Today I'm going to demonstrate how to create pretty petal cake in buttercream! This elegant technique is surprisingly simple!
I absolutely love working with buttercream. Whether piping, or applying simple texture with a spatula, the decorating options are endless. We have done countless tutorials on piped and textured methods of decorating, and today's technique is one of my favorites!
In today's tutorial, I am demonstrating a technique that not only looks like beautiful buttercream petals, but it is SO easy to create. This is a perfect technique for all skill levels of decorating. I'm not sure what to call it, so I'm calling it the petal effect! Your friends and family will be so impressed with this petal cake design, and the simplicity of the method will be our little secret. Enjoy!!
Let's get started!
I am working with Vanilla Buttercream, a smallish angled spatula with a rounded edge, and a piping bag fitted with a medium sized round tip (I used a Wilton Tip 12). First, pipe a vertical row of dots...
Next, spread the buttercream dots with a spatula as you see in the picture. I used a small offset spatula with a rounded edge (but you can use a spoon if you'd rather!). This creates the look of petals!
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat... one vertical row at a time. 
You can experiment with your spacing..
or you can even stagger if you'd like (This looks like fish or dragon scales!)
That's all there is to it! Now that you know how, grab a cake & beautify it! I crumb coated my tiers, stacked them, and then started piping and spreading. It takes a little while to make it all the way around, but the results are so worth it!
I topped off mine with a gum paste flower---but really, it would have been fine without anything at all. We also have a cake decorating video for our members to demonstrate the making of this cake & flower. You can find it in our Buttercream Techniques section.
Have a great weekend!
Thanks for sharing your talent.
I just love baking. Your cakes are unbelievable. Looking forward to
watching more of your tutorials.
I pray I can learn to follow your
talent. I hope mine can look like
yours. Just beautiful and perfect.
Diane ??
Thank you so much, Diane. I hope that you enjoy this technique! xo
Hi, I've been a member for a little over a year now and I'm really enjoying your website and all it has to offer. I am going to try this technique on a square cake and was wondering if the consistency of the buttercream should be a crusting buttercream. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Tracey- Your buttercream does not have to be a crusting recipe in order for this technique to work. Any medium consistency frosting will be fine!
I have looked all over the internet trying to figure out how to make the petal look. I am making a Game of Thrones Dragon Scale cake for the season finale. I hope it works :)
@Piper- Glad you found your way to the tutorial, have fun experimenting!