How to Make a Buttercream Striped Cake
Stripes make a simple cake feel instantly more polished. This method shows how to create clean, even buttercream stripes using an icing smoother and comb set, making it a great decorating idea for birthdays, parties, and celebration cakes.
Instructions
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Begin with a leveled, 8 inch round, 2-layer cake on a turntable.
Apply a thick layer of icing to the cake. Smooth the icing, making sure the vertical sides of the cake are as straight as possible.
Hold the squared notch icing comb vertically against the side of the cake, with the bottom of the comb sitting flat on the turntable. Slowly rotate the cake to create even grooves in the icing. Remove excess icing from the comb and repeat until the grooves are deep and even.
Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes. The surface should be crusted over and dry to the touch.
Prepare a decorating bag with a round tip and a second color of icing.
Starting at the bottom of the cake, pipe a line of icing into each groove. Continue up the side of the cake until all grooves are filled. The icing does not need to look perfect at this stage because it will be smoothed out.
Hold the icing smoother vertically against the side of the cake with the bottom sitting flat on the turntable. Slowly rotate the cake while keeping the smoother level and steady. Remove excess icing often and repeat until the stripes are clean, level, and well defined.
To finish, smooth the top of the cake carefully without disturbing the stripes near the top edge.
Notes
If the icing on the side of the cake is thicker in some areas, keep the base of the comb level against the cake board or turntable. This helps even out the thickness and creates cleaner grooves.