In this free cake decorating video tutorial, I'm going to show you how to create beautiful buttercream cactus and succulents for your cakes!
It seems that cactus and succulent themed designs are popping up all over the place these days--in cake and cupcake decorating, cookie decorating, party themes, and more.
Buttercream Succulents vs. Gum Paste Succulents
It's funny how cake designs cycle back around over time. About five years ago, succulents were huge and we created a cake video tutorial for an elegant cake featuring gum paste succulents.
This time around, both succulents and cactus plants trending. We're happy to have a buttercream version to share, and I have to say, as easy as our gum paste succulents were, the buttercream succulents are even simpler!
We hope that you enjoy the video! Keep these designs in mind for your cupcake decorating too! Enjoy!
Materials for Cactus & Succulents Cake:
We decorated an 8 inch and 6 inch cake tier, each is on it's own cake cardboard cut down to size.
As usual, the top tier is supported beneath with four bubble tea straws cut to the height of the bottom tier. The tiers are frosted with our Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream frosting recipe.
Coloring Gels: We used Americolor Avocado Green, Lemon Yellow
Cake Comb: We used a comb from a Wilton Set
Piping Tips: 104, 80, Wilton 8B, 102, 6, 233, 352
rose nail and waxed paper squares
Buttercream Frosting (If you are chilling your succulents as we did, your frosting will firm up quickly if your frosting contains butter. We used our Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream recipe)
Gum Paste (or fondant with tylose kneaded into it)
Extruder - (We used the Makin's Ultimate Clay Extruder)
Rice Cereal Treat: We used one 22g. pre-packaged bar.
Sprinkles- We used white jimmies for cactus prickles and small round white sprinkles
Miscellaneous: Oval cutter (or template for oval) for plaque, turntable, piping gel, piping bags,
Enjoy the Video!
We hope that you enjoy this buttercream cactus & succulents cake! You could recreate this design exactly or create a similar style of design on sheet cakes or smaller cake tiers.
This cake would be perfect for birthdays, showers, and weddings!
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What a fabulous looking cake! I love it! :-)
So cute,can’t wait to try it. Love your teaching videos,thanks for keeping me interested in cake decorating!
Thanks so much MsGF & Nancy! So happy that you like it! xo
This looks Amazing Melissa. Good job. Can you achieve this comb effect on a chocolate ganache cake or is this effect limited to butter cream icing? Will be good to know. Thanks in advance.
Hi Fa- Yes, you can achieve the combed effect with ganache (assuming it is frosting consistency...which is often a 2:1 ratio of chocolate to cream if working with dark or semi-sweet chocolate, and a 3:1 ratio of chocolate to cream if working with white chocolate)-- We actually combed the bottom two tiers of a white ganache cake in our gum paste roses tutorial linked below:
https://www.mycakeschool.com/video-tutorials/beautiful-video-tutorial/
Thanks for your reply Melissa. I am super excited the combed effect can be achieved with ganache. La la la la la la yeh (singing for joy) Your hands are blessed and mycakeschool is worth it. I have learnt a whole lot... Thanks a bunch.
Beautiful & very trendy!
This cake makes me happy!
this wonderful cake reminds me of when my grandchild was little. Would take baby succulents she ould take the little ones off,put her little finger in the sand and plant the babies. then each week we would see how the grew. Now she is 20 and i think we will make that cake together, I am sure we will have a wonderful time together, Thank you so very much.
Hi Patricia, I am happy that our cake brought back the sweet memory of you and your granddaughter planting succulents. Thanks so much for posting your story.
Cactus cake tutorial does not show link
Hi Shirley, it is showing for me but if you have an ad blocker, it may interfere with it. I've just added the video in a different format at the very bottom of the page. Hope that works for you!