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Have you ever volunteered to make a cake for a special occasion, then instantly regretted it? What seems like a fun opportunity to show off your baking skills can quickly turn into an overwhelming, multi-day project—especially if you're using towering professional masterpieces as your standard. Fortunately, there are of plenty simple cake decorating ideas out there that will wow your friends and family. With a great recipe and the right cake decorating tools, you'll be whipping up an impressive dessert that looks as good as it tastes in no time.
Ree Drummond has decorated quite a few cakes, and while she's tried lots of different methods, she sticks to one motto in particular when it comes to cake decorating. "There are no rules," she says. Whether you're making a cake for a special occasion—like a birthday or the holidays—or just looking for ways to give your favorite sheet cake recipe a little extra something-something, you'll find inspiration in this guide. From simple frosting techniques to genius hacks, these cake decorating ideas from Ree and fellow bloggers will inspire you to create something cool and impressive. You'll also find links to equipment like baking pans, piping tips, and cake stands. And if you need a refresher on the basics before diving in, you can check out our how to frost a cake tutorial.
Floral Cake
A cake covered in pretty frosting flowers looks impressive, but all it takes to create one is a little piping practice. Use star tips in various sizes to incorporate a mix of large roses and dainty rosettes.
Coffee-Toffee Crunch Cake
The super-smooth frosting on this cake gets its light brown hue from instant coffee, and a sprinkling of chopped chocolate-covered toffee bars around the perimeter completes the look.
Confetti Cake
Sheet cakes are easy to bake, and it doesn't take much to make them look great either. The trick to this festive birthday design: Mix together a bunch of different types of sprinkles.
Ombré Cake
This trendy ombré cake would be perfect for a baby or bridal shower. Rows of frosting in different shades of the same color are smoothed with an offset spatula until they begin to blend together, creating a gradient effect. Consider investing in a revolving cake stand so you don't have to spin the cake manually.
Naked Gingerbread Layer Cake
Good news if decorating isn't really your thing: Naked cakes—which have little to no frosting—are one of the biggest wedding food trends to pop up in the last few years. The layers of this gingerbread cake look gorgeous on their own, and a final dusting of powdered sugar is an elegant finishing touch.
Peanut Butter and Pretzel Icebox Cake
Cake decorations aren't just for show! Case in point, this decadent icebox cake. It's covered in a homemade chocolate shell, caramel sauce, crushed pretzels, and mini peanut butter cups—yum!
American Flag Cake
Cakes modeled after the American flag are everywhere come 4th of July, and you can't go wrong with Ree's go-to recipe: She borrowed it from fellow Food Network star Ina Garten. "It's hard to beat—it's such a great, rich cake, and I've made it for many 4th of July parties," Ree says.
Cherry-Topped Cheesecake
Top off your cake with a mound of fresh fruit—in this case glistening macerated cherries—for a simple pop of color.
Meyer Lemon, Ginger, and Turmeric Cake
Incorporating bright ingredients like turmeric is a great way to naturally add color to cakes like this mesmerizing bundt. Check out these tips for getting the best out of your bundt pan.
Yule Log Cake
Nothing says Christmas like a yule log cake, also known as Bûche de Noël. Creating the bark-like texture for this version is easier than it looks: Just drag a fork through the frosting. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and pomegranate seeds to complete the woodsy vibe.
Lemon Lime Pound Cake
Ree used Nordic Ware's Jubilee Bundt Pan to take a simple pound cake to the next level. The mold creates crevices in the surface of the cake that catch pools of lime and lemon zest-speckled glaze. "This pan is a revelation," she says.
Spiced Pear Upside Down Cake
Upside down cakes are so pretty when they come out of the oven that you don't really need to decorate them at all. This one is topped with a spiral of spiced pears.
Brûlée Orange and Cream Cheese Pound Cake
This pretty orange-covered cake is a great excuse to invest in a kitchen blow torch.
Get the recipe at Joy the Baker.
Coquito Cake with Holiday "Lights"
The Christmas lights on this genius holiday cake are actually chocolate-covered almonds connected with gel food coloring.
Get the recipe at A Cozy Kitchen.
Shag Cake
Instagrammers can't get enough of cakes inspired by 1970s shag carpets. The retro look is actually super easy to create with grass decorating tips, like Wilton's no. 233.
Get the recipe at The Cake Blog.
Chocolate Pound Cake with Peppermint Ganache
A homemade glaze studded with crushed peppermints makes this decadent chocolate pound cake the perfect holiday dessert. It would also pair well with Ree's hot chocolate mix.
Get the recipe at Grandbaby Cakes.
Vanilla Almond Rainbow Petal Cake
Rainbow desserts are popular right now, and it's easy to see why. A rainbow of buttercream petals makes this cake perfect for any celebratory occasion.
Get the recipe at Butter Be Ready.
Wallpaper Cake
If you're up for a more in-depth cake decorating project, consider making a wallpaper-inspired cake. Many bakeries can create an edible print using special paper and ink, which you can then cut to fit your cake.
Get the recipe at Alana Jones-Mann.
Almond Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream
Believe it or not, there's no food coloring in the frosting of this cake: The gorgeous color is all thanks to fresh strawberries.
Get the recipe at Broma Bakery.
Pineapple Coconut Cake
Pressing sweetened coconut flakes into the buttercream quickly adds texture to this cake while pumping up the flavor. It looks like snow, so it's the perfect cake to bake over the winter.
Get the recipe at Grandbaby Cakes.
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