Neon Buttercream Transfer Cake

Ingredients & Tools
Instructions

Instructions

Swag Pattern

Click to mark complete

Bake cakes. Prepare cake batter following recipe instructions. Bake and cool 2 cake layers. Level both layers to 2-1/2 in. tall. Fill and stack for 5 in. high cake.
Tint icing and prepare decorating bags. Using formulas listed below, tint icing and prepare decorating bags as follows:
For Swags:
- Using Kelly Green and Lemon Yellow icing colors, tint 2 cups icing lime green; place in bag with tip 12
- Using Sky Blue and a touch of Kelly Green icing colors, tint 3 cups icing teal blue; place in bag with tip 8
For Dots:
- Using Rose and Violet icing colors, tint ½ cup icing purple; place in bag with tip 8
- Using Ivory, Lemon Yellow and Creamy Peach icing colors, tint ¼ cup icing peach; place in bag with tip 4
For Borders:
- Using Rose and Violet icing colors, tint 1 cup icing medium purple; place in bag with tip 4B
- Using Kelly Green and a touch of Royal Blue icing colors, tint ½ cup icing mint green; place in bag with tip 21
Reserve remaining icing white.
Ice cake. Using remaining white icing, crumb coat cake.
Using some of the lime green icing, ice top of cake smooth.
Prepare buttercream transfer template. Print swag pattern template. Place on cake board; tape to secure.
Cut parchment paper into rectangle measuring 5-1/4 in. high by 24 in. wide (it should be a little bigger than the swag pattern to allow for the added width of the buttercream transfer). Place over pattern; tape to secure.
Pipe swag and dots. Using lime green icing, fill in top swags.
Using purple icing, pipe large dots.
Using peach icing, pipe small dots.
Freeze until set, about 30 minutes.
Outline design. Using teal blue icing, fill in bottom swag. Freeze until set, about 15 minutes.
Using remaining teal blue icing, pipe a layer of icing over entire transfer. Freeze until set, about 15 minutes.
Decorate cake. Carefully wrap design around iced cake. Do not remove the parchment paper. Place in freezer to set, about 15 minutes.
Carefully remove parchment paper. Using a knife or tapered spatula, remove excess buttercream from top of cake. If needed, pipe lime green buttercream around top edge of cake and smooth with spatula to clean up the edge.
Using medium purple buttercream in 4B bag, pipe shell border around top edge of cake. Using mint green buttercream in tip 21 bag, pipe shell border around bottom edge of cake.

Notes

How To

How to Pipe a Shell Border
The shell is one of the most versatile icing decorations. Use it to pipe a simple border or pipe rows of shells to accent or cover a cake. Try piping shells in multiple colors and in combination with other decorations like dots or zigzags to create your own unique designs!
How to Pipe Dots
Perfect for classic borders or cloudlike decorations, dots are a versatile technique that can be piped in a range of sizes. The dot technique can be used as a simple border for cakes and cookies, as well as for icing cupcakes or piping meringues.
How to Make a Buttercream Transfer
If you’ve ever wondered how to pipe a character or a logo on your cake, chances are you’ve stumbled across the buttercream transfer technique. A time-tested method for making iconic designs, buttercream transfers are a great way to make an edible image without the stress of messing it up.