icing spatula

13-inch Angled Icing Spatula

My go-to icing spatula for applying buttercream to cakes and smoothing the top.

Buy on Amazon
9 inch straight icing spatula

9-inch Straight Icing Spatula

This straight icing spatula is the perfect size to spread filling in between your cake layers.

Buy on Amazon
9 inch angled icing spatula

9-inch Angled Icing Spatula

The best size icing spatula for creating sharp edges on your buttercream cakes.

Buy on Amazon
cake turntable

Cake Turntable

A turntable is necessary for frosting smooth buttercream cakes, and this is a great budget-friendly option.

Buy on Amazon
ateco turntable

Ateco Turntable

A high quality turntable that will last a lifetime. It comes with a non-slip pad to place under your cakes.

Buy on Amazon
icing comb set

Icing Comb Set

My preferred way to add decorative texture to your buttercream cakes with minimal effort.

Buy on Amazon

Piping tools

disposable piping bags

Disposable Piping Bags

A pack of 100 disposable piping bags that are high quality (nice and thick).

Buy on Amazon
Wilton Tip 1m

Wilton Tip 1M

The perfect tip for piping rosettes and swirls on cakes and cupcakes.

Buy on Amazon
wilton tip 4b

Wilton Tip 4B

My go-to piping tip for decorating cakes and cupcakes with open stars.

Buy on Amazon
wilton tip 104

Wilton Tip 104

The perfect tip for piping buttercream flowers and ruffles.

Buy on Amazon
wilton 352

Wilton Tip 352

My go-to tip for piping leaves to accent buttercream flowers and succulents.

Buy on Amazon
Wilton Tip 2D

Wilton Tip 2D

A great tip for piping realistic rosettes on cakes and cupcakes.

Buy on Amazon
Wilton Tip 233

Wilton Tip 233

The best tip for piping shag buttercream (or grass, or fur textures).

Buy on Amazon
Wilton Tip 2

Wilton Tip 2

The perfect size for writing a message on your cake or piping small dots.

Buy on Amazon
Wilton Tip 3

Wilton Tip 3

Slightly larger opening than Tip 2. Perfect for writing and piping dots.

Buy on Amazon
americolor heavenly seventy

AmeriColor Heavenly Seventy Set

70 highly concentrated colors for tinting your buttercream any color you can imagine.

Buy on Amazon
wilton color right food color gels

Wilton Color Right System

8 concentrated food color gels with instructions for custom mixing any color you want.

Buy on Amazon
sprinkle pop sprinkles

Sprinkle Pop Sprinkles

My favorite brand of sprinkles for decorating cakes. There are so many options for any color palette, theme, or season.

Buy on Amazon

Content Creation tools

If you’re wondering what tools I use for food photography and videography, here are some of my essentials. You’ll find even more in my Content Creator Tools list on Amazon.

canon 800d t7i

Canon 800D/t7i

This was my very first DSLR camera and I still use it to this day. It made the transition from iPhone to real camera pretty seamless. Very beginner-friendly and takes amazing photos and video.

Buy on Amazon
canon 50mm lens

Canon 50mm Lens

The ideal lens for food photography and portraits. I researched lenses a TON and this was the one recommended across the board. The nifty fifty.

Buy on Amazon
canon rp

Canon RP

This is a full-frame camera that’s very user friendly. I used it for a lot of my book photography and still use it as a secondary camera. It also shoots video in 4K.

Buy on Amazon
fifine usb microphone

Fifine USB Microphone

This is the microphone I use to record all of my voiceovers for Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. It has amazing sound quality and is so user (and budget!) friendly.

Buy on Amazon

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Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

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Berry Chantilly Sheet Cake

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@sugarandsparrowco

SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM ✨I could eat this salty SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM ✨I could eat this salty-sweet caramel frosting by the spoonful but it’s absolutely delicious on cakes, cupcakes, macarons, and more 🙌🏽 I use my homemade EASY salted caramel recipe here but you can use any salted caramel sauce that you love.⁣

✨Full recipe (including homemade salted caramel) + cake pairing suggestions are on my blog at https://sugarandsparrow.com/salted-caramel-buttercream-recipe/ 
⁣
SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM⁣
Yield: 2.5 Cups ⁣
⁣
INGREDIENTS⁣
1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature⁣
3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar⁣
2 tsp vanilla extract⁣
1/2 Cup (120ml) salted caramel sauce, room temperature⁣
Pinch of salt⁣
⁣
INSTRUCTIONS:⁣
1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on high until it’s creamy and light in color, 5-6 minutes. ⁣
2. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each interval.⁣
3. With the mixer still on low, mix in the vanilla extract, salted caramel, and a pinch of salt. Continue mixing on low speed until fully combined. ⁣
⁣
#saltedcaramel #caramel #cakedecorating #frosting #buttercream
NO-CHURN BERRY CRISP ICE CREAM✨you don’t need any NO-CHURN BERRY CRISP ICE CREAM✨you don’t need any fancy equipment to whip up this delicious ice cream that tastes JUST like berry crisp a la mode! I layered my favorite 3-ingredient no-churn vanilla ice cream base with ribbons of homemade berry filling + buttery oat streusel in every bite. Even if you’ve never made ice cream from scratch before, I promise you can master this recipe!! 
 
🍦Full recipe linked in my bio or find it at https://sugarandsparrow.com/no-churn-berry-crisp-ice-cream/

#nochurnicecream #icecream #icecreamlover #berries #summerdessert
STRAWBERRY SHEET CAKE 🍓based on my favorite strawb STRAWBERRY SHEET CAKE 🍓based on my favorite strawberry layer cake recipe, this sheet cake version is so fun to decorate + such a crowd pleaser! I love using a combination of fresh and freeze-dried strawberries to create the most powerful authentic flavor ✨
 
🍓Full recipe (with strawberry buttercream) at https://sugarandsparrow.com/strawberry-sheet-cake-recipe/
⁣ 
STRAWBERRY SHEET CAKE⁣ 
Serves 24
⁣ 
INGREDIENTS⁣ 
1 Cup (12oz) fresh strawberries, pureed ⁣ 
3/4 Cup (180ml) whole milk, room temp⁣ 
2 1/2 Cups (265g) sifted cake flour⁣ 
2 tsp baking powder⁣ 
1/4 tsp baking soda⁣ 
1/2 tsp salt⁣ 
3/4 Cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temp⁣ 
1 2/3 Cups (350g) granulated sugar⁣ 
3 large eggs, room temp⁣ 
1/3 Cup (75g) sour cream, room temp⁣ 
2 tsp pure vanilla extract⁣ 
1-2 drops pink food coloring (optional)⁣ 
⁣ 
INSTRUCTIONS⁣ 
1. Simmer the strawberry puree in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point the puree should have reduced from 1 Cup to 1/2 Cup (if you have more, keep cooking!). Refrigerate until room temp, then whisk together with the whole milk and set aside.⁣ 
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and line a 13×9 inch baking pan. 
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. ⁣ 
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on high until creamy, 2 min. Add the sugar and beat with the butter until light and fluffy, 2 min. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and sour cream, then turn the mixer to high and beat for 1 minute.⁣ 
5. With the mixer on low, add all of the dry ingredients at once until just combined, then add the strawberry milk mixture and pink food coloring (if using) until just combined. Give the batter a few stirs by hand to make sure everything is incorporated without over-mixing. ⁣ 
6. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. ⁣ Cool completely to room temperature before topping with strawberry buttercream (full recipe at the li
COOKIES & CREAM ICE CREAM CAKE 🤎 If you’re an Oreo COOKIES & CREAM ICE CREAM CAKE 🤎 If you’re an Oreo lover, this is your sign to make an ice cream cake this summer: no-churn cookies & cream ice cream set on an Oreo cookie crust, topped with hot fudge and whipped cream frosting. The perfect amount of Oreos in EVERY BITE! 

Full recipe link in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/cookies-and-cream-ice-cream-cake/ 

OREO CRUST
22 Oreo cookies
5 Tbsp melted butter

ICE CREAM LAYER
2 Cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
14 Oz sweetened condensed milk
15 Oreo cookies, roughly chopped

TOPPINGS
12.8 Oz jar of hot fudge
Whipped cream frosting (see full recipe link)
4 Oreo cookies, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mix together the Oreo crust ingredients and pack tightly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Freeze while you make the ice cream.
2. In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream and vanilla to stiff peaks. Fold in the sweetened condensed milk until uniform, then fold in the chopped Oreos. Pile the ice cream on top of the Oreo crust, smooth it down, cover and freeze overnight.
3. When the ice cream layer is set, top with the hot fudge, whipped cream frosting, and more chopped Oreos. Store in the freezer until ready to serve! 

#oreocake #icecreamcake #nochurnicecream #birthdaycake #cookiesandcream
EASY OREO ICEBOX CAKE (recipe below) 🤎 You only ne EASY OREO ICEBOX CAKE (recipe below) 🤎 You only need 4 ingredients for this recipe and it sets into the perfect summer dessert in the refrigerator overnight! It’s 7 alternating layers of Oreos and homemade whipped cream + every bite tastes like a perfect milk-dunked Oreo in the very best way ✨
 
Full recipe at https://sugarandsparrow.com/oreo-icebox-cake/ 
 
INGREDIENTS: 
2 Cups (480ml) cold heavy whipping cream 
1/4 Cup (30g) powdered sugar 
1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
36 Oreo cookies 
 
INSTRUCTIONS: 
1. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract into a chilled mixing bowl. Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat the ingredients until stiff peaks form. 
2. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, then add a thin layer of the whipped cream onto the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of Oreo cookies on top (cut some of the Oreos to fit as needed). 
3. Add 1/3 of the remaining whipped cream on top of the Oreo layer, followed by a second layer of Oreos. Repeat until you have seven total layers, ending with whipped cream. 
4. Cover the cake and refrigerate overnight, then enjoy!  
 
#oreocake #vintagecake #nobakecake #oreo #nobake

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