We decorated a four layer, 6 inch double barrel cake. As usual, the bottom two layers are on their own cake cardboard cut down to size, with four bubble tea straws inserted and cut to the height of the bottom two layers. Then the next two (filled) cake layers are on their own cardboard cake circle cut to size, and placed on top of the bottom tier. Cake is frosted as one.)
Frosting the Cake Apply the frosting with an offset spatula. I like to do a thin crumb coat first, chill it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes (or longer in the refrigerator) to firm everything up and then apply the second coat of frosting.
Next, smooth around the sides with a bench scraper while rotating the cake on a turntable. Smooth with your method of choice. Heating the metal bench scraper under very hot water before smoothing the frosting makes it extra smooth.
Decorating the CakeStart with a chilled, frosted cake so that the base coat of frosting is firm. Re-chill as needed (15 minutes in the freezer).
Using a disposable piping bags with the tips snipped away, pipe dots of buttercream (in varying shades) onto the cake. After piping the dots, I used a small offset spatula to spread it downward. We started at the top edge of the cake and worked our way down (covering about half of the cake). We also did this on top of the cake. Many of our "brushstrokes" overlap the colors beneath.
Chocolate BallsTint melted candy coating/or white bark coating with candy coloring. (You can also use pre-colored candy melts like SweetTooth Fairy brand).
Brush here and there on the inside of your sphere molds in difference colors. Chill in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
Then, spoon a bit of melted white candy coating into wells and use a brush to spread it over the inside, from bottom to top. Chill for 10 minutes in the freezer until firm. Go back in with a second coat of white coating. Chill to firm up. (15 min or until firm).
Piece the chilled spheres together, "gluing" with melted white candy coating. Wipe away excess melted chocolate. Allow to firm up in molds. Chill if needed before applyting to cake.
If you are concerned about the weight of the larger balls, you can place a bubble tea straw beneath, snipped to the height of the cake.