Easy Buttercream Cake Painting Tutorial
If painting on a buttercream cake sounds intimidating, relax.
If the idea of painting on a buttercream cake makes you nervous, don't worry. Trust me when I say it's fun and easy! My short video tutorial below, along with a few tips and suggestions, will have you painting your first cake in no time. The most important thing is simply to enjoy yourself!
Supplies You'll Need First
Paint tray. Paint trays come in many shapes and sizes and are sold at nearly any craft store, such as Michaels, A.C. Moore, or Hobby Lobby. You can also order them online.
I like the smaller paint trays, like the one pictured below, but pick whichever one suits you and your cake painting projects.
Synthetic paint brushes. Use synthetic, sterile brushes to apply your gel colors to the buttercream. Wilton sells a 5-pack decorating brush set, and other companies offer similar ones. I own these along with some generic brushes.
Icing gel colors. For coloring buttercream, I usually reach for Wilton. A little gel goes a long way, and their colors are gorgeous. They also sell the Color Right system, which lets you match a shade you used before by counting drops.
Chefmaster food coloring and McCormick are good options too.
For this tutorial, I used the following colors (brand in parentheses)
- Buttercup Yellow (Wilton)
- Cornflower Blue (Wilton)
- Juniper Green (Wilton)
- Kelly Green (Wilton)
- Violet (Wilton)
- Bakers Rose (Chefmaster)
Vodka, grain alcohol, or clear vanilla extract. You can paint with the gel color straight from the bottle if you want a richer, bolder shade.
To thin it out and get a watercolor effect, add a few drops of vodka (the cheapest kind works), Everclear grain alcohol (choose the 151% proof, not the 190% proof, which needs a permit in PA and is banned in most other states), or a clear extract such as vanilla or lemon to the gel color.
I like Everclear grain alcohol, which costs me about $19 for a 750 ML bottle.
Tips and Ideas for Buttercream Painting
Keep track of your colors. I set the gel bottle right behind each paint well so I always know which color is which.
Another idea is to trace circles on a sheet of paper to match the paint tray wells, put a dab of each color in its circle, and label it with the color name.
Clean your brushes. Rinse your brush in water before switching colors, and wash them well when you're done. Let them air dry upright in a dish caddy.
Stuck for ideas? If you can't decide what to paint (I've been there), browse Pinterest, where my Floral Inspiration board has some ideas, or flip through magazines that catch your eye.
If you doodle in sketchbooks like I do, flip back through your drawings and see if one sparks an idea.
My very first painted buttercream cake with flowers was inspired by one of my all-time favorite brands, Rifle Paper Co!
You can paint just about anything you like! As I said before, just have fun with it.
Keep the room cool. A cooler room keeps the buttercream from getting sweaty while you work. My cats don't mind, since they wear fur coats, and I throw on a light sweater if I need one. My husband can't stand the cold, so I try to paint when he's out of the house.
Working With Buttercream Frosting
When the buttercream softens. If it gets soft while you paint, refrigerate it for about an hour, or until it feels firm again. An hour works best for me.
Get creative. Don't stop at painting. If you feel like adding sprinkles or gold accents, such as Truly Mad Plastics super gold powder, go right ahead!
Share your creations! Snap photos of your painted buttercream cake and post them on social media. Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter so I can feature your beautiful work!
